Suzuki won the New Zealand MX1 motocross title last season and plans to keep that, only this time with an entirely different strategy for the fast-approaching 2014 season.

Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper rode a Moto City Bel-Ray Suzuki RM-Z450 to take the national MX1 title at the New Zealand Motocross Championships last season, while his team-mate Rhys Carter, also from Mount Maunganui, rode a smaller Suzuki RM-Z250 to finish No.3 in the MX2 (250cc) category, behind Yamaha ace Scotty Columb, of Queenstown and Australian visitor Brock Winston (KTM).

Carter raced a Suzuki RM-Z450 in the MX1 class for Team New Zealand at the Motocross of Nations in Germany two weeks ago and showed he was an accomplished big bike rider as well (he is pictured below in action at Teutschenthal, Germany).

While Suzuki will again be a force to be feared in 2014 – with multi-time former national champion Daryl Hurley (pictured above) and fellow Kiwi international Carter to fly the flag for the Moto City Bel-Ray Suzuki Team – there will now be an even greater concentration on riders of the familiar yellow bikes.

“We have just instigated a programme called ‘Pro Rider’, which will more closely involve any riders of Suzuki bikes,” said Suzuki New Zealand’s general manager of motorcycle and ATV marketing, Simon Meade.

“There will be many coaching opportunities for Suzuki riders to learn from Daryl (Hurley) and Rhys (Carter).

“And, on race days, parts and accessories will be available at the track to all riders of Suzuki bikes.

“Instead of spending thousands of dollars on just a selected few riders, the Pro Rider programme will spread the support more widely,” said Meade.

“This is a difficult and challenging sport, both physically and financially, and there is no reason why more riders in the pits can’t come on over and ask for help from the Moto City Bel-Ray Suzuki Team staff with things likes suspension settings, for example.”

Moto City Bel-Ray Suzuki team manager Andrew Hardisty, of Mount Maunganui, said he was excited by the new direction the team was taking.

“We are thrilled to be able to focus more resources on a wider Suzuki community and to be able to offer access for these people to parts and information on race days,” said Hardisty, himself a multi-time former national motocross and supercross champion.

“As well as maintaining a focus on winning on the circuit, we will be able to equally focus on winning with our customers, to help them achieve their desired goals too.

“The Moto City Bel-Ray Suzuki Team will be there to provide a service. We can sell items such as clutch levers and tyre tubes to riders right there at track-side, making sure they can keep going in their campaigns. Our customers have always been there for us and we want to be there for our customers too.

“We’ll have a joint focus this season. We have two extremely talented riders officially on the team, but all Suzuki riders will be able to benefit from their knowledge, bike and suspension settings information and advice about the sport.”

The Moto City Bel-Ray Suzuki team is supported by Suzuki New Zealand, Moto City – www.motocity.co.nz, Bel-Ray Lubricants, Suzuki Team Pro Rider, Pirelli Tyres, DRC, Braking, Renthal, Yoshimura, O’Neal Racewear, Oakley, Zeta, Epic Decals, The Rock radio, Dirt Rider Downunder, NGK, HiFlo Filtro, BikesportNZ.com and Taupo Diesel Solutions.

© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com