Silly season is in full swing, although news is breaking later than usual. There’s a massive free agent class in the 450 class, but while deals are often sewed up around June or July, we’re now into August with plenty of riders still looking for homes.
Let’s get you up to date on the latest. These team list below uses the 2016 team and rider lineups, with the latest updates on each racer.
We can basically categorize each rider into one of three categories: signed, free agent, and riders that we’ve yet to hear any information on.
Make sure to check out our guide for the 250 class published last week.
Team Honda HRC
Cole Seely
Signed. Seely has re-signed for two more years.
Trey Canard
Moving to Red Bull KTM.
Note: Honda has signed Ken Roczen for 2017.
GEICO Honda
Justin Bogle
Free agent
Note: The team has said it will not field a 450 effort in 2017. However, it said the same for 2016 but ultimately made a slot for Bogle.
Yoshimura Suzuki
Blake Baggett
Moving to BTOSports.com-WPS-KTM.
Matt Bisceglia
Free agent
James Stewart
Unknown at this time.
Note: Many rumors as to the future of this team, from returning with two 450 riders as it sits currently, to becoming a 250 effort, to ceasing entirely. If the team doesn't come back, that leaves to huge 450 rides off the table for 2017.
RCH/Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Suzuki
Ken Roczen
Moving to Honda HRC.
Broc Tickle
Free agent
Jake Weimer
Free agent
Note: Many rumors as to the future of RCH Racing, but the team is expected to continue. No riders have been linked to the team yet.
Red Bull KTM
Ryan Dungey
Signed. Returning to team in multi-year deal (Dungey’s contract expires at end of 2017).
Marvin Musquin
Signed. Returning to team in multi-year deal.
Dean Wilson
Free agent
Note: Trey Canard is expected to join the team in Wilson’s old slot.
BTO Sports/KTM/WPS
Justin Brayton
Free agent
Davi Millsaps
Signed. Millsaps has re-signed and will return to the team next year.
Andrew Short
Retiring at end of 2016 season.
Benny Bloss
Signed. Steve Matthes is reporting that Bloss will return to the team in 2017 and ride 250SX and 450MX.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Jason Anderson
Signed. Returning to team in multi-year deal.
Christophe Pourcel
Signed. Returning to team in multi-year deal.
Autotrader/Monster Energy/Toyota/JGR Yamaha
Weston Peick
Free agent
Justin Barcia
Signed. Returning to team in multi-year deal.
Phil Nicoletti
Signed. Phil has re-signed to same deal again in 2017.
Yamaha Factory Racing
Chad Reed
Signed. Yamaha announced that Reed has re-signed for 2017. He will be on a SX-only contract.
Cooper Webb
Signed. Webb’s deal was announced two weeks ago.
CycleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha
Tommy Hahn
Signed. Hahn will return next season.
Monster Energy Kawasaki
Eli Tomac
Signed. Returning to team in multi-year deal.
Josh Grant
Signed. Grant will return full-time to team for 2017 (was a fill-in rider in 2016).
Wil Hahn
Free agent
SmarTop/MotoConcepts Racing
Mike Alessi
Signed. Returning to team.
Vince Friese
Unknown at this time.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC
Kyle Chisholm
Unknown at this time.
Fredrik Noren
Unknown at this time.
