Proof: 5 Minutes with... Zach White
Wednesday, September 14, 2011 | 1:30 PM
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Last week we talked to Zach White of the Monster Energy Pro Circuit team about the process involved in getting bikes and a team to the Motocross of Nations. Well there’s another side involved in this as well, and that would be with the factory team, Monster Energy Kawasaki, who is bringing over Ryan Villopoto for the MX3 class.
For another look at that end of things, I called up Kurt Rood to talk about the procedures they went through to get RV3's machine over to France for the race.
Racer X: Kurt, thanks for doing this. What kind of prep did you guys go through for this race?
Kurt Rood: Well it started about three weeks ago actually when we took a brand new 2012 Kawasaki KX450F and built it up like a race bike and then took one of our test bikes, went through it and built it the same. We’ll have two bikes there at the race to run through. We don’t have our truck there obviously so we have to have everything there that we could possibly think of.
On Thursday over there we’ll practice with both bikes and make sure they’re good. Then at the race, we’ll tech both bikes and if the worst-case scenario happens, we’ll ride the test bike.
RV debuted the MXoN gear and graphics at Pala.
Photo: Simon Cudby
[NOTE: For those that didn’t know, last year at Lakewood Andrew Short’s crash left his Honda in a mangled state and not much time to get ready. Andrew jumped on the back-up bike for the third and clinching moto, so stuff does happen once in a while.]
What about spare parts?
All the common stuff that you might see that could get damaged will be brought. And we have the spare bike of course. We’ll bring spare engine, spare engine parts, bars, cables, plastic, subframes, graphics and all the other stuff. Basically we’ll have way too much stuff than what we need but you know if we didn’t bring that one thing, we would need it over there.
What about the exhaust and the strict rules they have over there, lots of work to get ready for that?
Yeah, our manufacture is familiar with the two-meter max testing they do over there and we made the best pipe we could make that passes the sound test. We did have to make some changes from our regular pipe that we run but it’s not too bad. We want the most power that still passes sound.
Everything came together pretty well, we didn’t need to do much work for the pipe to work. We’re at the same power level that we had at the AMA rules but it’s a bit different. We’re not at a disadvantage compared to everyone else, we all have the same rules.
What about the fuel?
The fuel is shipped from VP Fuels here in California and shipped directly to CLS Kawasaki over there. We’ll work with those guys over there along with the factory Kawasaki team to back us up for anything we need.
Villopoto will have a back-up bike at the MXoN just in case of an emergency.
Photo: Simon Cudby
When you go over there, it’s a real team experience isn’t it? Everyone chips in to help out.
Oh yeah definitely. It’s everyone from the mechanics to the suspension guys to guys like me. I had to look after the shipping papers, the graphics and make sure they work with the team as well as arrange the crate. The shipping is crazy, you have to have the company of origin, the weight and document everything. It takes a lot of time. Mike Williamson, Villopoto’s mechanic, really had to do a lot of work with getting these bikes built as well as get everything ready for the title chase we were just in.
I know at Unadilla when you guys debuted the 2012, you didn’t have a lot of spare parts for it. Has that changed?
Yeah we’re good on that. Everything that we ordered from Japan came in and we’re comfortable with parts. That first race was tight but we got through it and we’re fine with that.
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hard to believe the current mx1 champ here will not be in the mx1 at the des nations WOW i dont recall ever unless a injury.............
It is VERY ODD joemezz. I just don't get it. I just hope they kick ass!!
Let me explain this again.You know how Dungey wore the number is SX and MX this years is because he is the reigning champion.He wearing the number one at MXON because he won it last year.He the reigning MXON overall winner in MX1.It real simple but I'm pretty sure you all won't get it.
@ fred
Pretty sure we all 'get it' ......doesn't make it right.
You're saying that no matter what the reigning champ from previous years MXoN automatically gets the MX1 position? Let's just say for arguments sake that RD finished 5th in the outdoors this summer??? You would still give him the nod over RV?
I like RD but the reality is, if RV wasn't hurt the last two MX seasons and Bubba wasn't a self promoting meathead, RD wouldn't have even been on the previous two MXoN teams.......just saying!
it is hard to phathom..lets see if he wins the o/a again and next year goes on a james stewart and comes back unadilla he should be number one again and or finishes 3rd in the outdoors regardless of who wins it??????i know they were both evenaly matched and its a team event go USA ..........
RV2 RV1 or RV3.....who cares right?? RV will go out and show who is number 1 in the world most likely.....Dungey was the champ last year and techinically is the reigning MX1 Des Nations Champion / Team Leader....so he can run the number 1 plate... USA is # 1, 2 and 3 which means they are the champions....thats all that matters...
Wasn't the #1 and #3 determined before the AMA championship was decided? If so then RV had 0 championships yet. With that RV should have #1 based on the fact that he should be champ? (again this is past tense) RV didn't have the momentum until Unadilla where the team was decided. In years past it has been so easy because RC dominated but this is the first year the championship went down to the final moto. Go team USA!
"if RV wasn't hurt the last two MX seasons and Bubba wasn't a self promoting meathead...."
And IF RC was still racing...
And IF Dungey didn't run out of gas or have his bike not start at Southwick....
In each of these cases, IF means nothing. Dungey won every title he competed for in '09 and '10 ... INCLUDING MXdN in his FIRST PRO RIDE on a 450. Get over it.
Oh, and GO TEAM USA!!!
They get scored by their actual finish, not relative to their class, so it really doesn't matter which class they are in. I don't think we've had two riders this close before, or not for a long time.
@sef
Was in no way disputing the fact that RD won the titles. Seems alot of you ate saying RD should ve team leader since he's led for the last two years. I was simply suggesting he may not have even been on the team under other circumstances.
I suppose next year he'll lead the team again because he's led it for three years?
Guess a third of next years team is already picked? Interesting!
Since its being televised in Europe and we have no interest here in America of doing if for our fans then I hope another country wins it. I will be gone now on a dual sport ride which is making my motocross dedication fade anyway.
It's never been televised in America. If that's your attitude, Claxton (or anyone else), who needs you? Go Team USA!