WHAT UP WITH SUPERMOTO?
SuperMoto is a sport that takes several different types of motorcycle racing and combines them all into one fun sport! The courses are about 70% asphalt and 30% dirt with at least one jump (typically a tabletop) and some right and left handers thrown in to keep you on your toes. SuperMoto racing is a relatively inexpensive way to experience the precision and control of road racing, the flight of motocross racing, and the controlled slide of dirt track racing SuperMoto (also known as Supermotard or SuperTT) emerged in the United States in the late 70’s through the mid 80’s with the popularity of the ABC Wide World of Sports television series “Superbiker."
Select riders from the disciplines of road racing, flat track, and motocross against each other in order to answer the bigger question of who was the best of the best. The U.S. series may have faded into history but the Europeans adopted the sport and have elevated it to new levels (Supermotard is the French translation derived from the word “superbikers”). The sport has developed a huge European following as evidenced by the debut of an FIM sanctioned World Championship in 2002.
SuperMoto has shown a huge comeback in the United States with riders of all facets of motorcycle racing becoming involved with the AMA Redbull Series and the AMA SuperMoto Grand Championships both emerging in 2003.
HYPERMOTARD 1100
TWO WHEELS, ONE PURPOSE
– TO THRILL
The Hypermotard 1100 takes on urban canyons and attacks mountain curves with total abandon. Its purpose is single-minded: to thrill.
Its ‘motard’ styling and stance combine with Ducati’s ‘sportsbike’ smooth and powerful L-Twin engine to deliver the best of both these two motorcycling worlds. With a riding position to dominate, the exceptionally slim, compact and incredibly light Hypermotard is ready to take on every road with big-bore acceleration.
High performance starts with attitude and the Hypermotard packs the most aggressive attitude of the entire Ducati range. Reduced to its essentials, it’s an extreme performance, over-the-top motorcycle that’s just looking for action.
This bike offers what no supermotard can: speeds exceeding 200kph (125mph) on the race track, fuel injection, and over 95hp – all combined with Ducati’s unmistakeable passion for engineering a motorcycle that stands apart.
Here’s the hard-as-nails off-road version, the KTM 950 Super Enduro R. KTM say it’s ‘the ideal bike for those who want to tackle absolutely everything. During chassis tests it dismisses the roughest abuse.’ And why not – the bike’s high-grade WP suspension components have been optimised for hard-core competition use. Planning on tackling the Paris-Dakar next year? The Super Enduro R is your bike.
The 185-kilo bike is powered by a 942cc, liquid-cooled V-twin, which makes 98 horsepower. The chassis is tubular chrome-molybedinum space frame, brakes are from Brembo, and WP suspension, front and rear, is hugely adjustable. The Super Enduro R was launched at one of the world’s toughest off-road events – the Erzberg Rodeo, in Austria – and it won the twins class
2007 KAWASAKI K250F
To say that Kawasaki had a good year with the KX250F in 2006 is putting it mildly. The bike was well received by the press, sold well and gathered in a bunch of championships culminating with the MX Lites title for Ryan Villopoto. Icing on the cake was Villopoto’s MX2 individual best score at the MX of Nations. So what to do for an encore? Kawasaki kept the changes basic, but keyed on the important. The chassis flex is changed to feel less rigid, but still have accurate handling. Engine power is boosted at lower rpm, and an entirely new transmission with wider and stronger gears handle the abuse of the additional ponies. Naturally the suspension settings are updated, and a curious-looking new chain roller that looks like a toothed saw is given credit for better manners under deceleration.
The ’06 KX250F turned great, and chassis and suspension changes make this one even happier to change direction. The changes work well on the track. The ’07 pulls hard from right off idle, and it never seems to find a soft spot or hesitation in its acceleration curve. When the track was wet, and the engine spins up in the rpm easily, the engine improvement was subtle. When the surface grew hard, chopped and beat-up, the extra urge gets to the ground better and accelerates harder. The suspension action is more controlled with no wallowing yet absorbed jarring hits and landings better. The shock is a smaller improvement than the fork, but both ends work well together.
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DRZ400SM
Take the incredible versatility and performance of Suzuki's renowned DR-Z400. Mix in street-legal capabilities and unmatched handling. Then add a double shot of aggressive Suzuki styling and attitude. The result is the DR-Z400SM.
For exceptional performance on the street, the DR-Z400SM offers remarkably smooth performance, along with a rush of torque across the powerband. For crisp handling, it features a lightweight, compact design, complemented by advanced suspension front and rear, including an RM250-derived inverted fork.
Key Features
• Suzuki's new Supermotard model based on DR-Z400S - combines Supermotard style and features in a narrow, lightweight street-legal package
• Long travel, Showa-brand inverted front fork derived from RM250 - features adjustable compression/rebound damping and alumite coating on inner tube surfaces for smooth action
• A fully-adjustable rear shock absorber with high/low speed compression damping adjuster and aluminum swingarm for precise rear wheel control
• Strong braking performance supplied by a front disc brake with a large 310mm floating-type rotor and dual-piston caliper, plus 240mm rear disc brake with single-piston caliper
• Black-painted 17" aluminum rims and radial tires: 120/70-R17 front, 140/70-R17 rear
SUPERMOTO SPECS
What do I have to do to prep my bike to race SuperMoto?
Remove the coolant from your bike's motor. (mandated by the race tracks) You need to replace the coolant with distilled water. There is a product made be Redline called "water wetter" that you can get at just about any shop, that you add to the water. This acts as a lubricant for the water pump, and reduces the friction in your cooling system, which keeps the engine temperature down.
To prevent fluid from leaking onto the track and causing accidents, you will be required to place a dab of silicone or "gorilla snot" on each bolt that has fluid behind it. (oil drain bolt, oil filler cap, water pump drain plug, etc.) Safety wiring these bolts is the preferred method, but is not mandatory. To safety wire a bolt, you must drill a hole through the head. You then run safety wire through the head of the bolt and around something else that is stationary on your bike. It is very important to make sure that the safety wire is pulling toward the right side of the bolt, as this will keep the bolt from backing out. The purpose of using the silicone or safety wire on these bolts is to ensure that your bolts don't back out due to vibration and leak fluid onto the track. Below are a couple of photos that have been taken of safety wiring the oil drain plug, oil lines, and the oil filter cover. The oil filter cover has been wired in a “daisy chain” manner, which links all three bolts together in a continuous manner. This puts continuous pressure on the right side of each bolt, so that they do not back out. The other two bolts that hold the oil lines on are both wired together with each pulling the other to the right to keep the bolts tight.
For more information on Safety Wiring and techniques, please visit:
http://www.whizwheels.com/Tips/safetywiring.html
http://www.rc51.org/wire1.htm
Do I have to have 17” SuperMoto wheels to race?
Absolutely not! We have a class for all of the people that just want to come and check it out without spending the big bucks on the 17” wheels. This is the Sportsman class, and you can race it with your stock wheels and suspension! There are some really good tires that you can get for your stock wheels, and they are about the same price as regular MX tires. You can also race all of the other classes with your Sportsman setup if you like. You are not just restricted to the Sportsman class.
Do I have to have the big brakes?
No, you do not have to have the big brakes. However, the faster you become, the more that you will need additional braking power. Your stock brakes will begin to fade and become unreliable at a point when you have begun to pick up the pace. At this point, I would suggest moving up to the larger brakes. You can move up in stages if you want to, as this is not cheap, but worth every penny! You can purchase the rotor first, and then get the brake line, caliper, and master cylinder at a later time if you want to. You will notice a huge improvement by just adding the 320 mm rotor. It actually is about being safer, and not just faster. You need to have the confidence that your brakes will be there for you lap after lap, and the bigger brake set up does provide you with that.
What about hand guards?
Hand guards are optional as well. Unlike off-road racing, we won’t be blasting through the trees and bushes. However, if you do go down, hand guards tend to save your levers and also your hands on occasion.
What about axle sliders?
Axle sliders look like skate board wheels that run through your front and rear axles. They are designed to take the abuse of your bike sliding on its side (not that any of us would ever have a little get-off). They rub on the asphalt before the rest of your bike does, so your pipe and plastic don’t get nearly as damaged. |
