Honda’s ProMX assault taking shape
Only days after separating from long term sponsor Penrite, Yarrive Konsky has signed 31-year-old South Australian Kirk Gibbs on to their new look Factory Honda Motocross Team to contest the 2021 Australian Motocross Championship.
Queensland based since turning senior, Gibbs won the Australian MX1 Motocross Championship with KTM in 2015. He has also twice represented Australia at the prestigious MXoN.
Australian Champion Kirk Gibbs will compete alongside Brett Metcalfe in the MX1 class.
Kirk Gibbs
“You are always aware of what your competition is doing, and Honda have won many championships and many more races and after three days of testing with the team I can see why,” said Gibbs.
Gibbs, the current New Zealand champion hopes to achieve another championship with Honda and has signed on under a MX only program with Honda for 2021.
“The team is committed and focused and has competitive resources available to them and there is no reason we can’t contend for the championship next year. I know its what people expect me to say but the new Honda 450 is fast, amazingly fast and after three days of testing we have a great package that will only get better.”
Brett Metcalfe has signed on to race motocross and supercross for a 4th year with the Honda Factory Team and the American runner-up MX champion and 2019 SX runner-up champion believes the new Honda 450R is a game changer.
“I raced the new 450R stock, pulled the holeshot and won both races against other factory riders. I haven’t experienced a bike that fast in standard trim,” said Metcalfe.
Metcalfe stayed behind following his victory in the AMX Open last weekend to test with the team this week
“Following three days of testing I feel we have made some significant gains and I am looking forward to our next scheduled test in January,” concluded Metcalfe.
The team has also resigned Emma Milesevic to race in the Women’s Motocross Championship and Kyle Webster to compete in the MX2 class and the 2019 runner up champion can’t wait for the revamped Pro Motocross Championship to start.
“Racing the M-X-OPEN was great and winning was a bonus but I can’t wait for the all new PROMX championship to start. The factory Honda Team has developed a powerful and competitive 250 and I can’t wait to race it again,” said Webster.
Team Director Yarrive Konsky
“We are focused and have strengthened our technical team to manage our expectations. Our team is made up of some of the world’s best riders and we believe in them and our motorcycles. The new 450R has already exceeded our expectations and together with Team HRC in America and Europe we believe we will prove its capabilities. Tim Gajser has already shown everyone what the new 450R is capable of doing.”
The team will make further announcements regarding sponsors and its Australian supercross team over the coming weeks.
Tony Hinton, Honda Australia’s General Manager of Motorcycles
“We look forward to racing with all three riders in the new PROMX championship on our race winning CRF range. We are working closely with the factory and we will be prepared for round 1 in April. I wish everyone a safe and happy new year and all of the best with their respective racing.”
The new look eight-round ProMX Championship will kick off in the challenging sand of Wonthaggi on April 11.
2021 Australian Pro MX calendar
| Rnd | Date | Location |
| 1 | Apr-11 | Wonthaggi, Victoria |
| 2 | May-02 | Canberra, ACT |
| 3 | May-30 | Gilman, South Australia |
| 4 | Jun-27 | Maitland, NSW |
| 5 | Jul-25 | Wodonga, Victoria |
| 6 | Aug-08 | TBC, Queensland |
| 7/8 | August 14-15 | Coolum, Queensland |
