Brea, CA – (November 18, 2024) - Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. and H.E.P. Motorsports are excited to announce that Ken Roczen will return for 2025 to compete in the SuperMotocross World Championship aboard the Suzuki RM-Z450. Roczen who has had strong results with the team over the past couple years will once again compete at the highest level.
“I am very excited to continue my relationship with Suzuki and the team,” said Roczen. “We have had a pretty successful last couple of years and we are eager to continue chasing our dreams of wins and podiums.”
“We’re very proud to have Ken Roczen once again choose Suzuki and H.E.P. Motorsports for his championship quest,” said Chris Wheeler, Motorsports Manager at Suzuki Motor USA. “Ken’s talent, dedication, and presence continues to elevate everyone in the program, and provides a unified confidence as we strive for success together. We love the challenge of SMX, and we’re thrilled to have Ken leading the charge on his RM-Z450.”
2025 will be Ken’s third year with the Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki Team competing on the Suzuki RM-Z450. With the time he’s had on the bike and the familiarity with the team, he looks to put in some strong racing and contend for wins.
“Very happy to have Ken back for another year with the team.” Dustin Pipes, Team Principal at H.E.P. Motorsports, added, “He is the ultimate professional on-and-off the racetrack. Ken is an exceptional talent, capable of winning any race he shows up to and keeping him on the very capable RM-Z450 brings a sense of excitement to every race day for the team. We will be working hard to once again reach the top step of the podium.”
“As the title sponsor for the team the past two seasons, it’s been exciting to watch Ken not only compete, but also represent the sport well,” said Eric Doubler, Progressive Recreational Lines Business Leader. “As the country’s leading motorcycle insurer, we share the same passion, enthusiasm and commitment to the sport that Ken does and are looking forward to seeing what he does in the season ahead.”
Roczen and Suzuki fans alike eagerly await the first gate drop set for January 11th in Anaheim, where the season kicks off.
Stoked to have some yellow anywhere near the front again next year. 🙂
I didn’t know he wasn’t.
Did Brooks go back to BarX?
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Is he doing the whole year or just Supercross and a couple of outdoor rounds and Supermotocross?
I take that to read as the whole SMX season, so all 31 rounds.
Nope.
REP suspension?
A1 winner
I'm betting it's all of the supercross rounds, some select outdoor motocross rounds, and then the supermotocross rounds at the end of the year.
Apparently so 👍
Probably just a couple rounds of outdoors again, also WSX.
Odd that they wouldn't mention WSX if he's doing it, though.
That's American Suzuki's press release and they support him for SX/smx I believe. WSX he is supported by Pipes motorsport group so that would probably be why no mention here
Good news -
He needs some foam kickstarters to throw out to the fans.
Will he be running the e start ?
That is my question, I know I saw photos here at some point this year with e-start on his RM. His results last year definitely would have shown different by a large margin had he been running e-start. I know that takes some of the fun and nostalgia out of it if he switches, but he only has so much time left at this level, it would be nice to have a season show his real results and not races that look awful because he spent 30 seconds re-firing his bike from a tip over.
Pit Row
I must have missed something. That's an interesting development. Any idea why and what Larry will be doing? He's a well-respected intelligent guy.
Great to see a yellow bike in the top five again!!
Speaking with a dealer this week about an RM-Z I was told that the 2026 is going to be a new bike. So, we will see.
Interesting though that the starting mechanism is the only thing on the bike that does not affect how it rides, but gets the most attention. I guess if starting the bike was the best thing I could do with it I would really care about that too.
Make Suzuki Great Again
Kenny's a smart dude. He has that bike dialed, and knows how to make it work. Much easier to fine-tune what you know already that to waste half a season or more trying to get comfy on a new bike. He'll be fine!
So this would mean August or September???
I will start saving now.
Supposedly.
He told me it was the reason the couldn’t even get 2025 models.
Interesting test on the RMZ450 posted on MXA the last few days.
They talk about Suzuki designing a whole new motor including E start and put a $10 million + price tag on that project.
If you look at Suzukis financials they’re doing alright so I’m assuming they just don’t want to invest in MX anymore - duh state the obvious! :-) .
Smart fiscally speaking , shame from an emotive angle.
How many extra bikes do you have sell to recoup 10 mill
So... they had a RMX450Z that had electric start. Not too hard to reuse those cases to get a elec start RM450. No need to spend the 10 million. Use those engine cases - up date the porting/head etc... And sell it as a lower cost alternative bike.
While you're there use the same frame and engine cases and make a 350 cc ver of it. With a sub $8000 list price. They don't need to reinvent the wheel.
Great news for Suzuki.
Roczen & HEP single handily keep them relevant.
I would take anything the dealer says with a grain of salt. Dealers do not officially know anything more than us regular folks until about 30 days before the models hit the showrooms.
Now, if an insider broke the embargo and talked about a '26 model, that's a different story. Sometimes, the district managers spill the beans on what they've heard, but even they don't always know the whole truth until just before the dealers do.
Secrecy is a serious business in the OEM world, and they don't disclose that info lightly. People get fired for leaking info!
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