950 Supermoto Chronicles

Renazco. Talk to them...they get it.

I've been in touch with both Renazco and Bill Mayer and I am on Renazco's list. The Corbin is softer than the stock seat by a large margin. Any breaking in it does will only make it better. My description above for the Corbin was in error. While it is lower than the stock seat, the teper is gone so the seat is wider under the butt and with short legs some taper would be preferable.

I don't find the tippy toe issue a problem normally but I live on the side of a mountain and the only flat spot for several miles is the floor of my shop - and it's not big enough to turn the bike around. Negotiating the yard and the driveway (such as it is) can be problematic when you're inseam chalanged.

Thanks USMC. Sounds like the Corbin isn't much of a solution either.

The Renazco is tapered, but it doesn't help much. On mine the taper is actually set back a bit so you have to scoot higher back on the seat to take advantage of it. And the seat is a bit higher than stock. Really comfy though. If you go that route, have James shave more off the sides and top than he usually does. Even so I can't see it being much of an improvement on the Corbin (except maybe looks ).

Keep us posted. I still don't have a solution either but plan on doing something.

Thought I'd say hello. Bought the SM two months ago and have been racking up the miles and smiles. Farkles on the way.

Just found this thread (Thanks Walter) a couple of days ago and have been burning through it to the bitter end. Took me three days! My wife would call you all a very bad influence.

"Too bad", I say! ;-)

Mayner:

Congratulations. you are in for lots more smiles!! I'm on my 13,000 th smile after today. Almost one year since new. And thanks also Walter if i haven't thanked you in the past. This thread has been a great source of info and insight. It is great to see others that are getting to enjoy one of the best all around, daily driver, fun motorcycles ever made.

Good day all. I'm new to the forum and looking for some help. I started on trail bikes as a kid, progressed to motocross in high school, jumped to rockets when I got my license and through college and finally ended up on a custom chopper. I've finally gotten smart and am looking for a 950sm or smr. Does anyone have any leads on a used one that's not being loved or one that someone's wife can't stand anymore? I'm looking for a bike I can commute to work with, smoke my rocket friends in the twisties with and potentially ride year round here in Wisconsin. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Craig

Craig,
There's an inmate named Brown Dog who posts on teh SE threads has an SM for sale.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=418922

And big smiles they were today

We did a ride called "Monday Morning Mountain Motard Madness": and it was aptly named. 'nuff said

I know better, but I just got around to checking/setting the sag on my SMR. Hey, it's only been 15K miles...

If I believe the manual, the SMR comes with 0.58 fork springs versus the 0.56 springs on the SM. The fork preload was set as expected at 5 turns out (5mm) and I didn't have nearly enough sag with me on the bike (51 mm). I figure I'm shooting for about 68mm (1/3 of total travel).

So now the fork preload is completely backed out (10 turns) and I've only got 60 mm of sag up front. I guess the springs are too stiff for my weight. So now I'm pondering where to get new fork springs, what rate they should be, etc. And also considering having the valving redone because of too much high-speed compression damping that stands the bike up when hitting bumps while leaned over.

FWIW, I reduced the rear preload a couple turns to get it to match the front (60mm sag) to keep the geometry similar.

'Scuse me for drawing attention to the fact, but I'm a senior editor for a magazine here in Canada called Inside Motorcycles. Just thought I'd share with you an editorial that I wrote which was published a few months back. Sorry for the length of this post...

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My job description mandates that I become exceedingly familiar with these bikes so that I can accurately report back to you, the reader, what it's like to ride them. At this point, I've ridden essentially every bike that I've ever dreamed of, and a fair number of those that I never imagined I'd get the opportunity to try. From Benelli's ultra-exotic <st1:stockticker>TNT</st1:stockticker> and BMW's flagship GS1200 Adventure, right down to such less esoteric but still exciting fare as Honda's <st1:stockticker>CBR</st1:stockticker>125R and Suzuki's Bandit 1250. <o></o>
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They've all got their charms, do these incredibly diverse cross-section of bikes. My enthusiasm for both bikes in general and the act of riding them gives me good insight into what makes each machine unique, and helps me to determine what each one is for and the type of rider it's aimed at. <o></o>
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But you know what? I love my own bike, more so than any other I've yet ridden. <o></o>
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I suppose it's just as well that I enjoy my bike. For a while there I was worried that I'd never be satisfied with any one motorcycle, and that I'd always wish for the newest, latest and greatest. However that hasn't happened. <o></o>
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My bike gets a good workout. I use it for track days, I commute on it, and recently I rode the thing 8300km over 14 days from Toronto to Las Vegas and back. It's a sport bike, a tourer and an urban commando assault unit all rolled into one. What bike can do all of these things? My 2007 KTM 950 Supermoto, that's what. <o></o>
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I've always been an avid dirt biker, and to me the upright riding position of the SM feels incredibly natural. I can see above traffic, my feet are underneath my ass, and my arms drape in what I consider the most neutral manner possible. It's easy to move around on the bike, and when the seat gets uncomfortable I just fidget into one of about three alternate positions. I'm good for 1000km days aboard this bike.<o></o>
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I get the strangest looks at track days. While I'm anything but fast (I recently moved up to the intermediate class) I can still hang with most of the guys, and it gives me great pleasure to blunder past some of the slower riders, all upright and clumsy-like. <o></o>
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And there's nothing better for city streets, I believe. I can stop on a dime, accelerate past any car and still hop curbs like I'm aboard a dirt bike. With my heated grips, HID headlight, heated vest hookup and GIVI bag setup, I'm good for short or long distances, warm or cold weather. <o></o>
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So why am I telling you all this? There is a point. <o></o>
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Neither the 950SM nor its successor, the 990SM, are available in Canada for 2009. The bike just didn't sell enough over here (or in the US for that matter) for KTM to warrant bringing in another year's worth. This, in my opinion, is a tragedy. On my recent trip through the US I saw at least ten cruisers for every one bike of any other kind. While I do see the appeal of a cruiser, I know they're nowhere near as much fun to ride as the 950SM, nor even remotely as practical. Also, being unique has to be worth something (but maybe I shouldn't shout this from the rooftops as people might catch on and I'll no longer be, well, special) but that's an intangible which is hard to quantify. <o></o>
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But uniqueness, fun and utility don’t seem to be selling factors for motorcycles these days. It seems that many riders choose some sort of an image as their primary consideration when determining a prospective purchase. I’ve harped on before about sport bike riders who never hit the track, and cruiser riders who take more pleasure throwing chrome bits at their bikes than they do riding them. And while there’s nothing wrong with buying a bike as a fashion accessory or dreaming of riding fast even if your bike has a square rear tire, I remain amazed at the number of impractical, uncomfortable bikes that I see on the roads, while fun, practical bikes such as the KTM 950 SM languish on the sales floor. To me, this just doesn’t feel right. <o></o>
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So year after year, the more innovative manufacturers do their best to create bikes that will titillate the riding public. However the companies are undoubtedly aware that they must temper their enthusiasm with the knowledge that motorcyclists are, in general, a stodgy lot who pay lip service to the new and exciting while spending their money on the old and familiar. A case in point is the Ducati Hypermotard. This was one of the most anticipated bikes of the decade, with both the press and the public clamouring to see one in the flesh. I have yet to spot one on the street, and that’s a shame because it’s possibly the most entertaining bike I’ve ever ridden, and if I hadn’t bought my KTM I have no doubt I’d now be astride a Hypermotard. <o></o>
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So what's stopping people from buying bikes such as Yamaha's excellent MT-01 or KTM's Supermoto? Is it tradition? Is it expense (for I'm intimately aware that these bikes do command a premium compared to the more mainstream competition), or just plain closed-mindedness? Far be it for me to say that people are buying the wrong bikes. A motorcycle is a luxury item, especially here in Canada where they're little more than storage headaches for almost half the year. So you should feel free to buy whatever bike juices your lizard, and hey -- feel free to tell me to mind my own business. But next time you're considering buying a new bike, I urge you to take a good, long look around and think outside the box, because there are more than a few innovative, exciting bikes out there that deserve your attention.<o></o>
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Here at Inside Motorcycles we’d like to publicly applaud those manufacturers who are willing to innovate and take the commensurate risks. Rest assured we’ll do our best to keep you informed about what’s new and exciting, and you can also be sure that I’ll continue to put my own money where my mouth is. <o></o>
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Great artical about a great bike.

Brilliant, Dr. Big!

Someone really needs to start a KTM 950 SM Owners Club...and this needs to be required reading.

Actually that may be a cool thing. Kinda like this thread, but with all the information and wisdom doled out through the years in an easily accessible format. There's a metric ton of good information in this massive thread, but it's buried and hard to get to. That's a shame.

Anyone try to fit a 160 rear on their 950 SM? Not sure what that would do to the handling balance and from my brief research, I think you'd need to install a narrower rim. Thoughts? Obviously this would be done to open up more tire options.

Got my Lower Frame Sliders, Fork/Axle Sliders, Swingarm Sliders, and KTM SM Tankbag today. Took me all of 30 minutes to put it all on.

What's next?

Turbo kit.

I've read that fitting a 160 on the 5.5 would be good as it spreads the tire too much and weakens the bead where it seals to the rim.

I don't have any real world experience to share here. Tire choices would rock.

Garry,

You may want to give James a call out at http://www.superplushsuspension.com/index.htm

As I understand it Aeronaut has been happy with his forks since he's had them redone by James, I just spoke with him today about redoing mine. James has a fair number of fans in the Orange Crush area too.

I assume you mean't wouldn't be good. And yes, I've read that as well as it changes the tire profile considerably. I'd think that a 160 rear with one of the more aggressive SM tread patterns would make the bike much better in the dirt. The Syncs are OK, but I do think we can do better for the days that are planed to be 50% dirt.

I just tried sending him an email via his web site and it was returned because his mailbox is full. Is phone the best way to reach him?

Guess so. I called him yesterday late afternoon and he rang back by 6p. I forgot to ask him about sag. He's detailed some good info on his site but I was curious about his thoughts on the SM/SMR specificaly. If you get some good feedback please post up.