What is really going on at KTM?

Sully
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JP
9/16/2025 6:03pm
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...

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. 

Donk122 wrote:

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.

Does anyone know if Jade is staying at KTM to work with Eli, or if he's going to Kawi with Sexton?

2
1
9/16/2025 6:58pm
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...

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. 

Donk122 wrote:

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.

Sully wrote:

Does anyone know if Jade is staying at KTM to work with Eli, or if he's going to Kawi with Sexton?

I believe Matthes mentioned he will stay and be with Eli but that it wasn’t “official” yet. Chase rumored to end up with Rango. 

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ohh_454
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9/16/2025 9:32pm
ohh_454 wrote:
Chat GPT 

Chat GPT

 

IMG 3202IMG 3203.png?VersionId=xTF31jx
mxaniac wrote:
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...

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 barely started messing with ChatGPT, I’ll have to check out the others that you mentioned, definitely have to check out Grok!!

1
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truck
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9/16/2025 10:28pm Edited Date/Time 9/16/2025 10:43pm

Hampshire has talked about the same issues, the same search for comfort, the same changes being made to try to fix it..... guess he just did it tactfully enough that people don't remember it, but this suggestion that it's only the guys leaving having this issue is not accurate. 

Here he is talking about it. Looking for comfort and durability, when it's good it's good then it goes away, haven't had that good a feeling on a race day yet..... RJ's words, not mine. 

https://pulpmx.com/2025/08/09/pro-circuit-ironman-mx-post-race-pulpcast…

19

The Shop

Crush
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9/17/2025 4:25am

I don't get how Herlings big ass isn't getting shock fade but Sexton is.

14
3strokemx
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9/17/2025 4:59am
ohh_454 wrote:
Chat GPT 

Chat GPT

 

IMG 3202IMG 3203.png?VersionId=xTF31jx
mxaniac wrote:
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...

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.

Which AI is best for making people STFU about AI?

46
1
Beeby
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9/17/2025 5:08am Edited Date/Time 9/17/2025 5:08am
ohh_454 wrote:
Chat GPT 

Chat GPT

 

IMG 3202IMG 3203.png?VersionId=xTF31jx
mxaniac wrote:
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...

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.

3strokemx wrote:

Which AI is best for making people STFU about AI?

I asked AI for you, here is what it said ;-)


Love the energy. 😆 Short answer: the best “AI” for making people STFU about AI is whatever gives you a very short, authoritative, context-appropriate reply — e.g., a tight TL;DR generator + a snarky/polite reply model + automation to post/send it.

Here’s a practical playbook you can use right now.

What to use (types of AI)

Concise summarizer (TL;DR bot) — turns long AI-wallow threads into one clear sentence people can’t argue with.

Snarky/one-liner reply generator — produces funny, brief comebacks for social posts or chat.

Polite boundary script generator — for workplace/real-life: firm, professional lines that stop the conversation.

Auto-redirect FAQ chatbot — a small chatbot or pinned FAQ that answers the same questions so people stop repeating them.

Mute/moderation automation — platform tools + simple scripts to mute threads or auto-archive long AI arguments.

Example prompts you can feed into a capable model

(Replace the bracketed context.)

TL;DR prompt

“Summarize this thread in one sentence for a manager who doesn’t want technical detail: [paste thread].”

Snarky one-liner (social)

“Write three funny one-liners (under 12 words each) to end an online AI debate with a light, cheeky tone.”

Firm workplace script

“Write a 1-sentence, professional line I can put in Slack to stop ongoing AI speculation in the channel and move to action. Tone: direct, respectful.”

FAQ bot content

“Create a concise FAQ (5 Qs) answering the same repetitive AI questions our customers ask, each answer 1–2 sentences.”

Ready-to-use one-liners (pick your vibe)

Polite: “We’ve covered this — let’s focus on outcomes, not hypotheticals.”

Firm: “This conversation’s run its course — please post solutions instead.”

Snarky: “If you want to debug philosophy, take it to the podcast. 🌶️”

Humorous: “AI: fascinating. Repeat posts about AI: not fascinating. Thread closed.”

Tactical setup to make it stick

Pin a one-sentence FAQ or decision in the channel. People follow pins.

Use a small model (or ChatGPT with short prompts) to auto-summarize and post the TL;DR after 3+ long posts.

Add a single “boundary” response you can paste — far easier than crafting a reply every time.

When it’s work-related, get a manager to declare the stop — authority ends debates faster than sass.
A quick caveat

Being blunt or rude works short-term but can cost you relationships or credibility. If you want long-term results, pair humor/firmness with a redirect to action or a pinned FAQ.


 

5
27
9/17/2025 5:08am
truck wrote:
Hampshire has talked about the same issues, the same search for comfort, the same changes being made to try to fix it..... guess he just did...

Hampshire has talked about the same issues, the same search for comfort, the same changes being made to try to fix it..... guess he just did it tactfully enough that people don't remember it, but this suggestion that it's only the guys leaving having this issue is not accurate. 

Here he is talking about it. Looking for comfort and durability, when it's good it's good then it goes away, haven't had that good a feeling on a race day yet..... RJ's words, not mine. 

https://pulpmx.com/2025/08/09/pro-circuit-ironman-mx-post-race-pulpcast…

Hampshire is a diesel.  He’s never cheated a team for effort.  Unlike others in the class (George for instance), he understands that his job is to achieve the best finish possible with the tools he is given.  Maybe we have no idea what RJ’s ceiling is.

24
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NSP139
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9/17/2025 5:36am
Crush wrote:

I don't get how Herlings big ass isn't getting shock fade but Sexton is.

Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the US and he can't really talk more about it without getting in trouble seems like they know what the problem is and just aren't willing to fix it!

5
aees
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USA
9/17/2025 7:09am
Crush wrote:

I don't get how Herlings big ass isn't getting shock fade but Sexton is.

NSP139 wrote:
Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the...

Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the US and he can't really talk more about it without getting in trouble seems like they know what the problem is and just aren't willing to fix it!

Would be nice if someone could do a bit of digging. Must be one of the hotter topics besides what happens to Prado.

2
2
endurox
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9/17/2025 7:57am

They should go back to the 2020 frame.

3
1
ajv#26
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PT
9/17/2025 7:59am
Crush wrote:

I don't get how Herlings big ass isn't getting shock fade but Sexton is.

NSP139 wrote:
Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the...

Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the US and he can't really talk more about it without getting in trouble seems like they know what the problem is and just aren't willing to fix it!

I don't understand this whole situation... if in Europe the shock doesn't fail, it's just a matter of asking for one, since it's the same brand and company, and seeing the difference between them. Or am I that stupid?

9
Mit12
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9/17/2025 8:13am
Crush wrote:

I don't get how Herlings big ass isn't getting shock fade but Sexton is.

Different settings for different tracks. In the USA the premier series is SX so the shocks are have different settings. Anyone can clearly see a difference in the way Sextons shock works late in the SX mains and National motos. Watch the last SMX race and look how unsettled Sextons bike looks when Tomac goes by him the rear looks to have no rebound damping. Unlike Vallie Sexton is not making public complaints about the shock. 

3
2
9/17/2025 8:14am
Crush wrote:

I don't get how Herlings big ass isn't getting shock fade but Sexton is.

NSP139 wrote:
Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the...

Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the US and he can't really talk more about it without getting in trouble seems like they know what the problem is and just aren't willing to fix it!

ajv#26 wrote:
I don't understand this whole situation... if in Europe the shock doesn't fail, it's just a matter of asking for one, since it's the same brand...

I don't understand this whole situation... if in Europe the shock doesn't fail, it's just a matter of asking for one, since it's the same brand and company, and seeing the difference between them. Or am I that stupid?

Not stupid you just do not know the full context 9f a production rule only, which means they can not use prototype parts in AMA

7
Money
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9/17/2025 8:26am
endurox wrote:

They should go back to the 2020 frame.

The FE 2015 frame was unreal 

3
joshd
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9/17/2025 8:39am

They weren’t paying the factory workers. It was naive to think the race team wouldn’t suffer. 

8
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lumpy790
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9/17/2025 8:42am Edited Date/Time 9/17/2025 8:43am
endurox wrote:

They should go back to the 2020 frame.

Money wrote:

The FE 2015 frame was unreal 

After riding a friends 2016 FC450 I was sold on getting a KTM/HUS and picked up a barely used 2015 450SX-F FE and loved it. Even the forks.

2
bca
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Clermont, FL, USA
9/17/2025 8:59am
Crush wrote:

I don't get how Herlings big ass isn't getting shock fade but Sexton is.

NSP139 wrote:
Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the...

Tom talked about it in his interview on the main page that the GP guys are not having the same problem it's only here in the US and he can't really talk more about it without getting in trouble seems like they know what the problem is and just aren't willing to fix it!

ajv#26 wrote:
I don't understand this whole situation... if in Europe the shock doesn't fail, it's just a matter of asking for one, since it's the same brand...

I don't understand this whole situation... if in Europe the shock doesn't fail, it's just a matter of asking for one, since it's the same brand and company, and seeing the difference between them. Or am I that stupid?

All Sexton suspension problems seem to be resolved as soon as jett is not on the line

18
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mxaniac
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9/17/2025 9:18am
3strokemx wrote:

Which AI is best for making people STFU about AI?

SpicyCHAT or CandyAI

1
mxaniac
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9/17/2025 9:26am

If I recall correctly, so maybe 70% chance, Barcia said the Husqvarna team had access to the MXGP shock while he did not.

My best guess is that part of the fix to their squat issue was a new linkage that's working the shock harder and they get cavitation late in the race. That or they just don't run much nitrogen for feel.

5
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dadofagun
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9/17/2025 9:55am
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...

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. 

Well said, Sir.  

9/17/2025 9:59am
endurox wrote:

They should go back to the 2020 frame.

My 2016 is the most comfortable and enjoyable to ride chassis I have ever ridden. Stock forks were another story, but the chassis characteristics of the 15.5-18 generation frame are so good. I can see how a faster rider might prefer the stiffer 2019-2022 frame though. They’re still some of the best consumer bikes IMO, it’s hard to find comfort like that in most of the newer bikes. 

4
VHM
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9/17/2025 11:13am
Mit12 wrote:
Different settings for different tracks. In the USA the premier series is SX so the shocks are have different settings. Anyone can clearly see a difference...

Different settings for different tracks. In the USA the premier series is SX so the shocks are have different settings. Anyone can clearly see a difference in the way Sextons shock works late in the SX mains and National motos. Watch the last SMX race and look how unsettled Sextons bike looks when Tomac goes by him the rear looks to have no rebound damping. Unlike Vallie Sexton is not making public complaints about the shock. 

Sexton doesn't complain but rode with a duct:

1000019753.jpg?VersionId=NEU1I
3
9/17/2025 11:17am

Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?

I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if my thinking is off. 😐

2
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MotoDad32
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9/17/2025 11:55am Edited Date/Time 9/17/2025 11:57am
Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if...

Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?

I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if my thinking is off. 😐

I'd guess it's all relative.  When the shock is ~300 degrees, that ~200 degree air coming off the radiator has a cooling effect.  I'm making up those numbers, but that's the general gist.

7
VHM
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9/17/2025 11:55am
Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if...

Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?

I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if my thinking is off. 😐

The air is probably some cooler than the shock. I don`t know how hot the shock can be😅

NicNak
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9/17/2025 12:00pm
Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if...

Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?

I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if my thinking is off. 😐

Yeah. He ran it for 1 weekend in sx. It did nothing. He is not currently running it 

1
9/17/2025 12:18pm
Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if...

Wouldn't that heat the shock up as it transfers the heat being expelled by the radiator?

I haven't ridden in years so go easy on me if my thinking is off. 😐

NicNak wrote:

Yeah. He ran it for 1 weekend in sx. It did nothing. He is not currently running it 

Effective or not, it shows that they were searching for solutions to shock fade issues for Chase, just as other riders have mentioned

8
ohh_454
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9/17/2025 12:48pm
ohh_454 wrote:
Chat GPT 

Chat GPT

 

IMG 3202IMG 3203.png?VersionId=xTF31jx
mxaniac wrote:
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...

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.

3strokemx wrote:

Which AI is best for making people STFU about AI?

AI take your girl? Lol

3
Bri577
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9/17/2025 12:51pm

AI's answer for why the shock fade/breakages are not happening in MXGP:

"In the MXGP world championship, factory teams like KTM are allowed to extensively modify or even use custom frames that do not have to match the production homologated unit, unlike in the US series.

MXGP vs. US Motocross Frame Rules

      •     MXGP/FIM rules permit significant changes to the frame, swingarm, and other structural chassis parts: teams can run one-off or prototype frames designed to optimize flex, ride comfort, and reliability.

      •     American Supercross/Motocross (AMA) is bound by a strict “production rule”—the stock main frame, swingarm, and engine cases from the homologated production model must be used, preventing the use of full-custom or radically altered frames.

      •     This means KTM’s MXGP race bikes can have frames with different flex and strength characteristics, engineered specifically to prevent the stiffness-related shock issues seen in the US.

MXGP KTM Shock Reliability

      •     Because MXGP teams can build frames to suit their riders and manage chassis loads, they avoid some problems caused by the production frame’s stiffness and geometry in the US bikes.

      •     There are no widespread reports of same shock failures or fade for KTM factory MXGP riders in the 2025 season—a strong indication that their chassis and shock approach is allowing better reliability and control.

Conclusion

The absence of KTM shock issues in MXGP almost certainly traces to the freedom teams have to use custom frames and make chassis modifications that are banned by AMA “production rule” racing in the US. This rule difference leads to a genuine gap in frame and suspension problem rates between the series".

Again, it's AI,... so take it for what it's worth.  

But in my opinion, the stiff frame, and even KTM's attempt this year to make it better, sucks.

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