Motards

[Pittenger5]

Starting to think about next years ride already. I love my EX, but its frustrating to know every weekend I head up theres only one race the bike is competitive at all in, especailly since I love the track time. I know I dont wanna go into the 600s, so I'm starting to think SV or a tard. I know exactly about zero about tards, so if someone could help edumicate me a little bit. SOMEONE has said that if you dont have any dirt experience (I dont) a tard will be a lot tougher to get to ride well. As well as some advice on what bike to look for, and what sort of things I want to stay away from?

[SVRACER01]

i rode Jays tard and it was a blast. i couldnt understand why they take such crappy lines because you can literally put them wherever you want. i was actually riding inside the bumps in 11 which i cant do on the SV because of clearance.
with that said everything has its goods and bads. the good about the tards is if you crash the generally dont get hurt. that great if you crash alot...save your self some $$$$. but even with really good maint. you are eventually gonna have to rebuild the motor, whether it goes BOOM or not. factor $2k+ for that. so basically you need to factor in a $1-2K crash every year whether you crash or not.
Jays bike runs great and i think it has a couple of seasons on the motor but the flipside is look a KBs bike, it went POP in 1 season. luck of the draw i guess.

[Kurlon]

Motards are going to be more maint, especially if you try and run a built motor.

[Pittenger5]

Whats the general week to week maintenance of motards? I understand changing the oil more often and stuff, the valves? Does anything require special tools or some special "functional" brain or anything like that?

[a13x]

Do a search bro. About a dozen posts on this topic. Lot of good info to be found.

[TheIglu]

The motors wear out way faster due to their high-reving high power nature.

[mmracer37]

Jays bike runs great and i think it has a couple of seasons on the motor but the flipside is look a KBs bike, it went POP in 1 season. luck of the draw i guess.

That's cause I built the motor in Jay's bike

[wookie]

How much does dirt experience help on a motard? Are those with dirt experience way ahead?

DB - borrow one and ride it.

[Paul_E_D]

IMO motards are pretty easy for anyone to ride fast. People with a dirt background will probably ride supermoto style, while roadracers will ride roadrace style at first. Both work, so there's no real advantage to the dirt riders other than familiarity with the riding position, which is bizarre for a roadracer.

I think the reason they take a lot of wonky lines is simply because the bike can, and most riders don't work out detailed reference points for many years. To go really fast on a motard is still just as hard as any other bike, because ultimately technique has to be refined.

They are a great choice for EX refugees, because they offer a LOT more potential for a little more money.

[SVRACER01]

That's cause I built the motor in Jay's bike

did you forget to do the spokes?

[a13x]

IMO motards are pretty easy for anyone to ride fast.

Sorta...

21 - 23 Fast, but not super hard for a good rider.
19-21 Fast, this takes some work
18-19 Shit, you flying!
Sub 18 F$#$%, you crazy mon.. crazy!!!

To go really fast on a motard is still just as hard as any other bike, because ultimately technique has to be refined.

Yea. Silly lines go away pretty quick once you start moving. Then you ride it like any small slow bike.

[Tricky Mike]

It's a repost, but the vid is a great display of the two prevailing styles and the different lines they can run... Jeff and Doug Henry owning turn 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfWWPyvZMZg

[Paul_E_D]

That was usually me right behind them, but I don't think I was in that race. Maybe it was the year after they kicked the motards out of 125GP

[TheIglu]

Man, in those videos they always cut out the lap where I passed the both of them on the outside.

[mmracer37]

did you forget to do the spokes?

Man, you don't need all dem stinkin' spokes. I thought I told Jay it had 2 broken spokes on the rear wheel. They've been broken for years!

[a13x]

It's a repost, but the vid is a great display of the two prevailing styles and the different lines they can run... Jeff and Doug Henry owning turn 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfWWPyvZMZg

Best friggin' race I've ever seen. Epic.