Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of a Hypermotard or a Multistrada as a track bike? Anyone use either for this purpose? Would love to hear your experience -- I'm looking to add one or the other to my stable for some street use but will be most interested in the super-moto/dual-sport track fun! PS -- I think KTM's SMR is too small to track with literbikes and 600 sportbikes, but maybe I'm wrong? Please set me straight, that would also be awesome.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RD5icwIQ6lQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/en2HUjq-DXU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> There are a bunch of fellas that have run the KTM 950/990 SM/SMR bikes for trackdays. Here is some track day video of DocHoliday and Brents347. The stock front brakes are especially suited for that use and the motor has an easy torque curve to grunt around with. The suspension is sorta tall but with the wide bars and enduro seating position, the bike feels right at home railing corners. edit to add: Dont forget to search the H-moto/M-Strada and 950sm chronicles/990smr threads in Road Warriors. Lots of jabber about the bikes on the track and relative experience. I don't think any of the bikes mentioned are competitive/suitable for class racing, 'cept for Pikes peak or a run what ya brung, stock bike flattrack event. I would love a HeavyMoto TT division at the stadium truck tracks used for the Superlite truck Championship. Just enough high speed straight air to scare ya, then tons of roosting sideways off your rev limiter, skittering around the corners.
Depends a little on the track but, as always, more on the rider. The larger displacement single cylinder KTMs/Husabergs/Husqvarnas and Honda/Suzuki 450's have enough steam for most any course. An organization that uses the Louden track created a supermoto class a few years ago at Louden because the sm's were kicking 600 asses in the sportbike class- and also upsetting folks because they were passing everywhere . I've tracked a Husaberg 510 and a friend his EXC520 successfully at Pocono (the old East course) and the Millville courses. A side benefit of the singles is that you can also do supermoto specific track days. These are usually 1/2 the cost of regular track days and just as much fun. And they're perfect if you have moto gymkanas in your area. Of course the twins make better street bikes (much better imo depending on where you live), so if that's important to you it's probably a better solution.
You can't really ask that question on a forum like this and expect much back. This is a motorcycle racing forum. Some people here race motorcycles, but the models you mention are not platforms for racing. They are probably quite useful for enjoying track days and spirited riding, though. Neat to look at too. But you won't be sliding them around a road course with your foot out.
No SM rider has ever won a middleweight or bigger expert race at Loudon, unless it was in the rain. The very fastest laps by a SM are 6 seconds off the pace. I might add that the fast laps on a SM are produced by the same riders at the top of the money classes. Well, Doug Henry made a dent a few years ago, but he was still 8 seconds off the pace.
If that's the case then I stand corrected and apologize for spreading information I've heard from a number of people and extrapolated from the couple of times I saw open practices while I was there for some Penguin training about 7 years ago. I do know for a fact that I kicked some 600 ass with my SM though as did my friend. We also couldn't understand one time when they cancelled the track day in the afternoon because it was raining
wpbarlow - I have no doubt you couldn't kick everybodies butt at a track day aboard your berg sm. Loudon is uniquely suited for a big bore SM. The turns are point and shoot and the straights are short. But even the lightweight sportbikes are a bit quicker by about 2 seconds at the top levels. I stood atop the pit wall there with my watches for many many years. My sons were riders, but I covered most races because I wrote the race weekend reports for roadracingworld.com.
I've tracked both a 690sm and a 690 duke. Depending on the track I never miss all those extra cylinders. If its a technical track the street sm bikes are a real blast and I don't get as worn out riding them like my old 750 gsxr. Here's me an the girlie doing the lunchtime spin at Shenandoah circuit.
Also if its track days and not racing it still is really all about the rider. You're ging to have a very broad range of ability attending. I've seen fast dudes on large dual sports passing sport bikes that have a power to weight ratio advantage. A lot of it is still the rider.