It seems like just yesterday we were here penning another Moto Insider column, but in between there’s been a long weekend including both Easter and ANZAC day for what was a massive weekend in Australia and also abroad. On the motorcycle front it was a relatively quiet one, but we’ve had our ears to the ground to see what we could piece together this week.

AMA Supercross regular Nick Wey was on hand at the Ian Trettel Ride Day last Saturday riding a YZ250 two-stroke. Image: Chris Ganz/RacerXOnline.com.

American Supercross

• Just two rounds remain in AMA Supercross, with last weekend a surprisingly quiet one in the U.S for the first time in 16 weekends! With a weekend off over Easter, many steered clear of anything with two wheels in favour of soaking up a Saturday and Sunday at home. Well deserved, too!

• However not all riders and industry identities sat at home eating Easter eggs in the States as the Ian Trettel Ride Day was on at Pala Raceway in California. A heap of top riders supported the cause, which was to help raise money for the injured Suzuki star after he suffered severe head injuries at Daytona in March. Get well soon, Ian. Valli Motorsports Yamaha rider Nick Wey was even there on a 250 two-stroke, as you can see from the picture above!

• The big question right now remains on what bike Chad Reed will show up on at Salt Lake this Saturday night for the penultimate round. We have direct word from the U.S. that he could very well be on a full factory Honda, however that would also be a gamble of sorts if he moves away from the Pro Circuit suspension he’s been having so much success on. We probably won’t truly know until his bike is rolled out of the TwoTwo rig in a couple of days time what he’ll be equipped with, but you can guarantee that he’ll have it well sorted before he races.

• Speaking of the TwoTwo, MotoOnline.com.au’s U.S. contributor Steve Mathes has penned us another great column and this time it’s about Reed’s rise and fall, then rise again as a privateer, over there. Mathes used to be a factory mechanic at Yamaha when Reedy raced for them, and he enjoys close ties with Chad. It’s another ripper of a column, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to check it out!

• This weekend will see KTM wonderkid Ken Roczen return to AMA Supercross just one week on from his solid second place in the second grand prix round of the season at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands. Roczen is back at his California base and will race the West Coast Lites class at both Salt Lake and Las Vegas before returning his focus to Europe.

American Motocross

• The word has been pretty quiet on Josh Hill lately, the Hart and Huntington Kawasaki rider still working on rehab following a disastrous backflip crash last year while preparing for X Games. Hill suffered a broken femur, pelvis and his arm in the crash, and then suffered from compartment syndrome in his left calf. Hopefully his rehab continues to go well and we get to see him back out on track soon.

Kiwi Cody Cooper was forced out of the Appin and Raymond Terrace rounds of the MX Nationals, but his season's not over yet.

Australian Motocross

• Just over a week remains before the Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals series returns to South Australia for the Murray Bridge round of the series. The track is a favourite for many in the series, plus the likes of Kirk Gibbs and Luke Arbon all come from down south even if they are now based in Queensland. After a busy couple of weeks during the Appin and Raymond Terrace rounds, it’s safe to predict that most in the series have recovered and any niggling injuries should be on the way out by now. The big question is, can anybody stop Open class leader Josh Coppins or Matt Moss in the Lites?

• With so many points up for grabs this year and four motos on per round, Rockstar Motul Suzuki isn’t giving up its title hopes with Cody Cooper. Coops was blisteringly fast to start the year until he had the unfortunate fall at Appin, but don’t rule him out just yet because he could go on a tear if his confidence is still right up there.

• Directly following the Raymond Terrace round of the MX Nationals, MotoOnline.com.au was lucky enough to test the factory Yamaha YZ250Fs of the Serco Yoshimura and GYTR Rockstar Yamaha teams. We’ve already got up the Race Test and film from the Serco bikes, and we’ll have more of the same coming this week and next from the Under 19s team. Also set to be posted in the coming week or so are interviews with Kirk Gibbs, Ford Dale and Luke Arbon.

• While we were up testing with the boys in blue, it was revealed that Dale likes to spend much of his time training on the 450 rather than the 250 he usually races in the Lites. Arbon is also a big fan of the Open class bike, which is cool to see as Yamaha lets them mix it up a bit away from the race track.

• Todd Waters has had the pins removed from his wrist earlier this month and has begun riding again in Queensland. With his title hopes effectively gone and Kiwi Michael Phillips putting in a solid effort on what was supposed to be Waters’ Carlton Dry Honda, it’s unclear when he’ll be back racing at this stage. Fingers crossed it’s not too far away!

That’s all for this week, thanks for stopping by!