OCTOBER
2015
44
ON THE COVER: John Basher shot the YZ450F in the
hot desert and the CRF450 in a hotter photo studio.
128
88
98
THEY’RE HERE! 2016
HUSQVARNAS
It wasn’t that long ago that
Husqvarna was on the ropes.
Sales were down. The bikes
were weird. And the loyal
Husky crew was shrinking.
For 2016 Husky is riding
a new wave of popularity.
MXA RACE TEST:
2016 KTM 250SXF
If you could go back in
time and tell the “you” of 15
years ago that someday a
production 250 four-stroke
would make 44 horsepower, you would have asked,
“What’s a 250 four-stroke?”
MXA RACE TEST:
2016 YAMAHA YZ450F
For 2016 Yamaha did a
little bit of everything to the
YZ450F—from new cams
to a softer shock spring to
different offset triple clamps
to lower footpegs. Find out
if it worked.
THE MXA INTERVIEW:
JUSTIN BARCIA
Justin Barcia talks about
motorhome living, his Honda
TV ads, his time at team
Honda, his move to Joe
Gibbs Racing and the
pressures of living up to
expectations.
MXA RACE TEST:
2016 HONDA CRF450
Honda has been stuck in two
four-year-production cycles
that haven’t been kind to the
CRF450. For 2016, they
wanted to save R&D dollars
for the future but still make
the CRF better.
MXA RACE TEST:
2016 KTM 350SXF
It’s not a 250 and it’s not a
450, but it’s almost a 450
when it comes to horsepower, and it’s a lot like a
250 when rpm is counted
into the equation. It can be
whatever you want it to be.
102
VOLUME 43, NUMBER 10
WARNING: Much of the action depicted in this
magazine is potentially dangerous. Virtually all
of the riders seen in our photos are experienced
experts or professionals. Do not attempt to
duplicate any stunts that are beyond your own
capabilities. Always wear the appropriate safety
gear.
BIKES
44 THEY’RE HERE! 2016 HUSQVARNAS
56 WE TEST THE 2016 KTM 250SXF
88 WE TEST THE 2016 YAMAHA YZ450F
102 WE TEST THE 2016 HONDA CRF450
118 WE RIDE ROCK RIVER’S YAMAHA YZ250
128 WE TEST THE 2016 KTM 350SXF
RACES
70 NATIONALS: THE OTHER GUYS
136 THE WOLF OF WORLD MOTOCROSS
PERSONALITY
98 THE MXA INTERVIEW: JUSTIN BARCIA
FEATURE
110 THE THREE MUSKETEERS IN JURASSIC PARK
TECHNICAL
54 TEN THINGS ABOUT THE PERFECT BIKE
86 BARE BONES: SUSPENSION TIPS
96 TEAM TESTED: PRODUCT REVIEWS
148 ASK THE MXPERTS: TECH ADVICE
PRODUCT TESTS
126 PRO CIRCUIT KTM 450SXF EXHAUST
127 M.PAC PORTABLE FAN
REGULAR STUFF
50 HIT PARADE: COOL STUFF
52 DREAM JOBS: LIVING THE LIFE
64 CLASSIC IRON: 1968 MAICO MC125
66 FADED GLORY: 1987 UNADILLA MXDN
68 GIZMOS & GADGETS: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
84 BIG MOVERS: RIDE’S ADRIAN CIOMO
DEPARTMENTS
10 JODY’S BOX
26 ON THE MAINJET
34 MAIL ENTRIES
146 HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
156 MOTO IN MOTION
162 GREAT MOMENTS
56