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6/23/2021
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Parker, CO
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jonahc_42
8/22/2021 3:39pm
8/22/2021 3:39pm
Edited Date/Time
9/10/2021 7:09pm
Hey guys I’ve been seeing these super moto bikes all around and they look like a blast on tracks but I have a motocross bike so I was curious if any of you guys do both or if that is even possible to have a 2 In 1
The Shop
If you just want to cruise around at a track day, you could get away with DOT tires and supermoto wheels, a larger rotor and stiffen up the clickers.
it's not like a proper SM bike, it's still a total blast.
YZ450F. I converted it to road use using a set of Talon ready made wheels with an oversize front brake disc, and the carrier to move the caliper. It was a blast to ride (was legal on the road using a daytime license in the UK), but the downside was that it was a nuisance any time I stopped for fuel (no stand), and no security measures like locks so I could never leave it unattended. I also found myself messing about more than I should have been on the road, pulling wheelies and attempting stoppies etc. The other main problem I found was the gearing - as a motocross bike it was too short, even with tiny supermoto sprockets. If I was to go down this route again, I'd choose a WR450F for the gearing, electric start and lighting, or alternatively a CRF450X although I do think the Yamaha is a more robust package.
DRZ400 SM. It was gutless and I couldn't stand it. Don't waste your time - you'd have to spend some serious money to get the thing to move at anything other than walking pace.
Pit Row
Had to sell it due to the fact that I need a drivers license to remain employed haha.
2008 Husqvarna Te610 with 17"'s
If you want to ride on the track, you will need a bigger disc, 4 pot caliper, and a decent master cylinder.
If you want to race competitively...
Then you will need lower offset clamps, possibly with a steeper head angle to get the geometry right, plus a complete fork revalve, for the tarmac.
On the rear you will need a SM specific shock, which will need to be much stiffer. and possibly have a ride height adjuster to jack up the rear to get it to turn better .
Motor wise, for MX , a stock 450 with a pipe is enough, but for Supermoto you will get slaughtered without a better pipe( possibly a twin sytem) and an inlet kit, we run a 3d printed inlet manifold on my 2018 450 Husqvarna, with a huge K&N filter , a proper Vertex ECU with SM specific maps.
Also you will need a slipper clutch and a quick shifter , because not having them means you have to gear the bike so you dont have to change gear mid turn , as it unsettles the bike too much ..
We shied away from a high comp piston as we wanted the bike to rev easier , and we have had better results running lower compression at high revs.
The picture below is from 2010, the bike is an Aprilia MXV450 converted to SM , i won the British Clubman Championship on this bike , and finished top 10 in the Elite class on it that day...
Motor was converted to 5 speed, lightened crank by GWR in Belgium, loads of internal parts lightened, polished and DLC coated, very slight port mods, all the power came from insane mapping , and a total loss ignition system, we saw 72hp out of the 450 on the dyno , the factory versions were over 80, but cost a fortune to build and run, this did a whole season with one refresh,
It was dripping with Ti and Carbon, had a BrakeTech Carbon rotor that weighed 850g and the thing turned on a dime.
16.5in front wheels were just coming in then, we run 16's now.
Nothing ever passed it me in a straight line.
You can put $25k into one , without trying to hard, i think the guys here starting with the new Hondas are into them for $15k to build a race ready unit , with a spare set of wheels.
As with all motorsport , speed costs.
And they need to be proper metal reinforced ones, plastic ones will shatter if you go down hard.
2016 TM300 with a 1997 Eric Gorr CR500 tuned motor CPI pipe and a lot of work by my sponsor.
Twin disc Cobra front end, with Cobra clamps, and Ohlins kitted forks
Motor was full on low compression, was like an electric motor to ride,no hit, just enough to allow you to get on it with melting the tyre and getting flicked off ... the original builder made an unrideable monster that was awful to ride, and useless to race, by the time we were done with it, it was spot on even in the wet .
TM300 with PVM Wheels, Pro Circuit pipe , and lot of tuning work..
By the time we were done, this was a match for anything on the tight and twisty tracks in Germany, with lots of offroad.. won a couple of races on it in the German Vets series.
It isnt worth putting money in to .
06 625 SMC, traded it to get back into moto. I do miss it. Street legal from the factory. I never got so many comments and questions from people at the gas station.
Don’t let people tell you you need to dump a ton of money into a supermoto to have fun. Throw a set of wheels on and have a good time. If you really like it you can start adding parts like a slipper clutch and triple clamps.
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