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2023 Nashville Supercross | 450 Main Event Brand Breakdown

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2023 NASHVILLE SUPERCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE

Motorcycle manufacturers, apparel companies, and hard part producers all spend considerable portions of their budgets on sponsorships for the top riders. In the past we’ve covered both classes at certain events, but like last week’s list on the 250 East-West Showdown, we’ve decided to go over the twenty-two riders in the 450 Main Event at the 2023 Nashville Supercross. 

Why round fifteen? The results sheet for this race had the most independent teams and riders of any in this year’s Monster Energy Supercross Championship, a major contrast to Anaheim One’s gate of factory teams and past champions. 

The first recap under each rider’s name goes over the motorcycle manufacturer, suspension, handlebars, exhaust, and tires; the second covers gear, helmets, goggles, and boots. At the bottom of the page is a final tally that gives an idea of how important brand recognition is in the 450 Class.


1. Chase Sexton
Motorcycle – Honda | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – Yoshimura | Suspension – Showa | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – Alpinestars | Helmet – Alpinestars | Goggles – Oakley | Boots – Alpinestars

2. Eli Tomac
Motorcycle – Yamaha | Handlebars – ProTaper | Exhaust – FMF Racing | Suspension – KYB | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – Alpinestars | Helmet – Bell | Goggles – Oakley | Boots – Alpinestars

3. Ken Roczen
Motorcycle – Suzuki | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – Pro Circuit | Suspension – Showa | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – Fox Racing | Helmet – Fox Racing | Goggles – Fox Racing | Boots – Fox Racing

4. Colt Nichols
Motorcycle – Honda | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – Yoshimura | Suspension – Showa | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – O’Neal Racing | Helmet – Bell | Goggles – 100% | Boots – Alpinestars

5. Justin Hill
Motorcycle – KTM | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – Pro Circuit | Suspension – KYB | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – Fasthouse | Helmet – Bell | Goggles – VonZipper | Boots – Alpinestars

6. Jason Anderson
Motorcycle – Kawasaki | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – Pro Circuit | Suspension – Showa | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – Alpinestars | Helmet – Airoh | Goggles – SCOTT | Boots – Alpinestars

7. Dean Wilson
Motorcycle – Honda | Handlebars – Neken | Exhaust – HGS | Suspension – Showa | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – FLY Racing | Helmet – FLY Racing | Goggles – Fly Racing | Boots – Alpinestars

8. Adam Cianciarulo
Motorcycle – Kawasaki | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – Pro Circuit | Suspension – Showa | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – Fox Racing | Helmet – Fox Racing | Goggles – Fox Racing | Boots – Fox Racing

9. Kyle Chisholm
Motorcycle – Suzuki | Handlebars – Mika Metals | Exhaust – Pro Circuit | Suspension –Showa | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – FLY Racing | Helmet – FLY Racing | Goggles – 100% | Boots – Alpinestars

10. Josh Hill
Motorcycle – KTM | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – Pro Circuit | Suspension – KYB | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – Fox Racing | Helmet – Fox Racing | Goggles – Fox Racing | Boots – Fox Racing

11. Justin Starling
Motorcycle – GASGAS | Handlebars – ProTaper | Exhaust – FMF Racing | Suspension – WP | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – FXR | Helmet – FXR/6D | Goggles – 100% | Boots –Gaerne

12. Kevin Moranz
Motorcycle – KTM | Handlebars – ProTaper | Exhaust – FMF Racing | Suspension – WP | Tires – Pirelli
Gear – CANVAS | Helmet – FLY Racing | Goggles – Oakley | Boots – Alpinestars

13. Tristan Lane
Motorcycle – GASGAS | Handlebars – Mika Metals | Exhaust – Stock | Suspension – WP | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – FXR | Helmet – 6D | Goggles – Viral | Boots – Alpinestars

14. Josh Cartwright
Motorcycle – Kawasaki | Handlebars – Phoenix | Exhaust – FMF Racing | Suspension – KYB | Tires – Pirelli
Gear – FXR | Helmet – LS2 | Goggles – Viral | Boots – Gaerne

15. Logan Karnow
Motorcycle – Kawasaki | Handlebars – ProTaper | Exhaust – HGS | Suspension – KYB | Tires – Pirelli
Gear – O’Neal | Helmet – 6D | Goggles – Viral | Boots – Alpinestars

16. Chase Marquier
Motorcycle – Kawasaki | Handlebars – ODI | Exhaust – HGS | Suspension – WP | Tires – Pirelli
Gear – OG | Helmet – Arai | Goggles – OG | Boots – Alpinestars

17. Devin Simonson
Motorcycle – Kawasaki | Handlebars – ODI | Exhaust – HGS | Suspension – WP | Tires – Pirelli
Gear – OG | Helmet – Arai | Goggles – OG | Boots – Alpinestars

18. Max Miller
Motorcycle – KTM | Handlebars – ProTaper | Exhaust – FMF Racing | Suspension – WP | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – SEVEN | Helmet – Bell | Goggles – SCOTT | Boots – Alpinestars

19. Cade Clason
Motorcycle – Kawasaki | Handlebars – ODI | Exhaust – HGS | Suspension – WP | Tires – Pirelli
Gear – OG | Helmet – Arai | Goggles – OG | Boots – Fox Racing

20. Shane McElrath
Motorcycle – Suzuki | Handlebars – Mika Metals | Exhaust – Pro Circuit | Suspension –Showa | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – FLY Racing | Helmet – FLY Racing | Goggles – 100% | Boots – Alpinestars

21. Justin Barcia
Motorcycle – GASGAS | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – Akrapovic | Suspension – WP | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – Troy Lee Designs | Helmet – Troy Lee Designs | Goggles – Oakley | Boots – Alpinestars

22. Grant Harlan
Motorcycle – Yamaha | Handlebars – Renthal | Exhaust – FMF Racing | Suspension – KYB | Tires – Dunlop
Gear – FXR | Helmet – FXR/6D | Goggles – FXR | Boots – Gaerne


Motorcycle

Kawasaki – 7
KTM – 4
Honda – 3
Suzuki – 3
GASGAS – 3
Yamaha – 2
Husqvarna – 0

Handlebars

Renthal – 9
ProTaper – 5
ODI – 4
Mika Metals – 3
Phoenix – 1

Exhaust

Pro Circuit – 7
FMF Racing – 6
HGS – 5
Yoshimura – 2
Akrapovic – 1
Stock – 1

Suspension

Showa – 10
WP – 8
KYB – 4

Tires

Dunlop – 16
Pirelli – 6

Gear

FXR – 4
FLY Racing – 3
Alpinestars – 3
Fox Racing – 3
OG – 3
O’Neal – 2
Fasthouse – 1
CANVAS – 1
SEVEN – 1
Troy Lee Designs – 1

Helmet

Bell Helmets – 4
FLY Racing – 4
Fox Racing – 3
Arai – 3
6D – 2
6D/FXR – 2
Airoh – 1
Troy Lee Designs – 1
Alpinestars – 1
LS2 – 1

Goggles

100% – 4
Oakley – 4
Fox Racing – 3
Viral – 3
OG – 3
SCOTT – 2
VonZipper – 1
FLY Racing – 1
FXR – 1

Boots

Alpinestars – 15
Fox Racing – 4
Gaerne – 3


The Kawasaki KX450 wasn’t just the most common bike in the 450 Main Event at round fifteen; it was the most ridden bike in the 450 Class, period. Sixteen riders were aboard green machines in Nashville and seven of them made the cut for the Main Event (two factory riders with Anderson and Cianciarulo, the PRMX-backed trio of Marquier/Simonson/Clason, and privateers Cartwright and Karnow). Despite having no representation from the factory-run, Red Bull sponsored squad in the Main Event, KTM was second (Team Tedder’s Hill brothers, privateer Kevin Moranz, and Rides Unlimited rider Miller). No Husqvarna equipment was on the line in the Main Event.

What we said about Renthal in the 250 Class last week is the same for the brand in the 450 Class this week: long term support of factory teams Team Honda HRC, Red Bull KTM, Monster Energy Kawasaki, and Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing, plus the late pick-up of Progressive Insurance/ECSTAR/Suzuki, helped make it the most used handlebar.

FMF Racing narrowly beat Pro Circuit in the tally, a total that was boosted by the brand’s support of independent competitors Starling, Moranz, Cartwright, and Harlan. European brand HGS was a close third, thanks to sponsorship of Fire Power Honda, PRMX, and privateer Karnow. Tristan Lane was the only rider with the stock system on his motorcycle in the feature race.

Showa’s important role as OE supplier for Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki’s bikes, as well as on-site support to factory race teams, made their shocks and forks the most used suspension. PRMX and Team Tedder’s decision to change components on their bikes (PRMX to WP and Team Tedder to KYB) had a noticeable impact on the score, as it reduced Showa’s final number but boosted WP and KYB.

Dunlop rubber was on more than half of the bikes on the starting line, including all the factory teams, supported squads Fire Power Honda/Team Tedder/Rides Unlimited, and independents Starling/Lane/Harlan. Pirelli, which focuses on smaller teams and privateers, was well represented by PRMX and Moranz/Cartwright/Karnow.

FXR topped the always important gear category, a big moment for the Canadian brand that is made possible by its sponsorship of privateers Starling/Lane/Cartwright/Harlan. Industry titans FLY Racing (Wilson/Chisholm/McElrath), Alpinestars (Sexton/Tomac/Anderson), and Fox Racing (Roczen/Hill/Cianciarulo) were part of a four-way tie with eyewear brand-apparel newcomer OG (PRMX’s Clason/Simonson/Marquier).

Bell (Tomac/Nichols/Hill/Miller) and FLY Racing (Wilson/Chisholm/Moranz/McElrath) went head-to-head in the helmet category with four each. However, 6D (Karnow/Lane) had just as many of their ATR lids on the track, a total that was boosted by a co-branded piece with FXR (Starling/Harlan).

There was another tie in the goggle tally, this one between Oakley (Sexton/Tomac/Moranz/Barcia) and 100% (Nichols/Chisholm/Starling/McElrath). The competitiveness of the eyewear market is reflected in the strong presence of Viral and OG, brands that have partnered with various riders or smaller teams.

As usual, Alpinestars and its Tech 10 were the most common boot and were worn by over half the field.

One thing to note: Atlas Brace was the only neck brace used in the 450 Main Event (Chisholm/Karnow/Cartwright).

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Michael Antonovich

Michael Antonovich has a wealth of experience with over 10 years of moto-journalism under his belt. A lifelong racing enthusiast and rider, Anton is the Editor of Swapmoto Live and lives to be at the race track.

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