What Led to Team USA's Struggles at MXdN 2023? "Bike Setup" says Kris Keefer

Taken from Live Interview during a PulpMX Show 561. Watch the entire episode: kzbin.infoiLUl0nAsnkI

[@elasticsoldier0257]

Kenny and Jet were Kids when they rode GPs Saying they used there old settings is ridiculous to say that.

[@goldsbym]

Jett and Kenny Did Not have set up problems. It wasn't set up, it was riders. Come on Keefer. No excuses.

[@LiamJD182]

11:53 sorry but how on earth can you say RJ is on Hunter’s level? Hunter’s out classed him 99% of the races this year. Compare the total wins, compare the championships. RJ isn’t close at all.

[@LoreparaDormir]

they also said that RJ was better than the 250 world champion lol

[@raysgay329]

Kenny didn’t even race Motocross really and still smoked our guys. We just sucked

[@CaddyJim]

You guys are wrong to blame the bikes *Tom Vialle* raced his *American KTM* that he's been racing all season

[@massboys7313]

Shows how dominant Tom is when he's comfortable, almost beat reneaux when he was on a 450 and Tom on a 250

[@CaddyJim]

@@massboys7313 my point was they were blaming the Austrian bikes because the US uses the production model. Tom used the same American production model he's been racing all season & he finished 2nd in the MX2/Open race & won the overall for 250 Riders

[@massboys7313]

100% agree, way too many excuses for the USA guys, I was just saying Tom is an animal whether he has his GP bike or his ama bike, just proves that when he's comfortable he's arguably the best 250 guy in the world outdoors

[@fizzlefox1829]

​@massboys7313 he managed to only win one race in the US. Hardly the best 250 rider in the world.

[@jhall9936]

Bike setup Kenny jet hunter didn’t have any issues they race the American tracks 🤷‍♀️ I think they just got out rode plain and simple

[@CR250rSMITH]

what did us americans think when we sent that team, we would podium lol craig isnt fast on the husky, RJ is just RJ you dont know what your going to get and AP isnt no Eli or Chase. It turned out exactly how it should have🤷‍♂. Just being real

[@brantleywinfrey]

Agreed, definitely not on par with Eli or Chase.

[@Vintage-406]

Spot on.

[@caydenthompson126]

you know exactly what you're going to get with RJ lol #yardsale

[@dustinphillips2855]

I know Craig hasn’t been to a race since April. Why did they pick him? Up against Prado, Febrve, and the Lawrence’s ain’t no way. Those guys are mid pack here much less up against those euro guys that only ride Moto.

[@caydenthompson126]

@@dustinphillips2855 I mean what other options did we have?

[@vernmoser7721]

It went how we thought it would. Except for more falls/ mistakes

[@lightspeedgallery]

Great breakdown fellas 🏁💪🏽 enjoyed it.! Cheers

[@ronchappel4812]

I get what you're saying about suspension but is that really a solution? It's hard to imagine them feeling comfortable with only a couple of weeks testing. It would make an interesting experiment though!

[@cdawg8325]

Well you also can't compare ken roczen to Christian Craig. Cmon guys. Talking about their difference in bike settings. lol

[@gwm88]

I think you guys are spot on. I think we could have been in that 3rd 4th position easy. AP and RJ both needed their motos to be solid. We knew Craig’s second would suck and that be our throw away. Just didn’t go that way…

[@MartinezHQ]

Reed mentioned this exact thing a year ago on Gyp. GP tracks weather in US or overseas will always shape up differently due to the nature of how the GP guys ride a track.

[@mikeb4708]

One would think that WP would have had some settings for them for that track

[@canyoumimic]

I always wondered about the rules of mxon with the mxgp rules and ama rules being different. Is it a bring what you got type thing? Could a ama rider that just loves mxon and his dream is to win that race could he put the time into testing mxgp acceptable "mods" to the bike and bring that from the US? Team allowing of course haha. Just curious.

[@jserrano0711]

KTM/WP has a test bench that can simulate the tracks. I’m sure these guys could have gotten a decent base setup for Ernée

[@user-fh8ld6vu6c]

this is the best you guys rock!

[@joshfiveash]

Year in year out the the US always have the same conversations about frames / setup when competing with MXGP riders. Maybe it’s time to actually knuckle down and put the effort into sorting the bikes out before you go. Stop expecting the deep, groomed, watered track set up is going to work on dry or even sand euro tracks. US are also not alone with set up or being unfamiliar with the tracks, there are plenty of other countries in the same position! The world isn’t just US v Europe. On a positive, French crowd is unmatched! Holy shit

[@aarontagious]

They were also riding the sand pit at Croom and soft dirt at Orlando MX in Florida like the week before... I was like wtf are they riding soft/sand for when the track is going to be hard pack and square edged... Roger making these calls?

[@J_Spa579]

Ferris wheel 111 was beating ap & cc moto 3 that was team fried.

[@CaddyJim]

It wasn't a typical track both *Tom & Hunter* said when they raced it a couple years ago it was ripped deeper. You guys didn't watch some of the post-race interviews *Prado* might be coming to the *US* to race *SX* in *2025* he's coming over this week to try *SX* training. He's contracted to race *MXGP* in *2024*

[@youhen01]

What’s that got to do with the price of milk?

[@CaddyJim]

@@youhen01 #WTF

[@butchgreene]

The answer is the USA team should have went straight to Europe and set their bikes up on GP tracks and stayed there until the event to get acclimated

[@kelliebrooks9094]

I agree bike set up was a big help...Tom Vialle is riding AMA series but has Marvin Musquin helping mainly with race bike set up....an Toms good a 2 time MXGP2 CHAMP....so yeah they knew their track...an bike set up..was a big key...i saw team usa in their pit stall it looked like they were at loretta lynns for the first time just the bikes an the guys no techs no semis...what the freak....it was good to see the 1 2 an 3 plates being run...i know those 3 guys had a big mountain climb together but i never gave up believing in them....USA USA USA

[@brantleywinfrey]

How can we be that far off? Craig hasn't raced since like January and Rj crashes almost every moto.

[@ronchappel4812]

It would be amusing to count every riders crashes,coz a TON of riders went down at one time or other. RJ's crash count might be below average for that track😄

[@marmaleg5309]

​@@ronchappel4812true. Even Jett and Hunter went down at some point

[@kaismith5668]

Does anyone know if Tom Vialle was running his US production based set up or did he go with his GP set up from last year? Either way the guy was hauling ass all weekend

[@ralph04ification]

He said in a post race interview that he was on his US bike....but he would have changed all his set up...local knowledge, he rode great.

[@deanbrantley]

It’s not a suspension issue. It’s the constant groomed tracks from the time they have been kids and soon as it’s not perfect they don’t want to ride it. American kids are spoiled.

[@yukonjon5964]

yep that's most of it.

[@michaelhoward7652]

If if if ,they got solidly beaten ,make all the excuses you like they weren't In the hunt.

[@CaddyJim]

We could have podium if *RJ* stayed off the ground & *AP* got a better start in his second race. People shiting on *Craig* I ask who would you have sent in his place? Every Rider better than him were injured switching teams or *Anderson* who is gone several times on the *Husky* but *Kawi* doesn't like supporting these overseas races

[@marmaleg5309]

Keefer really knows his stuff

[@charleswinters7129]

You send the best people you can. Some time you get some luck and sometimes you don’t. American distributors don’t always want to send their riders. At one time we use to send teams we knew could never win. Then no one would send their riders. DeCoster talked Honda to send a team. Not the best riders at the time. We won. Big publicity from it. Then everybody wanted to send riders. After we lost about 13 years later they again didn’t want to send riders. Europe has a lot more laps on these track in the days before the race. They do less track prep. They tracks get a lot rougher. I do believe our guys need softer setups. Even when they come over here most riders from Europe do have softer setups. I hear Tony Corolli did like stiff suspension. He was the exception.

[@E63s_Scott]

Interest debate I think you guys finished exactly where you should off just being real, i was personally thinking 6/7th. And that was smooth as fuck for a typical euro track in the second moto they smoothed most of the track and opened it up. Also I’m pretty sure I’ll have to go and check but in the 2023 ktm / husky owners handbook the suspension settings fork’s especially are way stiffer for the EU specs more rebound too I’ll have to check but of the top of my head the PSI is more on the eu spec And lake wood a lot ruttier ? I’m not sure, even still ernee was surprisingly hard for this time of year it’s usually more rutty but they had some freaky hot weather for October

[@E63s_Scott]

Okay so the fork PSI and rebound is different way quicker for the US spec 18 clicks vs 12 for standard 13 vs 7 sport but the rear shock clickers / rebound and sag is all the same

[@petergriffin4629]

No pro rides either stock settings or stock shocks for that matter

[@E63s_Scott]

@@petergriffin4629 yeah 100% true

[@davidmccarthy2374]

We won last year. We got beat this year. You can t win them all. I give those 3 credit for going over and giving it their best. Sounds like other guys were offered and declined. I ve noticed on alot of podcasts people bashing ktm,husky, and gas gas brands. I don t get it. They footed the bill to send the team over to the des nations. Give them some credit as well.

[@elasticsoldier0257]

Sorry guys but I just heard a boat load of excuses ,, To go on about bad set up riding 1 track in another country isn’t good,, There’s plenty of tracks in the outdoor calendar with completely different riding surfaces to one another that there changing set up from week to week , Then to say Roczen and Jet are euro based hence there set up is ridiculous. Roczen was a kid on a completely different brand bike when he last rode GPs.

[@Dirtbikekidlostinthewoods]

They should have let masterpool in. He would've adapted well i think. Or if Nate Thrasher could've gone, He is fast rider prolly woulda done very well

[@joel387ktm]

We cant send a mid level team and expect top level results

[@spacejaime]

Kris is right on the money! 👍👍

[@marmaleg5309]

Every time I hear him I think this lol

[@adamsaban]

Craig would have been 10+ positions better on the old Star 250F.

[@anthony9600]

Six months not riding and is expected to get a result at the Nations Craig got sandbagged.

[@6686able]

You sent the B team and why Craig ????

[@cropolo2573]

I dont get all the hate. They weren't far off the podium. Moto 3 was the one that lost it for them. AP just mailed it in. That had zero to do with bike setup - he got a 5th in moto 1 in a stronger lineup. RJ crashed at the start in both motos and Craig in moto 3. They just had shitty luck, otherwise they could have easily beat Italy for the podium. Give them 3 months on the track to get their bikes dialed in and they're not beating France or Australia.

[@ronchappel4812]

AP said his energy completely dropped off a cliff in the last moto. He offered some possible reasons but didnt know for sure why

[@rider3859]

If we don't send our best guys... What's the point?

[@ralph04ification]

It's about being part of the greatest motocross event on the yearly calendar...it's about win lose or draw....it's about being part of the world of motocross.

[@rider3859]

@@ralph04ification Meh... We're Americans. We don't need them.

[@6VIERTE9]

Marv is literally Tom Vialles lethal weapon. Sharing all the secrets racing in the US.

[@JustTip922]

Respect to Rodger but he can’t manage both the ktm group and team USA. Teams don’t want to send their equipment to mxon with their competitors team manager.

[@izzi0644]

No excuses. Are you a professional or not. Adapt to the conditions in front of you. At thend of the day we cant be that surprised either. No disrespect but craig hast raced any outdoors this year or on this bike. Plesenger is a top 5 guy, Hampshire is a bull dog that will do anything to win but has trouble putting motos together. We sent what riders we could. Did what they could, but no excuses. Own it

[@keelangerken5154]

AP can ride a soft set up too, think back to his roots and gncc days. It's a shame the politics that go into MXdN

[@kelliebrooks9094]

Just one comment those euro guys had their bikes dialed in...an theres no ways we were close...just knowing the GP riders high top speeds anyway....how can ride aggressive if ur bike is off...u cant

[@gtegenesis]

Keefer 2024

[@reese3407]

When the United States competes highest number should be the winner😮

[@kaneCarter_]

I think we all new the outcome sending this roster of rider's. No hate. But we all knew it wasn't gonna be good

[@ghav43]

We need a new Team Manager who riders will ride for. We need a younger new face to lead team USA. Get Ryno, MC, Stew, Dungey anybody...

[@lukeheaver1550]

Look you can talk setup all you want, but it’s won and lost on rider ability. You sent top tier riders but not the best that you could offer. Tomac, Deegan, Sexton would have been an awesome team capable of winning the event.

[@JonnyJetson754]

But hey, Top ten not bad on the world stage 👍

[@slayydaddy9692]

Lol bike set up, fuckers only been riding the same bikes for how many years, Kenny low key had a lot of Americans cheering his ass on!!!

[@MarioRodriguez-in3cd]

We lost. Why we you guys looking for excuses. It's not the set up as kenny, Jett and Vialle where running American set ups and they podium. We lost period...

[@kelliebrooks9094]

KTM DONT CARE ABOUT american team usa our whole team...their loyalty an time is in those euro guys america a little but look at KTM EURO guys they were dialed...with the SMXs playoffs an mx series. What bike setting did they have time to try...was Decoster there?????

[@ralph04ification]

Apart from Chase on the 450....all your other riders got beaten by over 20 seconds all season, Hayden may have placed somewhere between 5th and 10th...so you are in for a world of hurt for the next few years....good luck with that.🇦🇺

[@2216sammy]

Our best guys weren't even competing .

[@ralph04ification]

@@2216sammy who...Eli, he's at the twilight of his career. You have Chase and Hayden that are at MXoN pace...that's it for the foreseeable future.

[@1planet730]

Behave you guys, USA lost due to the pool of talent. Fair play though the USA riders went to the MXON. As a European we want the USA to turn up. America has always been the epicenter of MX and SX.

[@ralph04ification]

How did we survive without them....

[@amfk8079]

Id love to ride hardpack. All sand eveywhere in michigan.

[@ronchappel4812]

Really?I'm moving to Michigan !😄

[@user-ps8pt6vp7q]

They are all nice guys but if you can’t send your best riders then don’t go at all no good being flogged like that

[@fiddysent2798]

Team USA win...no bike issues...lose and the bike is made in Europe and too stiff and the track is too tight and hard and the flares put them off. Plus the hot croissant and Gauloise cigarette smell put the Americans off. Oh and the tight white jeans

[@JK-ew1cz]

Stop with the excuses, we sent a B team you get B team results, if I were the manager of Husqvarna I would be looking to replace my guys with talent from the euro teams.

[@ivorgilford3071]

Bike set up my arse they just got whooped by the euros end of just accept it

[@lw3918]

Bike setup my ass. Just admit the they're better at motocross.

[@troydimsdale2331]

Well….B team riders. Duhhh

[@raylang4608]

What are u talking about?!! Horrible.... We are the USA

[@mikemccoy113]

More excuses

[@Gazza-zg2tr]

Be Honest you didnt send a good enough team .you got spanked and at the moment European Morocross is at a higher level than the USA.Christian Craig a really good rider was'nt fit and ready to race,you would have done better with young Degan and Chase Sexton and Tomac if he had been fit.I was there and that track was perfect ,and smooth as f------k.