Ask Ping!

Ping,

I just read that someone tried to race a Husky at Mt Morris, but it didn’t pass inspection because Husky didn’t "homologate."  Aside from any Senators-in-airport-bathroom jokes, can you explain what this creepy sounding word means in mx context?

Mahalo, Kent
Honolulu

Dear Kent,

There’s no tapping your foot under the stall here, Kent. In the motocross world that kind of crap will simply get you knocked out. Homologation is a process that dairy farmers use to prepare cows milk for human consumption. What they do is… wait, that might not be right. Actually, that is homogenization. Dangit! Okay, what it really means, in layman terms, is that in order to participate in AMA supercross or motocross a manufacturer must put a certain number of units on dealer floors. Husky hasn’t done that in recent years and this is the second time that there has been a problem with someone trying to race one of the Swedish machines. Malcolm Smith is undoubtedly shaking his head in disgust.

PING

Ping,

I am asking this question to the only guy in the Industry who has the stones to go on record with the no spin zone answer.  I have ridden KTM’s for going on 10 years now.  I race mostly Off Road, desert and Euro GP style races where for a 30 vet class, 10 sandwich eatin, meat lovin top of the food chain guy like myself the PDS works just fine.  However if I was to race more Arenacross/Supercross style races I am willing to concede that a linkage system is better.  Henceforth (always wanted to say that) does PDS really mean “Pretty Damn Stupid” and does KTM really mean “Keep The Motor”.  Are the Austrians just too proud to change or do they like being lambasted (always wanted to use that word also) by all the American mags for there “mid stroke harshness that kicks the back end out on braking bumps” reviews they continually receive?

Sincerely,

Calling you out to one up me on “henceforth” and “lambasted” and to give a sincere, non-sponsor influenced, show-you-have-some-stones answer.

Hope you have a thesaurus (not the dinosaur bam bam) 

-supercuddy in Oregon

Dear Supercuddy,

Fantastic word choice, pal. Let me start with this: KTM makes great bikes. You don’t win the world championships or the national championships they’ve won without having a quality product. That said: there are some issues with the non-linkage system. It works great for several different applications. If you ride in the sand or if you ride off-road or if you race Supermoto then you’d have a tough time beating an orange bike. The problems arise when you start getting into jump-filled motocross tracks and supercross tracks. The KTM lacks the feel that a linkage bike has and that most riders prefer. KTM does a lot of their development in Belgium. Guess what they have an abundance of in Belgium? Waffles? Yes. They also have more sand than the whole state of Florida. That explains a lot. Next year notwithstanding [there’s a doozie of a word for you… and that was another one], this issue is moot [and one more right there]. KTM has been working on a motocross machine with a linkage that should see production in 2011. Mike Sleeter has been riding the bike on a weekly basis around local SoCal tracks and it looks good. It’s my humble opinion that they should leave the linkage off of their off-road and Supermoto bikes and add it to their motocross lineup. But what do I know?

PING

Dear Pingree,

I looked for your team at High Point but was later told that you guys weren’t there. What the heck? I know you were at the first few because I saw a couple good rides from your guys. Did you run out of money? Will your team be racing in Steel City? Talk to me.

Chipper

Dear Chipper,

We were not at High Point and we won’t be at Steel City either. We are taking incremental steps to grow the Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda team and we planned to step into the motocross series this summer by doing the five rounds on the western part of the country. We didn’t run out of money…yet. But it is entirely possible to blow through your budget and bankrupt yourself and that is what we’re trying to avoid. If you can make it to Colorado next weekend or to Washougal a few weeks after that then you’ll get to see our guys. Otherwise, check your local listings and catch it on television.

Next year we are planning to race the entire outdoor series so we’ll see you in Mt. Morris.

PING