Motocross masterbike

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Motocross masterbike

Motocross masterbike
Lord of the Jumps

Which bike is the best crosser of 2002? The jury: six fighters, 30 meter wide jumps, 23 hairpin bends, an exorbitant washboard and ruts as far as the eye can see.

Gert Thole, Rolf Henniges

02/26/2002

Icy wind whips across the Pla de Urgell in Spain. Dietmar “Didi” Lacher stands on a plateau in the middle of the World Cup motocross track by Bellpuig, a good 100 kilometers west of Barcelona. With narrowed eyes like the former western heroes, he dissects the innumerable deep grooves. It goes steeply downhill in front of him. Almost eight meters vertically, then an edge protrudes from the ground. Then it’s another ten meters down, followed by a 30-meter table. At the bottom, the track bends sharply to the left. A passage that looks like a ski jump when viewed from above. However, without an opportunity to run out. Instead, it is peppered with grooves and covered with powder-fine dust. It works like soft soap on the hard floor. Any inexperienced motorcyclist would break his bones if he just had to roll down here. Didi pulls the corner of his mouth, thinking: »Jumping down takes a good second. The only thing I don’t know is which gear to jump in – I’ll call the pit. “
Pit Beirer, the only German who can currently assert himself in the Motocross World Championship, recently competed in a World Championship run here. And has been Didis’ “learner driver” for two years. No wonder. She reads Didi’s sports vita like an adventure novel. At the age of 17, he was the youngest German champion of all time, a total of six times national champion, fourteen years of successful professional at international level and GP winner of the 500 class. The Lacher driving style is legendary. Effective, balanced, effortless. And unique. In a field of a thousand drivers, Didi can be identified straight away. His head, always crouched, leans inward in curves, while the body remains straight as a tree. A kind of meditative driving robot that, it seems, unconditionally forces its will on the route.
And on top of that is blessed with a sunny disposition. One of those nice fellows you would trust your girlfriend. For MOTORRAD he competes in the Motocross Master 2002. Organized by the Spanish sister paper Motociclismo, six riders who compete for various European motorcycle magazines fight for every hundredth of a second with the most important motocross machines for two days. First of all, a winner is chosen in each class, determined by the best lap times. The best-in-class bikes then meet in the final (see box on page 143).
The exiled Swede Mattias Nilsson, a former Swedish supercross champion who knows the Bellpuig track like the back of his hand, competes for motociclismo. The Italian magazine Moto Sprint sends Tullio Pellegrinelli into the race. The 37-year-old enduro champion has basically never done anything else professionally than competes in off-road races. The Finn Vesa Kytonen starts for the Swedish magazine Bike. The ex-enduro world champion and motocrosser is now a legend in his home country. The French off-road specialists Moto Crampons send their test driver Richard Angot into battle. An ex-World Cup pilot who also booked a few placements in the French championship on his credit account. Representing less experienced drivers, the Portuguese journalist David Seguro from Motociclismo Portugal literally throws himself into the race. He just doesn’t know yet.
Monday, 7.56 a.m., sun, 8 degrees. A small paddock is being built along the route. KTM and Gas gas drive up with forty-toners, which cast long shadows on the sprinters of the competition. For three hours alone, the Gas Gas team ties up in its awning. Husqvarna and VOR canceled at the last moment, the TM truck broke down in Genoa, a mobile test bench is expected around 12 noon. Mas o menos – more or less. Spanish time.
10:21 a.m. Still photos are taken, the drivers walk the route, break tables are set. Bocadillos, Spanish sandwiches, pile up, are surrounded by small, strong coffees and water bottles. Action is announced from 12.31 p.m. Engines roar. Snappy, barking, aggressive. The drivers are introduced. David, the Portuguese, has driven off-road many times in his life, but he can’t imagine jumping down here. Let alone land safely. “Well,” he jokes, “maybe I’ll be the only one who can do nothing” (jump in which the driver has completely separated from his motorcycle for a short time). And asks about the ambulance staff in advance.
The photo session begins. Three classes, all sections, in various formations. Nilsson takes command. Translates the Spanish orders of the organization and leaves no doubt right from the start who is the boss in the ring. His front wheel is permanently in the air, he cannot turn himself without the dirt splattering, as if a field were to be plowed. Didi stays cool, always takes a good look at the back.
Noticed, however, in free practice that there were no nose drills on the way. And that Nilsson has serious advantages. Home advantages. The Spaniards worship him like a god, a joker they shook out of their sleeves. Someone who won before the game. The French and Nilsson are extremely fast and jump all jumps brilliantly. On the north side of the course, the route has a table that leads to a downhill jump. The top drivers bridge almost 40 meters in the air here. The tricky mountain jump described at the beginning compels Didi to respect it. He doesn’t even dare to go over the treacherous edge. His succinct explanation: “If I don’t jump on the first machine, then I can’t jump on the others either. Otherwise the times would not be comparable. “
3:25 p.m. Now is the time. The first group, 125 two-stroke and 250 four-stroke, fight for fractions of a second. The importers’ informers are positioned around the route and stop diligently. After all, they want to know how their pupils are doing. Didi hasn’t ridden a 125cc for over eight years. He realizes that after the first round. His times are good anyway.
Even though the track is extremely slippery and dusty. Under these conditions it is difficult for the drivers to feel their way to the limit. In addition, the computer-controlled irrigation repeatedly creates surprises in the form of puddles and slippery spots. Didi is extremely safe and gives, in his estimation, “only 78 percent of his capabilities”. After all, his Brazilian girlfriend is waiting at home. And she has to make the beds of the local pensioners by herself if he gets injured.
5:12 p.m. – the sun hugs the horizon, casting its reddish light over the howling dynamometer. This is surrounded by the emissaries of various brands. Dozens of curious pairs of eyes follow the procedure like a roulette or soccer game. Every diagram is eyed with suspicion. The last pilots roll off the track. The physical stress is behind them, the mental one is still ahead: the awarding of points.
Late in the evening in the hotel, the Portuguese takes care of his blisters on his hands and feet and looks around with concern. For him and the French, the 125cc Yamaha was the perfect motorcycle: no quirks, a very easy-to-drive engine that has bite over the entire speed range, but is still controllable and tame. The 125cc Honda, on the other hand, is best balanced of all. All drivers agree on that. Also about what the very best bike could be: the KTM engine in the Honda chassis – an unbeatable weapon. Nevertheless: Nilsson deserves the best time of the day on the 125cc Suzuki. Didi commented on the result with a smile. “I have to give 80 percent tomorrow,” he says, looking at his stomach. A little paunch instead of a washboard. But mountains of muscles stretch under its upholstery, as massive as the Pyrenees between Spain and France. And that although he is hardly training any more at the moment. But still, according to his self-assessment, is on the driving level of a GP driver.
Second day of competition, sunrise, 7.51 a.m. The TM team shows up. The Italians got their Sprinter back on the road. Their motorcycles are assembled from carefully packed boxes. They look classy. Well-styled. Color-coordinated exactly. Beautiful to look at. Despite their kick starter, they often only start when you push them.
11:51 a.m., warm-up. A TV reporter and two assistants from TV Catalania stomp between the dusty pilots and their supervisors. Didi lives up to his last name during the shooting. The pilots adjust to the increase in performance. Instead of the sound of a biscuit saw from the 125, biting barks fill the Bellpuig level. The program includes the 250 two-stroke and 400 four-stroke. Most mechanics stay relaxed, the services are marginal: lever adjustment, chain slack, set-up of the chassis. Finely tuned to the wishes of the pilots. Exception: the TM team. She is mostly busy pushing her four-stroke engines. If you look next to their truck, one bike is always dismantled, the seats are unscrewed from the others, perplexed looks snake between the frame tubes.
1:21 p.m. It’s time to take a break. You stroll through the paddock with a swollen chest, the television is there and posing is more important than driving – of course, the television is there. On the TM bikes, the seats are unscrewed again, and a 550 Husaberg roars on the dynamometer, the last four-stroke bear. The people take cover. The drivers sit pondering over their evaluation sheets, the Bridgestone service team diligently tinkers with fresh rubber on the rims. They are changed after every three rounds. All participants mill on Bridgestone M 59 at the front and M 70 at the rear over the course to make them comparable.
2:08 p.m. Didi is perplexed and speechless. Why are some mechanics strolling through the paddock and not at the pre-start? When he points out that the spring of the 250 TM is much too tight, the Italian mechanic looks at him, pushes the machine down, shrugs his shoulders and says, seriously but smugly, with a smile: “Why, it’s new, comes straight out the box, from the factory. Maybe still sit down. ”Of course, after two years.
While the TM mechanics are still debating about preload, Didi is sitting in the saddle of the 250cc Kawasaki. After only one lap he comes back to the pre-start. Something is loose, rattles. The chain? Re-tension. Not even better. He comes back again and takes a look himself. The rebound stage of the shock absorber is defective, it always remains closed. The kawa wedges like a rodeo horse. A mechanic runs off as if it were a matter of life and death, fetching a replacement. time for a break.
Lunch is over at 3:40 p.m. It’s back on track. In the open, it is clear: Didi is just as quick as Nilsson and should definitely contest the final. The Swede eyes him suspiciously. How can that be? 167 centimeters, unwilling to jump, meditative posture on the motorcycle. Where does the German dwarf get his seconds? The large four-stroke class is still pending. And Didi’s flight leaves at 7.40 p.m. It will be close. The four-stroke class and the finale are no longer possible today. The final is postponed to tomorrow morning. At a time when Didi usually turns over in bed again. He rebooks. For the fatherland. For MOTORCYCLE. The four-strokes roar their rough song into the vastness of the Urgell plain, Didi jump the big table for the first time. The final can come.
4.41 p.m. You can tell the exhaustion of some pilots. The high-torque four-stroke engines and the completely extended track with many ruts and holes send their regards. The Portuguese flutters behind the 550 Husaberg. A tractor. She pulls him across the track, stretching his arms as if they were made of rubber. With every uncontrolled movement he gives more gas. Feed the monster that wants to throw it off. Professionals like Didi, Pellegrinelli or Nilsson are unimpressed. Reliably and with a high degree of consistency conjure up comparable lap times on paper until thick clouds slide in front of the setting sun. A storm warning sounds from the radio. Hail, storm, rain, snow. “Great,” says Didi, “then I don’t have to get used to in Germany.”
Wednesday morning at 8.21 a.m. The route is presented under a thick blanket of clouds. Pushed, watered, slippery and flat as a pan. Just like before every World Cup run. Didi wrinkles his nose. If it weren’t for the huge jumps, the route would be almost too easy. What counts now is speed and brutal but controllable performance. The 426 Yamaha with its smooth, high-torque four-stroke engine would have the best chance under these conditions. But she is not in the final. The 125cc Suzuki and 250cc four-stroke Yamaha start in the small class, the 250cc is the Yamaha In the final, the victory in the big class was shared by the 520 KTM and the Honda CRF 450 R..
Didi stays cool. It may be that from a Spanish point of view, the pushed route was hoped for advantages. “But 90 percent should be enough.” And they do. He sets the best time with every bike, jumping every table as if he were an antelope pursued by five cheetahs. Due to the defused route, almost all machines are almost three seconds faster than the day before. Nail the time of 1.48.55 minutes on paper with the 520er KTM. For comparison: The best training times for the 250 World Championship run in 2001 in Bellpuig were 1: 48.00 minutes. The Swede gives everything. Makes for the best show and still looks old. Did the bill without the landlord.
The Spaniards look dizzy at the award ceremony. Award the bike of the year, the KTM 520, with a trophy. And don’t pay any tribute to the fastest pilot. How much they would have liked to see a compatriot on the podium. Laughing smiles, gets into the taxi to the airport and looks back. Who laughs last, laughs best.

Class 1: The beginners

The smallest category is fairly balanced with closely spaced lap times; a clear winner is not immediately apparent when analyzing the time table. One driver each achieved his personal best with the Honda, the KTM, the Suzuki and the 250cc four-stroke Yamaha, two drivers were the fastest with the two-stroke Yamaha. The overall best time was achieved by Mattias Nilsson with the RM 125, Didi Lacher was only a few hundredths slower with the YZ 250 F. With the most powerful eight-liter engine, the KTM could be a real opponent for the high-torque four-stroke Yamaha. Most of the riders didn’t get used to the KTM’s suspension, which took getting used to. At the other end of the list of results, the situation is clearer: The machines from Gas Gas and TM have to be content with the lower ranks for all drivers. However, the narrow gap shows that these two are not far from the competition either. In the final bill, the four-stroke YZ finally prevailed just ahead of its two-stroke brand colleague and the Suzuki because of the better average times and the good marks.

1st place in class 1 – Yamaha YZ 250 F

The four-stroke YZ can take full advantage of the displacement bonus. No two-stroke engine has so much pressure out of the corners and so shoots up the steep slopes. The YZ-F plays over the higher weight and the lack of liveliness with sheer force.

Class 2: The middle class

In terms of characteristics, the Japanese engines of the current 250cc two-stroke engines are close to one another. They are less designed for top performance than for a wide range of performance and good traction, while European machines are designed differently. So the gas gas goes smoothly, almost like a trial machine, but it is simply much too lax. The opposite is the aggressive 250cc from KTM and TM. Both grip first in the middle area, but then so hard that the driver’s arms are stretched out. The top times are achieved by the more modern constructions from Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha, the Europeans cannot match that. That the Kawasaki Landing behind in sixth place must be attributed to the bad chassis set-up of the test machine. The mechanics of the Spanish importer couldn’t get the problems with the rear suspension under control. The two four-stroke engines are exotic in this field. The 400cc KTM is doing surprisingly well thanks to its ease of control, but it seems to have reached the limits of its possibilities. The four-stroke TM looks more explosive, but also more inhomogeneous. It suffers from its mediocre handling and the underdeveloped chassis.

1st place in class 2 – Yamaha YZ 250

Even if the competition stays on her heels, the bottom line is that victory for the well-balanced Yamaha is hardly at risk. It has the best engine in its category, combined with excellent ergonomics, a stable chassis and good suspension.

Class 3: The premier class

The fast piste in Bellpuig is perfect for the big four-stroke engines. Long straights, fast corners, steep driveways, huge jumps – you can really give the powerful machines spurs. The fact that performance is definitely an issue here is proven by the fast times of the 520 KTM, which simply seems overpowered on many narrow slopes in Germany. On this GP track, on the other hand, she is completely in her element, as the explosive development of strength can be optimally implemented. The bottom line is that it seems a bit hectic on the brakes and that it always demands full physical effort even when cornering, costs relatively little time here. The driver can easily get this out of this every time he accelerates. Still, the SX 520 can’t shake the Honda off. It has the more balanced chassis, has a little less, but always enough power and offers a well-rounded overall package. Ultimately, the head-to-head race ends in a classic draw. Significantly, three drivers each achieved their personal best with both. But the powerful four-stroke engines also require full concentration and a top level of fitness. The Yamaha circumnavigates the course considerably more easily and with less effort. Every line fits, the track is right in every curve. However, the penetrating fork warns you to be careful with the many hard landings, and the top-heavy Yamaha looks more clumsy in many situations. It is made of a very special wood Husaberg carved. The Swedish machine is extremely idiosyncratic, all drivers had their problems with it. The engine has the same thump as the KTM engine, but by no means its explosiveness. Whether on the washboard, in the curves or on the jumps, there is always a little time left. The lack of trust and the sluggish character add up to seven seconds in the end, so even the most powerful engine is of no use.

1st place in class 3 – Honda CRF 450 R and KTM SX 520

In the class with the fewest participants, of all places, there are two winners. Honda has put together the best package with the CRF, there are hardly any points of criticism. But the Honda doesn’t drive by itself either. The powerful, explosive engine catapults the KTM to the top. A fascinating dragster for drivers with a lot of stamina and little fear.

All drivers at a glance

Dietmar, “Didi” Lacher, 35, MOTORCYCLE six-time German champion, started 14 years as a successful professional in World Championship races, best result: GP winner in the 500 World Championship, driving trainer from Pit Beirer

Richard Angot, 29, MOTO CRAMPONS full-time test driver, six years of participation in the French Motocross Championship, participation in the 125 cm³ World Championship, best result: xx place in the 1998 World Championship in 125 cc

Tullio Pellegrinelli, 37, MOTOCICLISMOItalian off-road sport veteran, Enduro World Champion 1992, twelve-time Italian champion, three-time Sixdays winner, Trophy Team

David Seguro, 23, MOTOCICLISMOB licensed driver in the Portuguese championship, has only been driving off-road since he was 18, and an editor with taker qualities

Vesa Kytonen, 35, BIKE enduro world champion 250 cm³ four-stroke 1999, multiple Finnish enduro champion, three-time Sixdays winner, European enduro champion

The rules of the game

In search of the best crosser of the 2002 vintage, test drivers from six leading European motorcycle magazines met for a unique event. All manufacturers were invited to the test, but Husqvarna and VOR rejected the offer. The test location was the Bellpuig GP track, a good 100 kilometers west of Barcelona. The motorcycles came directly from the manufacturers, from the Spanish importers or dealers in the area. Their mechanics took care of the basic set-up, the drivers could have the desired fine-tuning carried out at the edge of the track before the timed laps. All machines were measured on a test bench in order to ensure the standard condition of the engine. The same tires are important for comparable lap times. Bridgestone provided a whole truck full of tires of the new type M 401 / M 402. Classification was based on a scheme that is practiced in some countries at national championships. In the eight-liter two-stroke engines, the 250 four-stroke engines are allowed to compete, the 400 four-stroke engines compete against the 250 two-stroke engines, and the large class is open to two-stroke engines over 250 cm3 and four-stroke engines over 400 cm3. The regulations: First of all, there was extensive training for all drivers to get to know the slopes. Then, after an introductory lap, each pilot drove two timed laps with each machine. The machines were tested for each class in order to minimize the effects of changes in the route. Of the two timed laps of each driver, the fastest was rated. All drivers also had to fill out an extensive evaluation sheet for each motorcycle. The following factors played a role in the ranking: the best individual time of all six drivers, the number of drivers who achieved their best time with this machine, the average time of all drivers with the respective model, and finally the average rating of all drivers.

The final

Which machine is the fastest on the GP slope in Bellpuig? The fastest drivers and the four class winners qualified for the final. The piste has been freshly paved, but has also been abundantly watered overnight. Didi first set off with the YZ 250, on the track, which is still slippery after the training laps, it is not enough for a top time. The four-stroke YZ-F is even faster thanks to its more grippy barrel. Ultimately, the 520 KTM can prevail. Hardly any waves or holes, a stretch like a motorway? pure performance counts.

124 cm3, two-stroke, 38 hp, 5800 euros – Gas Gas MC 125

Balanced, easy-to-drive machine, stiff chassis, good straight-line stability, very direct, precise handling, suspension a little too soft, engine with a wide range of performance, top performance decent

125 cc, two-stroke, 41 hp, 5900 euros – Honda CR 125 R

Linear, easy to control engine, but not particularly powerful in any area, optimal seating position, very good handling, suspension works well, but fork with moderate response, excellent braking system

125 cc, two-stroke, 39 hp, 5560 euros – Kawasaki KX 125

Relatively large motorcycle, looks a bit clumsy, stable chassis, progressive spring elements, fork a bit too soft on hard landings, engine with strengths in the upper speed range

125 cc, two-stroke, 40 hp, 5620 euros – KTM SX 125

High motorcycle with a hard seat, progressive, softly appealing PDS suspension, fork looks pretty hard, satisfactory handling, but requires a lot of physical effort, strongest two-stroke, very wide speed range

125 cc, two-stroke, 40 hp, 5650 euros – Suzuki RM 125

Relatively wide tank-seat combination, very agile, direct steering behavior, good balance when jumping, rear suspension a bit stubborn, engine with good performance and decent speed range

125 cc, two-stroke, 40 hp, 5800 euros – TM 125 Cross

Tall motorcycle, quite cumbersome and not very maneuverable, gearshifts notchy, brakes moderate, engine weak at the bottom, very snappy in the middle, requires a lot of concentration

125 cc, two-stroke, 39 hp, 5770 euros – Yamaha YZ 125

Balanced machine, good handling, stability very good, fine responsive suspension, fork should be a little more progressive, strong engine with a wide range of performance

249 cc, four-stroke, 41 hp, 6800 euros – Yamaha YZ 250

The only four-stroke engine in this class, clearly noticeable additional weight, appears less lively and agile, fork sometimes punctures, very beefy engine with extraordinary torque, extremely easy to drive

249 cm3, two-stroke, 56 hp, 6100 euros – Gas Gas MC 250

Stable chassis, good handling, successful seating position, suspension set-up not optimal, gently gripping engine, but too little power over the entire range

249 cc, two-stroke, 48 hp, 6600 euros – Honda CR 250 R

Good ergonomics, successful chassis set-up, sometimes nervous straight-line stability, very good brakes, very even, not particularly powerful performance development, easy to control

249 cc, two-stroke, 56 hp, 5998 euros – Kawasaki KX 250

Very stable, but not particularly agile chassis, successful seating position, the fork lacks progressiveness, easy-revving motor with a wide range of performance, but not extremely powerful

249 cc, two-stroke, 56 hp, 6130 Euo – KTM SX 250

Hard and high seat, fork a bit hard appealing, rear wheel suspension with good progression, aggressive engine with explosive use of power in the middle range, narrow band, therefore a lot of switching work necessary

398 cc, four-stroke, 48 hp, 6850 euros – KTM SX 400 Racing

Comfortable suspension with good progression, good handling, very easy to control, noticeably heavier than the two-stroke, smooth, but also somewhat weak engine with steady power development

249 cc, two-stroke, 54 hp, 6150 euros – Suzuki RM 250

Always looks pretty high at the rear, relatively flat handlebars, very precise steering, agile handling, good straight-line stability, engine similar to Kawasaki, strong in the middle area, but should be more aggressive in the upper area

250 cc, two-stroke, 55 hp, 6130 euros – TM 250 Cross

High seating position, satisfactory handling, fork does not work satisfactorily, brakes moderate, relatively weak motor with a narrow power range, difficult to control, a lot of manual work required

399 cc, four-stroke, 48 hp, price not specified – TM 400 Cross

Narrow, but very tall motorcycle, the suspension does not work satisfactorily both in the front and in the front, moderate brakes, the engine a bit rough, but extremely powerful and easy to turn, very difficult starting behavior

249 cc, two-stroke, 53 hp, 6350 euros – Yamaha YZ 250

Very homogeneous overall package, no real weak points, progressive suspension, handling slightly worse than Honda or Suzuki, strong engine with a wide range of performance

449 cc, four-stroke, 52 hp, 7900 euros – Honda CRF 450 R

Very low weight, good handling, excellent ergonomics, engine gripping hard in the lower and middle areas, a bit tough at the top, balanced chassis, very good brakes

550 cc, four-stroke, 56 hp, 7390 euros – Husaberg FC 550

Wide tank-seat combination, ergonomically not optimal, stiff throttle grip, easy clutch actuation, very powerful, but slow-acting, not very revving engine

510 cc, four-stroke, 56 hp, 7050 euros – KTM SX 520

Powerful, explosive motor with a wide band, good seating position, especially for tall drivers, firm, progressive suspension, but chassis, especially on the brakes, sometimes a bit nervous

426 cc, four-stroke, 50 hp, 7080 euros – Yamaha YZ 426 F

High-revving engine with very good controllability, machine seems a bit top-heavy every now and then, very direct, precise steering, responsive suspension, but fork relatively softly tuned

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