KTM losing another top AM - Dax Bennick Leaving KTM

Money
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Money 10/21/2022 3:58pm
10/21/2022 3:58pm
Money wrote:
Amateur mechanics making 30-35k pro mechanics around 40-60. No travel perdiem for food, no moving expense for when they moved to to FL from CA.
Sandusky26 wrote:
I’m sure it’s a 1099 also, pay a lot of taxes being single and no kids.
And no insurance or 401K. But when your a mechanic with a family business to fall back on its no big deal. The people that dont have that are just working to live.
Chris_Buehler
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Chris_Buehler 10/21/2022 4:00pm
10/21/2022 4:00pm
user760a wrote:
This discussion reminds me of the shitty/can't possibly win YZ450F threads from two years ago. Soon enough, some kid will come along and clean up with...
This discussion reminds me of the shitty/can't possibly win YZ450F threads from two years ago.

Soon enough, some kid will come along and clean up with a 250sxf and all will be fine in the collective motocross keyboard jockey mind where KTM is concerned once again....
I don't think anyone has blamed the bike as far as the KTM 250 goes.
ML512
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ML512 10/21/2022 4:02pm
10/21/2022 4:02pm
DC817 wrote:
How Vohland gets a factory KTM ride basically right from the schoolboy class on a 125 and Braswell doesn’t get a chance on a factory Austrian...
How Vohland gets a factory KTM ride basically right from the schoolboy class on a 125 and Braswell doesn’t get a chance on a factory Austrian bike after winning the horizon award blows my mind. Because Braswell has no supercross experience? Maybe. But seems more political to me.
Vohland wanted to stay amateur for longer but they had to opt up to pro early do to KTM's wishes.

This is no offense to Braswell, he had a good year, but he wasn't the amateur standout that Vohland was. Also, yes, Vohland already had a ton of Supercross experience. Where according to the Phoenix team, who ended up hiring him, he has little to no SX experience. And yes, these days, that matters a lot.

KTM also had already committed to Tom Vialle coming to the US on a two year 250 deal. They didn't have room for Braswell. All their 250 programs were already decided and locked in for 2023 by the time he won at Loretta's.
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mxkid138
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mxkid138 10/22/2022 3:34am
10/22/2022 3:34am Edited Date/Time 10/22/2022 3:38am
ML512 wrote:
It’s not that long of a deal. Announcement should be this week.
McG194 wrote:
Any amateur parent who doesn't sign a deal that takes his kid through his first two years as a pro is insane. I totally understand an...
Any amateur parent who doesn't sign a deal that takes his kid through his first two years as a pro is insane.

I totally understand an athlete willing to bet on himself and I like that quality, but a parent has to know his kid may not catch on so fast and struggle the first year as a pro. Either that or stay amateur an extra year. If LeBlanc would have raced LL's this year, there would have been a bidding war over him rather than him being out of the sport even if it does end up being temporary.
GrapeApe wrote:
So if your kid has an amateur plus 1 year pro offer from a top team and no other offers, you turn it down? Wouldn't you...
So if your kid has an amateur plus 1 year pro offer from a top team and no other offers, you turn it down? Wouldn't you rather your kid have a shot to showcase himself with good equipment, support, and a salary for a year? Very, very, very few amateurs have the clout to successfully negotiate a 2 year pro deal.

If LeBlanc stayed amateur I believe he would have been worked at LL's, based on what I saw of him in the Spring. He has speed at times, but he also had amateur races where he was only the 5th best Yamaha on the track. His heart wasn't in racing and it showed, he made a very smart choice to take a break.
These “contracts” , are nothing more than a piece of paper with some writing on it. Sometimes things aren’t what they seem from the outside.

A healthy Matt Leblanc would’ve been the furthest thing from worked at LL.
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shuggs
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shuggs 10/22/2022 4:00am
10/22/2022 4:00am
Money wrote:
Amateur mechanics making 30-35k pro mechanics around 40-60. No travel perdiem for food, no moving expense for when they moved to to FL from CA.
That’s seems really low (don’t know what Mech’s salary should be tho)
Underground Bob 10/22/2022 4:51am
10/22/2022 4:51am
That short stroke Moto 3 derived engine might be down a ways on torque and power compared to YZ. Probably why many are using older SXF engine in GP bikes
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ML512
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ML512 10/22/2022 5:14am
10/22/2022 5:14am
shuggs wrote:
That’s seems really low (don’t know what Mech’s salary should be tho)
Mechancis don’t get paid much in our sport unless they’re on a factory 450 team or they have a rider that’s hitting podium to win bonuses and they get a cut.

There’s wrenches working on championship caliber 250 teams making 50k or less a year.
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Money
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Money 10/22/2022 9:33am
10/22/2022 9:33am
shuggs wrote:
That’s seems really low (don’t know what Mech’s salary should be tho)
ML512 wrote:
Mechancis don’t get paid much in our sport unless they’re on a factory 450 team or they have a rider that’s hitting podium to win bonuses...
Mechancis don’t get paid much in our sport unless they’re on a factory 450 team or they have a rider that’s hitting podium to win bonuses and they get a cut.

There’s wrenches working on championship caliber 250 teams making 50k or less a year.
And even at 50k your rider would have to win 5 races to make 5k bonus per race win if your at a 10% agreement with the rider. So 5 race wins and 50k salary puts ya at 75 before insurance which would be paid out of pocket and taxes at the end of year being 1099
Bow977
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Bow977 10/31/2022 5:14pm
10/31/2022 5:14pm
shuggs wrote:
That’s seems really low (don’t know what Mech’s salary should be tho)
ML512 wrote:
Mechancis don’t get paid much in our sport unless they’re on a factory 450 team or they have a rider that’s hitting podium to win bonuses...
Mechancis don’t get paid much in our sport unless they’re on a factory 450 team or they have a rider that’s hitting podium to win bonuses and they get a cut.

There’s wrenches working on championship caliber 250 teams making 50k or less a year.
Insanity. 50k salary and work more than most people, might as well be called charity.
JazzyJJ
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JazzyJJ 10/31/2022 5:50pm
10/31/2022 5:50pm
shuggs wrote:
That’s seems really low (don’t know what Mech’s salary should be tho)
ML512 wrote:
Mechancis don’t get paid much in our sport unless they’re on a factory 450 team or they have a rider that’s hitting podium to win bonuses...
Mechancis don’t get paid much in our sport unless they’re on a factory 450 team or they have a rider that’s hitting podium to win bonuses and they get a cut.

There’s wrenches working on championship caliber 250 teams making 50k or less a year.
Shit no wonder club bikes can't make it a whole race. Surprised more teams don't have issues of that's all they're paying their help.
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mx313
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mx313 11/1/2022 12:33am
11/1/2022 12:33am
What are star going to do with all there 250 riders next year. Deegan is ment to go pro after lorettas and dax will be similar.
You would imagine Robertson and Kitchen will be around for a couple years.
J-coop mx only next season he might have to be 450.
Jordan Smith, thrasher and romano will have to impress or they could be out of a ride.
They also have that gullem farres kid who I think is signed for 2 years.
I also wouldn't be surprised to see Jordan Smith get changed to sx only.
Atm they have 5 in for sx. And 7 for outdoors.
Then deegan and dax after lorettas could be 9 riders.
I would imagine there ideal amount is 6.
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Hodge336
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Hodge336 11/1/2022 6:59am
11/1/2022 6:59am Edited Date/Time 11/1/2022 7:00am
mx313 wrote:
What are star going to do with all there 250 riders next year. Deegan is ment to go pro after lorettas and dax will be similar...
What are star going to do with all there 250 riders next year. Deegan is ment to go pro after lorettas and dax will be similar.
You would imagine Robertson and Kitchen will be around for a couple years.
J-coop mx only next season he might have to be 450.
Jordan Smith, thrasher and romano will have to impress or they could be out of a ride.
They also have that gullem farres kid who I think is signed for 2 years.
I also wouldn't be surprised to see Jordan Smith get changed to sx only.
Atm they have 5 in for sx. And 7 for outdoors.
Then deegan and dax after lorettas could be 9 riders.
I would imagine there ideal amount is 6.
I think they have 11 mechanic bays for bikes at the Goat Farm including the 450s
ML512
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ML512 11/1/2022 7:23am
11/1/2022 7:23am Edited Date/Time 11/1/2022 7:24am
mx313 wrote:
What are star going to do with all there 250 riders next year. Deegan is ment to go pro after lorettas and dax will be similar...
What are star going to do with all there 250 riders next year. Deegan is ment to go pro after lorettas and dax will be similar.
You would imagine Robertson and Kitchen will be around for a couple years.
J-coop mx only next season he might have to be 450.
Jordan Smith, thrasher and romano will have to impress or they could be out of a ride.
They also have that gullem farres kid who I think is signed for 2 years.
I also wouldn't be surprised to see Jordan Smith get changed to sx only.
Atm they have 5 in for sx. And 7 for outdoors.
Then deegan and dax after lorettas could be 9 riders.
I would imagine there ideal amount is 6.
Hodge336 wrote:
I think they have 11 mechanic bays for bikes at the Goat Farm including the 450s
They have 11 bays, yes.

450 - 2
Eli Tomac
Dylan Ferrandis

250 - 7
Justin Cooper
Nate Thrasher
Levi Kitchen
Stilez Robertson
Jordan Smith
Guillem Farres
Nick Romano

Pro am - 2
Daxton Bennick
Haiden Deegan

They have five 250s for SX right now, potentially six depending on Guillem's progress.

Outdoors could be eight 250s at round one.
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Motofinne
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Motofinne 11/1/2022 7:46am
11/1/2022 7:46am Edited Date/Time 11/1/2022 7:48am
This video was interesting in my opinion. I haven't timed these laps but Deegan looks by far the most out of control out of all of these riders, and out of control in a bad way. Bennick looks much better than what i would've expected. Farres seems to "only" focus on riding the track clean and minimizing mistakes which is the smart thing to do with his background.

But it's just one lap, very little sample size.


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Braaaphole
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Braaaphole 11/2/2022 7:55pm
11/2/2022 7:55pm
I know the father of one of these factory kids. I won't divulge much information because the discussions we had were private and in confidence. I do know they are extremely grateful for the support they have received and don't take it for granted at all. That said, I have seen how stressful it can be on them at times because the future is so uncertain.
These factory deals are becoming more scarce and harder to get because of guys staying in the 250 class longer. The amateurs are on a very short leash and don't have long to prove themselves. These teams are all waiting on the next RC or James Stewart. So you take whatever deal you can get. I know for a fact that the majority of the names mentioned in this thread don't have other teams knocking on their doors or blowing up their phones. For Dax to have 2 offers on the table to choose from says a lot about him, most don't get to make that decision.

I'd also be surprised to see Deegan or Hawkins race Loretta's next year. I expect both of them to do some of the amateur races the first half of the year and be ready to go for the outdoors.
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LungButter 11/3/2022 10:12am
11/3/2022 10:12am
Rosso391 wrote:
Its definitely the atmosphere over there at KTM. All these factory teams do a great job. All these bikes are really good. But if the atmosphere...
Its definitely the atmosphere over there at KTM. All these factory teams do a great job. All these bikes are really good. But if the atmosphere is like smog, no one is having fun or trying their hardest to make everything work smoothly.
But, but, but.... how can that be? KTM has the "The Man".... you know the guy that Vital thinks is the best Team Manager in the history of the universe. You know, the guy who has made a career out of winning championships with riders who woulda won anyway?

If they got Decoster as the overlord of everything Austria, shouldn't everyone under the program be destined for greatness?
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yak651
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yak651 11/3/2022 3:01pm
11/3/2022 3:01pm
mx313 wrote:
What are star going to do with all there 250 riders next year. Deegan is ment to go pro after lorettas and dax will be similar...
What are star going to do with all there 250 riders next year. Deegan is ment to go pro after lorettas and dax will be similar.
You would imagine Robertson and Kitchen will be around for a couple years.
J-coop mx only next season he might have to be 450.
Jordan Smith, thrasher and romano will have to impress or they could be out of a ride.
They also have that gullem farres kid who I think is signed for 2 years.
I also wouldn't be surprised to see Jordan Smith get changed to sx only.
Atm they have 5 in for sx. And 7 for outdoors.
Then deegan and dax after lorettas could be 9 riders.
I would imagine there ideal amount is 6.
Hodge336 wrote:
I think they have 11 mechanic bays for bikes at the Goat Farm including the 450s
ML512 wrote:
They have 11 bays, yes. 450 - 2 Eli Tomac Dylan Ferrandis 250 - 7 Justin Cooper Nate Thrasher Levi Kitchen Stilez Robertson Jordan Smith Guillem...
They have 11 bays, yes.

450 - 2
Eli Tomac
Dylan Ferrandis

250 - 7
Justin Cooper
Nate Thrasher
Levi Kitchen
Stilez Robertson
Jordan Smith
Guillem Farres
Nick Romano

Pro am - 2
Daxton Bennick
Haiden Deegan

They have five 250s for SX right now, potentially six depending on Guillem's progress.

Outdoors could be eight 250s at round one.
And KTM can’t even field a 2 rider 250 team…(I know TV is coming over in ‘23)
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