New to supermoto

MR662

MR662

AFM #662
Im thinking about trying this thing you call supermoto. Ive done some AFM racing in the past and also some MX racing. Always wanted to try supermoto. I was half tempted to go full track on my Ducati and start racing AFM again, but wife doesn't like the idea of the high speeds. She never minded me dirt racing so I figure supermoto is a good compromise :)

Anyways, having just recently bought both my current bikes, I don't want to buy a third and don't want to get rid of either. I was planning on converting my 17 KTM 450SFX. I still will occasionally ride/race MX and trails, so I was thinking of getting a full set of wheels/slicks, new brake setup for easy swap out.

So far Im leaning towards
16.5x3/ 17x5 Alpina tubelss rims with Metzler race slicks
Beringer Stage 2 brake setup
Axle sliders
New chain
Hand guards

Questions are, Ive been comparing stats with my bike and the Husky FS 450. The FS has 14/45 gearing. My bike currently has 13/50. To get similar gearing without hassle of always switching front sprocket, I would need a 43t rear with my current 13t front. Does that seem right for tracks like Sonoma or even a little fun at Stockton.

My goal is some trackdays and maybe an occasional race. I like to jump, so id want to do dirt/asphalt style tracks. I want ease of swapping from dirt to supermoto without a lot of hassle so Im willing to spend a little more like a full brake system just to have the ease of swapping the whole system out.

Also, since I have air forks, id assume that's helpful for stiffening the front if needed. Any recommendations or setup tips? I want the best of both worlds, a bike I can ride dirt and supermoto, so I know ill be sacrificing a little by not getting a full supermoto racer like the FS 450, but im just looking to have some fun, not be the next # 1 plate holder. lol

Anyways, any comments, tips, advice etc appreciated. Thanks!
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
I suspect you mean 16.5x3.5 front. I don't think you can go wrong with Alpinas if you're willing to drop the coin.

If you're racing I'd be really tempted to find another set of forks and shock... it isn't *that* hard to swap them out (at least on bikes I've had), and it makes a huge difference having the right springs/valves. Not sure what's compatible, or how much you could find a set for.

You're looking at the 6pot Beringer? I haven't seen that around much. It's odd that it uses a conventional (non-radial) master cylinder.

Handguards, my favorite are the Fastways. The replace the upper bar clamp and bolt directly to it. If you also tap the bar ends for inserts, you end up with a setup that's very unlikely to get pushed out of the way (a common problem with handguards).
 
Map8

Map8

I want nothing
Staff member
I'd check the availability of 16.5" supermoto slicks before committing to that wheel size. They were hard to come by a few years ago and may take longer to source. There usually isn't a tire vendor present at Supermoto races unless you go to one of the bigger Pro weekends. Never at supermoto track days. The Alpinas are awesome and good choice.

Unless you want to practice on a race weekend, there won't be dirt sections at any of tracks.

I've known some racers using late model MX bikes for both SM and MX and they don't change the suspension. MX Suspension is pretty stiff these days with the huge jumps the bikes are built for. If you get serious about Supermoto (its addictive) you can consider a revalve or swapping fork/shock. Superplush in San Francisco or Suspension By Buck in Sacramento are experts at Supermoto suspension and can give more guidance than I ever could. Brakes and tires are the best places to spend money when starting.

Don't worry about gearing until you ride the tracks a few times. The new MX bikes are so powerful and have enough bottom end to be flexible about gear selection. Stockton is so short, it probably won't matter. There are several configurations for Sonoma (National, Sprint and some variations on the two). The National configuration uses the entire straight and is likely the only local track where gearing will be a concern.

Add peg sliders to your prep list. They are the most likely thing to touch the ground and will touch regularly. Make sure you have a suitable catch can for any fluids and the crank case breather.

Have fun and report back when you've had a chance to ride.
 
MR662

MR662

AFM #662
Thanks for replies guys. I hope to be out there this spring. Have talked with Chris from Pirelli and he has been very helpful too. I was half tempted to buy one of his FS 450’s for sale but my wife would kill me. I’m sure I’ll run into some of you soon.
 
NCSM

NCSM

Air Cooled
Soup er Moto

MikeR said:
Im thinking about trying this thing you call supermoto. Ive done some AFM racing in the past and also some MX racing. Always wanted to try supermoto. I was half tempted to go full track on my Ducati and start racing AFM again, but wife doesn't like the idea of the high speeds. She never minded me dirt racing so I figure supermoto is a good compromise :)

Anyways, having just recently bought both my current bikes, I don't want to buy a third and don't want to get rid of either. I was planning on converting my 17 KTM 450SFX. I still will occasionally ride/race MX and trails, so I was thinking of getting a full set of wheels/slicks, new brake setup for easy swap out.

So far Im leaning towards
16.5x3/ 17x5 Alpina tubelss rims with Metzler race slicks
Beringer Stage 2 brake setup
Axle sliders
New chain
Hand guards

Questions are, Ive been comparing stats with my bike and the Husky FS 450. The FS has 14/45 gearing. My bike currently has 13/50. To get similar gearing without hassle of always switching front sprocket, I would need a 43t rear with my current 13t front. Does that seem right for tracks like Sonoma or even a little fun at Stockton.

My goal is some trackdays and maybe an occasional race. I like to jump, so id want to do dirt/asphalt style tracks. I want ease of swapping from dirt to supermoto without a lot of hassle so Im willing to spend a little more like a full brake system just to have the ease of swapping the whole system out.

Also, since I have air forks, id assume that's helpful for stiffening the front if needed. Any recommendations or setup tips? I want the best of both worlds, a bike I can ride dirt and supermoto, so I know ill be sacrificing a little by not getting a full supermoto racer like the FS 450, but im just looking to have some fun, not be the next # 1 plate holder. lol

Anyways, any comments, tips, advice etc appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Mike 13/45-46 is a good place to start on your KTM. If you need an expert opinion, feel free to give me a call Brok 916-837-3243
 
Map8

Map8

I want nothing
Staff member
NCSM said:
Mike 13/45-46 is a good place to start on your KTM. If you need an expert opinion, feel free to give me a call Brok 916-837-3243
Click to expand...


MikeR, you're not going to get a better source of information than this guy ^^^ Northern California's Godfather of Supermoto.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top