CBBaron Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 What has happened to all of the street legal supermotos all of a sudden?A couple years ago Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, KTM and Husky all had a model available. Seems for 2013 only the Suzuki DRZ400SM is left. I know you can make your own from a dual sport. Or if you want better performance start from an off-road bike. But the ready made street legal bikes were a nice choice for a light, fun, easy to ride street bike. Without them on the showroom floors now, there wont be many used models available on the market in a few years. I rode a rented DRZ400sm around Deal's Gap last summer and it was a great bike for the conditions. Definitely a ton of fun. Im disappointed that the style seems to be disappearing. Sorry for the semi rant.Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mj 88 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Honda never offered a supermoto. This is the first year back for the DRZ SM. Supermoto will never die!! The US market just sucks for new supermotos. The passed few years I went down south and hit TN 116, 129, and some other good roads. I love it down that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTWilliam04 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 My two cents would be to see how much adjusting your coverages really changes your price. In my experience, the bulk of the charges will be the same. I jumped all of mine up and even lowered my deductibles and it only went up about $60 for the year. Small price to pay for piece of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YSR_Racer_99 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 They need to put at least the 450's in them for the US market, IMHO. I don't have any interest in a 225/ 250. Owned an SMC625 for a year, and it vibrated so much that it blurred my vision. Other than that it was a great hooligan bike (far beyond my capabilities). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawlins87 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Honda never offered a supermoto. This is the first year back for the DRZ SM. Supermoto will never die!! The US market just sucks for new supermotos. The passed few years I went down south and hit TN 116, 129, and some other good roads. I love it down that way.Technically they did, crf230m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mj 88 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Technically they did, crf230mOk, But not in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBBaron Posted March 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 They need to put at least the 450's in them for the US market, IMHO. I don't have any interest in a 225/ 250. Owned an SMC625 for a year, and it vibrated so much that it blurred my vision. Other than that it was a great hooligan bike (far beyond my capabilities).Im not sure a 450 is required, and you wont see any Japanese manufacturer put an MX 450 in a street legal machine. The maintenance intervals are not what most street riders will want to do.The 250 power plants in the WR250R and CRF250L are pretty decent street engines. The CRF power plant even comes from a "sport bike". However even the KTM 690 and Husky TE610 supermotos have disappeared recently. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mj 88 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 It would be nice if Honda would make a supermoto like a KTM 690. I think they would sell in the US. Maybe some day if fuel prices keep going up the demand for supermotos would too, or at least I hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawlins87 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Xr650r's should be reintroduced with Fi, 6spd, 17's with a front 320, and brembro master cylinder. I never buy new, but for that I would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mj 88 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Xr650r's should be reintroduced with Fi, 6spd, 17's with a front 320, and brembro master cylinder. I never buy new, but for that I would.They might as well make a new titanium or carbon frame and then we'd have something. I've never road a XR 650r only the 650l. It was a pig! I bought my first 450 new it's only seen the dirt for the first 100 miles. It now has 15,000 miles on it and it's been a solid bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motociclista Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Why no supermotos? There are two basic kinds of riders in our part of the world. The fanatical ones like me and you who hang out here. The masses of casual, fair-weather riders who ride only occasionally, often as a social activity. I don't think supermotos hit the right buttons for either one. Let me explain.Group one (us): I would love to have a supermoto, but any time I've been in a position to get one, I couldn't come up with any way it made sense for me. The 250s are fine for around town, but I don't really ride around town enough to make adding a bike for just that purpose worthwhile. Converting an MX bike is expensive and maintenance intensive. The KTMs and such are a hoot but expensive and I still don't want to travel on one. (I know a guy who had the original KTM Duke. Fun, but it vibrated so much it literally ripped the license plate almost in two.) So the supermoto is purely a recreational bike, and my sportbike does that very well, too. Suddenly, I can't find a reason to add a supermoto.Group two (them): If you're a fair-weather social rider and your friends all ride cruisers, they'll laugh at you if you show up on a "dirt bike." If your friends ride sportbikes, they'll laugh at you if you show up on a "dirt bike." And since you don't ride that much, you don't have the skills to ride circles around them and teach them some respect.Thus, no supermotos. Nobody buys them in this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 (edited) I want a motard! Edited May 16, 2013 by neo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12oclocker Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Old stock is the reason, in Europe they still sell all those models, we have leftover 2008, 2009, 2010 stock of many of the WR250X, CRF230M, KLX250SM, DRZ400SM, because of our economy. until the leftover stock is sold, many manufacturers are not releasing new years of the bike in the USA. Make no sense to export a bunch of new 2013 bikes to us, when several hundred 2009's are still new on the showroom floor in various dealer locations.Honda did just release a CRF250M in the UK, and I believe they will probably release here in the usa by 2015. http://world.honda.com/news/2013/2130412CRF250M/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottie.harris Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 I am currently in the market for a supermoto, it takes a different type of person to like sumos. I think the majority of sumo riders/lovers tend to come from an offroad backround. I also want a sumo do to the fact that i do a mixture of street riding and small offroading.The problem im running into is finding a dealer that has them in stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 i need a motard with a 690 SMC engine, weighs about 300lbs (like the 690smc), 32-33" seat height, a seat that doesn't deflower your anus after 35 minutes, a place to mount a windscreen and is honda/yamaha level reliable.until then, i'm going to be chucking this fz1 piggy around(coming from a 690 SMC owner) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revelstoker Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 (edited) i need a motard with a 690 SMC engine, weighs about 300lbs (like the 690smc), 32-33" seat height, a seat that doesn't deflower your anus after 35 minutes, a place to mount a windscreen and is honda/yamaha level reliable.until then, i'm going to be chucking this fz1 piggy around(coming from a 690 SMC owner)What, no love for the Duke? I also love the Sumo but had to deal with the practicality issue. Ended up with the SMT after the Hypemotard. Not a true sumo but adds practicality. Tradeoffs. Edited May 16, 2013 by Revelstoker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnone Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Fast and light = maintenance intensive. I can't believe what a CRF250R needs for maintenance. I bought it as a Kart track race bike in SM class.SM's on the street are hooligan type which can get you in a lot of trouble. Ducati and others still sell them on the high end, but they aren't light like dirt bike conversions. Honda is releasing a CR250L this year but still has the 21 and 18" tires. Not 17" like we want for good tire selections. The honda 230 is an embarrassment.Probably best to just buy a DRZ400 used. Apparently they last a long time.Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 I want a 2013 Honda Hawk.Someone needs to make an SV650 competitor... I know Kawasaki makes a 650, but it's really aimed at new riders. Or I could just buy a first gen SV and strip it down... Close to Sumo weight. Spoked wheels on an SV would look awesome, and maybe save some weight. that'd be sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBBaron Posted May 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 Old stock is the reason, in Europe they still sell all those models, we have leftover 2008, 2009, 2010 stock of many of the WR250X, CRF230M, KLX250SM, DRZ400SM, because of our economy. until the leftover stock is sold, many manufacturers are not releasing new years of the bike in the USA. Make no sense to export a bunch of new 2013 bikes to us, when several hundred 2009's are still new on the showroom floor in various dealer locations.Honda did just release a CRF250M in the UK, and I believe they will probably release here in the usa by 2015. http://world.honda.com/news/2013/2130412CRF250M/index.htmlThis makes sense, however a couple corrections.It is KLX250SF.As mentioned the CRF230M is more beginner moto than supermoto.Supermotos are tough on long high speed rides. However that DRZ400SM was the best bike for me at Deals Gap last year. I need to get myself one as one would also be a good commuter on the crappy Cleveland roads.It is amazing how different a bike feels when it is thin and light. And for me the ergonomics of the supermotos are much better than the heavier bikes.I hope new models show up from all the manufacturers again in future years, including the CRF250M which should be a nice machine.Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 Sumo's are great at the gap because it's really a slow "course."The thing I'm learning quickly about light bikes is that body position is EVERYTHING. You can have shit body position on a 500 lbs. VFR, because you're 2/7 of the total mass. On a Sumo, you're almost HALF the mass. That's seriously significant. Less bike = more rider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 When Yamaha gets off their ass and finally comes out with a WR450R, they will set the bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 What, no love for the Duke? I also love the Sumo but had to deal with the practicality issue. Ended up with the SMT after the Hypemotard. Not a true sumo but adds practicality. Tradeoffs.b-b-b-butt, my ass... my poor poor assseriously, i love those bikes, but they wedge themselves so deep into your anus after an hour or more or riding, no wind protection whatsoever, but just about perfect everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indypup Posted August 28, 2014 Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Posted August 28, 2014 Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 I got the 2014 690 duke and have to say, I'm quite happy with it if I don't ride the highway. That bike was in no way designed for highway cruising. The thing vibrates pretty good at highway speeds. Besides that, the bike is an excellent back roads bike and is an absolute blast. You don't even notice the vibration in the backwoods and I can honestly go for hours on it. The torque and power are really good and feels powerful. The bike weighs around 310 lbs wet and just dives into corners. It's pretty close to a supermoto but you get reliability and a shorter seat height. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted August 28, 2014 Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 After a few more months of riding my small single and I-4 750, I have decided that I want a ninja 250 motor in a 400SM frame. Light weight, will cruise on the highway, and won't vibrate to death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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