Supermoto for the street

Having just converted my buddies 19 crf450l to sumo trim it’s a blast where we live in NE GA. We don’t really have any straight roads and it’s a blast but also seems to turn me into riding like a complete a hole. Too easy to pull wheelies out of corners, slide it into corners etc. It does need a better clutch IMO but a lot has to do with my less than stellar sumo riding ability.

 

Ehh, just get a big dualsport bike. they are more versatile and more fun to embarrass sportbike riders on...

JMO

 

I just made what I consider a compromise between a Sumo and sport bike. Picked up a new/leftover 2018 KTM 690 Duke.

68rwhp
51ft lbs
348lbs fully fuelled (22lbs lighter than my Ninja 400 was stock) - Husqvarna FS450 Sumo is 230lbs and 55hp - but also costs $4000 more and tops out at 95mph.
693cc single but after my first short ride on it (100km's) I can verify it's totally fine at highway speeds which I'm pleased with as older Gen's apparently rattled out your fillings and my God is it flickable.

'16-'18 is the Gen you'd want - huge step up in comfort, smoothness, and power from all I've read.

I've seen owners get them down to 320lbs topped up with gas and still be totally street legal - sadly a decat makes them crazy loud so I'll be keeping the stock exhaust on mine.

 

The main question is where will you be riding it? tight twisty stuff like deals gap? Expressway? Back roads? Also do you plan on taking it to a trackday, and if you are a roadrace trackday or a cart/sumo track.

Perfect sumo is a ktm 500 exc/ husky 501. They are street legal and nimble enough to do a supermotard trackday and enough legs to do a trackday at a track that doesn't have a crazy long straightaway. If you are rding mostly back roads about 55mph for a long period of time the 701 husky or ktm 690 is the best choice. Only issue with them is its too big to ride cart/sumo tracks but a road racer track is perfect. I have had pretty much every motard you can have so shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

 

Sounds good, thanks. And thanks everyone for the opinions. My only concern is that I’m not going to like the dirt bike feel and high seating position because I’ve never ridden dirt bikes, but I’m sure I’d get used to that.

 

https://www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/en-int/models/supermoto/fs-450-2021.html

I took a short spin on one of those... holy angry bike batman. Had 500cc 2T big hit power...
I dont know how you'd make it street legal but wow... that thing is nice.

 

Are bike prices still loony? This thread reminded me that I want to get a 701/690 (been contemplating swapping out my Striple for one for a year or two).

 

Superbikeunlimited on YouTube is doing a street legal ktm 450 smr right now.

but my opinion is that they don’t make good street bikes. They’re really high strung and the maintenance intervals are pretty small.

 

I ride my FS450 on the street. I agree its not a street bike as its high strung and it is a full fledge race bike. The only time I ride it on the street is in the mountains.

 

I had a YZ450F Sumo track/kart bike and in retrospect I wish I had it lowered just a tad. It wasn't a seat height issue but between the leverage and weight the bike always felt a little teeter totter.

I also sucked on a motard so there's that.

 

I picked up a Husky Svartpilen 701 from Bobby at Wooly's in Atlanta in Dec. LOVE the thing.

It's basically the same bike as the Husky 701 motard in a low-slung street/sport package--think Grom on HGH. Depending on your deal--massive price savings compared to the motard. The geometry is amazing and you can just wring and hoon the thing at will. All the same electronics (TC/up-down QS, ABS, etc), same engine, etc as the Motard. Definitely recommend trying one out. https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-husqvarna-svartpilen-701/

(Edit/Note: there's also a 701 "Vitpilen" which has clip-ons rather than handlebars.
https://ridermagazine.com/2020/06/05/2020-husqvarna-vitpilen-701-road-test-review/)

 

I bought one new in 18, had it for 500 miles before I realized I was going to jail or die. The bike just has a way to revert time and make you 17 again. Stupid power, dial a wheelie with your right wrist. Stoppies on demand and an exhaust note that just make you turn it up.
I wish I’d have waited for a Vitpilen.


Oh yeah, the seat sucks too!

 

Best upgrade on a supermoto is to purchase a seat concepts comfort seat. I wont own a sumo without one.

 

A year on since this post. How’s the bike doing now?

 

I know you weren't quoting me, but I ended up getting a 2020 690 and it's fantastic. It allows me to be dumb on the street in a much safer way than my other streetbike (a big I4 leader bike which I go way too fast on).

 

I picked up a 2022 KTM 690 SMC R and I friggin love it. It has twin counterbalancers and is quite smooth. I picked it up after getting rid of a DUC HM 950 SP that was plagued with stalling issues. The KTM is soooo much lighter, and yet, is still quite stable in the sweepers. With a Seat Concept seat it is very comfortable. I prefer the way it rides over the DUC. I have ZERO and I mean 0.0 issue in keeping up with bigger bikes, and frankly, it is way to easy to ride fast. Plus, the amount of suspension travel it has and the upright position make it very comfortable. I highly recommend one.

 

Interesting comment about sweepers - that's my only nit about the bike (but to be fair, I'm comparing it to a big and fat BMW which is unbelievably planted, and I haven't gotten the suspension done yet).

Just got the Tekmo headers installed last week.......

 

It steers so light that light inputs might make it feel nervous, however, it feels nice and planted to me. I just set my compression and rebound in between the sport and race settings in the manual. I haven't touched anything else yet. I am 175lbs, and thus, I luckily fall within the realm of most factory spring rates. I have the tekmo exhaust, stock headers, PC 5 and the Rottweiler intake. Bike is perhaps a tad loud

 

Not me, however, here is a 690 SMC R on VIR north. No doubt the guy is a decent rider, however, the bike seems very smooth and stable. On a fast track that is pretty darn good.