All things youth moto…

Winning is one thing – winning in the face of bureaucratic adversity is another as Cobra Moto podiums whilst weathering the Lead Law storm

Including the 2011 Cobra All-Star Team!

HILLSDALE, Mich., (Dec. 30, 2011) – In the corporate equivalent of clearing a 100-foot triple on 50cc bike, Cobra Moto won maybe its – and mini cycle racing’s in general – most important race of all time … the race to defeat the ominous CPSIA “Lead Law” that cast a shadow over the entire youth motocross industry the past two years.

Battling in suits and ties on one front, Cobra Moto was backed by some incredible young talent on the other – racers who were victorious in the vast majority of 50cc races at the major American amateur MX Nationals – from Oak Hill, Texas, to Mill Creek, Ala., Mesquite, Nev.’s Mini GPs, Ponca City (Okla.), Loretta’s (Tenn.), Branson, Mo., and the Florida Mini Os. Cobra Moto racers also won big at the annual MX Masters Kids in Europe and well as a number of Canadian MX championships.

“2011 will certainly go down in Cobra Moto’s heritage as a turning point year not only for the company, but the sport of mini cycle racing in general,” said Cobra Moto President Sean Hilbert. “Along with the principles at MX Sports, the AMA and the Motorcycle Industry Council, the biggest race Cobra Moto won this year was in Washington D.C.’s halls of Congress. Outside that it was the Cobra Moto kids that stepped up and made us proud, as they have since the company’s inception, at every major amateur MX National-caliber race throughout North America and Europe.” 

A number of factory-backed racers stood out for Cobra Moto in 2011. And most importantly, a number of them return for the 2012 competition season as senior members of their respective classes. Here’s a look at Cobra Moto’s 2011 All-Star Team!

Stilez Robertson (California) – Racing his final Loretta’s on a Cobra, Robertson set a 50cc class wins record that’s going to be tough to beat. Recording his 26th win at the big one – Loretta’s – Robertson broke the record previously held by former Cobra racer Adam Cianciarulo. Robertson went 1st/1st/1st to win out in the 51cc (7-8) AMA 1 Stock Senior class to become the winningest AMA amateur racer ever on 50cc bikes.

Pierce Brown (Utah) – Brown threw down at the season opener in Oak Hill, racing to victory in all three 50cc classes he entered on his Cobra CX50SR, aka the “King Cobra.” This included the 7-8 Stock, 7-8 Modified and the hotly-contested 4-9 Open class. In all Brown went 6-0 in six motos – the best results of any Cobra racer, setting the stage for excellent 2011 competition year for Brown and Cobra Moto. Brown also put the Cobra CX65 on a number of major amateur MX National podiums.
Ryder Di Francesco (California) – Stepping up big at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., Di Francesco became the first five-year old in the storied history of the event to win the 51cc (4-6) AMA 2 Stock Junior class. He gave up the first moto to his Cobra Moto-backed central Cal riding buddy Jett Reynolds, then went on to win the next two motos. Prior to Loretta’s Reynolds and Di Francesco had gone 1st/2nd, respectively, at Ponca – leading a Cobra Moto charge that would see the King 50 capture nine of the top ten spots in Ponca’s 50cc through 6 Mod class.
Jett Reynolds (California) – Wherever you found Di Francesco on the podium, Reynolds was sure to be there as well. From Ponca to Loretta’s, Cobra Moto’s Bakersfield Boyz – joined by New York’s Reed Cooper – also made up the entire 7-8 50cc class Olympiad podium at the Mini Os, the first time in memory which that’s occurred with one brand – Cobra Moto!
Brock Bennett (California) – The third Cobra Moto kid out of Bakersfield won big against his riding buddies at the World Mini GPs (50cc through 6 Mod class) and was a consistent high podium finisher at Ponca and Oak Hill.
Gage Linville (Georgia) – Although he got off to a bit of a slow start in 2011, Linville closed out the year on a high note, winning the coveted Olympiad title (MX/SX combined) in the 50cc 7-8 class at the Mini Os. Linville, 7, a longtime Cobra Moto-backed racer, will return to contest the 7-8 class again next year at all the major amateur MX Nationals.
Reed Cooper (New York) – Making the overall 50cc 7-8 podium with two Cobra Moto Bakersfield racers, Cooper blasted big at the Mini Os – winning the coveted 4-6 50cc Olympiad title. Reed also opened the season on a sweet note, sweeping top honors in both the 4-6 Stock and 4-6 Multi-Speed classes at Mill Creek.

Cobra Moto would also like to recognize its 2011 “Honorable Mention” racers: Tommy Rios (Florida), Tanner Ward (Canada), Jack Rogers (Maryland), Vance Stiers (Texas), Brayden Bruce (Wyoming), Dylan Woodcock (UK), Jayden Taylor (Michigan), Branden Walther (Texas), Hunter Budd (AX Champ, Texas), Cameron Davis (Pennsylvania), Kruz Sampson (Tennessee), Tanner Kemp (Ohio), Hunter Scott (Canada), Ryan Smith (Oklahoma), Cade Britt (Colorado), Alex Mann (Washington), Ramon Rusche (Oklahoma), Chase Yentzer (Pennsylvania), Seth Milam (Texas), Max Miller (Oregon), Chandler Baker (Oklahoma), Jeremy McKie (Canada), Tyler Archambault (Michigan), Dilan Schwartz (California) and Harry Wichmann (UK), along with a special Honorable Mention to Cobra’s top female racer – New Jersey’s Jordan “JJ” Jarvis!

Photos by Rodney Webb

If you are looking for a quick way to make your voice heard, head to the Motoplayground homepage and sign their petition.!

California’s new “El Cajon Zone?” MX’s future points to Bakersfield as the West Coast Cobra Generation’s stars, led by Stilez Robertson, take charge @ Mini GPs

Stilez Robertson photo courtesy of Volcom.com

HILLSDALE, Mich., (April 21, 2011) – There appears to be a movement underway in the central California town of Bakersfield not unlike that in El Cajon back in the 1970s and 80s. A group of talented young motocross racers aboard Cobra Motorcycles – and led by Stilez Robertson – are putting Bakersfield on the map as, quite possibly, the new “El Cajon Zone.”

This past week/weekend in Mesquite, Nevada, at the NMA U.S. Mini GPs, Cobra’s Robertson, Jett Reynolds, Brock Bennett and Ryder Di Francesco all but channeled the names  of Glover, RJ, Lechien, Burnworth and Smith in dominating the 50cc classes at the 40^th running of the Mini GPs – an event that pretty much put mini bike racing on the map in the United States.

“El Cajon moves north to Bakersfield,” semi-joked Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles, noting that Cobra kids from Bakersfield swept every 50cc class at the Mini GPs.

In the 50cc thru 6 classes, Bennett would take top honors on his Cobra CX50JR in the Modified class and place second to Reynolds in the Stock class, while Di Francesco would podium twice (3^rd). Pennsylvania’s Callin Kauffman would break up the complete Bakersfield sweep of the class with a 2^nd place finish in the Modified class – giving the East Coast at least a glimmer of hope in the sport’s future (ha, ha).

Mini GPs 50cc Thru 6 results

Stock Modified

1^st – Jett Reynolds, Cobra                               1^st – Brock Bennett, Cobra

2^nd – Brock Bennett, Cobra                            2^nd – Callin Kauffman, Cobra

3^rd – Ryder Di Francesco, Cobra                    3^rd – Ryder Di Francesco, Cobra

In the 50cc 7-8 classes Robertson, as expected, put on a show – sweeping 1^st place in all four Stock and Modified classes on his Cobra CX50SR, aka the “King Cobra.” From there Cobra racers Dilan Schwartz (Calif.) and Pierce Brown (Utah) would go on to capture three of the four remaining 50cc 7-8 Stock and Modified podium spots.

Mini GPs 50cc 7-8 results

Stock Modified

1^st – Stilez Robertson, Cobra                          1^st – Stilez Robertson, Cobra

2^nd – Dilan Schwartz, Cobra                           2^nd – Pierce Brown, Cobra

4^th – Pierce Brown, Cobra                              3^rd – Dilan Schwartz, Cobra

Brining all the little fast guys back to the starting gate one last time for the 6-9 Super Pee Wee class finals it was again Robertson leading the way in an all-Cobra podium, followed by Schwartz (2^nd) and Wyoming’s Braden Bruce (3^rd). Noteworthy: Brown handed Robertson his only 50cc class defeat of the week, winning the second Super Pee Wee moto after crashing out in the first moto. Cobra’s Max Miller (Oregon) was also looking great – 2^nd in the first moto – before crashing in the second Super Pee Wee moto.

On the 65s Cobra was led at the Mini GPs by Brown (3^rd, 6-8 Stock) and Bruce (3^rd, 6-8 Modified), each of whom scored podium finishes on their CX65s. Las Vegas local Robert Hailey III also had two solid races, finishing 7^th in the 6-8 Modified class and 10^th in the Stock class.

Mini GPs 65cc 7-8 results

Stock Modified

3^rd – Pierce Brown, Cobra                              3^rd – Braden Bruce, Cobra

6^th – Braden Bruce, Cobra                              7^th – Robert Hailey III, Cobra

10^th – Robert Hailey III, Cobra                      8^th – Pierce Brown, Cobra

Added Hilbert: “Congrats to the NMA’s Ron Hendrickson on his 40^th year of organizing mini bike racing here in the States. Cobra was pleased to be on hand to provide support for our factory riders and assist wherever needed with all the kids racing Cobras. We’ll see you in July at Ponca City. And don’t forget to enter the “Kids Just Want To Ride” video contest for a chance to win a trip to Washington D.C. to help Congress exempt youth-model motorcycles and ATVs from the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008!”

Contest link: http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/KidsJustWantToRide.aspx

Now that the new Congress has settled in, things are starting to take shape around fixing the Lead Law…Heck, even President Obama has come out against overzealous government regulations! Here is a recap of what is happening and what you can do to make sure things move in our favor:

#1) The reintroduction of HR1387

In the last Congress, Representative Rehberg from Montana introduced a simple bill that would exclude all motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA. For this new term, he reintroduced it – this time with much more fanfare and a catchy name: H.R. 412 – Kids Just Want to Ride Act. Contact your local representative, and let him or her know that you would like them to support (and maybe even co-sponsor) this bill! Take two minutes and do it here.

#2) An extension of the Stay of Enforcement

One of the things the AMA, MX Sports, and I lobbied for when we went to Washington D.C. last month was extending the Stay so that we would have ample time to make sure things were fixed in this new session of Congress. It appears that the CPSC listened, and they have proposed extending the stay on testing (currently due to expire on February 10^th) until later in the year. The full stay of enforcement for motorcycles and ATVs, scheduled to expire on May 1^st, is still in effect, however. If the deadline draws near and Congress still hasn’t acted, we need to push the CPSC hard to extend the full Stay that only Motorcycles and ATVs enjoy under this law.

#3) The appointment of Fred Upton as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Congressman Upton from Michigan’s 6^th District was one of the first people that Amy Ritchie of Red Bud I visited in Washington D.C. on this issue. His advise was pretty stark, “Until Republicans control this committee again, you’ll have little luck fixing things.” Well, Fred…It’s now time to put your money where your mouth is! By virtue of a landslide vote that put Republicans back in charge of the House of Representatives, and through a series of gaffes that took out the frontrunner for the Chairman’s post, Mr. Upton now finds himself in charge of one of the most powerful committees in Congress. Give Fred a call or email and let him know that fixing the CPSIA needs to be a top priority!

Remember: Congress has a million things going on…The more they hear from us on fixing this law, the better the chance we will have of getting it done. Use the links here to make your voice heard (and better yet, pick up the phone and give your representatives in Washington a call). They will listen!

After over a year-and-a-half of our Congress being in denial about how bad the CPSIA really is (or “Lead Law” for those of us in powersports), a follow-up hearing finally took place last week in Washington D.C. with the introduction of the Consumer Protection Enhancement Act of 2010. The $64,000 question is: Does this additional law offer any relief to the powersports industry? If so, how much?

I’m afraid the answer is that right now it offers nothing…In fact, it may even take us backward.

The original statute, which was meant to keep kids from ingesting harmful amounts of Lead present on toys imported from China, essentially ran amok. Instead of targeting small toys, jewelry, and other trinkets that infants and toddlers often end up chewing on, the law cut a huge swath through every product made for children under 13 years-old. This obviously includes motorcycles and ATVs, but it also affected library books, brass musical instruments, medical devices for physically challenged or learning disabled kids, hand-knit clothing, and even learning tools like telescopes and chemistry sets. In a nutshell, the law has been a disaster for big and small companies and their customers. Even Mattel’s chairman was quoted as saying, “This law is nearly impossible for us to comply with. I honestly don’t see any smaller companies being able to.”

So what does this proposed amendment, the CPSEA, do to keep products that should never be banned still on the market? In theory, it offers an avenue for the Consumer Products Safety Commission to grant exceptions for products that can be proven not to pose any Lead poisoning risk to kids. The problem is that the three part ‘test’ that products are forced to go through is difficult if not impossible to pass, and furthermore, the third and final test opens up the floodgates for any over zealous regulator to permanently ban a product for ANY reason.

Let me explain: The third test states that in order to grant an exception, the product, component part, or material will have no measurable adverse effect on public health or safety. What does that mean? The way I read it, if a company was applying for an exception for their line of roller skates, and that company somehow scientifically proved that the roller skates posed absolutely no threat of Lead ingestion, then the CPSC could still deny the exception because there is certainly information in the public record that kids who own roller skates sometime fall and hurt themselves. In other words, regardless of the risk of Lead poisoning, the roller skates still can be shown to have a measurable adverse effect on public health, therefore they are illegal to sell!

Somehow, the Energy and Commerce Committee managed to make the fix for the law even worse than the original law itself…Go figure.

Stay vigilant…Stay active…and Stay Vocal on this issue. Otherwise, you and your family will be finding another activity to do next year – maybe like Tiddlywinks (wait a minute…they will probably be banned as well!).

Sean @ Cobra