All things youth moto…

There is no question that Cobra’s patented CFD (or ‘slipper’ as most call it) plays are large role in driveline durability. For years prior to its introduction, the sights broken transmission gears or a snapped chains were relatively commonplace at the race track. The device’s operating principal is relatively simple: The CFD adds some ‘give’ to the driveline system. Unlike other types of motorcycle transmissions, when a centrifugal clutch (used on all 50cc motocrossers) is locked up, the entire powertrain…everything from the rear wheel to the piston…is also locked. Now imagine landing off a big jump with the throttle pinned. The engine is spinning at close to 15,000rpm, and then SLAM, the rear wheel comes to almost a dead stop as it hits the ground. With very little give in the system, this results in brutal wear and tear on many components such as the crankshaft, clutch basket, clutch shoes, transmission gears, transmission bearings, chain, sprockets, and rear wheel.

So how does the CFD work? It’s very simple, actually. The primary gear, instead of being one solid part, has been replaced by a clutch that is set to disengage at a pre-determined torque level. This break-away torque is several times the maximum engine torque (so it doesn’t slip when the engine is driving it), however, when it receives a high load in the other direction it spins providing a cushioning effect on many expensive engine and driveline components.

So what does this mean on and off the racetrack?

• More time riding and less time doing maintenance!
• Durability improvements in all driveline components.
• Longer clutch shoe life.
• Reduced weight and friction in the engine’s final drive and more power to the ground.
• The freedom to aggressively throttle away from heavy landings without having to worry about things breaking.
• Overall reduced cost of ownership!
• and Last but not Least…Improved rear suspension performance because the driveline can now absorb some of the impacts from hitting square edged obstacles rather than kicking the rear wheel.

So, all that’s left is to make sure that owners can properly maintain their CFD, and that’s why we created this video. Pay particular attention to this practice when you have a new bike or install a refresh kit as it takes a few rides for the system to take a set.

Sexton, Robertson, Turpin, & Linville on bikes – Heath, Hopkins, & Hart on ATVs pile up the major accolades – while King Cobra & CX65 are successfully re-engineered

HILLSDALE, Mich., (Jan. 17, 2010) – Call it the “Little motorcycle company that could.” Or, better yet, the “Little American-made motorcycle company that did.”

Despite a trying economic climate and an overzealous U.S. government approach to protect kids from ingesting lead, Michigan-based Cobra Motorcycles’ hard-working staff of just over 30 people did everything in their power in 2010 to keep the dreams of young motocross racers alive throughout the United States and rest of the free world.

“Two-thousand and ten will go down as a turning point year for Cobra – and a turning point for the better,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “We saw great advances for the Cobra King 50 and, especially, the Cobra CX65, continued our industry standard successes at national-caliber competitions here and overseas and continued to expand upon the great heritage of the Cobra motorcycles.”

Hilbert said quite honestly that the motivation at Cobra is a direct byproduct of the effort Cobra kids put in at home and on the competition motocross tracks around the world. “If anyone around here ever starts feeling sorry for themselves, that we’re over-worked or whatever, all it takes is a weekend road trip to an amateur national or even a run down to RedBud for a local amateur race to see how hard a seven-year-old and his dad work together to reach their goals.

“Kind of puts things in perspective when you know Cobra’s got the guys’ backs,” explained Hilbert.

2010 championships for Cobra came at all of the major American amateur MX nationals, including: Oak Hill and Lake Whitney, Texas, Nevada’s Mini GPs, Ponca City (Okla.), Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur MX National Championships in Tennessee, Branson (Mo.), Arizona’s Amateur MX Open and the Mini Os in Gainesville, Fla. Cobra also again enjoyed a great deal of success north and south of the border – and overseas – as the iconic junior MX brand continues to expand globally. International championships for Cobra came in Mexico and Canada, Australia, the UK and the MX Master Kids in the Belgium, solidifying the fact the Cobras are – hands down – the finest competition mini bikes on the planet.

A first in 2010 for Cobra was the effort put forth by Illinois’ Chase Sexton, who scored the company’s first podium at Loretta Lynn’s on the revolutionary Cobra CX65. Sexton then backed that up with the CX65s first-ever major national victory when he won the 65 class at the Mini Os at Gatorback MX Park in Gainesville, Fla.

And there was Stilez Robertson – all seven years, 62 pounds and 52 inches of him – who tore it up this year, winning major amateur MX national titles at Lake Whitney (Texas), Las Vegas’ World Mini GPs and the Amateur Open of Motocross in Arizona. His effort brought his overall win total to 20, tying Cobra’s Adam Cianciarulo for the most wins ever on a Cobra 50cc bike – and Robertson still has another competition year to go on his Cobra King 50!

Those great performances where highlighted in August by the two titles that Jackson Turpin and Gage Linville secured at the AMA National Championship races at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in central Tennessee. Both boys turned in flawless performances and put an exclamation point on both of their 2010 race seasons. Both will be back in the Cobra Camp for 2011 to contest for more 50cc and 65cc titles.

And on the ATV side of things, Cobra’s Eli Hopkins, Corey Heath and Hunter Hart all had bang-up competition seasons on their ECX line of Cobra quads cycles. Hopkins, who not only beat the competition to win the 2010 50cc AMA-ATV Motocross Championship, did so while also battling Juvenile Diabetes. Heath (ATVA 90cc Auto Jr.) and Hart (GNCC 90 Mod) both won major ATV titles as well.

Cobra’s engineers also had a banner year in 2010. For the first time in recent memory the King 50 received a full chassis and bodywork facelift. By all accounts the new look and feel were a home run, with the added benefit that both the King 50 and the CX65 were made ergonomically similar in 2010 to create a seamless transition between the two bikes for Cobra racers. And speaking of the CX65, it received an all new engine for 2010 that helped power Cobra Kids to an unprecedented number of wins and podiums.

“All-in-all it was a banner year at Cobra and for the kids all over the world running our bikes,” said Hilbert. “We came in to 2010 with a lot of questions – like is mini bike racing at the national level on the verge of extinction? Cobra, along with its great riders and families, is proud to say that ‘No, mini bike racing’s not extinct.’ And you need look no further than a dad driving home, kid asleep next to him – with his trophy – and a Cobra in the back of the truck … ready to do it all over again in 2011.”

Next up for Cobra racers is the relocated AMA Spring Classis at Alabama’s Mill Creek Raceway.

Cobra MX photos courtesy of BIG, LLC

We polled our top dealers and tuners last year and asked the question: “If there is one thing you could change on the 50cc Cobra engine, what would that be?” The winning response was a request to improve the rigidity and strength of our output gear. For mod applications and for bigger kids that ride hard, our respondents wanted a wider gear to help improve durability under abusive conditions…So that’s what we gave them. However, it didn’t sit well with the R&D team just to add some metal and call it good. They set out to see if a stronger AND lighter gear could be designed, and that’s just what they accomplished. For 2011, the output shaft offers double the tooth contact area to spread out gear loads and improve strength, and it is also lighter by a couple of ounces.

Another win-win for 2011!

After over two years of R&D, Cobra is set to launch the 2011 King 50 and ECX50 with an all-new V-Force reed block. The Tassinari V-Force is unique because of its double reed valve system. Instead of two sets of reed petals, the V-force system utilizes four. This allows more overall flow area at high load and high RPM with less reed petal lift required. The result: More power with less reed flutter for smoother power delivery.

European foothold for the American-made Cobra minicycles and ATVs is crucial, according to President Sean Hilbert

HILLSDALE, Mich., (Oct. 5 , 2010) – The world’s leading manufacturer of competition minicycles and ATVs, U.S.-based Cobra Motorcycles, will represent with its latest line of bikes at this week’s (Oct. 6-10) INTERMOT show in Cologne.

Housed in Hall 5.1 at Koelnmesse, Cobra will showcase its CX50 Jr. and Sr. – aka the legendary “King Cobra” – models and the new crate-to-podium CX65 – all of which have proven their mettle at the European MX Master Kids events.

“Europe’s the birthplace of motocross, so it’s important for Cobra to have a foothold there,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “Cobra’s European racers have enjoyed great successes in numerous national caliber races across the region and we’ve worked to adapt the Cobra brand to their specific needs, including the Cobra King 50 Big Wheel package that originated in Europe.”

INTERMOT’s “Young Action” program will give young motocross enthusiast a firsthand look at the Cobra brand through special-built outdoor tracks to test the latest product. Best yet it’s all FREE to children under the age of 12 – which happens to be Cobra’s precise market in the youth motocross movement.

“Cobra’s international racing marketing efforts with the CX50 Junior and Senior lines, along with the CX65 and ATVs, are deeply rooted in the UK, France, Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Estonia,” explained Hilbert. “This will be Cobra’s first year displaying at INTERMOT as we continue to grow the American-made brand of competition mini cycles globally. We look forward to visiting with our existing customers and introducing legions of new motocross enthusiasts and their dads to the Cobra Generation.”

Dubbed the “Center of the international two-wheeler world,” one of Germany’s biggest motorcycle events of the year will feature more than a thousand suppliers spread out over miles of booth space. Along with Cobra mini cycles the five-day event will also showcase the latest in motorcycles, scooters, lightweight and small motorbikes, electric mobility, clothing and accessories. With both indoor and outdoor displays, INTERMOT provides both up-close viewing and hands-on experiences for the enthusiasts attending. For more information on INTERMOT link to: www.intermot-koeln.com