Street tarders?

[Chippertheripper]

Who runs a moturd as their main machine? Street/track/commuter. I've been doing alot of lusting since I started running my lc4 ds around. Give me some honest insight on the pluses and minuses. I know there is no 1 bike that does ut all...perfectly.

[Pittenger5]

I does

[sandman]

Who runs a moturd as their main machine? Street/track/commuter. I've been doing alot of lusting since I started running my lc4 ds around. Give me some honest insight on the pluses and minuses. I know there is no 1 bike that does ut all...perfectly.

one bike? now that something i hope to never have to do.

if all your riding is local it can be fun, but if you need to do highway or long distance stuff the single gets old fast.

i had a duke for 5-6 years and had a blast as long as it was local stuff.

what year is your lc4?

[Fitz]

I'm kind of wondering the same thing. My commute is 54 miles daily. 95% of that is slabbing it down route 3. Too much highway?

Thanks,
Fitz

[MysteriousR1]

I'm kind of wondering the same thing. My commute is 54 miles daily. 95% of that is slabbing it down route 3. Too much highway?

Thanks,
Fitz

I would think so. I have a KTM 525exc Tard and it does not like to slab it. But, it is just about the funnest damn thing ive ridden.

[Chippertheripper]

Db, what do you rip on the street?

Yeah one bike. One for dirty adventuring, one for ripping twisties (maybe the track too) and potentially one devoted to racing.

2001 lc4 400. Surprisingly fun everywhere. Even with dot knobs.

[Pittenger5]

690 SMC
I dont know if I could commute a TON on it, but Ive done highway rips on it, not bad. Id do the occasional long ride on it, the engine doesnt bother me much.

[Chippertheripper]

the 690smc is secks. kinda what really put a tent in my pants. a guy yesterday came after me thinking my ktm was a sumo, he was on an orange 09, and thought mine was terded too. i wanna ride one sooo bad. i'd do maybe an hour or so slab runs to get to group rides and such, that 6th gear keep the rpms and vibes reasonable? i really don't run at over 70 on the highway regardless of the vehicle.

[Pittenger5]

Yah, 6th gear really helps. I can cruise all day long on it. It hits about 110 at the track, so even 80 isnt pushing hard on the street. The seat is my biggest complaint, if I was gonna do commuting Id find an aftermarket one.

[Chippertheripper]

secks secks secks.

[Doc]

I had a 250x that I tarded... Now doing the 450x. I am hoping it has the power I was craving on the 250x. If it does it should be perfect for around town and short commutes.

[Chippertheripper]

...you vermonters and your ability to register anything...

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

I have a DRZ400Sm Modded with an FCR49 Carb and full yosh, I ride in around town and backroads. Its fast enough to get in trouble I do take it on the highway and It will do 100mph with no complaints. But it does get blown around a little to much to Much to be a long trip bike. And if I ride exited (with Richie) I can empty a tank in under 70miles. However it eats sportbikes on the backroads. Street riding is a pretty small portion of my motorcycle life as I ride a ton of Dirt (Yz250F) and have a Ktm Motard for the track. I will most likely never own another "sportbike" But if all I did was ride street I would have a cooler bike.

[typeone]

i've got an SXV for street + occasional track days. backroads = hells yes, slab of any kind = no. it's my only road bike and i dont regret going 'tard only.

could i commute on it? only if the route was all backroads and i had a Money Tree out back in full bloom.

[Chippertheripper]

A "cooler bike" squirrell? Like what?

T1, cuz the motors are "prone" to blowing up? The real short list of bikes I really want are the 690smc or 3 used farkled drzsm's. Anybody know if the gear ratios inside are any different between the drz's? E, s, sm?

[typeone]

T1, cuz the motors are "prone" to blowing up?

there is a history with the SXVs but if the known issues are corrected the bikes can be pretty tough. mine has been solid to date... and i havent corrected the biggest issue yet... case reseal.

the problem for commuting on one is they really are high-strung race bikes with lights which means constant maintenance and early rebuild schedules. everything about it is expensive but so f'in fun to ride i dont care.

[FriskyDingo]

It's not my only bike but last year I did put twice as many miles on my "new" to me KTM 690sm than my other bike, as mentioned previously they are just a BLAST, so much fun under 75. I commute to work on it most of the time because it gets 50-55mpg regardless of how I twist the throttle, fill up with 2.8 gallons and I get 145-150 till the light. My commute has a max of 3 miles of slab depending on how late i'm running, I wouldn't want to do an hour on the highway, but I cruise on the highway at 75-85 easily(and as Pitt5 mentioned it'll do 100+, with decent passing power at 80). When time is tight I've done a few 35-40 mile slab rides with no problem, but I don't make a habbit of it.

I've got just over 10k miles on mine now, other than oil changes every 2.5/3k miles only other maint has been a valve check(no adj needed, in spec), oil changes are a snap and even with the $$motorex it's under $45. The only issue I've had with mine is some intermitent stalling, but I'm hoping a new pipe and the Akro map upgrade solve that.

I'd give it a try as an only bike if your highway riding is minimal or shorter lengths regularly. As an only bike I'd opt for something larger than a 400, one of the KTM 690s or the Husky 610, stock they will both have more power than a worked DRZ(not bashing the DRZ) with great reliability. I love the SXV, but to quote typeone

constant maintenance and early rebuild schedules

you'll be changing the oil TWICE a week.

[Pittenger5]

The only issue I've had with mine is some intermitent stalling, but I'm hoping a new pipe and the Akro map upgrade solve that.

That happens to me too, especially when its REAL hot (traffic here in miami is pretty brutal). Happened once coming out of 9, damn near pooped myself.

[Chippertheripper]

All great stuff, fellas.
As I said, that 690smc really gave me a stiffy. I'll have to start poking around and kicking some tires. My regular highway excursions are only 13 miles each way, never any traffic, so it'd be manageable, I think. The "race motor" turds, smaller te's, sxv, and rfs ktms, would be too maintenance intensive to be practical. The real appeal of the drz is the fact they can be had so cheap. I had one as a street legal dirty already, and would probably rather the ktm for it's dialedness out the box. I've read some stuff about rocker arm bearings and wallowing mismatched feeling suspension. What say you to this? With it adjusted properly, does it still feel wierd?

[Pittenger5]

All great stuff, fellas.

I did 13 miles on the regular, not a problem whatsoever. As for suspension, Im on stock stuff, never adjusted, I was doing fine. I did 27s at a track day (when my race times were 24s at the time). I know Paul had a LOT of work done to his bike in the suspension department, but for what I need it for it was fine for me.

[Pestilence]

I does

I've done it all with the Husky. Track, commuter and weekend warrior.

[snowborder]

How many miles on yours now... mine blew up at 5k

I've done it all with the Husky. Track, commuter and weekend warrior.

[R7]

My favorite Tard was my KTM 525EXC. One of the smoothest singles I've ever riden, the gearbox had the perfect ratios for everyday street use IMO. I thought mine was OK on the highway upto 70mph, though it would do 100 easily. Between dirt riding and Motard riding, mine had about 6k when I sold it and still ran strong.
Something to think about, year round use with a converted enduro bike Motard wheels for the street, dirty wheels for some trail fun, and add some ice screws to the dirty wheels for some winter fun

[Pestilence]

How many miles on yours now... mine blew up at 5k

Not really sure.. If I had to guess, somewhere in the 5-6k mile range. didn't have a computer for 8 months and I never have the miles on the computer display, just the trip miles so I know when to get gas

I do all my service by hours and it's at 145 now.

[Paul_E_D]

SMC here. It's my only bike. 50 mi commute would be no problem. highways just fine. Rips on anything twisty, and has much better topend than other (real) motards. It's a great compromise, but if you want arm ripping grunt, look to the MX bikes.