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I would think TM or Fantic would be looking a bit closer. They already have bikes and teams racing mx! While I think it's ultimately for the best that Triumph gets to race, like you said it will be interesting to see how this all plays out since it appears to the public that the rules put in place aren't being met but as the rules state the bikes just need to exist in the US. It is possible they are still working out the dealer infrastructure situation while they have bikes waiting to be divided out to established Triumph dealers that are ready to sell the MX bike.
Heard from the local dealer, bikes are shipping the week of the 29th of April...
This has happened before. When KTM came out with their first 250F. To meet homologation they had one bike open to the public in the whole county and put it at a dealer near AMA HQ, the plan worked and bought them more time.
Isn’t there some kind of a one year exception for this kind of stuff? Like when Yamaha first raced the yzf400?
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My opinion,
New brands to the sport like Beta, Triumph and Ducati who are willing to spend the money to get into the sport should be given one year to develop in racing conditions before the homologation rule is enforced. The sport needs as many manufactures it can get in order to survive and grow. The sport should be helping manufactures any way they can.
The homologation rule is an example of regulatory capture. A rule meant to help privateers and local guys with vans has been co-opted by the major manufacturers and now serves as a barrier to entry for small manufacturers. Beta is a couple bad sales years away from missing the #s. TM won’t even bother. Is the sport really better off for that?
Get rid of homologation altogether.
I agree with you, I think the bigger issue is the lack of communication from triumph to dealers and customers. I don't really get why they made the rule in the first place unless it's to increase stability within the series
Pretty sure the one-year exemption rule for development got removed.
Where do these rumors come from? Beta USA is owned by Beta Italy. They are the same company. Same as American Honda is owned by Factory Honda in Japan etc.
I’m not sure how a team owned by the factory isn’t a factory team.
Sure their budget isn’t as big, they are a smaller family owned company in Italy. Triumph is sponsoring the series which is why they get preferential treatment.
Being a Beta dealer (trials only) I can say there are plenty of 450 RX’s available.
Nope, not anymore.
So if Yamaha or another OEM wants to roll out full works bikes for this SX title, are they safe from the rule on the basis of discrimination?
I’m all for new manufacturers coming into the sport, but surely it’s time to throw the whole production bike rule in the bin?
The whole thing of Ktm factory editions being raced months before they are available to the public has been making a mockery of the production concept for many years now. I know it only matters when they bring out an all new bike, but in those years they are not racing a bike available to the public. Why do they persist with the production rule? Let’s just open it up and see what the factories can do. The same guys will win regardless. No one is belong held back by their bike… in the 450 class at least.
Having said all that, whilst there is a rule, it should be enforced. As the factory’s probably all cheat to an extent anyway (frames being an obvious one… who can tell if you build a works frame with different wall thicknesses, for example) and as triumph aren’t winning, they probably aren’t too bothered by it to go to extent of pressuring the ama to enforce the rule. Might have been a different story if triumph were in contention for a title.
The rule was created back in the mid 80s to eliminate one off hand built factory works bikes and keep costs down , and theoretically to enable privateers to be on a more equal level with the factories equipment wise . Yamaha had already gone to production based bikes a year or two before it was in place . It's an obsolete rule in my opinion.
I can’t recall exactly where I heard it but it was on a podcast with one of the Beta USA team managers/owners.
Maybe I’ve got the terminology a bit wrong but the guy was definitely clear that this wasn’t a full factory effort from Beta in Italy.
Be careful what you wish for. I know factory bikes are modified from stock but one of the unique things MX/SX has is that the OEMs are largely racing the same bikes they sell.
The world has changed since 20 years ago or more when full works bikes ruled MXGP. Nowadays the GP bikes are mostly the prototype for the next production bike.
You can be certain that team Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, and even Kenny's Suzuki have very little in common with what the manufacturers sell.
https://www.vitalmx.com/forums/moto-related/triumphs-hitting-dealers
Pit Row
I listened to the same pod. Can’t remember the specifics but I do remember hearing the support from Italy wasn’t there in terms of getting one off factory parts. Beta USA is on there own for bike development I think.
Ummmmm you win I guess.
That drag racing sponsorship money have been more useful towards actual supercross/nationals and people that would consider a Beta. I doubt many of the people in the stands give 2 shits about Beta motorcycles. Just blankly see a sponsor on the side of rhe car.
Beta Motorcycles sponsored a drag race team?
You sure it wasn't the tool company Beta?
Quick search shows it's Beta Motorcycles.
Woah, that's wild.
Says motorcycles right on the side
https://www.nhra.com/news/2024/beta-motorcycle-extends-sponsorship-gord…
I'm with ya....seems like a weird place to put their money.
Asking them to produce 400 bikes for a country this big is not a big ask. I can't imagine this is stopping anyone from getting in the game who otherwise would.
Forget privateers... say goodbye to teams like club and hep if you get rid of the rule. Look at the money and lengths the factory teams go to as is.... if you remove the one constraint they actually have they will come up with some extreme stuff that production based bikes won't be able to compete with.
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