Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1412348
two-strokes, and a wide range of engine displacements. For MX racing motorcycles, the rules start to push design options into certain boxes—450cc, 250cc four-stroke with some room for two-strokes. Just a quick look at the history of MX bike shows some interest- ing development cycles. I say all MX bikes were new from year to year from 1965–1975. Jeff Smith was the last World MX Champion, in 1964, on a four- stroke motorcycle, a BSA, after that it was all two-strokes. And all the manufactures at that time were trying to find their way—one or two cylinders, one or two exhaust pipes, up pipe, down pipe, reed-valve, solid-state ignition, CDI, two shocks, one shock, etc. After 1975, all the manufactures started to head to the same place, via long-travel suspension, up pipes, plastic fuel tanks, pointless ignitions and so on. Things continued pretty much in mass into the next phases, single-shock rear suspension, water cooling, disc brakes, and inverted forks. Today, we have circled back to four-stroke engines, but have added fuel injection. Right now, we have nine man- ufactures of 450cc MX motor- cycles: Honda, Yamaha, Kawa- saki, Suzuki, KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas, Beta, and TM. What is today's state of the art? It's pretty much 450cc overhead valve four-stroke engines, link-type single shock rear suspensions, inverted forks and twin frame S o, Triumph is going to en- ter the dirt bike segment. The company's recent press release stated it would someday make a full range of MX and enduro motorcycles. That is a big leap! When mighty Honda finally entered the dirt bike business in late 1972, even it started with just one model, the CR250M Elsinore. After Triumph's announce- ment, the motorcycle social media sites were buzzing with all kinds of opinions: who would make them, where would they be made, or even if Triumph would actually really deliver any motorcycles at all. I immediately looked at this announcement from a differ- ent angle. Just what exactly would they decide to build and where would these motorcycles be built, or by whom are just finance decisions. Regarding enduro motor- cycles there are more categories and racing opportunities than MX bikes, you have four-strokes, P128 CN III GUEST EDITORIAL BY RAY CONWAY After 1975, all the manufactures started to head to the same place, via long-travel suspension, up pipes, plastic fuel tanks, pointless ignitions and so on. WELCOME TO MX, TRIUMPH