In anticipation of this Saturday’s Supercross opener in Anaheim, California, Kawasaki invited a select crowd of enthusiasts and journalists to join their employees at the corporate offices in Irvine, California, for the annual Team Monster Energy Kawasaki pep rally. We sat down with defending SX champ, Ryan Villopoto, and his teammate, Jake Weimer, to get their perspectives on the upcoming season.

Both men entered last season at less than 100%. For Villopoto, perseverance paid-off with both the SX and MX championships as well as winning the Motorcross of Nations and the inaugural Monster Energy Cup. Weiman struggled without much pre-season practice or training and ended the season in a disappointing 26th position, but bounced back to 4th place in the outdoor series.

Villopoto: I’m definitely at 100% and ready to get the season underway. Last year I struggled at the beginning and had some mixed results, but I’ve been able to train and practice in the off-season which makes me confident going in to this Saturday’s event.

Now that you’re the defending champion, is there more or less pressure?

Villopoto: It’s not really more or less pressure. The pressure, or desire to win, to do good, remains the same. But, if anything, there’s less pressure because I’m better prepared for this season than I was last season. Continue Reading »

James Stewart has signed a multi-year contract with JGRMX, the motocross division of Joe Gibbs Racing.

Stewart raced the last three years with the L & M Yamaha factory team, and he will continue with the Tuning Fork brand with JGRMX, riding a Yamaha YZ450F. The two-time AMA Supercross and one-time AMA Motocross Champion will debut with JGRMX at the Jan. 7 Supercross opener in Anaheim, Calif. Terms of Stewart contract were not announced, but the term will likely coincide with the term for JGRMX’s deal with Yamaha which runs until 2014.

Stewart is also expected to return to outdoor racing and compete in the 2012 AMA Motocross season. Stewart hasn’t competed in a full MX season since his perfect 2008 season, winning every single moto with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team.

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Last night Kawasaki premiered Grassroots: Celebrating 30 Years of Team Green at Oakley sunglasses HQ theater at Oakley headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California. Powersports industry personalities, Team Green racers from all disciplines, friends and journalists were all in attendance to support and celebrate Kawasaki’s commitment to the up-and-coming racer.

The 24-minute movie highlights the past and present efforts Kawasaki delivers to amateur racers, turning them into the champions race fans love to celebrate. There’s more video footage available from current racers, but the vintage early ’80s clips add to the movie’s value.

Currently, the movie is available for free at the iTunes store. Simply go to iTunes and search for Grassroots: Celebrating 30 Years of Team Green, sit back and enjoy the show.

Husqvarna announced its 2012 motocross lineup including the updated TC250 and TC449 four-stroke models and CR125 two-stroke.

Like the previously announced TE dual sports and TXC and WR off-road models, Husqvarna‘s 2012 motocross line receives new all-black chromoly frames with added structural reinforcement, and silver anodized Excel rims.

2012 Husqvarna TC250

The 2012 Husqvarna TC250 (pictured above) receives a new engine with a lighter piston and updated cylinder head, both borrowing from parent company BMW’s Formula 1 developments. Valve finger followers received a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating Husqvarna claims make them longer lasting and smoother operating.

For 2012, the TC250′s battery-less fuel injection system switches to a Keihin ECU and throttle body from the 2011 model’s Mikuni components. Husqvarna added a CDI ignition system with a coil that uses less voltage than the previous unit, as well as a new airbox and Akrapovic exhaust system. Overall, Husqvarna claims the TC250 receives a substantial power increase from the 2011 model, particularly at higher revs.

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Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto and Blake Baggett will represent the U.S. in the 2011 Motocross of Nations, Sept. 17-18 at Saint Jean D’Angely, France.

Monster Energy Kawasaki‘s Villopoto currently leads the 2011 AMA Motocross 450 class points standings while Rockstar Makita Suzuki‘s Dungey (pictured above) sits seven points back in second place. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki racer Baggett is second in the 250 standings as the highest placing American racer.

Motorcycle Hall of Famer Roger DeCoster will again manage the U.S. team which will try to win its record 22nd MXoN title this year. Team U.S.A. won the 2010 MXoN in Lakewood, Colo.

The team has not announced which class each of its riders will compete in. Baggett will likely race in the mostly 250cc MX2 class while Villopoto and Dungey will split the mostly 450cc MX1 class and the Open class.

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Smith Optics has added a MX  specific goggle to its Hart & Huntington lineup using the Fuel v.2 as their canvas instead of skin integrating Carey Hart’s Vegas tattoo-shop styling that includes the high performance of Smith Optics.

Another electric motorcycle launched by Zero.  With a newly designed suspension and frame its stronger, lighter and more agile then ever, here are some numbers to crunch:

• 50 ft-lbs of torque
• Total weight is 156 lbs
• 23 hp
• Battery range up to 2 hours or 40 miles
• Recharge time Less than 2 hours
• Typical cost to recharge is less than $.01 per mile

There are just too many other features and upgrades to the latest dirt bike to list them all here, if your interested check out the Zero site for all the details.

Hit the jump to watch the Zero MX in action.

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