By the time Anaheim One rolled around there was plenty of drama in the pits and on the track. Two of the major players--Chad Reed and James Stewart--were on new teams, and you could even argue that Kevin Windham and Ryan Villopoto were on new bikes since the Honda is so radically changed and RV is a newbie on a new 450. But the first race of the year is the end of the race to get ready for the season, and there was ample drama in the prep and testing phase.
The 2009 supercross sound standards call for 94 decibels, though the rpm used is slightly lower than the one a ranger would use at an off-road riding area, so the bikes are held to a level roughly that of a legal off-road bike. To make big power a four-stroke must breathe, and the drop in sound was a serious mountain to climb. A few teams were happy with the power they attained with the new standard, while others frankly admitted they weren't at the power level they enjoyed in 2008. In this arena it appeared as though Suzuki, by benefit of having a year's head start with EFI, had an edge, and the carbureted Yamaha had the toughest job; but that was just how it looked to us judging by what we saw in the pits and on the track. Actually, the privateers had it the worst. Whereas factory teams sent an extra guy to tech with an armful of assorted mufflers, the privateers had to buy something and hope it passed. Once they found a system that would pass, they didn't have time to tune the engine to run with the combination.
One continuing trend was teams spending a lot of time personalizing the bikes for each rider, and it wasn't unusual to see bikes under one tent with different pegs, seat configurations and other adjustments to accommodate the various athletes. As always, a huge percentage of modification is made to guarantee the bike will finish. The level of prep and detail on the SX bikes was stunning, and these exclusive photos put you up close and personal with the factory SX bikes of 2009.
Ryan Dungey
Mike Gosselaar always builds...
Mike Gosselaar always builds a clean-looking machine. That may not have been easy this year, since he spent a fair amount of his time working with Chad Reed in Australia. The bike looks like the basics have not changed since 2008
Suzuki's bikes have a striking...
Suzuki's bikes have a striking graphic appeal, and they look powerful and effective on the track. Chad Reed may not be a tall rider, except compared to RC; so he has the bike set up higher with firm suspension. Suzuki claimed it rarely tests engine combos but spends testing time on chassis and suspension setup.
This little carbon-fiber guard...
This little carbon-fiber guard helps the front end to rub in ruts without catching. It is a great idea, but the execution is beyond great. The piece merges with the parts around it like it was born there, and that is not an easy task with carbon fiber. The works Showa fork doesn't use the wide axle clamp that Honda uses.
Suzuki tends to go with what...
Suzuki tends to go with what works. We've seen this shock before, though we know the company has been doing a lot of suspension setup and testing with Reed. Nothing fancy here, if you discount the fact that the parts are works and machined from billet, but it gets the job done in fine fashion.
Both Honda and Suzuki use...
Both Honda and Suzuki use this works Nissin billet caliper. Viewed closely it is an amazing piece with many curves and dips painstakingly machined in. Note that the caliper mount doesn't just bolt to the fork, it butts a flat machined spot to the back of the lower fork bracket to keep the caliper from flexing.