Supermoto

Originally Posted by the_lone_wolf

How do them tyres work then? Looks like a monsoon tyre on the front and an almost illegal semi-slick on the back.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by Woz

How do them tyres work then? Looks like a monsoon tyre on the front and an almost illegal semi-slick on the back.

the front tyre is a racing wet that just happens to be E marked and approved for road use. ultra grippy in all conditions but if you put one on the back of a 60bhp+ supermoto it would last between 500 and 1000 miles depending on how rough you were and how much dry riding you did

the rear is a pirelli supercorsa pro, as sticky in the dry as the pro extreme on the front, but lasts a vaguely reasonable time (2000 miles or so). both tyres are road legal, if you want to see some really crazy road legal tyres check out maxxis' pre-cut slicks:



the reason i have a wet on the front instead of another supercorsa is because on the dirt sections of supermoto tracks or in the wet, i'd rather have the front grip and the back loose than vice versa or neither gripping

If we are talking gratuitous photo's of supermoto's we've owned ... here's some of mine - I currently have the red CRM ... ;o)
I'd say, once you've had a supermoto, VERY difficult to enjoy anything else and anything else seems very "lardy" - the original reason I sold the first SV as I couldn't get used to the riding position - the naked SV I had was about as close to a supermoto that I have come - still like riding a bus though in comparison. Supermoto's are ace - end of. And CCM's get slated, but I absolutely loved mine - I have had 2x R30's, and would certainly have another - very easy to ride, I found them reliable and well made - ideal every day supermoto
DRZ was ok - not mega fast, but 90 easy enough - KTM 640 - the Vibes ... yes, you get used to them but it's like someone rodgering you with a brush handle when you first get one ( I would imagine ) which is bloody alarming - 110 easy enough, well made, cheap parts - 2 stroke KTM - very light and great fun, but want's to be "on the pipe" all the time which was 85+, CRM - good compromise - I use this for greenlaning so have 2 sets of wheels, seat, tank and body panels - like a 4 stroke regarding low down torque - but takes off like a 2 stroke when you ring it's neck.
Nana

I bought a DRZ sm back in May and have to say its a great bike, not as fast as the SV but brings a massive smile to my face. Cornering is amazing, I'm no expert rider but these things are so easy to ride. As Lone Wolf says it will deffinately turn you into a hooligan. MPG is about the same as an SV, I get about 100 miles before switching to reserve and it costs about £8 to fill it back up. I have spent over 2 hours on it and my **** was a bit sore. Have taken it off road (nothing too serious) and it was fine. Use it for commuting (about 9 miles each way) and its perfect.
As I said, its not going to break any land speed records, but it does go well enough. Have a look here for more info http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/

Originally Posted by Mitch

I bought a DRZ sm back in May and have to say its a great bike, not as fast as the SV but brings a massive smile to my face. Cornering is amazing, I'm no expert rider but these things are so easy to ride. As Lone Wolf says it will deffinately turn you into a hooligan. MPG is about the same as an SV, I get about 100 miles before switching to reserve and it costs about £8 to fill it back up. I have spent over 2 hours on it and my **** was a bit sore. Have taken it off road (nothing too serious) and it was fine. Use it for commuting (about 9 miles each way) and its perfect.
As I said, its not going to break any land speed records, but it does go well enough. Have a look here for more info http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/

Interesting that many people buy supermoto's to slow them down after having 180 mph crotch rockets - but as you say, they just beg to be ridden like a loon so it actually has completely the opposite effect !!

Nana

Originally Posted by banana

Interesting that many people buy supermoto's to slow them down after having 180 mph crotch rockets - but as you say, they just beg to be ridden like a loon so it actually has completely the opposite effect !!

Nana

You're right. Although I ride my SV quite conservatively, never been able to get knee down or anything like that. I get on the supermoto and can fly around corners. What they lack in straight line speed is soon pulled back in the corners. I have virtually no chicken strips on my SM, great fun.

[the_lone_wolf]

haha, nice to see there's a few other mad souls about...

mitch - imagine a bike that's even lighter and flickable than the DRZ and kicks harder and faster than the SV and you've got what it feels like to ride the 560SMR - nothing is close, 110kg and 60+ rwhp does strange things to your perception of what get up and go really is, the SV would probably sail past it after 120mph or so but for crack the throttle open shove there's nothing like the KTMs - see my sig below for my reaction the first time i ever rode mine (on the race track) and realised i'd been lifting the front wheel in 2nd and hadn't used anything past 1/2 throttle

banana - forgot about the CCMs, basically a DRZ with more grunt, never tried one but heard good things for the most part, most of the slagging is from the hoity toity lot who consider anything less than a race bike to be of no value

[Red Herring]

Mine's an XR650. The Honda doesn't come as Supermoto as standard so you have to do it yourself. Supermoto wheels, bigger brakes and slightly lowered suspension do add to the overall cost, but the engine is a peach, really smooth, ultra reliable, and with a pipe on it makes 50+BHP. Not quite in KTM SMR territory but strangely enough on the road you don't seem to notice. I've done 3 seasons of racing, countless road miles, several rallies and apart from oil and the odd spark plug I haven't touched the engine, and when I dyno'd it a few months ago it was still making exactly the same BHP as when I built it five years ago.

[northwind]

I think most people don't realise the difference between a street supermoto like a Duke, and a proper supermoto... I had a go on a Duke 2, loved it, but it just wasn't as mad as I'd expected- it's a superb urban bike but not really that much of a headbanger. Then, quite randomly, I was offered a go on a mate's race-prepped husky, and discovered the limits of my courage very very quickly It was like riding a sack full of fireworks, absolutely amazing, bore as much resemblance to riding the Duke as it did to riding my SV really. But something like that on the road? No thanks.

But at the same time... The Duke was a bit too neutered, it wasn't good enough at speed to be a very practical only-bike, but it wasn't mad enough to make up for that shortcoming either.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by northwind

Then, quite randomly, I was offered a go on a mate's race-prepped husky, and discovered the limits of my courage very very quickly It was like riding a sack full of fireworks, absolutely amazing, bore as much resemblance to riding the Duke as it did to riding my SV really. But something like that on the road? No thanks.

But at the same time... The Duke was a bit too neutered, it wasn't good enough at speed to be a very practical only-bike, but it wasn't mad enough to make up for that shortcoming either.

Yep, there's something not quite right about an "every day supermoto" - you really need to have two bikes otherwise you'll always be getting reminded of the compromise you had to make

there's nothing wrong with riding a mad bike on the road, you will never be able to keep up with the bike unless you're willing to ride like an utter tit, but you can have a lot of fun if you ride with a few like-minded folk and stick to the back roads to emphasise the incredible handling on poor surfaces, then take it to a cheap track day (think £50 for a whole day with an open track so you can ride solid for 6 hours if you want to) and you can really have a laugh...