Kenny and the Honda

bents
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8/22/2022 5:29pm Edited Date/Time 8/26/2022 8:22pm
In the RacerX 3 on 3 article today, Kenny seems to be consistently unhappy with the Honda. Here is what he said:

Another excellent day today. Good to see. Can you summarize your day?
"It’s been a long time since I’ve been up here, but we’re stepping in the right direction. I overall just made some changes. Podiums are hard to get nowadays, at least for me at this point, never mind winning. So, I was just excited. I had some good speed this morning. It seems like on a weekly basis I just struggle definitely with my bike a little bit, but at the same time that’s just something that’s always going to be there. I just try to fight through it."

Would this suggest he is unofficially done with the Honda? And where is his next destination?
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Phil109
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8/22/2022 5:47pm
Sexton out there lighting the world on fire on the same bike week in and week out. Weird how that works.
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yak651
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8/22/2022 5:51pm
Phil109 wrote:
Sexton out there lighting the world on fire on the same bike week in and week out. Weird how that works.
Exactly, he’s pretty much the only HRC rider with a problem with the bike…
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8/22/2022 6:04pm
If Kenny doesn't like that beautiful Honda then he should just stick to his roots and go back to riding the best bike out there...










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NotCore
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8/22/2022 6:07pm
Seemed honest to me. The Honda team is killing it this year in both classes with all riders. Doesn't mean there aren't real challenges.
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The Shop

Mavetism
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8/22/2022 6:26pm
The thing I personally don't understand is.. That is the same bike as last year and he was literally in the hunt for both titles and the best rider in terms of overall points for both championships together. I think it's something mental. Except for his crashes in 2017 and 18, he basically never crashed until he got on this new Honda last year. He crashed in the whoops multiple times last and this year and you could clearly see how his confidence dropped this year after the crashes he had, for example when Sexton hit his head in the whoops.
Maybe it's in his head that he can't get this Honda right anymore? Does he even know what he wants? I've heard in multiple interviews (Whiskey throttle with both Ryans, RC at Pulp for example) that Kenny is really special to work with in terms of setup and that he likes his stuff really weird.
I'm obviously just a vitard and not an expert..

Being a big Kenny fan and from germany and seeing him since he was competing at ADAC youngster cup basically, it really blows my mind that a rider struggles so hard with a certain bike setup throughout the whole year, specially when they have multiple professionals working for them. I still somehow think he has everything to win at least one more 450 title, I really wanna see him on a new bike and a fresh start. I bet he thought about that more than once after seeing Tomac and Anderson this year.

Really not a fan of the bike setup and complain thing.. It's such a big topic these days and no rider but the winner is happy or feels good anymore? But I still hope we see him a couple more years. The sport is way better with him in it.
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bents
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8/22/2022 6:27pm
Black Bomber-have to agree with you on Kenny's ability on that Suzuki. He was pretty unbeatable.
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Gravel
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8/22/2022 6:49pm
It’s his job to setup his bike, using the huge resources of HRC. If he gripes about the bike, he’s simply telling everyone that he didn’t prepare his tools for his job. Own it.
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cable
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8/22/2022 6:54pm
all that pre-season testing on rough tracks paying off. or the factory is making him use parts he dont like
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davistld01
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8/22/2022 7:05pm
cable wrote:
all that pre-season testing on rough tracks paying off. or the factory is making him use parts he dont like
There are other OEM’s I’d believe that about, but Honda isn’t one of them, unless they have changed their racing attitude completely.
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Hollywood009
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8/22/2022 7:09pm
I dont think its the bike, hes had brilliant moments on the bike, lacks a little consistency, though hes never been a fight it out kind of guy.
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Bow977
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8/22/2022 7:20pm
langhammx wrote:
⭐️
I see what you did there.....
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R VanKamp77
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8/22/2022 7:30pm
Every bike fits differently. It’s like shoes. That’s not really logical. Maybe it doesn’t fit HIM for some reason we don’t know.

He seems to have other problems. Definitely time for a new ride for him.
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Warlock
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8/22/2022 7:47pm
He always has great looking gear too.
ohhellnah
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8/22/2022 8:01pm
If Kenny doesn't like that beautiful Honda then he should just stick to his roots and go back to riding the best bike out there... [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2022/08/22/565136/s1200_11.jpg[/img]...
If Kenny doesn't like that beautiful Honda then he should just stick to his roots and go back to riding the best bike out there...










Still one of the more insane displays of speed:
Mavetism
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8/22/2022 8:28pm
If Kenny doesn't like that beautiful Honda then he should just stick to his roots and go back to riding the best bike out there... [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2022/08/22/565136/s1200_11.jpg[/img]...
If Kenny doesn't like that beautiful Honda then he should just stick to his roots and go back to riding the best bike out there...










ohhellnah wrote:
[embed][/embed]Still one of the more insane displays of speed:
Still one of the more insane displays of speed:
The crazy thing is.. Tomac lined up for two mxgps that year and completely crushed everyone. Would have been so fun to see Ken lining up there aswell. Tomac and Marv weren't slow that season.. That was just some real special shit. I don't think we will see a season like that anytime soon.
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8tensolutions
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8/22/2022 9:16pm
Mavetism wrote:
The thing I personally don't understand is.. That is the same bike as last year and he was literally in the hunt for both titles and...
The thing I personally don't understand is.. That is the same bike as last year and he was literally in the hunt for both titles and the best rider in terms of overall points for both championships together. I think it's something mental. Except for his crashes in 2017 and 18, he basically never crashed until he got on this new Honda last year. He crashed in the whoops multiple times last and this year and you could clearly see how his confidence dropped this year after the crashes he had, for example when Sexton hit his head in the whoops.
Maybe it's in his head that he can't get this Honda right anymore? Does he even know what he wants? I've heard in multiple interviews (Whiskey throttle with both Ryans, RC at Pulp for example) that Kenny is really special to work with in terms of setup and that he likes his stuff really weird.
I'm obviously just a vitard and not an expert..

Being a big Kenny fan and from germany and seeing him since he was competing at ADAC youngster cup basically, it really blows my mind that a rider struggles so hard with a certain bike setup throughout the whole year, specially when they have multiple professionals working for them. I still somehow think he has everything to win at least one more 450 title, I really wanna see him on a new bike and a fresh start. I bet he thought about that more than once after seeing Tomac and Anderson this year.

Really not a fan of the bike setup and complain thing.. It's such a big topic these days and no rider but the winner is happy or feels good anymore? But I still hope we see him a couple more years. The sport is way better with him in it.
This. Kenny does not appear to have the mental strength to run at the front, so he finds every reason why he can't and in my opinion that includes the hypochondria, which can literally make you sick. It's too bad, because he is incredible......but that will follow him to any other brand.
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8/22/2022 9:19pm
If Kenny doesn't like that beautiful Honda then he should just stick to his roots and go back to riding the best bike out there... [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2022/08/22/565136/s1200_11.jpg[/img]...
If Kenny doesn't like that beautiful Honda then he should just stick to his roots and go back to riding the best bike out there...










ohhellnah wrote:
[embed][/embed]Still one of the more insane displays of speed:
Still one of the more insane displays of speed:
Mavetism wrote:
The crazy thing is.. Tomac lined up for two mxgps that year and completely crushed everyone. Would have been so fun to see Ken lining up...
The crazy thing is.. Tomac lined up for two mxgps that year and completely crushed everyone. Would have been so fun to see Ken lining up there aswell. Tomac and Marv weren't slow that season.. That was just some real special shit. I don't think we will see a season like that anytime soon.
Let's not forget it took him all of 2015 to get happy on the Suzuki. Yes he had a couple of injuries, but things were really tense at RCH all year with him, the team, his dad and the bike setup. And he could have won SX in 2016 but he started the season really slow.
8/22/2022 9:21pm
ohhellnah wrote:
[embed][/embed]Still one of the more insane displays of speed:
Still one of the more insane displays of speed:
Mavetism wrote:
The crazy thing is.. Tomac lined up for two mxgps that year and completely crushed everyone. Would have been so fun to see Ken lining up...
The crazy thing is.. Tomac lined up for two mxgps that year and completely crushed everyone. Would have been so fun to see Ken lining up there aswell. Tomac and Marv weren't slow that season.. That was just some real special shit. I don't think we will see a season like that anytime soon.
Let's not forget it took him all of 2015 to get happy on the Suzuki. Yes he had a couple of injuries, but things were really...
Let's not forget it took him all of 2015 to get happy on the Suzuki. Yes he had a couple of injuries, but things were really tense at RCH all year with him, the team, his dad and the bike setup. And he could have won SX in 2016 but he started the season really slow.
All it took was some stock triple clamps...imagine that.
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ohhellnah
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8/22/2022 9:39pm Edited Date/Time 8/22/2022 9:40pm
Mavetism wrote:
The crazy thing is.. Tomac lined up for two mxgps that year and completely crushed everyone. Would have been so fun to see Ken lining up...
The crazy thing is.. Tomac lined up for two mxgps that year and completely crushed everyone. Would have been so fun to see Ken lining up there aswell. Tomac and Marv weren't slow that season.. That was just some real special shit. I don't think we will see a season like that anytime soon.
Let's not forget it took him all of 2015 to get happy on the Suzuki. Yes he had a couple of injuries, but things were really...
Let's not forget it took him all of 2015 to get happy on the Suzuki. Yes he had a couple of injuries, but things were really tense at RCH all year with him, the team, his dad and the bike setup. And he could have won SX in 2016 but he started the season really slow.
All it took was some stock triple clamps...imagine that.
I feel like that’s over-simplified, but that’s a different thread.
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tek14
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8/22/2022 10:31pm
Best Kenny was left in same development cycle with Suzuki.. was good but others have improved since. Maybe he will feel good with Suzuki next year.
8/22/2022 10:35pm
Ya he has had bad injuries, but what top guy hasn't? My bet is that getting smoked by Chase is getting to him. In his defense with the arm injuries he's had make 30 min +2 hard, but his constant whining and excuses are getting real old. He needs to go SX only. His body can't handle the outdoors anymore.
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nskerb
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8/22/2022 10:36pm
“Podiums are hard to get nowadays, at least for me at this point, never mind winning”

^As a Roczen fan that sucks to read.
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Fresh
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8/22/2022 10:37pm
Kenny has complained about every bike he’s been on.
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8/22/2022 11:40pm
In ‘21 when Kenny was winning he was all happy and claiming the new bike was the best thing ever, a huge improvement over the previous bike,

But….. just a handful of weeks later when Cooper was winning he was saying that he was struggling with it.

So these comments from riders never really carry much weight. Just like Cooper this year, blaming the bike, when we can all see he’s on a headf*ck this year..
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6
8/22/2022 11:44pm
Plus, he’s had a number of years now being Honda’s top dog.. so if he said the bike was bad, Honda had no choice but to believe him and for Ken it was a reliable failsafe.

Now Chase is making the bike work. A bike, remember that was more modelled around Kenny for the last six years than it ever was Chase.
How embarrassing for Kenny and the pressure must be huge.
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KONG
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8/23/2022 12:31am
To answer the question, Honda's done with him and he's trying to find someone dumb enough to pay him the same amount of money he deserved when he was winning. Not found yet.
At least he should win that two race world championship. He'd better.
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Not-a-Fan
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8/23/2022 12:58am
Every bike fits differently. It’s like shoes. That’s not really logical. Maybe it doesn’t fit HIM for some reason we don’t know. He seems to have...
Every bike fits differently. It’s like shoes. That’s not really logical. Maybe it doesn’t fit HIM for some reason we don’t know.

He seems to have other problems. Definitely time for a new ride for him.
These shoes get tailored to the rider though. This ain't Payless.

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