roadracing a 450 supermoto

More so the chain clearing things. I've run 15-38 and 14-38 quite a bit and have found 14-38 to be the best balance.

 

Finally got the SMR on a big track this past Friday at Pueblo Motorsports Park. Had a blast on it - it's perfect for how I want to ride. The low-end torque is really addicting. It feels like a big mountain bike with one hell of a motor.

Things get a little squirrely above 90 mph or so with some headshake, but smoothing out my inputs helped immensely.

Do any of you track a 701 or 690 regularly? I'm pretty committed to the sumo bike type as I have some hip issues that make most sportbikes a pain to ride. Was wondering if the 690/701 series would make a bit more sense for the big tracks with the longer service intervals and higher top speed.

 

Body position, particularly where you are on the seat can have a BIG impact on that shake at high speed. A set of GMD VERY reduced offset triples if you can find them also improve the handling at those speeds.

 

Where would you recommend to be on the seat? Further forward?

 

Pressure biggest thing that helped me was putting a stiffer rear spring in. These are dirt bikes at heart. They want to burry the rear and carry the front. Stiffening the rear really helps keep the front tire planted. My front and is still light but it’s manageable without backing off the throttle. I’ve never ridden one but I can’t imagine a 690/701 being near as fun as these feather weight 450’s.

 

Definitely not regularly, but I make a few days a year on my 690. Have ridden my friend's FS450 on big track (NJMP) as well as kart tracks. I also have hip issues that make riding a supersport not an enjoyable experience.

My 690 is perfect for what I like doing on track, and (knock on wood) I haven't thrown it down the road yet but I'm certain it will crash pretty well.

 

Hip issues suck.

I have FAI in both hips. If the surgery recovery wasn't so gnarly, I would have done it a long time ago. It ONLY bothers me riding a sportbike. The Ninja 300/400 were the only bikes I was close to being comfy on, but I would still be pretty fatigued and in pain towards the end of a track day.

 

As noted by others, get the bike sprung for RR, that helps a ton. On my 500XC W (PDS) I got moved from the stock 63NM spring to a coil over from a Ford F450... 96NM. It was almost comical in comparison to the original. Forks were a small bump from stock, .46kg/mm to .50. Sliding my ass WAY BACK in the seat, head down, near the bars made my machine happier on the straight.

 

Another super helpful tip I’ve found is to always have a spare master link. I think yeeting a chain is something like a right of passage with these bikes.

 

Offset rear sprockets will help keep the chain out of the tire.

 

The latest 690 / 701's are crazy smooth for a single. It's too bad they are so much heavier, but I bet they would be a blast set up for the track.

I have found often many folks ignore careful maintenance (disassembling and re-greasing,) their steering head bearings, let alone carefully adjusting them to the proper torque. Many a head-shake has been cured with attention to details such as this.
Tires and suspension set up usually are more often tended to by those riding their bikes on track.

 

Looking for advice on the Bridgestone VO2 rear for the SM. Soft or Medium? Leaning Medium just because I won't be at the pointy end at this last round.

 

I haven’t noticed a huge difference between them (at my modest pace anyways). The soft seems to grips a touch better IMO. As long as the suspension is stiff enough that tire can spin up a bit without tearing it’s self apart you should be fine either way.

 

You're being quite modest re: your pace, but I appreciate the feedback.

 

Supermotos are a blast!

I had only ridden sport bikes on a track until I put together a supermotothing in the last year or so.

The light weight, wider bars (fast transitions) and a seat you can move around on make them sooo fun to ride.