Brandon Clarke
Have you ever been to a soft opening at a new restaurant? One of those spots where the menu isn’t quite finalized, the signage isn’t up yet, but the food is fire and you know once word gets out it’s gonna blow up? That’s kinda what happened in Denver. While everyone’s busy yelling about Deegan vs. Davies, something quietly slipped under the radar: the Triumph TF-450 made its Supercross debut—and almost nobody noticed.
Well, I noticed.
Julien Benek, a kid I’ve been following for the past year or so, rolled one out onto the stadium floor at Empower Field. He rides for International Motorsports—a Triumph-supported privateer team based outta Langley, BC. It’s not just some mom-and-pop shop either. They’re the top-selling Triumph dealer in Canada and third in North America. These guys move bikes like Starbucks moves lattes.
Julien and his teammate Blake Davies have been doing their thing on the TF-250s for a handful of 250SX West Division rounds this year. Pre-season they were even granted the opportunity to train alongside the Factory Triumph crew out in Georgia, getting a taste of the program while doing it as privateers. It hasn’t been without hiccups—Davies ended up solo at A1 after an early-season injury took Benek out for a couple rounds—but by the time the series hit A2, Julien was back and buzzing.
So why the jump to a 450 in Denver?
Simple. Between the breaks in the 250SX West schedule, Julien had been logging time on the TF-450. Then International Motorsports mentioned that they had a second 450 with only five hours on it, and that Julien should race it in Denver. Add in the fact that the final West rounds are all at elevation, and it was a no-brainer. A stock 450 just makes more sense than a stock 250 when the air gets thin.
The only problem? No Supercross suspension for the 450. So the boys did what privateers do best—got creative. They yanked the suspension off Julien’s 250 and slapped it on the 450. I’m no suspension expert—pretty sure I set mine based on vibes—but even I know that’s kinda nuts. A 450 is heavier, and Supercross suspension is notoriously stiff. Wouldn’t the 250 setup be too soft?
Apparently not.
Julien told me that’s exactly what made it work. The Denver dirt was dry and hard-pack, and the slightly softer setup gave him better tracking. Combine that with the 450’s smooth, predictable power delivery, and suddenly you’ve got a bike that’s hooking up when others are sliding around. He made it look easy—especially through the whoops, where I watched him absolutely float during qualifying.
I’ve filmed this dude on Kawis, Huskies, and now Triumphs, and I’ve never seen him look this composed. As I stood there, halfway mesmerized by his flow, Ricky Carmichael strolled by. We chatted briefly, and he even mentioned how clean Julien looked out there and how stoked he was for him to have this opportunity. That’s a pretty solid endorsement.
I asked Julien if the media had hit him up after Denver. He just laughed. “Nah, I’m not factory. Maybe if I made the main, it’d be different.”
Fair enough. But he’s close—real close. After moving out of C practice into B practice for Salt Lake, he’s got faster guys to run with. He knows he can run with guys like Cade Clason, who made the main, and Mitchell Harrison, who he’s finished higher in the Canadian Triple Crown Series. He just needs to put all the pieces together.
After Supercross wraps, Julien’s headed north to race again in the Canadian Triple Crown Series on the 450, lining up against Jess Pettis, Josiah Natzke, and the always-entertaining Phil Nicoletti. Last year, he finished well inside the top 10. With the way he’s riding now? I’m calling it—I bet he goes top 5.
So yeah, while everyone else is busy crunching 450 championship points, Julien Benek quietly wheeled a near-stock Triumph 450 into Supercross and made it look like it belonged. Call it a soft launch if you want, but if a privateer can make that much noise with limited support, whoever ends up on the factory 450 after silly season better be ready to run up front. Because this bike? It’s not just coming—it’s already here.
Main image/Instagram video: Brandon Clarke
