So Chase is leaving, Barcia is leaving, Vialle is leaving. All of them are singing a very similar song. And while the bike is obviously having some issues, if you read between the lines, it seems like there is something going on that the team can not or will not fix it. I'm wondering if the team has had their budget cut this year with the PMG restructuring going on. Barcia has hinted that he doesn't trust his practice bike, and Vialle has made comments like "we know how to fix it, we just can't" and "you don't know what's going on behind the scenes". I wonder if the team has been forced to "make due with what you've got for 2025" and is running parts and components for much longer than they would have in the past as part of a cost saving measure with the bankruptcy and all.
I hope that Eli money is locked up in an escrow account.
How's Hampshire's bike?
Sounds like the bike is really finicky to set up. The sweet spot is very narrow.
Shock fading on Vialles bike.
Did Barcia get the "good forks" or more help after Sexton got banged up? Meaning there is not enough good parts or help to go to each rider.
I know one thing positive though, I wouldn't mind having Jade Dungey as my mechanic or Ian Harrison as my Team manager. They seem like solid men.
Contracts are ending. Sooooooo.... there's that.
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I would imagine budget cuts, may not be the best times to be riding for them right now…..but seems pretty common to bad mouth a manufacturer when you have one foot out the door…..remember that guy prados
There's nothing going on with KTM the bike's are fine, ask Herlings, both Coenen Brothers, Langenfelder, De Wolf, Everts, Adamo.
Apparently the problem only exists in the US.
KTM is not doing well financially, so one has to make choices in terms of contracts.
That they choose Coenen and not Herlings is easy to understand for the longer -term vision.
Tomac is the biggest names of the American MX scene, so that's positive advertising.
Hampshire’s had a great year and Plessinger didn’t seem to have any bike issues before getting injured, was riding awesome 🤔
Isn’t Vialle using a different shock than everyone else?
If you watched MotoGP this past weekend you’d see that KTM can’t even afford to replace the chain on their bikes
Per reports, MotoGP was an engineering issue related to their ride height system combined with some unique elements of the track.
Out of pure curiosity, I too would really like to know what is going on with the shocks. How they can be fine in Europe and bad here is very odd. There are only so many ways they can be different:
Linkage ratio, damping/valving, fluid, materials, surface coatings, surface finish, seals, ...?
Whatever is going on, Prado will make it all better 🤪
Maybe its just a coincidence, but the guys leaving seem to be the ones with parts related issues. I can imagine a strained budget allocation favoring the riders staying pretty easily.
Tomac is not the biggest name in ama moto but he is on the short list.
I asked Perplexity (AI), if the stiffer frame on the KTM is a factor in all the shock fade and breakage issues.
This is what is reported:
Yes, shock fade and failure issues for KTM riders in the 2025 US supercross and motocross series are being reported, and there is a strong connection to the current generation’s stiff, rigid frame design.
Latest Shock Problems in KTM Racing
• Several KTM factory riders have publicly acknowledged ongoing shock problems—specifically shocks breaking or fading unpredictably during races, which has forced riders to retire early for safety reasons.
• Team data confirms that shocks are “not working properly” and are stressed harder than expected, with issues seen all summer in major US championship events.
Frame Stiffness and Suspension Link
• Reviewers and testers have widely noted that the 2023–2024 KTM frames are unusually stiff and rigid, resulting in harsh ride characteristics and amplifying suspension problems.
• The “stiff” frame and changes to the shock tower, linkage, and engine mounts have been a focal point for feedback and recent 2025 updates, where KTM specifically tried to introduce more flex to reduce harshness.
• A key mechanic cited by testers: as the suspension compresses, the current KTM design causes the chain to become “absurdly tight.” This extra mechanical tension interferes with shock function—reducing responsiveness, wearing components, and sometimes contributing to failure or rapid fade. This effect is exacerbated by the frame’s lack of compliance, so the suspension and especially the rear shock are doing more of the “work” when absorbing impacts.
Recent Fixes and Updates
• For 2025, KTM made major frame changes, including more flex built into the chassis, smaller linkage hardware, and strategic relief cuts in the shock tower—all direct responses to complaints about excessive stiffness and shock strain.
• Early tests suggest these changes are helping but have not erased all issues.
It is from AI, so maybe take it with a grain of salt,....
While this is absolutely true, I feel like Hampshire and Plessinger are two of the least likely riders to complain in the entire paddock. The bike could suck, but they're just gritty dudes that are grateful to ride any factory bike. Barcia is definitely a grinder, too, but I don't think he was given an opportunity to stay.
I'm a big fan of Chase, but the dude is a headcase on wheels. I'm sure KTM feels relieved to part ways and have someone more level headed come aboard like Prado... lol
Technician??
It has been known more than once..
Can’t write it off.
Who cares what AI says. AI doesn’t ride the bike and has been known to be wrong 35+ % of the time. But people, some people take it as 100% true. Think a little on your own.
Pit Row
In all seriousness, the bike issues seem to be confined to the US KTM team?
But the financial situation must be affecting all their racing endeavours.
Maybe without knowing it you just answered alot of questions right there. RJ and AP dont complain alot, grind it out and still get a result.
Is it a bike problem? Or the other riders problem?
I get it though. If I knew I was leaving a company for whatever reason, especially if there was some tension under table, I probably wouldnt be trying too hard either. It's just human nature.
Steel holds heat better and longer than aluminum, that is aluminum dissipates heat better. Could the KTM shock fade be attributed to the steel frame?
I can envision ktm mechanics pouring Rotella in the empty motorex jugs😂
I thought Barcia was "leaving" to go wherever Troy was going?
Isn't KTM trying to mimic the Japanese shocks and fork inards because that works better for SX than say, a shock with a floating piston?
Just spitballing, but I hear the WP conventional suspension doesn't work quite as well as the Showa or KYB in SX situations
Yall ever go racing on a shoestring budget? That may be what we’re seeing now 😄😁🤣😂
Interesting that it dug that much up in this topic.
I don't profess to be an AI expert, but I've hosted it on an 8 GPU server at home and gotten familiar with what it does. I'd encourage people to think of the AI tools we have access to as a great aggregator of existing information that provides a tailored output summary. It's a huge encyclopedia that can interpret the data based on your criteria. Very useful, as long as your keep in mind what it is. Gemini is pretty good at editing images too. What AI isn't doing in this case is building a complex analytical model, correlating the output with test data, and providing the results.
Hampshire's bike never looks good on the broadcast IMO, but like RC he just "wills" his way up front. Doesn't mean it has a bike problem or not, I just see raw determination.
Chat GPT
Yep,a summary of prevailing information. Useful information a few keystrokes away. It's interesting to compare the systems too. ChatGPT takes a very informative tone as if it's certain of the results. Grok's tone in general had less certainty. You can also toggle alternate personalities, Grok can be hilarious. As a rule of thumb I've found Grok the best for looking at the big picture, ChatGPT for highly detailed things, and Gemini for images.
I don't know anything about what is going on at KTM. But, I do know with absolute certainty, Ian and Jade are good people.
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