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Funny how people really bring up the argument that it wouldn't be good for Tomac to get on a "new bike" again. The last time he went on a "new bike", he won SX, MX, MXON and looked like the FMOTP.
I completely understand the situation at Yamaha, they expected him to be retired by now and had other plans sadly.. I will be pissed though if Eli wants to continue and we don't get to see more of him because teams and the Eli camp can't figure out a new contract..
I doubt Eli wants to play R&D rider in his last year or two of his career, especially when this is maybe the best he's ever ridden.
Eh, I think there's more nuance to this than "new bikes good vs new bike bad". When Eli switched from Kawi to Yam, it was well known that he was a bit "over" dealing with that race team. Per his dad and, to a lesser degree, himself, Kawi wouldn't go the lengths he wanted in order to find a comfortable setup. The KX by that point also had a hydraulic clutch, and he famously prefers a cable clutch, which I do think means something since he's such a clutch-heavy rider.
Since '22, he's been on a bike with a power output that fits his riding style, a cable clutch, and a team that has given him the flexibility to find comfort. At this point, I believe Yamaha and Suzuki are the only bikes left with a cable clutch, and I don't think any other 450 has the power output of an untamed YZ.
Been awhile since the number 3 was on orange.
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To be fair, they had data for the Yamaha.
Ducati and Triumph will have none.
He's got 2 young kids to consider in retirement calculations as well. Injuries wear on you mentally as well as physically as we age. I have to wonder if he might consider the option of becoming a riding coach/trainer when he's done with the grind of racing. I've seen pictures of his layout with practice tracks, etc. which would let him be home a lot while still connecting to the sport.
3 kids under 5 I believe.
There's a reason my sons both insist on riding only Yamahas and it sure as heck isn't Deegan. They're huge Eli Tomac fans - Yamaha, Alpinestars, Bell....
3+4=7
It is like the universe is telling us the lineup for KTM in 2026
I would LOVE to see Tomac ringing the piss out of a Desmo 450. Such interesting technology and name another rider who's still at the very top of the sport but also still has that old-school high-rev style to suit the Ducati?
Bobby, Monster and Yamaha will easily make a SX Only deal for Tomac's Last Dance.
Dont believe anything until Cooksey reports it. Seriously
It's real nice.
Exactly!
How anyone could think Christians' pay would in ANY way make a dent in Eli's have lost of their minds.
I know, I'm seeing the Craig comments everywhere on social media. His entire salary is probably one win bonus for Eli lol. Whatever he's getting paid isn't affecting Tomac coming back. Maybe someone can correct me but isn't JCoop's ride up this year too and it seems like Star is re-signing him?
Still confused as to why they need all this data. Cant he just ride the bike and tell them what to fix? I mean cant they just take the star bike, match the rake with angled cups, same offset clamps, same linkage ratio with knuckle and rods, and adjust anti squat with engine mounts - the use the same settings/shim setup and spring rates. Boom - chasis is done. Then get a good ecu guy to mimic power delivery. I dunno- doesn't seem like that would be that far off.
I come from BMX and mtb - so wtf do i know - but is that too far fetched? I mean they got the budget....
Kinda wild to think he’s in a position to lose his Monster deal either way he goes, with Red Bull now being linked to TLD Ducati. It’ll be a trip to see him with the bulls on his lid.
Pit Row
I would have never thought he’d be a redbull athlete or on ktm, and all of that is possible right now, crazy. I wonder what it’s going to be like when Tomac says to Roger, I want to train at my house in colorado, and I wonder what River says to that.
... Why wouldn't they get rid of Justin Cooper?
And on what planet does it make sense to drop tomac for webb, after tomac came out looking the best he ever had, and after his mxon performance ?
Chase doesn't train there so..
RC wasn't hitting quads in rhythm lanes every other week. Those tracks were much more forgiving. The transitions and G's in a rhythm lane today are nothing like they used to be. Can't blame these guys for wanting the bike to react right.
You're joking right? You can't possibly be serious with this.
If I had to guess I'd say Eli wants to race a dirt bike. I ain't sayin' money don't matter to him but it ain't foremost. "Unfinished business" is what I'd call it. I ain't got the foggyiest which bike he'll be on...I just want to see him takin' care of business. 😉
That's kind of what I was getting at. If it's indeed the case that JCoop needs to be re-signed. And I'm a JCoop fan. Obviously JCoop isn't pulling in Eli money. But it would certainly make re-upping Eli more manageable with the upside of possible championships.
He’s still rides at bakers though, he did ride at sandbox, but ktm wanted him to ride at bakers because the team is there i think.
This
So Ducati can’t hit quads? Wild.
Dunge also went to an all new bike in 2012. Won his second race on it. And the MX title.
It can be done.
And Tomac rode at the GOAT farm this winter for a bit.
I think KTM or anyone else knows what they are getting into with Tomac and that includes CO.
you could be right? I only remember reading locally about the 2. Last time I saw him and family at local Walmart as he was training for comeback from the Achilles injury- there were the 4 of them. Thought I saw a picture or 2 before his season ended with family accompanying him on the road and I think there was only the 2 kids. Could just be my old guy memory slipping again...
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