Thoughts on Supermoto's?
Discussion
Hi guys,
What is everyones thoughts on supermotos for road use?
As mentioned in a previous post I will be doing full test very soon, find bandits & fazers bland and need a bike, lots of people I have spoken to over the last few weeks seem to think supermotos are great bikes for city/suburban riding. Looks like the main bikes of this type seem to be KTM dukes and LC'c, CCMs and Husqavarnas(sp?).
Anyone own a supermoto or have mates with one?
Are these really that suitable for novices?
Nice one
What is everyones thoughts on supermotos for road use?
As mentioned in a previous post I will be doing full test very soon, find bandits & fazers bland and need a bike, lots of people I have spoken to over the last few weeks seem to think supermotos are great bikes for city/suburban riding. Looks like the main bikes of this type seem to be KTM dukes and LC'c, CCMs and Husqavarnas(sp?).
Anyone own a supermoto or have mates with one?
Are these really that suitable for novices?
Nice one
hmm suprised no one got here 1st.
I've owned a couple
one a KTM 640Duke with lecky boot. Lots of fun, not too uncomfortable but only had about 90mile range to reserve. It was quite smooth but 13K miles later it now vibrates like a petrol powered dildo. Not sure if its novice safe as I've 18 years riding under my boots, though my 1st bike after passing test was a FZR1000 :-)
2nd was a ktm450 enduro converted to supermoto spec. faster than the duke until it got into top gear then it got a bit slow. more wheelie prone and seat like a plank with nails in it.
Would recommend sticking with manufactured motos rather than converted enduros for your 1st. Also KTMs probably more common than others and easier to get parts for than others.
I've owned a couple
one a KTM 640Duke with lecky boot. Lots of fun, not too uncomfortable but only had about 90mile range to reserve. It was quite smooth but 13K miles later it now vibrates like a petrol powered dildo. Not sure if its novice safe as I've 18 years riding under my boots, though my 1st bike after passing test was a FZR1000 :-)
2nd was a ktm450 enduro converted to supermoto spec. faster than the duke until it got into top gear then it got a bit slow. more wheelie prone and seat like a plank with nails in it.
Would recommend sticking with manufactured motos rather than converted enduros for your 1st. Also KTMs probably more common than others and easier to get parts for than others.
I really want another super moto. I had a TDR 250 years ago and it was brillant kept up with big bikes on twistys wheelied, stoppied and bags of ground clearance. Only downside was the two stroke motor kept blowing up!.
These days the world is your oyster. Yamaha do an XT based bike, suzuki do a DR 400 based moto Honda do the FMX. So if you don't want to take a chance on vageries of european manufacturers then the japs do less radical but more main stream kit. Or you could go KTM, Husky or for very cool the new 450/550 V-twin Aprilias look very good.
If you don't want to go far then they are the best thing in the world. Not great for touring due to small tanks and narrow seats.
That said I took the TDR to the Bol'dor when it was at Paul Ricard. My bum was numb for a week afterwards so it is possible just not sensible.
These days the world is your oyster. Yamaha do an XT based bike, suzuki do a DR 400 based moto Honda do the FMX. So if you don't want to take a chance on vageries of european manufacturers then the japs do less radical but more main stream kit. Or you could go KTM, Husky or for very cool the new 450/550 V-twin Aprilias look very good.
If you don't want to go far then they are the best thing in the world. Not great for touring due to small tanks and narrow seats.
That said I took the TDR to the Bol'dor when it was at Paul Ricard. My bum was numb for a week afterwards so it is possible just not sensible.
Ewan Oozarmy said:
I've had a couple now - 1st was a Suzuki DRZ400SM and for the last 9 months at KTM 950SM - and I commute around 11 miles each way into the City every day on them. These bikes are perfect commuters, great on the road and FUN!!!
What's the range on your KTM like? I've been seriously thinking about binning my ZX7 for something a bit different and these look fantastic.
950Adv is an awesome bike, owned one for 2 years 6k miles. Handles better than a bike with a 21" front wheel has a right too, but may feel ponderous after a rice rocket, as they need to be muscled into bends and I never felt fully confident in the skinny front tyre though it never let go in all the time I had it. If they did a supermoto version with the big tanks I'd be seriously tempted, current 950sm or 990duke have to short a range fom what I've read sofar.
Ewan Oozarmy said:
I get between 120 and 140 miles between fill-ups
I'd actually consider the 640 rather than the 950, it has a larger tank too.
Speed isn't really important given that the majority of the time I'm filtering traffic anyway.
Sounds daft, but doing such monster mileage, the more miles I can get from a tank - the better.
Interesting to note that I regularly get 170 miles to a tank out of the R1!
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