Speculation corner: Did Jorge switch to the previous frame?

aeffertz
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Edited Date/Time 8/30/2026 8:38pm

Title says it all. Obviously it’s still homologated and legal but the “big change” they made is very hush hush by him and the team and all we have to go off is that they made it more like his GP bike. Just a thought…

Poll

Was Jorge’s big change switching to the previous frame?

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theraptur712
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8/30/2026 8:18pm

Hmmmm. So he pulled a McGrath...

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Cdubya
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8/30/2026 8:19pm

Nice pull!! Didn't think of that one, lol! Totally makes sence!

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Press516
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8/30/2026 10:21pm

Can’t answer that…. But it is certainly plausible.  It could be a good explanation for the recent performance.  We know JP is very sensitive to bile setup.  Finding his “comfort” might have done the trick.

Motofinne
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8/30/2026 10:25pm

Well it should be relatively easy to spot if that was the case. Lets wait for Pit Bits.

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The Shop

CPR
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8/31/2026 12:08am

Hopefully @ML512  can confirm or deny.

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8/31/2026 1:51am
Ian Harrison's interview he said he wouldn't say what it was because he "needs that for next season" And I begun wondering what on earth KTM found that could be applied to a Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki that he didn't want to divulge?? Of course, reverting to the old chassis he won't want to shout about.
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8/31/2026 2:23am

They did mention a different transmission at some point, and that helped his starts. So this must be something different then?

aees
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8/31/2026 3:50am

Why would they keep it secret? Everyone can see it if you look closely and Ian knows that. Keeping it a secret for next season, completely different frame? Come on.

GPrider
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8/31/2026 7:15am

Idk becuase I believe they only have three races left, smx, then going into A1 they will be on the new 2028 FE chassis, so I dought its a different frame. 

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406 twindad
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8/31/2026 9:34am

The rumor I overheard at washougal was they were going to try out some fancy euro spec seat foam. High density from what my bad Spanish could translate.

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ShellyMX
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8/31/2026 10:34am
The rumor I overheard at washougal was they were going to try out some fancy euro spec seat foam. High density from what my bad Spanish...

The rumor I overheard at washougal was they were going to try out some fancy euro spec seat foam. High density from what my bad Spanish could translate.

I heard something similar along with bold new graphics.

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wrc777
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8/31/2026 10:49am

He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to an older frame anyway. It isn't like Honda can use a 2021 KTM frame. It would have to be something that non Austrian teams could also use. He also might have been joking about the keeping it secret for next year comment.

bvm111
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8/31/2026 1:04pm Edited Date/Time 8/31/2026 1:12pm

Jorge let it slip sort of in one of his post race interviews that it was the direction they went with his european set up and had something to do with front end/fork angle but shut up about it real quick so more than likely an offset front end bearing set up … possibly. 

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sandman768
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8/31/2026 1:11pm

Some grease on engine hanger bolts….maybe left a bolt out….game changer👌or….rotella in gearbox…said to increase thrust on starts…..or…..removed those spring on wheel hub seals….wayyy less drag…..or…maybe everyone else was to busy crashing or getting injured?!

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Paul333
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8/31/2026 3:45pm
aeffertz wrote:
Title says it all. Obviously it’s still homologated and legal but the “big change” they made is very hush hush by him and the team and...

Title says it all. Obviously it’s still homologated and legal but the “big change” they made is very hush hush by him and the team and all we have to go off is that they made it more like his GP bike. Just a thought…

The internet said the previous frame sucked…

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4
8/31/2026 4:12pm

Maybe they replaced JP with the Stig 🤣

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8/31/2026 4:23pm
wrc777 wrote:
He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to...

He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to an older frame anyway. It isn't like Honda can use a 2021 KTM frame. It would have to be something that non Austrian teams could also use. He also might have been joking about the keeping it secret for next year comment.

It would be hush-hush for marketing reasons, not industry privacy. 

Top pros drive market perception, and vet-class-joe is less likely to purchase a new model if the perception is that their older bike is superior.

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mxrose3
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8/31/2026 6:50pm

I believe i heard Ian Harrison mention something about a fork angle change for Prado.   That could be anything from a different frame, FCP race cups or factory equivalent, or as small a change as raising or lowering the forks in the triple clamps.

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Yzf916
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8/31/2026 7:05pm

Was thinking timing wise. Just as he gets the bike sorted out. And getting results. The new bike is showing up in pics overseas. Will he be starting out from scratch. Or what? 

Metisse
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8/31/2026 10:10pm
aeffertz wrote:
Title says it all. Obviously it’s still homologated and legal but the “big change” they made is very hush hush by him and the team and...

Title says it all. Obviously it’s still homologated and legal but the “big change” they made is very hush hush by him and the team and all we have to go off is that they made it more like his GP bike. Just a thought…

Aren't frame numbers recorded in tech inspection? Are they available to journalists, ML?

8/31/2026 11:21pm
aeffertz wrote:
Title says it all. Obviously it’s still homologated and legal but the “big change” they made is very hush hush by him and the team and...

Title says it all. Obviously it’s still homologated and legal but the “big change” they made is very hush hush by him and the team and all we have to go off is that they made it more like his GP bike. Just a thought…

Metisse wrote:

Aren't frame numbers recorded in tech inspection? Are they available to journalists, ML?

Do factory bikes have frame numbers?

9/1/2026 4:45am
wrc777 wrote:
He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to...

He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to an older frame anyway. It isn't like Honda can use a 2021 KTM frame. It would have to be something that non Austrian teams could also use. He also might have been joking about the keeping it secret for next year comment.

IF they were using the older frame, it's not the rival teams they are worried about knowing, it's the buying public they don't want knowing.
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wrc777
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9/1/2026 4:56am
wrc777 wrote:
He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to...

He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to an older frame anyway. It isn't like Honda can use a 2021 KTM frame. It would have to be something that non Austrian teams could also use. He also might have been joking about the keeping it secret for next year comment.

IF they were using the older frame, it's not the rival teams they are worried about knowing, it's the buying public they don't want knowing.

Prado didn’t use the old frame in his two mxgp championships. The new plastic and seat won’t fit the old frame. It would be hard to hide.

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8tensolutions
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9/1/2026 5:03am
wrc777 wrote:
He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to...

He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to an older frame anyway. It isn't like Honda can use a 2021 KTM frame. It would have to be something that non Austrian teams could also use. He also might have been joking about the keeping it secret for next year comment.

So what could Hondas use that KTM found out works for Jorge?  Nothing crosses over and it has never made sense these guys not talking about bike changes.  

9bro9
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9/1/2026 5:12am

It was speculated that Prado is on triple clamps from MXGP with a different offset. Lewis P mentioned it on the Ironman Post Race Show that JP and Haarup were running 20 degree offset clamps, Haarup's coming off of his 250.

1
aees
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USA
9/1/2026 6:47am
wrc777 wrote:
He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to...

He was racing the current frame when he won 2 MXGP titles. There would not be any advantage to other teams knowing if they went to an older frame anyway. It isn't like Honda can use a 2021 KTM frame. It would have to be something that non Austrian teams could also use. He also might have been joking about the keeping it secret for next year comment.

IF they were using the older frame, it's not the rival teams they are worried about knowing, it's the buying public they don't want knowing.
wrc777 wrote:
Prado didn’t use the old frame in his two mxgp championships. The new plastic and seat won’t fit the old frame. It would be hard to...

Prado didn’t use the old frame in his two mxgp championships. The new plastic and seat won’t fit the old frame. It would be hard to hide.

Its not the 16-22 frame they talk about, it's 23-24 vs 25-27.

But it still visible. And KTM isn't that secret about frames. We already know Sasha is on stock frame, and Lucas on factory frame.

Metisse
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Saint Louis, MO, USA
9/1/2026 6:23pm

Do factory bikes have frame numbers?

Yes, they do. Even before the production rule (1987), frame numbers were recorded at AMA pro races. At a race in the mid 1970s, a frame number was hammered into a new factory bike just prior to tech inspection, when the team realized that the bike had no frame number.

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NotTheStig
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1 day ago
ToolMaker wrote:

Maybe they replaced JP with the Stig 🤣

Wouldn't know anything about that, but it wasn't me 😉

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