Here in the United States, perhaps the largest group of buyers interested in motocross bikes are veteran riders. Veteran riders can race any motorcycle they like. This means there are no class limitations, and riders over 30 years old typically race with every machine imaginable, from 125cc two-strokes to 450cc four-strokes (even 500cc two-strokes). In light of this, it has always been somewhat surprising to me that no manufacturer builds a bike specifically for vet riders. What type of bike is this?
If you talk to vet-class racers, many of them describe the ideal bike as a big-bore 125cc two-stroke (displacing approximately 175cc) or a big-bore 250cc four-stroke (displacing approximately 300cc). Indeed, some riders spend thousands of dollars boring out 250cc four-stroke motocross bikes (and stroking them) to reach something like this “ideal” displacement. Why can’t we find a bike like this on the dealer’s floor. Simple enough for the manufacturers to bore and stroke a bike at the factory, and on the dealer’s floor, there would be no competition (at least for a while) for the first one to do it.
The closest thing we have seen is the 200cc two-stroke KTM SX, which has always been available in relatively limited quantities. Unfortunately for KTM, this bike came out at about the time 250cc four-stroke motocross bikes became popular (with Yamaha’s introduction of the YZ250F), and vet riders have really taken to small displacement four-strokes for their weekend motocross races. The 300cc (give or take) four-stroke motocross bike, weighing the same as a 250cc version it is built off of, could be the next big thing for vet-class racers, and riders simply interested in trail riding and playing.
