Marchbanks Dreams Big as He Joins Kawasaki’s Factory 450 Team
In a pivotal move for his career, Jett Marchbanks has officially signed with the Monster Energy Kawasaki factory team for the 2026 Supercross season. Expressing his excitement, Marchbanks described the opportunity as a “dream come true,” having spent the majority of his youth as a Team Green rider.
“Since I was a kid, the dream was always to be a factory rider on the Lites bike and eventually move up to the 450 class,” Marchbanks stated. His transition back to Kawasaki, following a stint with Yamaha, culminates in this significant role. “To get the offer my second year back with the team is definitely awesome and I’m blessed for it.”
Marchbanks acknowledges the pressure of racing at the elite level but emphasizes his focus on consistency and incremental improvement. “I aim to be a consistent top 10 guy and build toward the midway point of the season,” he said. “You need to learn a lot, especially in your first year in the Supercross series.”
The 450 class presents new challenges, particularly concerning race starts, an area Marchbanks has struggled with in the past. The team is actively working on optimizing his launches, which have shown early signs of improvement. “Every day we have been doing a bunch of starts and figuring things out,” he noted. “My starts have improved on the 450 compared to the Lites bike.”
As the 2026 season approaches, Marchbanks is committed to mastering the nuances of the 450, including chassis feel and racing strategies. “It’s definitely a different style of riding. I feel like already in week two, I’m starting to click with it,” he concluded.
With a strong background and an ambitious mindset, Marchbanks is poised to make an impactful debut in the 450 Supercross class this season, aiming to build a foundation for long-term success in the sport.
