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11/27/2012
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Last weekend he admitted that he should have gone with the braced frame during MX and said that it was on him not trying it.
Now this weekend he went with the SX setting while most of the other riders used a MX setting and once again it was the wrong choice.
This just makes it more and more clear that he might be the largest problem here and not the CRF 450.
I think it’s classy by him to own it but if he continue to be this ”narrow minded” with his settings, a brand change wont be the solution.
I’m personally not reading much into the settings difficulties for SMX. They have no baseline for these tracks, and what they use here has no bearing on SX or MX next year so they’ll be quickly forgotten.
Problems for a whole outdoor season then? And a SX season with his front end washing out and blaming the bike?
Don’t worry next year Roger will tell him what to run, like it or not
Obviously he had issues during the year. Just saying I wouldn’t add SMX into it.
But yes it appears from everything I’ve read that he’s uncertain at times about setup.
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AND it wont hook up anywhere near as good as the Honda
If it was just the smx yes, but when it is SX, MX and SMX i have no problem of using it as a pattern that he seems to make the wrong choices.
Some riders are picky, some don’t care, some are great test riders and some are not. Racing a guy like Jett i don’t think that you can afford to not have your bike close to 100%.
Just starting to become clear that maybe it’s more than the bike that is the problem here, just like the Yamaha not was a magical fix for Webb.
But at least Sexton has kept it on two wheels the last races and that is a clear improvement from the Sx and early Mx season.
next year roger will help him figure out his problems like he has with generations of racers.
Maybe the ktm won’t be as sensitive to set up as the Honda? I think most shoot outs would agree with that.
If Honda, with all their money and resources can't find settings that make a rider comfortable...I doubt anyone can.
If the team change fixes things for him...great. If it doesn't...then he's the one that needs changing.
I'd say the same thing about any rider that is struggling. And let's be honest here...it's not like he's getting beat by the field. If not for Jett... he'd own the joint. Ask Windham how the situation feels.
ride Z bike
He said on pulp last week the team wanted him to do one thing and he chose something else and took the blame completely for it.
I get a different vibe from chase when he's talking about this stuff than I get from most guys. He never seems to be complaining and usually phrases it like HE isn't comfortable. That can certainly be setup but it can also be 100% mental and I believe that's more often the case with guys whether they realize it or not. Chase seems like an introspective guy and open to learning through all of this. The change will be good for him. It's not as simple as just saying which bike is better. Chase and guys like him can win on any of these bikes. Bike setup becomes a proxy for overall comfort and happiness with a situation. Chase as clear top dog on team racing eli = happy and happy with bike. Chase the B guy racing the A guy on same team = unhappy and bike setup issues with the same bike previously happy with.....
Couldn't agree more. Elite (Chase) and Phenomenal (Jett) on the same team has got to present some problems. Hunter moving in next year wasn't going to make things better for Chase.
Sexton is no prima donna but I do think he needs to be "the guy" on whichever team he's on. He's earned that.
This winter he was pretty out spoken about the bike after the KTM deal was done. Then when Jett beat him at every outdoor race and mxdn he became a little more huble about it.
it’s hard to blame the bike you just got beat by. I think he has been really classy about it latley, but it don’t change the problems he seems to have with finding/changing setups.
To be in that situation would suck. Not only Windham but Reed in the mid 2000’s. You’ve easily got everyone else covered but for one guy that’s whipping your butt each week. That takes a special kind of mental fortitude to keep coming back and never letting that other guy rest.
There’s probably a good case for arguing that the 22-0 could have been on Chase’s reach if not for Jett.
I have no doubt Chase would have owned everything. Eli woulda been his only competition...but like the old saying, "If my Aunt had balls she'd be my Uncle".
I know this...no matter how fast, strong, tough, smart you are... there's ALWAYS someone better.
I hate to say this but … How many times this year has Sextons bike set up for SX left him picking up the bike after the front end washed out while leading races?
Not every rider is good at setting up suspension.
Since Chase and Jett are on the same team...I assume (hope) they had equal access to tuners. I believe, and I keep repeating myself, Chases mistakes were caused by lack of focus. Ever watch James back in the day? Silly mistakes while smoking the field. The bike didn't suddenly handle differently...they stopped focusing. It only takes a split second at their speed.
After riding a few Honda's, they are very sensitive to track conditions and bike setup for me at my level. Not that fast. I ride a KX now and rarely touch a clicker from track to track. Each bike is different but all are built for the same purpose. Not sure why.
Pit Row
Sounds like Chase only has yes men in his corner and no one to talk some sense into him when he needs it the most… no whoops and high speed and still trying to make it work by softening SX suspension over 2 rounds. Seems kinda knobbish IMO, is he throwing???
That saying maybe doesn't hold the meaning it did years ago. Pretty sure uncles can brest feed now
So what you're saying is he's out there ridding around saying "comon, talk to me goose" and then we'll see what he really can do? 😆
Post a reply to: Sextons setup problems.