D.I.D Podium Sweep in Philly!

With only 2 races left in the 2024 AMA Monster Energy Supercross season, the probable champion is finally taking shape, but what a ride it has been thus far! With Jett Lawrence taking the victory and Copper Webb landing in the 4'th position, this now gives Jett an 11-point advantage going into the last two rounds in Denver and Salt Lake City. 

The Philadelphia podium ended with;

1. Jett Lawrence of Honda HRC 

2. Chase Sexton of Reb Bull KTM

3. Jason Anderson of Monster Energy Kawasaki

All three riders utilize D.I.D chains and rims, however, each rider runs a different chain for various reasons, so let's dive into and see why they choose different chain models. 

Firstly, each rider runs our D.I.D DirtStar ST-X rims, black in color. This rim is a staple in the pits among many teams & riders and is arguably the best SX/MX rim on the market. Mechanics love D.I.D rims because they don't have to throw away rims as often from flat spots. Riders can go full send and the mechanics don't have to sweat about a flat rim. We have been working on a new rim platform, which we will release information on within the next couple of months, so stay tuned. 

So, for the Honda HRC Factory Racing CRF450F, the team/riders utilize our 520ERV7 X-Ring chain, which is becoming more and more popular among the industry's elite riders. The main reasons teams choose this chain is because of its high rated tensile strength and its linear consistency. Supercross in general is incredibly rough on dirt bike parts, especially through the whoop sections. A high rated tensile strength X-Ring chain gives the team, and the rider, great confidence in the bike's performance that they put on the gate. Knowing that their D.I.D chain will consistently perform and hold up for the course of the race day and not fade, is a big weight off of the team's shoulders. The more consistency that you can get from your bike, the better the rider can/will perform with great confidence. The X-Ring seals specifically changes the chain's behavior while in rotation on the bike. If you've ever heard a metal-clinking sound either as a bike goes by or while riding yourself, then that is what's called "chain slap", which is where the chain moves more freely in its rotation and will often times slap the bike's swingarm. With an X-Ring chain, you will get a more direct and intentional rotational path with much less chain flop activity. This direct linear consistency also projects more power and force moving forward. This again plays to a rider feeling "consistency" from his bike. Another X-Ring chain option is the 520ERVT, which is the little brother to the ERV7 and would be a great secondary option for SX/MX riders. 

The 450SX-F of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Chase Sexton choose to run a traditional non-sealed chain in the 520MX. The 520MX chain model showcases the highest rated tensile strength among D.I.D chains at 8,930 lbs. and can handle all of the whoops and casings you can throw at it and is really popular among 450 sized dirt bikes and quads, especially for racing SX/MX. A traditional non-sealed chain has its positives as well, with the most obvious being that it has less frictional resistance and will move more freely. 450 bikes are so powerful that frictional resistance is less apparent to riders, but it is often times difficult to get past the thought that a sealed chain could "rob power". 

The KX450SR of Monster Energy Kawasaki and Jason Anderson utilizes our most popular and most successful racing chain in the 520ERT3. This non-sealed chain is incredibly successful in many facets of racing and is probably the winningest chain in dirt bike and atv racing. The key? It's strength to weight ratio. You won't find a chain that has the strength (8,300lbs) and the lightweight frame (2.99 lbs - per 100 links) as good as the 520ERT3. When strength is essential and you want to prioritize creating a bike platform that is the lightest that it can be, the 520ERT3 is the best option. Even though the chain moves very freely and gives you some chain slap, this model does have less rotational mass compared to other models and inherently reduces the force needed for acceleration. 

With all three teams, they all choose D.I.D because of performance and consistency. Performance is obviously essential because without products that can and will perform at the highest levels, then the teams and riders have no success and it's easy to see that D.I.D products perform week in and week out. This is where consistency comes into play. For a team to confidently put together a bike that performs the same each time a leg gets thrown over it is of most importance. For a mechanic to rely on a product to produce the same high-quality results for a consistent amount of time is key. For a rider to feel and know exactly how a bike will perform and respond in particular situations is also key to success. It takes consistent performance to land you at the top of the sport and D.I.D is instrumental and a key to that success. 

What Drives You?