Well *Pete* a true SM has spoked wheels, not cast alum wheels. Alum wheels will not hold up in large jumps. A *true* SM has more ground clearance (11-12 inches) than a Duke II (5-6 inches travel
front and rear) and the suspension is softer on a *True* SM. The Duke has stiff suspension and is more street oriented. It would be better suited for the track if you were to ride it like a sportbike.
The Duke I would be a good example of what a *True* Sm is.

Also if you'll Notice that KTM has released a KTM LC640 SuperMoto. It is a *True* SM
The SM also has a leading axle and a longer wheelbase. If you wan't to slide it's easier to control on the SM. It's would also be better Off Road.

Anything else Pete?

Nope. My question was an honest one, as I had yet to hear what makes a bike a true supermotard. Your answer sounds quite accurate based on what little supermotard racing I have seen.

That was impressive Ronny.

For a minute there, I thought you were just being a smart ass!

Thanks for the info.

................

O.K. Ronny, I guess that the Duke is built for road use and yes, cast wheels aren't durable if you're going to off road the thing. But I would think you'd agree that like 4x4 type vehicles, not many would comtimplate taking their S/M's off road.

A true S/M is a moto-cross bike fitted with road wheels (spoked) which came about by mad Frenchmen deciding to race the bastardized machines around a road and loose surfaced circuit.
This progressed into a all-commers event called "The Golden Handlebars" which in it's early days was won by no other than Eddie Lawson on a CR500 Honda.

The thrill of these bikes is being able to carve through canyon type roads at crazy angles of lean and embarrassing sportbike riders and the factories are supplying this demand. Have you noticed that the best ones come from the European manufacturers. They have also given what owners have asked for in the way of some of the things you've mentioned.

yeah, I hear ya. I don't see many of those BMW X5's going off road.

To be perfectly honest with you, If I was going to build an SM I'd use sportbike wheels off a CBR or a Katana or something.

I can remember about 20 years ago in Santa Barbara, some guy had fitted a Suzuki RM-360 (?) with road tires and played with the suspension. He absolutely killed all the cafe bikes that prowled the San Marcos Pass. He smoked me with ease on my RD-350, but then I doubt I was THAT quick anyway.

I'm planning on fitting up a set of road wheels for my DRZ-400 this winter and figuring out how to adjust the suspension. Mine is an S model, so there's a little less travel than the true off-road variants.

Locally, there's a lot of guys playing with XR-400's and 650's. It is a cheap alternative and you minimize the draconian result of triple-digit citations The other nice thing, is that if you need to bonzai over a curb to avoid a cage, it's pretty easy vs. sportbike.

When I get my DRZ done, I'll post a pix. Should be fun!

Or if you *wanted* to bonzai over a curb just for the fun of it!

Touche'

Supermotard=Hoolligan=Fun

I've also heard that some guys like to use old VW bugs as either berms or jumping ramps

I'm not exactly sure how it works, but around here there's a loophole in our law's which let you sneak a dirtbike onto the street. I have a fair bit of riding experience on CR 500's, both in the dirt and on the ice, and they definitely can be a handful, but can you ever really have too much bike? Seriously though, if I do decide to go supermotard I want to go big bore two-stroke, just for the sheer hooligan madness of it all.


Actually a friend of mine runs a bike shop, and is the only KTM dealer for a good few miles around here. I've haven't talked much to him this summer, and I've never talk to him about supermotards. I absolutely love KTM's, but it's really hard to find a good used one around here and their prices new are substantially higher compared most other manufactures.