The Husqvarna TX300 two-stroke is probably the most versatile dirt bike in the world. It’s had amazing success as a motocrosser, a desert bike, an EnduroCross bike and a hare-scrambles bike. Last month we got to ride one that was specifically tailored for the forests of Oregon. Dallas Nyblod came down from the great Northwest with a couple of interesting project bikes. One was the Honda CR125M Elsinore that he built for Broc Glover. That was was featured in Two Stroke Tuesday a few weeks ago. Another was this 2020 Husky TX300, the bike he rides himself. By comparison to the Elsinore, Nyblod’s Husky is a fairly conservative project, but it’s a great showcase of how you can personalize the TX300.
Pete Murray on the TX300 project bike.
The motor was stock aside from the Pro Circuit exhaust and the Rekluse Radius CX automatic clutch. That’s the top-of-the-line Rekluse product which combines the auto clutch technology with the Core friction plates. The best part about this clutch is that you can use it like a manual clutch, or you can completely ignore the clutch lever without any issues with stalling. When you use the clutch manually, you have much more control over engine rpm. The engagement doesn’t feel exactly like a manual clutch, but it’s very close. Riders have been known to ride the bike using the clutch without even realizing that it was automatic.
Drew Smith at WER used K Tech hardware to rework the Xact AER 48 air fork and WP shock on the TX300. To do this, he used two separate K Tech kits for the fork–a spring conversion and a piston kit–as well as a bladder conversion kit for the WP shock. In addition to the installation, Drew revalved both ends with his own specs for woods racing and used K Tech springs.
The Xact air fork was rework with a coil spring and a new piston.
WP has the best air fork on the market. Still, an air fork requires some maintenance for each and every ride, and some riders still feel the performance can’t match coil springs. On a separate note, the 2020 and earlier Xact air forks have a somewhat simple valve design that could be improved. The 2021 version of the fork addresses this with a new mid-valve design, but there are still hundreds of earlier versions in the U.S. population of Husqvarna and KTM off-road bikes that could use the update. The K Tech spring replacement and the K Tech piston replacement work together to address both issues.
In the rear, the WP shock uses a floating piston, which works well but makes maintenance difficult. Bleeding the shock after an oil change or a seal replacement requires special tools and technique. The K Tech bladder kit eliminates the floating piston and makes shock bleeding possible for the average person in an average garage. The shock also got WER’s revalving.
We got to ride Nyblod’s bike back to back with a standard 2020 model. The biggest advantage was that the K Tech bike was ready to ride on tight, rocky trails immediately. We have a loop with miles of rocks and low-speed trail obstacles, and while it isn’t Oregon, it has many of the same elements. The modified TX was turn-key and plush. The stocker, on the other hand, was far too stiff with the stock air pressure. We reduced it to 127 pounds to get the initial compliance that we wanted, but at that level it had very little bottoming resistance and too much movement. More compression and rebound damping helped, but after a few hours of chasing settings, we never got the bike to work as well as the K-Tech bike on that specific loop. In the rear it was more click chasing. In general, suspension tests are never conclusive because each rider’s needs are different. But, the mechanical changes offered by K-Tech are well engineered and solid. They must be combined with a good suspension tuner who can tailor the valving to your needs. The K-Tech prices start with $495 for the spring conversion. For everything that was done on both ends of our test bike, including springs and labor, the total was around $1600. For more specific itemization, contact Drew Smith.
2021 professional Supercross and Motocross numbers announced
Current AMA Champions to run No. 1 plates
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association has announced the professional competition numbers for pro-licensed riders competing in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, and the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship for the 2021 season.
Each rider uses the assigned professional number for competition. In addition, the current champion runs the No. 1 plate, instead of an assigned professional number, when competing in the class or region in which the No. 1 plate was earned.
When competing in a class other than the class in which the championship was earned, the rider must use the professional number assigned.
2021 Top 100 and Career Pro Numbers for AMA Supercross and Motocross
* Career Numbers
1 — 450SX Eli Tomac
1 — 450MX Zach Osborne
1 — 250MX Dylan Ferrandis
1W Dylan Ferrandis
1E Chase Sexton
2* Cooper Webb
3* Eli Tomac
4* Blake Baggett
6* Jeremy Martin
7* Aaron Plessinger
9* Adam Cianciarulo
10* Justin Brayton
11* Kyle Chisholm
12* Shane McElrath
14* Dylan Ferrandis
15* Dean Wilson
16* Zach Osborne
17* Joey Savatgy
18 Jett Lawrence
19* Justin Bogle
20* Broc Tickle
21* Jason Anderson
22* Chad Reed
23* Chase Sexton
24* RJ Hampshire
25* Marvin Musquin
26* Alex Martin
27* Malcolm Stewart
28 Brandon Hartranft
29 Christian Craig
30 Jo Shimoda
31 Cameron McAdoo
32* Justin Cooper
33 Derek Drake
34 Max Anstie
35 Mitchell Harrison
36 Martin Davalos
37 Benny Bloss
38 Austin Forkner
39 Carson Mumford
40 Vince Friese
41 Hunter Lawrence
42 Michael Mosiman
43 Fredrik Noren
44 Tyler Bowers
45 Pierce Brown
46* Justin Hill
47 Jalek Swoll
48 Garrett Marchbanks
49 Mitchell Oldenburg
50 Enzo Lopes
51* Justin Barcia
52 Luke Clout
53 Jake Masterpool
54 Nick Gaines
55 John Short
56 Kyle Peters
57 Justin Rodbell
58 Jacob Hayes
59 Jarrett Frye
60 Chris Blose
61 Joey Crown
62 Mason Gonzales
63 Martin Castelo
64 Colt Nichols
65 Carson Brown
66 Jordan Bailey
67 Stilez Robertson
68 Jace Owen
69 Robbie Wageman
70 Henry Miller
71 Killian Auberson
72 Coty Schock
73 Derek Kelley
74 Mitchell Falk
75 Ty Masterpool
76 Grant Harlan
77 Jerry Robin
78 Kyle Cunningham
79 Isaac Teasdale
80 Jordon Smith
81 Justin Starling
82 Lorenzo Locurcio
83 Alex Ray
84 Josh Hill
85 Kevin Moranz
86 Darian Sanayei
87 Curren Thurman
88 Logan Karnow
89 Ryan Breece
90 Dilan Schwartz
91 Nate Thrasher
92 Chase Marquier
93 Hardy Munoz
94* Ken Roczen
95 Joshua Osby
96 Michael Leib
97 Ben LaMay
98 Justin Hoeft
99 Hunter Sayles
GEICO Motorcycle Announced as 2020 EnduroCross Title Sponsor!
Cycle City Promotions is proud to announce that GEICO Motorcycle, one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, will be the title sponsor of the 2020 AMA EnduroCross Series. GEICO Motorcycle is highly involved in the motorcycle industry and offers insurance on a variety of motorcycles, including dirt bikes.
The six-round 2020 series will kick off on October 23rd at the Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. The top teams and riders have all confirmed that they will be participating and several sponsors have confirmed their support to help to keep EnduroCross progressing. The pro class will feature a three-moto format and there will be classes for Women, Expert, Amateur/Intermediate, Vet 35+, and a local club class for each round. Buy your tickets online now as spectator space is limited.
MX Sports Pro Racing Recognizes Most Significant Contributions to 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
Season Awards Handed Out at Fox Raceway National Finale
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (October 22, 2020) – In the midst of a year filled with unpredictable challenges that yielded a cloud of uncertainty over the entirety of the 2020 season, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, completed a successful and captivating campaign. The highly competitive nature of this past season personified the notion that great things can happen when the motocross industry rallies together, and in celebration of the many individuals and organizations that helped make the 2020 season a reality MX Sports Pro Racing recognized several of the most significant contributions with a season-ending awards presentation after the Fox Raceway National.
The 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Champions (left to right),
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne in the 450 Class
and Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis in the 250 Class.
Photo: Align Media
Arguably the most important awards were handed out to the pair of newly crowned AMA National Champions, both of whom captured their first respective class titles. In the 450 Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne hoisted the Edison Dye Cup on the heels of four wins and six podium finishes. The Virginia native became the 25th different rider to earn a 450 Class title, and the 12th rider to earn championships across both of Pro Motocross’ competitive divisions. In addition to giving Husqvarna its first premier class title in the series, Osborne also cemented his own unique place in the record books as the oldest champion in the history of the sport at 31 years of age.
By virtue of Osborne’s exceptional season veteran technician Dave Feeney earned the “450 Class Champion Mechanic Wrench” while newly appointed team manager “Scuba” Steve Westfall commemorated his debut at the helm of the program with “Team Manager of the Year” accolades. The team’s semi driver, industry veteran Paul Delaurier, added to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s award haul as “Transport Driver of the Year.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, led by Team Manager “Scuba” Steve Westfall
(bottom right center), was the championship winning team in the 450 Class.
Photo: Align Media
In the 250 Class, Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis erased decades of heartbreak for French riders by becoming the first racer from the nation to raise the Gary Jones Cup. Ferrandis’ journey to become a champion on U.S. soil had been steadily building since he made the move to compete in American motocross for the 2017 season. His championship-winning run was a result of unparalleled consistency in which he captured three wins and eight podium finishes in nine rounds. Ferrandis is the 32nd different rider to win the 250 Class title and ended his stay in the division by providing Star Racing with its fifth championship in seven seasons.
Ferrandis’ title meant his mechanic, Alex Campbell, was the recipient of the “250 Class Champion Mechanic Wrench.” Additionally, after yet another impressive season by the Bobby Regan owned team, Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing was also named “Team of the Year.” With Ferrandis leading the way, a trio of Star riders earned a top-five finish in the final 250 Class standings as Shane McElrath secured a pair of podium finishes en route to third in points and Justin Cooper grabbed a win and two podiums to finish fifth. The team also welcomed a pair of promising young talents to the professional ranks with Jarrett Frye and Nate Thrasher.
In winning the 250 Class title with Ferrandis the Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing effort was named
“Team of the Year” with three riders inside the top 10 of the final standings.
Photo: Align Media
The first honoree of the newly named “Marty Smith Rookie of the Year” was GEICO Honda’s Jett Lawrence. On a bittersweet afternoon for the influential race team at the Fox Raceway National, the Australian capped off a stellar first full season of Pro Motocross competition by breaking through with the first win of what looks to be a promising career, which also helped him earn fourth in the final standings.
In addition to earning his first career win Australian Jett Lawrence (center) also captured
Marty Smith Rookie of the Year honors after finishing fourth in the final standings.
Photo: Align Media
The 17-year-old is the first Australian to earn the award and his victory, combined with the first career win for Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton in the 450 Class that same day, helped vault American Honda Motor Company to “Manufacturer of the Year” accolades. The “Red Riders” amassed more points across both the 450 Class and 250 Class than any other OEM, wrapping up a banner afternoon and memorable season for the iconic Japanese brand.
After sweeping both class victories at the final round American Honda Motor Company
prevailed to earn “Manufacturer of the Year” accolades.
Photo: Align Media
In addition to celebrating the season’s most notable contributors, MX Sports Pro Racing also paid tribute to members of the motocross family that passed away this year. Marty Smith, the sport’s first true superstar, and his wife, Nancy, tragically lost their lives in April, which sent shockwaves through the racing community. As a tribute to Smith, and a testament to his impact on American motocross, the aforementioned yearly rookie award was renamed in his honor. The community was also hit hard with the passing of longtime flagger and Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club member Mike Mars, who succumbed to COVID-19 just prior to the start of the 2020 season in August.
MX Sports Pro Racing also recognized the collection of race teams, manufacturers, and the hundreds of participants who committed to embark on the 2020 season, no matter what obstacles arose. Additionally, the championship would not have been possible without the unwavering support from the group of series partners and sponsors that made hosting a nine-round series feasible, notably the broadcast partners at NBC Sports Group and championship title sponsor Lucas Oil. Crucial support also came from Red Bull, WPS, FLY Racing, GEICO Motorcycle, MotoSport.com, FMF Racing, Thor, Parts Unlimited, KTM, Deltran Battery Tender, MX vs ATV All Out, 100%, Husqvarna, Dunlop, Guaranteed Rate, KMC Wheels, VP Racing Fuels, Alpinestars, GoPro, Vertex Pistons, Acerbis, and Road 2 Recovery.
