950 Supermoto Chronicles

[TwoTone]

Congrats

Not all twins are equal, some are just dead, some have that wild beast within

[made-in-oz]

Originally Posted by made-in-oz

Picked up my 950sm yesterday after owning a BMW GS1200 for 10 months and just not being able to love it. I can understand why they got international bike of the year, but crap suspension noisy engine and not nicely balanced. Every time I took the BM out I'd say to myself "it will be better this time" . Just the ride home from the dealer on the 950 and I'm grinning. Can't wait to put some miles on it!!!!!

First real ride today and man I love it. Can't wait to run it in.

Pipes are on their way, then canisterectomy and some jetting and off into the sunset. Wooo Hooo

[brents347]

Originally Posted by wpbarlow

You're probably right; but doing dirt road riding should have been part of the test. Look at it this way- I remember reading something like only 5% of people who buy sportbikes ever take them to the track- yet every publication spends enough time at the track when they test them that you'd think 95% of the owners do track days. I suspect more than 5% ofbig supermoto riders (well, except for the Hypers ) do at least casual dirt road riding.





Yes, there is that aspect. I guess we can all do is what this guys often says

So does this make me a 5%er?

[Just Bob]

New thread posted here on my luggage solution;

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346962

[wpbarlow]

Originally Posted by brents347

So does this make me a 5%er?

Not just a 5%er-- a proud 5%er

[wpbarlow]

Couple hundred high fun miles today.

To paraphrase Alan Greenspan, this bike engenders irrational exuberance. One aspect of this is that it is a lot of fun to hustle down a crappy road. Another is possible consequences.

I thought I was imagining a very slight vibration after traversing a particularly bumpy/holey road at speed. I wasn't.

[JBird]

That looks a lot better than your last bent rim!!!

[Nowwhat]

Originally Posted by JBird

That looks a lot better than your last bent rim!!!

.... .....damn....time for some laced wheels...

[docgonzo]

Originally Posted by Nowwhat

.... .....damn....time for some laced wheels...

Well, that's an interesting comment. I've always wondered whether laced wheels flex better in the rough terrain. Maybe that's why they are on all serious dirt bikes despite the hassle of inner tubes and rim locks.

The DirtStars that came with my SuperEnduro are pretty tough, as are the stock rims on the 6 year old 520 EXC. No dents so far, and I've been on some pretty rock terrain in the past 4 weeks.

Walter, that's the second bent rim you've had this summer already, huh? Getting expensive to run your SM on dirt roads.

[govdog76]

Originally Posted by docgonzo

Walter, that's the second bent rim you've had this summer already, huh? Getting expensive to run your SM on dirt roads.

Walter- these expensive rims you are working your way through look like the perfect reason to give the wife why getting an SE is really a financially sensible purchase!!

Glad you are holding up better than the rims. Cheers.

[wpbarlow]

Originally Posted by docgonzo

.... Maybe that's why they are on all serious dirt bikes despite the hassle of inner tubes and rim locks.
...Walter, that's the second bent rim you've had this summer already, huh? Getting expensive to run your SM on dirt roads.

Still mastering the obvious, eh?

Actually this, like the other one, was done on a paved road- just not a very well paved road. I haven't had a single issue on a dirt road (so far).

I don't think I'd want wire wheels/spokes (that need tubes) on a large street bike. The spoked wheels may be less suseptible to bending (I'm not convinced of it, as I've dented spoked rims in the past). The cast wheels are lighter (and it's unsprung weight), stay true better, run cooler during extended use, are much less susceptible to blowout, and are more easily repaired when flat.

I could see cast wheels on mx and other competition dirt bikes- situations where you don't need the sidewall tear protection that a tube tire provides. I suspect the real challenge to overcome would be to engineer a cast wheel that provides the same flex/feel characteristics while maintaning the strength. But motorcycling is composed of pretty conservative mindsets, so it may take a while.

[wpbarlow]

Originally Posted by govdog76

...Glad you are holding up better than the rims. Cheers.

Just another aspect of the fun tax.

[reconsmr]

I had bent two Duke 2 BBS wheels inside of a week, the spokers that replaced them went over the same roads & speed bump highway joints that lofted the bike into the air without issue for 18 months.

My supermoto has a flat spot on each wheel but the 60' MX jumps have more to do with that than the street. A set of TUV (Euro standard like DOT???) approved wheels in cast would have folded already. They apparantly mandate a softer material to allow the rim to bend rather than crack but it bends very easily, see any BBS wheel for road use, KTM, VW Corrado,,, Great smooth as a new racetrack road wheels but not for real USA roads in this day.

[Chuckracer]

Walter, what tire pressures do you run?

I hit a imbedded rock on a dirt road a week or so ago, big enough and hard enough that it launched me and the bike in the air (classic Flying W). I figured I had bent a wheel for sure...nope, they were fine. 30/30 tire pressures, Syncs.

[wpbarlow]

Originally Posted by Chuckracer

Walter, what tire pressures do you run?....

I run 33/35 with Syncs.