"I will win on my KTM"

[SachsGS]

I was down in the mancave trying to find something (futile task) when I came across a January 2003 issue of Transworld Motocross.On the front cover is Jeremy McGrath holding a pumpkin orange SX250 and the caption reads "I will win on my KTM".Now every time I stumble across this magazine I wonder,if Jeremy had not hurt himself,could he have won? I personally think that at that stage of his career he probably still had the drive and ambition to pull it off and put KTM on the podium.So what do you think - could Jeremy McGrath have won on the KTM? 

[Zuendapp]

This is only a observation, from Past performances. If Jeremy didn't have his heart into racing, the answer is no. When jeremy was leaving Suzuki, he laid down and basically circulated in the outdoor Motocross season. When passed, he didn't fight back for his position. Then when he went to Yamaha, His winning ways came back.
I believe when he went to KTM, in my opinion, it was a step down from the other Factory support he had had in the past. Could he have run upfront, most likely, but win

Now you say after KTM, he did have very good finishes on a 4 stroke 450 ( this is a different animal than a 250 2 stroke)

Team Zundapp Terry

[EJ]

I also still have this very issue of MXA.

I guess we'll never know how he would have completed the 2003 sx season with the 2003 SX250.
They used to be a lot of power in a mediocre handling chassis.

I did see several good races by McGrath when he did some races in 2005 on the CR250.
So he definately still had potential in 2003.

With that said, it would still be harder than ever, because around this time RC was somewhat starting
to elevate the speed to the next level.

[miedosoracing]

If only KTM was yesterday what they are today, it wouldn't even be in question. Unfortunately, those bikes weren't todays KTM's. Mcgrath in his prime on a 2012/2003 KTM 250SX would have had their first SX championship.  Unfortunately, years later, now they finally have things together, and we will see if Dungey can pull it off.

[EJ]

I also remember an article on Brock Sellards' KTM 200 by Pro Circuit, a late 2002 issue if I remember correct...
It had some potential, but too bad KTM doesn't actively race their 200.
Nor do they use their other 2 Strokes in the factory GP, SX and National teams, wich i find a big bummer!

[ruskee]

He could win on anything!

[Shawn36]

People forget he actually raced the KTM a couple times before getting hurt in the World SX rounds.  That was the first year of the FIM World SX program when they actually sent guys someplace besides Canada.  He won a heat race, but other than that the results weren't there.  He suffered a couple big crashes prior to the one that took him out of the season.  KTM actually pulled a number on him if you believe the story.  They approached him with a new prototype that was a big step in the right direction for Langston and himself.  But after the contracts were signed and it was time to get started they rolled out a slightly revised model of the previous year, claiming they didn't have the budget to put the bike he liked into production.  So he was pretty down on KTM from the start. 

I think you'd take back the comment about MC laying down outdoors on the Suzuki too if you watched some of that old footage.  He tried on a sub-par bike and put in plenty of podiums.  But he wasn't much of a match for Henry or Fro. 

If you actually want to see video of him racing it check out the Steve Matthes Classic Commentary stuff on iTunes.  He does one of the Arunham SX with Tim Ferry where MC runs around in 7th or so.  Since almost all of them are pre-2002 they are all great 2-stroke time capsules.   

[rbigair40]

A factory KTM guy told me the problem with the early linkless frames was when the bike would go thru the whoops ,it would torque up the main back bone on the frame then unload its tension .and that would send the the bike into a crazy state if you watch any of the older ones go thru the whoops it would always send them shooting off the track only on the 250s and up bikes the smaller bikes they where ok beause of the less suspension loads 

[burn1986]

Maybe, if he changed that ugly front fender.

[snook620]

McGrath would have said "I will win on my Pep Boys Tornado" if they payed him enough. That chassis was junk and he knew it