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Yep I am aware of the rule, but my question is more related to Kawasaki and why they are so restrictive to allowing changes to the motorcycle within the rules here in the US?
Kawasaki US team management, Yamaha had the same issue when Keith McCarty was in charge.
We really don’t know how restrictive the team actually is these days. They have definitely been restrictive in the past, but hiring Broc Tickle signaled a desire to work harder to test and give the riders a bike that worked better for them. It sure looked like they threw the “kitchen sink” into finding something for Prado.
It will be interesting to see if Chase can find something and Kawi both like with Chase being a “feel” guy as far as his speed goes. I believe Chase is one of the fastest dudes on the planet when things are gelling between him and his motorcycle and I would love to see that speed out of him.
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Prado was hurt bad twice this year. He had limited seat time, testing and acclimation to the bike due to those crashes. Injuries + new country + new series + new bike + new team = top tens instead of podiums. It’s a very simple situation. He will naturally be better next year due to him having another year under his belt in the USA, more time to ride and prep healthy and being back on a familiar bike. 2025 was not Kawis fault.
I think that has turned more into an 'internet' thing (people assuming Kawasaki being restrictive on bike set-up). As someone mentioned earlier, it sounds like Kawasaki was bending over backwards to help Prado with a set-up he liked.
I fail to believe the team was sitting on their hands saying, it's this or nothing.
Successful champions adapt and can win on different brands.
I agree with you, I’m more so going off the RV and Tomac days I guess which were a long time ago. As @280driver said, having Tickle seems to have changed some things around there for the better.
Can't help but think they may have learned from that (RV and Tomac days). Having Tickle on the team certainly is a huge bonus.
Excited to see how next season plays out with all the team changes happening.
Jake Weimer just took his shirt off.
🤣
I dont remember him using any of those as an excuse unless i missed it ,it was always the bike.
I just want to know if Kawi will let Chase race Nations now that Roger is no longer captain? And I do want to see Prado mix it up at the front, the more the merrier....
Uh….so what happened to Oct 16? I’m getting Kawi 2 stroke announcement vibes here.
Just gunna leave this here.
Prado on Chase- "He for sure test the bike. He already knew how the bike was feeling. You know, you kind of know what to expect and once you make a decision you need to commit to it."
LOL. That is gold...
Twice? He crashed in 3rd (or was it 4th) round in SX and was hurt, not very bad though because it was an old injury and he decided to get it fixed this time and did surgery. SX-season was over but the rehab went well and was soon back to cardio and gymtraining. I haven’t heard och read of another injury.
There is a lot he said in that interview that didn't age well, that's for sure.. But he was also on top of the world and his confidence was probably at an all time high. But yeah, that's a gold quote right there lol
I still wonder to what extent did he even test the KX before he signed? In the Gypsy interview he also said something like "Just by looking at the KX and how it handles I knew it was a great bike" that was when he raced the first few SX on his GasGas and before he signed. Then he said he finally got to ride the KX and it felt soo much better than the GasGas already (that was when he started testing the bike just before the interview happened).
The whole thing is just so weird man. Surely you don't just sign a three year deal with a brand you didn't even get to test, right?
He crashed before sx and did not get much testing time before sx.
Pit Row
That's all fine and dandy but he never said that had anything to do with his performance....he just put all the blame on the bike and team...
Do you have some inside info to know that Kawasaki upheld their end of the deal too?
Whilst what you say is correct, can you pinpoint what parts on the GP bike are different to the US bike?
Frame, subframe, swingarm, electronics, engine, electronics, fuel, tires.
The frame and its characteristics are what violate the production rule.
"The 2025 AMA Motocross production rule requires that the engine and frame be an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) model from a matching set. Key requirements include maintaining the original frame geometry, including all suspension pivot points, and not reducing the engine's displacement. While the engine and frame must remain a matched set, modifications for strength (e.g., to the frame), after-market components like A-arms and suspension, and some engine modifications are permitted."
That was twelve years or so ago, maybe time to update your references.
Indeed, prototype frame and the like are allowed in MXGP, though Febvre just won the championship on Kawasaki production frame and swingarm.
https://gatedrop.com/romain-febvre-kawasakis-big-hope-and-50k-frames/
I hope Marchbanks doesn't get hurt riding that dangerous bike. Prado was a WORLD Champion and he couldn't tame the green dragon.
Pretty sure it was far less the "Green Dragon" and more Prado's "gray matter" to blame.
You do know that its possible that some people just straight up dont gel with a bike no matter what they do to it....
Granted, never have we seen a world champion straight up throw in the towel, drop from 1st to 12th in a lap, try not to qualify AND bad mouth an entire team.....but not agreeing with a bike is a legit thing.
Now if Marchbanks, Sexton, and the next set of riders follow suit, then yea, its a bike issue.
Prado is a young athlete of privilege.
Lack of money or struggles with earning have never been an issue.
There is no doubt he has discipline and commitment for training. His championships demonstrate this.
His move here, new team and new structure, were elements he couldn’t possibly understand would create unique obstacles.
After all, his prior championships solidified that he was indeed capable of continuing this level of performance.
Kawasaki was convinced of it.
But, all these changes occurring with this move created a slow progressive slipping of his confidence. Friends, family, new home, new team, new training areas, new culture and other hurdles were having an impact.
For a young man of privilege who has always been told he is the best, it becomes relatively easy to blame everything else around you.
Expecting him to overcome these changes by adapting was too far outside what he has had to do in the past.
Kawasaki’s mistake was thinking he possessed the maturity to adapt despite his upbringing and privilege.
The one most glaring character flaw for Prado was an inability to take responsibility.
This behavior tends to be consistent with individuals from specific backgrounds.
I like many here, would expect an entirely different Prado next year. KTM knows what he needs. Little surprise he would do whatever he could to get back on that brand.
Just my opinion.
I believe this take to be accurate and thoughtfully articulated.
Was Prado in the same scenario as James Stewart with the 2012 JGR Yamaha? Are you guys shitting on Prado because he's not willing to risk injury? Maybe he learned from watching Stewarts experience?
Post a reply to: Prado drama continuing?