Video - Brandy Cottage Spotlight

Our string of video posts continues with RipItUpFilms latest rider spotlight shining on youth motocross racer Brandy Cottage.

Video - Atco MX Park

herrmann450r takes us to Atco MX park in New Jersey via a few laps on his helmet cam. Enjoy!

Video - Angie Maher Tribute

NEATV-MX Women's racer Angie Maher was seriously injured earlier this month during a practice session and later succombed to her injuries. 201Films brings us this tribute video.

Video - Thomas Brown

I stumbled across this video of Yamaha's Thomas Brown. It's got some decent footage, especially of Keith Little's private track. Check it out, courtesy ATVRiders.

Video - ITP Quadcross

Here's a video from Round 6 of the ITP Quadcross series at Glen Helen Raceway Aug. 15. Yamaha's Dustin Nelson led the pro classes to take the overall win. Thanks to tahitianskateboarder for the great video.

NEW Mini Motocross Mod Quad

ATV Four Play Introduces the Newest Mini Motocross Mod

ATV Four Play, known for its championship-winning suspension components and their shock absorbing Soft Bars handlebars, is taking a different line with their latest youth quad release: the Pitster Pro Mod Package.

Parents whose children race ATVs in the youth classes now can customize a national-level rolling chassis from ATV Four Play for their young racer that is capable of receiving five different engine packages to compete in three separate youth classes in the AMA ATV national series.

ATV Four Play builds upon the popular Pitster Pro quad as the base for the Pitster Mod. The long-travel ATV Four Play a-arms on the Pitster Mod are 2.235 inches wider on each side and are the first mini quad to accept Fox’s new Generation II Float X Evol front shocks. ATV Four Play adds their signature chromoly long-travel swing arm, which is two inches longer than the stock Pitster swing arm and allows for 10.5 inches of rear wheel travel with either a dual-rate Fox Podium X or Elka shock.

The stock Pitster chromoly frame is retained, but ATV Four Play adds up to 24 gussets to strengthen weak points while still maintaining the right amount of flex. The frame is adapted to fit the large radiator off Yamaha’s YFZ450 sport quad.

Having five engines to choose from is what makes this youth race quad an affordable, long-lasting performance option for motocross families. ATV Four Play’s Pitster Mod’s has the capabilities of interchangeable engine mounts to accept engines from: Kawasaki’s two-stroke, 65cc KX65; KTM’s two-stroke, 65cc 65SX; Suzuki’s two-stroke, 85cc RM85; Honda’s two-stroke, 85cc CR85; and Honda’s new four-stroke, 150cc CRF150R.

The Pitster Mod features Tarantula Performance Racing's new front bumper design.

Tom Skladzien, owner of ATV Four Play, said having the option to choose an engine lets parents keep the same long-travel chassis for several years and simply swap the engine out when its time for their racer to step up a class.

“The CVT class is great,” Skladzien said. “But the chassis is very expensive to make competitive and it is a frustrating class for most parents. There are so many variables with these machines. The clutching, building the engine, pipes, rollers, belts etc. Most of the time, as ‘mini quad parents’ we find ourselves not having as much fun as we should because these CVT’s demand a lot more maintenance and finesse than your typical Japanese shifter engines require. You buy these CVT quads for $1,700-$1,800 dollars and you find yourself putting $6,000 more into them. And at the end of the day, you’re still a CVT.”

The rear end of the new ATV Four Play Pitster Mod offers 10.5 inches of wheel travel.

Except for the CRF150R, Honda’s new high-tech mini dirt bike engine, all of the power plants available for the Pitster Mod have been winning races in dirt bikes for decades. The two-stroke engines are lighter, more competitive and have a broader availability of parts and modifications. The 65cc engines are competition legal for the AMA 70 mod class, the 85cc engines are legal for the AMA 90 mod class, and the 150cc four-stroke can compete in the AMA Super Mini class.

Pictured above is the KX65 engine package.

Customers have several options for ordering a Pitster Mod from ATV Four Play. You can buy a complete quad that is fully suspended with motor mounts of your choice but without the engine. Or customers can go “Ala Carte” and order a chassis with ATV Four Play suspension parts and then customize it with your choice of shocks, wheels and tires.

The Mod Racer Starter Kit includes the following options for $4,999: Pitster Pro chromoly chassis; spindles, hubs, braking systems, rotors, plastics, gas tank, stock axle and rear wheel hubs, rear sprocket with chain guard, ATV Four Play long-travel a-arms, swing arm and anti-vibe steering stem, 24 frame gussets, powder coated frame, motor mounts for customer engine choice and mounts for all electronics.

Currently, ATV Four Play is working with Hetrick Racing to develop a race-ready package for the KX65 engine and their exhaust. The Hetrick Racing packages may be available for the 2011 season. Fox and Elka are the current shock options for the Pitster Mods, but ATV Four Play may be able to accommodate another shock brand at a customer’s request.

The standard chassis and body components on the production Pitster Mod from ATV Four Play include: Tarantula Performance Racing’s new front bumper and Race Safer Pro nerf bars; ATV Four Play’s Generation II Soft Bars; ATV Four Play’s chain guide and chain slide; Streamline stainless steel brake lines; stock Pitster axle, axle carrier and brake plate.

For additional information about ATV Four Play’s new Pitster Mod, log on to www.atvfourplay.com or call 330-289-1423.

Product Review: TPR nerf bars

TPR Race Safer PRO Nerf Bars

MSRP: $369.95

WHAT IS IT? Tarantula Performance Racing's Race Safer Pro nerf bars break the mold when it comes to conventional ATV nerf bars. These bars offer an increased level of protection to the rider via the "Pocket Bar Bend," which turns up at an angle from the front of the quad towards the rear integrated heel guard. This outer bar, unlike conventional flat nerf bars, does a better job of keeping a competitor's wheels from reaching your legs. And it helps keep your boots planted on the foot pegs if you get squirrelly at an inopportune time out on the track, trail or dunes.

HITS: These nerf bars mount up in a matter of minutes. No bending or ratchet straps needed. They practically fall onto the quad because the mounts are designed with such tight tolerances. The pegs are wide and extremely grippy, and the heel guard netting reduces weight without sacrificing security.

MISSES: We haven't encountered a single problem or failure in more than a year of testing with these nerf bars. They are more suited for motocross due to their width, so some XC riders might be less comfortable dodging trees with them.

THE VERDICT: These nerf bars, unlike some that claim to revolutionize nerf bar design, actually did break away from the traditional flat bar design. The aluminum nerfs are light weight yet strong, and the steel pegs offer a great deal of support. If you're a motocross racer who wants the latest and greatest, this should be your next set of nerf bars.

RATING: 1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10

Contact: www.tprusa.com  330-273-3456

Product Review: Soft Bars

ATV Four Play's Generation II Soft Bars
MSRP: $325

WHAT IS IT? The best way to describe ATV Four Play's Soft Bars is to say they're suspension for your wrists, arms and upper body. The Soft Bars work by pivoting in a downward motion on a urethane bushing.  The overall bar length is 31.5 inches with 10.5 inches of usable handlebar space in a 7/8-inch diameter bar. The Soft Bars weigh in at a mere 4.5 pounds and are available in the popular 12-degree bend, which is similar to the original Honda CR high bend.

HITS: Unlike their competition, the Soft Bars are fully adjustable without having to unbolt the handlebar mechanism to swap out parts.The resistance level delivered by the cone-shaped bushing is fully adjustable by turning a screw, so each rider can dial in how soft or stiff they want the bars. And the system is progressive, so the resistance increases as the bar moves through its travel. These bars are available for a wide variety of ATV models and stock and aftermarket steering stems. The bars are completely rebuildable.

MISSES: None! These bars are extremely comfortable from an ergonomics standpoint. They help reduce vibration and arm pump all while cushioning the harsh blows motocross can deal to your shoulder and arm joints. The only down side is the price.

THE VERDICT: ATV Four Play is often leading the way in innovation for the ATV industry. These bars are one of the best investments you can make to your quad. We've been riding on them for a year and they just keep getting better.

RATING: 1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9.5..10

Contact: http://www.atvfourplay.com/

YouTube Star

If you don't follow MarkFreeman408 on YouTube, you should. Mark set a goal of posting one video for every day of the year a while back. Though I don't think he's met it yet, he has more than 200 videos, most of which are based on quad riding and racing. And a lot of the shooting is done at his private track in Canada.

Though I've never met him, Mark strikes me as a pretty solid guy. And he's a good rider. Well, Mark just re-shaped what was an already sick practice compound into an even better track with a huge double and some gnarly whoops. Check out his latest video about what goes through his head before hitting a new track, "Just Breathe."

Rewind- Midas Touch

With both the quad and dirt bike AMA Motocross champs riding yellow in 2010, I thought it was appropriate to re-post an editorial I wrote earlier this year. Suzuki once again showed its prowess this year with Ryan Dungey achieving a truly super-human (or super-pumped!) feat: winning both the Supercross and Motocross titles in his rookie year.

On the ATV side, Rockstar Makita Yoshimura riders Josh Creamer and Dustin Wimmer went 1-2 on the season to give Suzuki the top two spots.

One wonders what 2011 will hold with word that long-time team manager on the dirt bike side, Roger DeCoster, is leaving for KTM. And rumors abound about Dungey jumping ship as well, while the latest rumor is that the ATV riders won't have a factory semi to pit out of next year.

With that, let's remember Suzuki's prowess and Rewind The Midas Touch.

AMA Quad, Bike Banquets Merge

MX, ATV MOTOCROSS RIDERS TO CELEBRATE CHAMPIONS TOGETHER

Morgantown, WV (9/8/2010) - Just days after the official announcement that MX Sports Pro Racing will once again celebrate the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship season by hosting its second annual awards banquet following the Pala Motocross National, the sanctioning body of American motocross has also announced that the ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship will be a part of the season-ending celebration on September 12.

"By including the AMA ATV Motocross Championship alongside the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the annual awards banquet will serve as a true celebration of American motocross," said MX Sports Pro Racing's Harv Whipple. "The U.S. is the home of the world's finest motocross competitors on both two and four wheels and we want to give them the acknowledgement they rightfully deserve."

On August 15, the ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship wrapped up its 2010 season from Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. While Motoworks Can-Am's Chad Wienen took the win, it was Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Josh Creamer who walked away with the series title. Thanks to six overall wins and 10 podiums this season, Creamer was able to give back-to-back titles to the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team, edging out teammate and reigning series champion Dustin Wimmer for the number one plate. Coincidentally enough, the duo's two-wheeled teammate Ryan Dungey is looking to accomplish the same feat for the most successful American motocross program in recent years in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

The 2010 MX Sports Pro Racing Awards Banquet commences on Sunday, September 12 from Pala Resort and Casino in Pala, Calif.

For tickets and fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to AlliSports.com.

Editorial - Banquet Merger Celebrates Community

Word that the dirt bike and ATV crowds will be, for the first time ever, crowning the 2010 AMA Motocross Champions side by side is big news in the industry.

For years the dirt bike and ATV crowds have been separated by an unseen dividing line. Practice tracks often attach the dreaded "bikes only" phrase to their signs and websites. The lines each forms on a track are completely different and often unusable by one another. The separate national series only hit one or two of the same tracks. Dirt bike and quad riders used to rag on each other in the pits; now they do it more harshly in online forums behind the cloak of anonymity.

But combining the year-end award banquets for both the ATV and dirt bike champions is a symbolic gesture of community handed down by the AMA. As Harv Whipple said, America is home to the world's fastest motocross racers on two and four wheels, and we should celebrate them all together. Amen!

There is a lesson, or maybe just a reminder, both crowds can walk away with after the combined banquet. The dirt bike riders should recognize the ATV racers are just as fast as, if not faster, than their two-wheeled cousins, and as such the quad riders deserve recognition and equal rights. And ATV riders would do well to remember the dirt bike side is what started it all and raised the awareness level of our sport. They're also the reason motocross continues to receive so much outside-of-the-sport attention.

So here's to the joint celebration of America's fastest motocross racers, on two or four wheels!

Product Review: Tail Light Block-Off

HMF Tail Light Eliminator for YFZ450R

MSRP: $59.95

WHAT IS IT? HMF's Tail Light Eliminator for the YFZ450R allows you to remove your stock rear tail light and still protect the vital electronic components tucked behind it. When removed, the stock tail light leaves a gaping hole in the stock rear plastic guard designed to protect the battery and wiring harness. HMF's Tail Light Eliminator replaces the stock black plastic guard and completely surrounds the electronics to protect them from roost and rocks.

HITS: The Tail Light Eliminator is made of T6061 aluminum, so its extremely durable. The opening where the wiring harness exits the eliminator is lined with rubber to protect the harness from rubbing or being cut by the aluminum. It features full coverage to help keep mud and water out of the electronics in addition to rocks and dirt. The eliminator mounts quickly and easily, and HMF provides the mounting hardware.

MISSES: The only issue we can think of is the fact this guard is made of aluminum, so it does add a minimal amount of weight to the rear end and out at the end of a poorly supported sub frame on the YFZR. There are some carbon-fiber models out on the market, but they don't look as good as the HMF block-off in our opinion.

THE VERDICT: Every woods racer should have one of these to protect their vital electronic components from the nasty debris on cross-country tracks. The eliminator is a bonus for motocross racers to protect from your own roost and rocks and looks much better than the stock plastic guard. All it takes is just one rock or deep mud hole to ruin your day. Regardless of where you ride, if you're planning to remove your stock YFZR tail light, then you should buy this eliminator.

RATING: 1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10

Contact: www.hmfracing.com

Shop Talk: HMF Racing

HMF tunes the 

TPR project

YFZ450R

All EFI programmers are not created equal. We learned that lesson the hard way. 

As part of the TPR project YFZ450R build, our exhaust sponsor, Motoworks, hooked us up with their Motoworks FMI tuner so we could adjust the fuel map for our national-level engine mods courtesy ATP Racing Engines.

The Motoworks FMI is a mode-based tuner. About the size of a credit card, mode-based tuners offer a minimal fuel level adjustment range at three general throttle openings: cruise, acceleration and wide open. ATP was able to make the tuner work by running the heavily modified project quad's engine on their dyno in Florida. They spent two weeks last summer on the quad and dialed it in perfectly. 

But this summer we hit a snag when the ground wire on the Motoworks tuner broke during a test session. The loss of power to the unit resulted in the complete erasure of our custom ATP fuel map. Our project quad was dead at the gate.

That's when Cleveland-based HMF stepped up to the plate. As a newcomer to the build, we couldn't work with the exhaust manufacturer to run their new HMF Competition Series exhaust system with TriMax Core Technology. We did, however, run their protective headlight and tail light block-off panels, which have kept our critical electronic components safe from roost and rocks for more than a year now.

First we acquired a DynoJet Power Commander V. The PCV is a much more sophisticated fuel programmer and allows you to fully adjust the fuel levels at every percentage of throttle opening. The PCV essentially gives you complete control of the fuel map. Then, we took the quad to HMF and put it on their DynoJet dyno.

The dyno room at HMF may be small, but it produces big horsepower numbers. Their dyno is equipped with an O2 sniffer, so they know exactly where in the RPM range your quad is lacking fuel or getting too much.

The quad started with DynoJet's downloadable GYT-R stage three fuel map, which is set up for an engine with a full exhaust, intake mods, cams, port and polish and a high-compression piston. Still, initial dyno runs showed the GYT-R Stage III fuel map didn't give the TPR YFZR enough fuel where it needed it.

HMF's dyno technicians made the appropriate adjustments to the fuel table. Their techs were able to smooth out and increase the power curve considerably compared to the stage three map. They also increased over-rev to keep the quad from falling on its face on the top end. The horsepower numbers were about the same as ATP's original 52 horsepower reading when they wrapped up the engine mods last year.

We showed up at HMF with an ailing quad. Their knowledgeable, professional and courteous staff sent our quad home with a clean bill of health, a new, throaty bark and ready to throw roost again. If you're in the Ohio area and are struggling to tune your EFI quad, give HMF a call. You'll be glad you did. HMF also has a full line of services for engine and suspension building, and their retail store is packed with exhaust systems, suspension and chassis components.

CONTACT: Website: http://www.hmfracing.com/      Phone: 216-631-6980

Video - Rider Spotlight

RipItUpFilms shines its latest rider spotlight on young Brent Sellers. The Honda-mounted No. 29 took home the 2010 championship in the School Boy Junior class at the ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Nationals. Keep an eye on Sellers as he rises through the ranks.

MX vs ATV

MX

vs.

ATV

 The Great Debate

It's the age-old question that every quad and dirt bike rider has asked themselves. Who's faster?

The debate came roaring back after the Red Bud ATV MX National in August, when Team Motoworks Can-Am rider Chad Wienen set the fastest lap time of the weekend on his Can-Am DS450 race quad. Wienen's fastest lap time was 2:15.043.

Just weeks earlier, the Lucas Oil AMA National at Red Bud saw the best lap time set by Ben Townley, who recorded a fastest lap of 2:16.882 on his Troy Lee Designs Honda CR450F. The difference? Less than two seconds at a mere 1.839 seconds.

Initially, one might think the stop watch is the ultimate judge and the debate is settled, especially when you consider the track was extended about 10 feet near the finish for the ATV national. But there are all sorts of variables that come into play.

Let's try and break it down logically by track section.

Naturally, track conditions play a big role in how fast any machine can traverse the terrain. Dirt bikes tend to create ruts, and lots of them. But a good rider can drop into and catapult out of a rut on their dirt bike faster than they could power through a flat, smooth corner. Quads, on the other hand, can power slide through a corner faster than if they were faced with a rough, rutted corner. And of course, a track wears in differently depending upon if ATVs or dirt bikes are creating the lines.

The same goes for jump faces as for corners. Quads need smooth jump faces because of their four wheels. Rutted jump faces, like the one pictured above, can launch a quad sideways, making it difficult to recover in the air before landing all swapped up. In corners, however, quads have the upper hand. Quads squat low in the corners. Combine that with their added width and they cruise much faster through an off-camber corner, ruts or no ruts, like the one pictured below.

Dirt bikes have the better ability to scrub over jumps, thus staying lower and getting that rear wheel back in contact with the ground faster. Quads can scrub, but not as effectively. And dirt bikes have a much more affective whip in mid-air, which allows them to carrow speed over a jump and slow down in mid-air.

So corners favor quads and jumps favor dirt bikes when it comes to carrying speed around a motocross track. What about starts? Well, quads have two smaller diameter rear tires, which rotate faster and create quicker accleration compared to a dirt bike's large, narrow single rear tire. I've seen countless head to head drags on concrete starting pads, dirt and even in the sand where quads beat dirt bikes out of the whole 90 percent of the time.

On downhills, I believe dirt bikes have the advantage. The lighter weight of a dirt bike allows the rider to carry more speed on rough downhills, which are usually littered with braking bumps. Quads, on the other hand, have more weight compressing the suspension. And in braking bumps, a quad's suspension can buck more under the weight than dirt bike suspension, which typically weighs about half a quad.

Speaking of weight, the power to weight ratio undoubtedly favors dirt bikes. But pro quad racers should be given credit in this department for posting similar lap times as dirt bikes while wrestling almost double the weight around the track.

Uphills are tough. I've personally passed a lot of dirt bikes at local practice tracks on uphill sections, but I've also been passed there. That's really a tough call. On personal experience, I'd have to say it's even.

Whoop sections weigh heavily on this debate. Supercross style whoops can swallow quads whole. Here's where the light weight of dirt bikes allows them to skip over the top of a whoop section where quads have to double in and out. In motocross, roller-style whoops tend to be longer and even deeper, and on some tracks you'll see both dirt bikes and quads rolling through with the front end up instead of jumping or skimming them. Chad Wienen is arguably the fastest quad racer in the whoop section. I'd like to see him pitted head-to-head against Chad Reed for a comparison here.

So let's break it down. Corners: advantage quads. Jumps: advantage dirt bikes. Downhills: advantage dirt bikes. Starts: advantage quads. Uphills: tie. Whoops: tie. Looks pretty even to me. Having ridden both all my life, in the trails and on motocross tracks, I can say I was faster on different sections of the track depending upon which machine I was on.

Is there a real solution to this question? Comparing lap times at the Steel City Open ATV Invitationals, which were held on the same track on the same day as the pro dirt bike riders in 2007 and 2008, should give you your answer.

Still not satisfied? I don't think anyone will be until we actually see Josh Creamer and Ryan Dungey mano a mano out on the same track racing against only each other. Until then, I think we'll have to settle for MX vs ATV Reflex and learn to share the track. There's plenty of lines for all of us.

Product Review: Chassis Skid Plate

B-Tek SKIDEZ Chassis Skid Plate

MSRP: $169.95

WHAT IS IT? B-Tek's aluminum, single-bolt ATV chassis skid plate system mounts with brackets that slide into the lower frame rails and hook the skid plate in place. Tested on the YFZ450R, a rubber spacer and a single bolt mount in the access port in the lower frame rail for the bottom steering stem nut. Included is an allen wrench for the mounting bolt.

HITS: The single-bolt system works flawlessly in that our test model has never come loose in a year of testing on rough motocross tracks. It's a much faster mounting system than other chassis skid plates, which typically use the 4 to 6 mounting bolts used for the stock plastic skid plate. The skid is cushioned where it meets the frame rails with half-inch adhesive neoprene padding. And the single-bolt system fits so well that you never have to worry about losing a corner mounting bolt and having a floppy skid plate.

MISSES: Occasionally the single-bolt rubber mounting system can be difficult to line up and can take a few minutes to actually secure the skid plate. It's easiest to mount the skid with the quad standing on its rear grab bar. You do have to remove the skid plate for oil changes on the YFZR.

THE VERDICT: The single-bolt SKIDEZ (Skid-ease) is an extremely well designed, solid part. It's held up well to bottoming on rocky, rutted motocross tracks, and the single-bolt system has never come loose on us. This is the future of ATV skid plates. It's available for the YFZ, YFZR, TRX, LTR and KTM 450 sport models.

RATING: 1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10

Contact www.btekperformance.com/

Sneak Peak - Long-term Evaluation

Here's a sneak peek at an upcoming story on ATV.com that will examine the TPR project YFZ450R after riding the quad and testing it for a year. In case you missed our full-on 2009 Yamaha YFZ450R motocross build, click on the link above.We'll let you know when the story on ATV.com goes live. In the mean time, stay tuned here as we evaluate products tested on this quad.

Spy Photo - Secret Mini Project

Check out this spy photo. ATV Four Play and Tarantula Performance Racing are working on a project mini quad for motocross racing. Stay tuned here in the coming weeks for more information on this new production racer.