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Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
Or, perhaps, given the current situation with KTM financially, they couldn't pencil out the budget with his salary demands over a 2-3 year contract and Kawasaki could. 🤷♂️
You have a very solid point, but I thought the situation in europe doesn't effect the US or Canada side.
Yeah I don't know the financial specifics, just throwing out alternate scenarios.
My thoughts also...it may be that KTM hasn't been able to agree to a deal at this time so Chase went shopping for a back-up deal if KTM can't come through.
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Maybe he doesn't like the new bike.
Kawi has won plenty of 450 championships in the last 10 years and ya’ll are acting like he’d be signing with Cannondale or Aprilia.
From the outside, there seems to be more negatives than positives with the CS4 to Kawie scenario. I agree that he looks better on the KTM than ever, and the bike looks like it's finally a great fit. To start all over with a brand new bike, and with an OEM that historically hasn't been that open to personal rider preferences...or change at all, it would look like a 100% $$$ decision.
And...then again, maybe Maverick is right!
I completely agree.
He wasn't disgruntled after he left husky and won a bunch of races on the kawi.
If something's changed maybe it's on him.
Seems Chase to kawi makes sense with the mystery around JA21 being MIA
He doesn’t like the shock they are having him use.
You're saying he's rode a 2027 KTM?
More than anything, it seems like WP is the biggest issue for KTM, Husky and Gas Gas at that level.
How difficult is in 2025 copy parts and setup from other shock to another? Even fork c(h)ase they could have done WP styke fork legs and caps and no one never knew they installed KYB parts.
Would bet he has already rode the new bike. Believe they were supposed to have a new one for 26 Sx but it got pushed back.
People critique Deegan's performance to an insane degree because they don't like him (and because he's set the standard very high for himself with is gab). However, anyone that disputes Deegan has had an extremely successful 250 career, has lived up to the hype, and is a world-class MX racer is lying to themselves. To expect him to perform any better than he's performed is giving him GOAT 250/125 2T expectations, because the only 250/125 2T riders to have succeeded to a higher degree at this age are all-timers like Villopoto, Stewart, and Carmichael.
Thought I read here somewhere that KTM was letting Sexton run KYB internals in his WP suspension components.
Only in the forks.
Pit Row
They've had shock overheating/fade issues this year, they have even tested using a fan for the shock.
Wouldn't the new bike be the 26.5 factory edition? Which is what they would be racing in 2026.
Kawi will let KYB back in the door for Chase like they did with Eli. My guess, this was a sticking point for Chase as it was obvious he likes KYB. If indeed true and Chase goes green this could be good. He is a bigger boy who muscles the bike and rides over the front. The kawi a notoriously long and rear end biased bike could help him. Chase and Jorge is formidable both in and out for Kawi.
This also unlocks Eli to stay another year or 2 at Star with Webb and Cooper.
Yamaha and Kawi secure, Kenny stays yellow, Anderson goes Ducati
Agreed, one of the most successful 450 teams of the recent era and folks here are acting like they set up a trash bike.
So Vialle to KTM 450 starting Supercross?
Not the shock.
Rumor is kawasaki has a new high profile higher.
Chase on Aprilia would be just what this world needs
Bobby Atkins or Bo Wiggens??
Cue the Creed music
Mike Fisher coming back . . .
I must admit I don’t really get the hate for the move to kawi. Ask cooper Webb how flexible ktm is and ask chase and they would give very different answers. Actually ask anyone not named chase sexton how flexible ktm was on bike set up.
I can’t get on board that chase would sign with Kawasaki and they not provide some sort of plan for bike set up. Hell maybe chase spends too much time on bike set up. I think people are over thinking this move as some crazy negative.
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