Tag Archives: Ricky Carmichael

Triumph heads to the dirt

Triumph Motorcycles has this week announced they will build and race enduro and motocross motorcycles with the help of five-time American Rider of the Year Ricky Carmichael (pictured above).

The official press release didn’t supply many details and it is unknown whether they will be produced in India or Thailand where most of their motorcycles are now made.

However, the British company did say it would return to dirt racing at the “top-tier” level.

The company also announced that Ricky will be joined by five-time Enduro World Champion Iván Cervantes to test and prepare the bikes for racing.

Iván Cervantes
Iván Cervantes

But they didn’t say whether they would race them and when the bikes or their racing prototypes would be available.

We suspect the bikes will be raced and tested before production versions are ready for the market.

They did the same thing with the 765cc Moto2 engine which has moved into their road bikes.

Ricky also doesn’t give away any clues, just stating that he will “be a part of the development and release of Triumph’s off-road motorcycles”.

Likewise, Ian simply says he “cannot wait to see the bikes competing at a world level”.

Whoever does race them, it will no doubt kick start a PR campaign based around the racing endeavours of Hollywood legend and Triumph fan Steve McQueen.

Steve McQueen’s 1963 Triumph Bonnveille “Desert Sled” smart desert
Steve McQueen

He raced Triumphs in the USA and represented his country in the 1964 International Six-Day Enduro Trials in Europe and was also famously depicted in The Great Escape jumping a TR6 over a barbed-wire fence to escape the Nazis.

Pothole roadworks road hazards inspect

No doubt the new-age Triumph dirt bikes will be a lot lighter than the heavy TR6 and other models used in dirt racing more than half a decade ago.

Company boss Nick Bloor says they are “100% committed to making a long-lasting impact in this highly competitive and demanding world”.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450 goes to auction

Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450 up for auction


Suzuki Australia have announced the opportunity to own the RM-Z450 ridden by Ricky Carmichael at the 2019 SX-Open Supercross event in Melbourne on November 30.

Ricky Carmichael RM Z Image
Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450

Carmichael, the most successful AMA motocross racer of all-time is a seven time AMA Motocross premier class champion and five time AMA Supercross Champion. His unrivalled successes in the sport of motocross have given him the nickname ‘The G.O.A.T’ by his peers; standing for the Greatest of All Time.

Ricky Carmichael RM Z Image
Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450 – Yoshimura RS-4 full titanium exhaust system

Suzuki has poured more than 40 years of open-class racebike engineering into the latest generation RM-Z450 to make it the hardest-hitting, sharpest-handling, best-balanced and most rider-friendly production motocrosser in company’s history.

Ricky Carmichael RM Z Image
Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450

Ricky Carmichael’s one-off 2019 Suzuki RM-Z450 features the following modifications from standard.

Ricky Carmichael RM Z Image
Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450 – ODI Ricky Carmichael signature handlebars and lock-on grips
  • Yoshimura RS-4 full titanium exhaust system
  • Hinson complete clutch assembly and factory Suzuki clutch cover
  • Unique to SX-Open event custom RC graphics kit
  • ODI Ricky Carmichael signature handlebars and lock-on grips
  • DID gold race chain
  • Personally signed by the G.O.A.T himself
  • A set of FOX riding gear as worn by Ricky Carmichael at the SX-Open event will also be included.
Ricky Carmichael RM Z Image
Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450

All proceeds over and above the reserve price will be put allowing disadvantaged children to experience the excitement and joy motorcycling brings.

The auction will close at 3:00pm on Monday 2nd, December 2019. You can find the auction on eBay at the following link: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/G-O-A-T-Ricky-Carmichaels-2019-SX-Open-Supercross-Suzuki-RM-Z450/312863230226

Ricky Carmichael RM Z Image
Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450 – SX-Open event custom RC graphics kit

Source: MCNews.com.au