Honest question. I’ve never reached and will never reach the skill level that guys like Chase and Jorge are at so I am honestly wondering.. If the bike is that bad, how could they not tell when they did their test rides? I mean, these guys and everyone around them talk about feelings that the average rider doesn’t think twice about but somehow they don’t feel that on their test rides prior to signing that contract? If the bike truly is that bad that it’s not reconcilable, wouldn’t you expect guys that are that sensitive to notice that up front? It’s hard to imagine that they couldn’t tell.
What’s even crazier is the fact that Kawi cannot seem to find an upward trajectory with bike setup. It seems to be one week it’s ok and the next it’s a disaster and then the week after that could be anywhere in between. Meanwhile, Hunter is riding and developing a bike that we all know he had zero comfort on at the beginning of the season, doing it by himself since his brother is out and is continuing to get better every week. It can’t just be the bike. We all know Chase is a headcase, we all know the Kawi isn’t great and we all know that Kawi is perhaps the most conservatively run team in terms of big swings, parts changes and management (going all the way back to Emig’s interviews back in the day). Jason seemed to do ok on the bike, not his best but ok, when his health wasn’t an issue. Maybe Kawi needs to focus on finding riders that emphasize technique over setup in order to dif themselves out of this hole.
Have you ever done a job interview and toured the office and thought it was all good and cool and they were gonna pay you a lot of money then you get there and it actually sucks ass?
It’s not Chase or Jorge it’s 100% on the upper management of that team. For years they thought that they were smarter than everyone else and won some championships on an older proven model, they have brought that same mentality to the new chassis and they have yet to figure it out…this is no different that what happened to Yam with Keith McCarty when the technology passed them by they were left clueless on motor development and set up…all you have to do is listen to the interviews that Lewis did recently and realize that they are complete corporate mouthpieces and think that they are the smartest people in the room…this team will continue to flounder until they are either replaced or do what Yamaha did and turn their factory effort over to a factory support team…Don’t even get me started on their stance on MXDN and how Bruce lied through his teeth in that interview…
100% ? You REALLY think that ?
Funny how you were posting endless comments about it all being Jorge's fault.
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
I’ve never had a job interview, I worked construction when I was out of high school and spent 40 years working in the film industry.
But I’ve hired guys to work for me and quickly realized that they were not going to work out on my crew. Nothing like adding toxicity to a solid crew and all of a sudden everyone is on edge.
Note- I do believe that Kawasaki has their flaws and that they could do better, but there’s generally 3 sides to the truth.
Chase has been known to be difficult to work with and his father isn’t helping his cause. I hope that he can figure out what to do, in order to get on track, but his past history on teams is not a good look. Sooner or later, he needs to take a hard look in the mirror.
Jorge’s character is what I’ve questioned not his talent or speed…
In Chases case it’s both. You’re spot-on about Kawasaki, but that still doesn’t explain Chase’s now-established record of:
-start at new team
-try a million combinations of settings even if he won on last week’s ones
-get frustrated that team can’t find a setting that doesn’t exist
-turn relationship with team toxic
-light bridge on fire
-repeat
Not the same. Riders evaluating a possible new ride need to ride it to the limits as they would at races they are trying to win. Any quirks should be exposed and turn down the ride. Only caveat is team making a commitment to do whatever it takes to make it right in the contract- or rider can opt out after trial period with no penalty.
No question….Chase has been polar opposite of his teammates on set-up direction…which drives the engineers nuts…
Both guys tested the bike in Southern California. Both rode the bike on tracks that were hard packed were they were riding through ruts and grooves that were cut in by their own bikes and other Kawasakis. Those bikes work fantastic on a supercross test track. The problem is when you show up to the races and the dirt is a bit softer, and other bikes are cutting in grooves in corners. The Kawasaki factory bike doesn’t like it to track through other bikes ruts in turns, nor does it like tracking through deeper rutted straights. Most factory bikes have pretty similar rake and trail, Kawasaki’s are different and they are pretty stubborn in that area. When you have similar bikes cutting ruts, the dissimilar bike isn’t going to work.
Also, Kawasaki is willing to do some things they wouldn’t have in the past, but they are years behind in data to do so.
Every.Single.Time.
But riders live in a bubble, i would say the chances of Prado knowing that Kawasaki was like it was , would be hard to believe, when he has grown up watching Tomac, RV, Stew, and all the PC guys since he was like 5 years old.
And at the same time, if you are at his level, you would back yourself to be able to perform no matter what, because especially with his background at KTM, he cannot possibly comprehend that a team would not do all they can to help their talent succeed.
Who would hire riders and then not let them give their best, because they cant get the bike how it needs to be.
And yet here we are.
75% of pro motorsports, is people trying to look good, without letting anyone know what a shit show it all is behind closed doors, and the other 25% is 15% of people doing great stuff with fuck all, and 10% just there to siphon off money.
Like…. more than once unfortunately ☠️
You don’t know what you have until you race it. Mxa talks about this in shootouts sometimes. “Bike felt great until lining up against the other bikes then the engine was too slow.”
It would seem to me that Chase doesn't know sh*t about bike set up. Or if he does, he doesn't know how to turn his knowldge into a tangible effect on the bike. I mean...how the eff can 3 major bike manuf's all have crappy bikes. It's Chase folks...it's Chase.
I know there is a difference between Pro Circuit Kawasaki and Team Kawasaki. But the Kawasaki 250 & 450 were the same frame from 2022 -2024. Not sure but I believe they're still sharing alot of the same chassis and certainly swingarm as well. The only diff between frame on 250's is the longer engine mount plates compared to the shorter ones for the 450.
That said, Kitchens has come from the back to pass 18 riders twice this year in the West, has had a battle for the ages with Deegan in Seattle this year, and Hammaker won Daytona. The Kawasaki race bikes are pretty badass in my view.
Chase can win on a 2025 Kawasaki too. He Has!!
Chase says bike sucks and leaves, Jett wins. Chase says the bike sucks and leaves, Eli wins. Chase says the bike sucks…. There is a pattern here so far.
I'm curious if this impacts anyone's decision to buy a kawi over other brands.
Pit Row
you mean like "Chase complains about all his bikes and other people win on them- so must mean they are great!"
Imagine it like this one day or one month or one year you find the perfect combo we all Peak at some point and it's downhill from there if you get my drift. After that, anything much less than perfect and your searching for It. Is Eli better rn now than 2022? He certainly looks to have found that feeling again, that chase is obv. searching for. The kawi playbook is simple, I did 10 yrs on one so I know: Aim for the outside lines and a higher speed, be as aggressive as possible and they do best/keep the rear tire hooked up and hopefully on the power so the front isnt overloaded. Inside lines without a foot out/ relax or unpucker/im on my head. Chase put his foot down in that crash in the sand. He just forgot to counter steer out while giving it a big handful. Thats what I always did on a kawi Stomp/countersteer/throttle to save the front in a washout at speed. He knows that im sure so I think its relaxing at the wrong times. Big no no on a kawi.
Also my buddy has a 2024 kx450 and I wasnt impressed. It does still have the stock silencer on to be fair. Felt like my clapped.out 2016 sxf350 with less rev.
Didn't impact me one bit.
My mind was already made up after buying one and having the damn thing break every time I rode it.
In 50 years of racing i have never owned a Kawasaki. Raced a few, but never owned one.
MXA talks about it in shootouts? Are you trying to say that all they have to do is go up a tooth on the rear sprocket?
This is the hardest backpedal I’ve ever seen.
That’s because youn have reading comprehension issues….I have never said that Jorge didn’t have talent and speed the only thing he doesn’t have is character….you can go ahead and search my posting history and you will see that I have been consistent in my opinion…now go away troll….
Pretty sure if a guy came over put it no work and quit that’s classifiable “as his fault”.
You’d bend and slither out of any situation so you’re not on the hook. Just say you were wrong it will honestly feel good.
I bought one in '09 to chase contingency and sold it after the 3rd time the head gasket blew.
A few years later I got one through a shop to race for the year, gave it back about 6 months early 🤣
Sexton thought the Honda was bad cuz he kept tucking the frnt end but it seemed to work fine for the Lawrence's.
Sexton whined on endlessly about the KTM.
Now he keeps hitting the ground on the Kawi.
On a side not, here's a text message that Tomac just sent to Sexton:
"You were right Chase, this KTM really does suck. I have only won 4 races on it so far. I think I will hit up Hodaka for a ride next year."
.
Ya know how when your with one chick and you get kinda bored and you try a new chick and think it’s great cause it’s different? But then you spend more time with her and realize the last one was way better?
That’s Jorge and Chase.
Post a reply to: Did They Really Not Know?