Talk about setting the gold standard under the California sun! Shaking off a narrow runner-up finish in the recent Supercross series, Team Honda HRC Progressive's Hunter Lawrence delivered a statement-making performance at the 2026 Pro Motocross season opener at Pala Raceway. Riding his factory Honda CRF450R Works Edition, the Australian phenom put on a clinic at Fox Raceway, topping every single timed qualifying session before executing a flawless 1-1 moto sweep. By fending off heavy pressure from MXGP champion Jorge Prado and snapping his brother Jett’s legendary undefeated streak at the track, Hunter secured a perfect 50-point day—firmly capturing the coveted red plate and proving that his outdoor title campaign is firing on our RS-12-equipped cylinder.
Yoshimura R&D of America has rolled out Episode 6 of The Pivotable Pod, featuring a two-hour sit-down with legendary motocross broadcasting icon Jason "Weege" Weigandt. Hosted by our own "Big E," the casual conversation traces Weege’s journey from a quad-riding kid in New Jersey to the pinnacle of Supercross commentary. Proving that the brand knows exactly how to butter up its guests, Big E wraps up the nostalgic trip down memory lane by presenting a genuinely stunned Weigandt with a 50-year-old, 20-karat gold-plated microphone—a prize almost as enticing as the free burrito that lured him into the studio in the first place.
The crew at Vital MX recently got their hands on the fully overhauled '27 CRF450R, putting it through its paces in a comprehensive first-ride review from Japan. They dropped everything to fly across the Pacific and throw a leg over the heavily updated Honda, and it's safe to say the changes did not go unnoticed. Highlighting the massive 10-pound weight reduction and a thrilling 12% bump in horsepower, the review dives deep into how these major updates translate to the dirt compared to the previous generation.
In this episode of the Weege Show, host Jason Weigandt pairs Pro Motocross paddock chatter with an exclusive look inside the Yoshimura manufacturing facility in Chino, California. Guided by Big E, the tour spans decades of racing history—highlighting a rare 1964 Suzuka endurance bike—before stepping onto the factory floor to show how raw stainless steel and titanium are transformed into championship-winning exhaust systems. The segment also reveals a major industry milestone: the newly unveiled 2027 Honda CRF450R HRC Works Edition features a made-in-the-USA Yoshimura system shipped directly to Japan for assembly. Weigandt wraps up with high-stakes "bench racing" analysis ahead of the season opener at Pala, discussing Haiden Deegan's psychological tactics and sharing intel that a rapid Jett Lawrence is fully prepared to defend his turf.
For sportbike enthusiasts who believe the only thing better than a screaming engine is a louder screaming engine, Yoshimura R&D of America has blessed the track day crowd. See and hear our 3/4 Alpha T exhaust mounted to a crossplane-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1, and the results are absolute music to your ears—assuming your ears prefer high-octane mechanical roars over actual music. It turns out that upgrading your exhaust doesn't just squeeze a bit more performance out of your superbike; it also guarantees your neighbors will know exactly when you're leaving for the track, whether they like it or not.