Showing my ignorance. Dirtbike vs SM

At some point in the future (not likely until child support is overwith),I would like to get a dirt bike, something I never done.
I would also like to get a super moto.

If I get a street legal dirtbike and put street tires on it, do I basically have a SM?
And VS Versa, If I find a good deal on a SM , can I just get the larger dirtbike rims and tires and go get dirty?

Apart from the 2 smoke and 4 stroke and weight differance between individual bikes, is there a difference in the actual frame/suspension of a SM or dirtbike or is the difference purely rims and tires?


Once you stop laughing at me, answer the damn question

 

Depends... The DRZ SM is the same bike....sans the inverted forks. 1" less travel at both ends. Stiffer spring rates at both ends. 17" wheels with a bigger brake up front. Slightly diff gearing to account for the smaller dia wheels, but also street use. Thats it.

Most SMs are basically just that, a dirt bike with 17"s and taller gearing. But it always benefits from having the suspension setup for the pavement.

If you put street tires on the 21/18", it will be super slow steering in comparison (to 17s) and not nearly as effective regarding (fast) cornering as the proper 17s would be.

Visa versa... the 17s with dirt tires "will" work offroad, but the tiny 17 up front sucks for any kind of real offroad. At least with any kind of speed involved.

I have a DRZ SM with dirt wheels right now. It does just fine for DS duty.

 

Suspension wheels and brakes.

 

What would be the brake difference, single vs dual rotor?

 

Bigger single rotor.

 

Most of the time, you get your 17" rims and a 320 brake rotor, which you wouldnt use on a dirt bike. also, less important is the front fender but you will see SM fenders for sale and they are shorter than a dirt fender. if you are planning to track the SM you will also want catch cans instead of the downward facing tubes that dirt bikes use.

A normal 450 mx bike is used often for a SM, but dedicated SM bikes like the KTMs will have different gearing in the transmission. not important unless you are competing or freeway riding imo

 

So you want a SM for the street?

If so, I would suggest getting 2 different bikes.

Buy s 250F for a dirtbike, and buy a DRZ400 or one of the european brands(KTM, Hsky, etc), for a street SM.

If you want a track SM, then a 250F will work good for both, if you're running short course stuff. Otherwise a 450 is much better for longer tracks.

 

Street Sumo.....WR450F all day long

 

Budget?

 

I'm not sure what the dictionary would define as the change from dirt to SM, but for me it's 17" wheels on a dirtbike.

I bought my 2006 KTM525EXC as such. It had a dirt setup with an orange set of offroad (no lights) plastics, and 21"/18" wheels and a street SM setup with headlight, tail light, license plate mount and 17" wheels. The street rear wheel has a much smaller rear sprocket, so I also swap chains to account for the length change. Really quickly into ownership, I found the stock (dirt designed) front brake to be inadequate, so I bought a front brake setup used that included master cylinder/lever, steel lines, caliper and rotor.

I bought this bike with the intention of riding indoor MX in the winter, woods riding, hare scrambles, supermoto on kart tracks, and street hooning. As it turns out, the indoor MX place that was near me closed, so I've never been on a MX track with it. For woods riding and hare scrambes, I came from a lighter 2 stroke bike, but I'm so bad at dirt riding, I don't notice a huge difference. For street riding, the bike is hilarious. You can basically go anywhere and do anything. I feel like those old Family Circus cartoons where the boy had the dotted line bouncing all over the neighborhood. You can spend hours in a small radius and constantly find stuff to climb up and jump off.

My biggest complaint would be with slicks on a kart track. I'd always read stuff about how SM's are supposed to "rail" through the corners. Mine does not. At the limit, my front end is very unstable, and it is a real chore to ride fast. Granted, it's a hell of a feeling to ride on the limit like that, but it is mentally and physically exhausting. In tight corners, I slide the front up to the apex and wait for it to tuck, then pick it back up with the throttle. My rear has so much traction that I have to work to keep it balanced. Really though, if there was more competition with SM bikes around me, I'd invest the money to convert my bike to be fully setup for pavement and shop for a dirtbike for other days.

For now, my bike will be a jack of all trades but master of none. I don't ride that many hare scrambles, nor supermoto races, and I'm having fun with what I have. It even did great as a dual sport with partial knobbies on my 17" setup this fall:

 

KTM 690 SMC is by far the best dedicated super moto that still "resembles" a dirt bike. Torque for days, wheelies without trying, and just an awesome machine.

 

None at the moment, I have to make it through the raping, I mean divorce, and see if I can ever have a life again. Just gathering info currently

 

I have a friend with one and have ridden his

 

If you're okay with an over 300lb motorcycle. I wouldn't take a 690 on an MX track, a hare scramble course, or a go kart track. If you want to put a ton of miles on a bike and have great maintenance intervals, I'd say it's a great choice.

 

I used to spilt my Deezer between sumo and dirt all of the time, and in sumo trim I always had a blast on it.

Until I picked up a Husky SMR510 which was simply retarded fun and highlighted just what a pit the Deezer is.

 

Did I say it was good on a MX track, hare scramble, or go kart track?

 

Calm down snowflake. You said by far best dedicated supermoto. That would include kart tracks. I was just making a point that race bikes are race bikes and street bikes are street bikes. There is always a trade off and I think it's good to recognize what they are.

 

690 enduro. Go from this


To this, in under a hour.

 

Consider where you want to start...
Are you more interested in being able to take a dirt bike on the street legally, or a legal bike into the dirt?
Is legality even that much of a question?

If I were not sure what I wanted, I'd go dirt only...way more opportunities to go off-roadin' than motardin'.
As much as I'm a Yamaha fan, the KDX in post #263 of the "dirt bikes" thread is near perfect as a starter and beyond. You won't outgrow it, it won't kill you, it'll do everything you need it to do.

Having a motard, not that I would know, seems like the equivalent of a lightweight track bike, albeit, a very fun trackbike. Not good for much else and, let's be honest, how often are you gonna be swappin' out wheels to change up your style?

 

Does that include washing it ?