2027 Supercross Rider Moves: Webb, Plessinger, Barcia, Hampshire and More

The 2027 Supercross offseason is reshaping both the 450 and 250 classes. A three-time premier-class champion has changed manufacturers, two brands are building new flagship 450 programs, and the closure of one factory team has scattered its riders across the paddock. This roundup collects the rider moves that have been officially announced by teams and manufacturers in recent weeks — these deals were confirmed at different points across late September and October, not all on one day — and separates them from the seats that are still open.

Cooper Webb Joins Team Tedder Husqvarna

The biggest move of the offseason became official on October 1, when Husqvarna Mobility announced a new partnership with Team Tedder and a multi-year deal for Cooper Webb covering the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Webb, a three-time 450SX champion whose first two titles came with KTM in 2019 and 2021, will race the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition for the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC – Monster Energy – Team Tedder – Husqvarna Racing Team. The deal is a Supercross/SMX-only program — no Pro Motocross commitment was announced — and Webb lines up alongside returning Team Tedder rider Justin Hill. He debuted the Husqvarna at the Motocross of Nations at Ernée, riding for Team USA. The move follows Husqvarna's decision to end its in-house U.S. factory SMX team after 2026 and support independent teams with factory-level backing instead — a decision that drives several of the moves below.

Aaron Plessinger Signs With Triumph Factory Racing

Aaron Plessinger was announced on September 30 as a 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing rider on a two-year deal for 2027 and 2028. He will race the TF 450-X across both Supercross and Pro Motocross in what will be Triumph's second season in the 450 class, after Jordon Smith led the brand's debut 450 campaign in 2026. The move ends a five-year run with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing; KTM's own farewell release credited Plessinger with two career 450SX victories and 24 podiums across Supercross and Pro Motocross during that span. His first outing in Triumph colors is scheduled for the Paris Supercross in November.

Justin Barcia Returns to Suzuki

Suzuki Motor USA and Pipes Motorsports Group announced on October 3 that Justin Barcia will race the Suzuki RM-Z450 for the organization in 2027, with a mutual option for both parties to extend the deal through 2028. It is a return to the brand Barcia last raced in 2017, and it follows one season with Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati in 2026. Pipes Motorsports Group described itself in the announcement as the reigning 2026 Supercross championship-winning team. No 2027 teammates were named in the release.

RJ Hampshire Joins Ducati's 450 Program

RJ Hampshire signed a multi-year contract with Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing, announced on October 7. The 2024 250SX West champion will race the Ducati Desmo450 MX in the premier class, continuing a 450 career that produced 11 top-five finishes, two podiums and fifth overall in the 450MX championship in both 2025 and 2026. Hampshire's move ends a seven-season run with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, which closed after the 2026 season. He is Ducati's first confirmed 450 rider for 2027: the team's two 2026 seats opened when Dylan Ferrandis retired after the SMX Final and Barcia moved to Suzuki.

Nate Thrasher Moves to Pro Circuit Kawasaki

The most recent announcement came on October 19, when Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki confirmed its five-rider 250 lineup for the team's 34th year of competition — headlined by the signing of Nate Thrasher from Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing. Thrasher, whose seventh career 250SX win came at Cleveland in 2026, joins returning riders Levi Kitchen — the reigning 250SMX champion — Seth Hammaker, Drew Adams and Nick Romano, who moves up to a full-time ride after a 2026 fill-in stint. No contract term was stated in the announcement. We covered the full lineup in detail: Pro Circuit Kawasaki Announces 2027 Lineup, Signs Nate Thrasher.

Other Confirmed 2027 Changes

Cameron McAdoo to Quad Lock Honda. Announced on October 2, McAdoo leaves Pro Circuit Kawasaki — he is not part of the 2027 Kawasaki lineup above — and joins Quad Lock Honda for a run at the 250SX title, with three career 250SX wins and 23 podiums per the team's release. He debuts for Honda Australia at Townsville in the Australian Supercross Championship before the AMA season.

Ryder DiFrancesco and Daxton Bennick to Red Bull KTM. Announced on October 14, DiFrancesco and Bennick both arrive from the shuttered Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team to expand KTM's 250 program to four riders, alongside Julien Beaumer — whose contract the team says now runs through 2027 and beyond — and Sacha Coenen, incoming from the MX2 World Championship, where he finished third in 2026. DiFrancesco was the 2026 250SMX runner-up; Bennick finished third in the 2026 250SX East standings. Both race the KTM 250 SX-F Factory Edition starting at Anaheim on January 9.

Photo: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Haiden Deegan moves up to 450. Yamaha's official 2027 team listing confirms Deegan stays with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing and contests his first full 450 season in 2027, alongside returning 450 rider Justin Cooper.

Beta builds a 250SX team. Beta USA has signed Gage Linville to a two-year deal alongside Derek Kelley for the Liqui Moly Beta Race Team's inaugural 250SX effort on the RX 250F — a Supercross-only program. On the 450 side, Beta previously announced a two-year 450SX deal for Shane McElrath and an extension for Benny Bloss through 2028.

More confirmed moves: Max Anstie signed a multi-year deal with ClubMX Yamaha in July covering 2027 and 2028; the Partzilla ROKiT PRMX Racing team announced it is switching from Kawasaki to Yamaha machinery for 2027; and Triumph signed Landon Gibson, the 2026 Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award winner, to its amateur SMX Next program for 2027.

Two confirmed retirements shape the market. Eli Tomac's retirement at the end of the 2026 SMX postseason was announced by KTM on August 31, closing a career with two 450SX titles and four 450MX titles. Dylan Ferrandis announced his retirement on September 22, effective after the SMX Final.

Which 2027 Supercross Rider Moves Are Still Unconfirmed?

Several well-known names have a confirmed departure but no announced destination, and we are not attaching rumored destinations to any of them:

• Ken Roczen — the reigning 2026 450SX champion has no signed 2027 deal announced and has said publicly he is undecided between racing on and retiring.
• Malcolm Stewart — his Husqvarna team has closed; no 2027 ride has been officially announced.
• Michael Mosiman — confirmed on October 6 that he is leaving Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing and intends to keep racing in 2027; no new team has been announced.
• Joey Savatgy — Quad Lock Honda confirmed on October 16 that the two sides have parted ways; no next team has been announced.
• Casey Cochran — the 250 rider's time with the closed Husqvarna factory team has ended; no 2027 announcement has been made.
• The second Ducati 450 seat alongside Hampshire remains unfilled in any official announcement.
• Jalek Swoll and Garrett Marchbanks — no official 2027 deals have been announced for either rider.

One name often included in speculation needs a clarification: Chase Sexton has had no change announced. He remains under the multi-year Monster Energy Kawasaki deal announced in November 2025 covering 2026 through 2028.

Follow the 2027 Supercross Season

The 2027 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season opens on January 9 at Anaheim 1. Start times, venues and ticket links for all 17 rounds are on the 2027 Supercross Schedule & Tickets page, and we will keep tracking every officially announced signing in our 2027 team lineup coverage — beginning with the Pro Circuit Kawasaki 2027 lineup announcement.

Featured photo: Husqvarna Motorcycles / Team Tedder Racing (Cooper Webb). Graphic: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

Explore the confirmed 2027 team lineups and Rider moves.