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3 weeks ago | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
A: Yes, which is good news for the bike that had the distinction of finishing last in the 2014 and out of the top three in the 2015 MXA 250 Four-Stroke Shootout. A: A total of eight general updates were made to the 2015 CRF250. (1) Engine Mode Select. Unique to Honda is the Engine Mode Select button, which allows the rider to easily choose between three different ignition maps via a handlebar-mounted button.
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1 month ago | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
It only made sense to the MXA wrecking crew that we should let the KTM factory build us a hopped-up 2015 KTM 350SXF. KTM has everything a racer would need at its SoCal headquarters: the PowerParts division handles aftermarket goodies, KTM Factory Services works on engines, and the new WP Factory Services shop does suspension upgrades. The plan was simple.
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1 month ago | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
The DOT company was founded by Harry Reed in Manchester, England, who built the company’s first motorcycle in 1906. The name, DOT, was said to stand for “Devoid of Trouble” and is included in later models’ fuel-tank logos. DOT made everything from street bikes to three-wheel utility vehicles, but when the motocross boom started in the 1960s, DOT pushed hard to be a player in what was then known in Britain as “Scrambles.” DOT specialized in two-stroke bikes.
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2 months ago | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
Q: WHY IS MXA TESTING THE 2015 TM 250MX SO LATE IN THE 2015 SEASON? A: If you enjoy vacation time, you would love working for TM. The Italians work hard at their craft and, not surprisingly, they play hard. The TM plant shuts down for three weeks in August, as well as two full weeks over Christmas. Late summer and fall are when new bikes should be hitting the showroom floors, but that can’t happen if there is no one at the factory to create the bikes and get them out the door.
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2 months ago | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
MXA test riders wouldn’t make very good motivational speakers, because we aren’t very diplomatic. We don’t pull any punches. It’s as though donning the orange helmet is like taking truth serum. Case in point: although there are good things about every single bike ever made, we have yet to test a bike that doesn’t chafe us with one or more of its features.
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Mar 28, 2025 | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2015 CRF450 BETTER THAN THE 2014 CRF450? A: No. Maybe. In some ways. Barely. Sort of, but not really. Q: WHAT DID HONDA CHANGE ON THE 2015 CRF450? A: The 2015 Honda CRF450 has several updates designed to make it more effective as a motocross bike. (1) Engine.
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Jan 27, 2025 | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2015 YZ450F BETTER THAN THE 2014 YZ450F? A: Yes, but the MXA wrecking crew is at a loss as to why it is so much better. Nothing on the spec sheet would lead one to believe that this is a qualitatively improved machine. But, it is. Word to the wise, remove the D-ring from the two Dzus fasteners on the sides of the airbox cover, you can leave the D-ring on the Dzus fastener on the front. If you don’t, they will fall off or hook on your pants.
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Jan 11, 2025 | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
IF THE POWERS-THAT-BE ALLOWED TWO- AND FOUR-STROKES TO COMPETE AT EQUAL DISPLACEMENTS IN THE PRO RANKS—IT WOULD BE A TWO-STROKE WORLD AGAIN. WHY? TWO-STROKES ARE LIGHTER, HAVE LESS MOVING PARTS, ARE CHEAPER TO BUILD (THUS CHEAPER AT THE RETAIL LEVEL), CAN BE REPAIRED WITH COMMON GARAGE TOOLS (BY ANYONE WITH A MODICUM OF MECHANICAL SKILLS) AND THEY MAKE MORE HORSEPOWER PER CUBIC CENTIMETER THAN A FOUR-STROKE. It is no secret that two-strokes are becoming popular once again.
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Nov 8, 2024 | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
Believe it or not, there are six different types of forks available on the 2015 motocross bikes. The forks come from three different suppliers: Kayaba, Showa and WP. Half of the forks feature air springs, and only one fork design remains relatively unchanged from 2014—the highly rated Kayaba SSS forks found on Yamahas. The MXA wrecking crew wants you to know as much about the fork choices of 2015 as possible, so to that end, we provided a guide to 2015 motocross forks.
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Oct 18, 2024 | 
motocrossactionmag.com | Tom Hinz
Only three kinds of motorcycle racers are interested in the “2015 MXA 450 Four-Stroke Shootout.” Here they are:(1) Potential buyers: These people want to investigate every bike out there before they plunk down the major cash that they earned in a corporate sweat shop. (2) The needy: These people already bought a bike and just want confirmation that the bike they already own is as good as they think it is. After all, they invested $9000 in the decision-making process.
