Looking for a track ready motard bike

[Ductard]

So to give a little background - this was my first track season and I'm hooked. But....after having a mishap or two with my street bike, I'm looking for something a little easier on the pocket book.

I rode motocross when I was a teenager, and boy those motards look like fun on the track, and I wouldn't mind riding dirt a couple more times before I get too old. I think it would be better for me to buy a bike that someone else has already gotten ready for the track. While I'm at it, if anybody has any words of wisdom for me, or caveats (i.e. I heard you've gotta have the top-end rebuilt fairly often on these guys)...well then I'm all ears.

I'm open to suggestions, but here's what I'm looking for:

A motocross bike that has been converted for track use. Something like a YZ450F or a CRF450, maybe a KTM. Not interested in a commuter bike and preferably would NOT have lights, plate etc. for street use. Would have to have track tires / rims, upgraded disks, and preferably upgraded suspension and other goodies for the track.

Also, preferably would include rims, knobbies, etc. so I could take it off-road if I wanted to.


I can pay a fair price in cash for a good machine.

[maxim_X]

http://newlondon.craigslist.org/mcy/4137335574.html

This one seems like what you want. It is street legal but I think that only makes selling it easier.

And a honda race bike. http://newhaven.craigslist.org/mcy/4095770053.html

[nhbubba]

You know, you can get a set up SV for like half that. Just sayin'.

I speak from experience; they crash remarkably well.

[Pittenger5]

Youre better off getting a dirt bike and a motard than having one do double duty. The suspension is gonna be so different if you try to share duty one of the parts just wont be fun.

[OreoGaborio]

[union]

Youre better off getting a dirt bike and a motard than having one do double duty. The suspension is gonna be so different if you try to share duty one of the parts just wont be fun.

I would certainly not want to ride my motard as a dirt bike without a second set of suspension. I might lose a few fillings. It would be an awful ride. If you want yourself a track motard get that. Not something to do both. Youll either be unhappy at one and happy in the other its setup for or unhappy at both because you had to compromise.

With that said we may have a 2005 KTM 525 SMR for sale. Its set up for Loudon.

[csmutty]

If you want to get a motard to save money....that's probably not the best idea. Motards aren't reliable at all and can cost $$ when the motor pops.

I'm a little sour though.

If you were going to go motard I would get something more reliable like a KTM690 which is built for the steady rpms of track use.

[Ductard]

I would certainly not want to ride my motard as a dirt bike without a second set of suspension. I might lose a few fillings. It would be an awful ride. If you want yourself a track motard get that. Not something to do both. Youll either be unhappy at one and happy in the other its setup for or unhappy at both because you had to compromise.

With that said we may have a 2005 KTM 525 SMR for sale. Its set up for Loudon.

http://newlondon.craigslist.org/mcy/4137335574.html
Union - if this is your bike then please check your spam folder - I emailed the poster through Craigslist yesterday and again this morning & haven't heard back


I guess you'd be biased but I've got a friend telling me that a KTM EXC or XCW would be ideal because they have a wider spacing between gears. I only use 3 gears on my street bike up at Loudon so I'm not sure if it's a big deal for that particular track.

[Chippertheripper]

Forget the xcw. The exc is ok, but the w has unnecessarily low 1&2.

I don't think that 525 is the one James was referring to, but ya never know, it may have gotten some street clothes since I last saw it.


I'll definitely third or fourth (whatever we're up to now) that you don't want a double duty bike, but it's your $, go nuts.

[Pittenger5]

Also bear in mind the amount of tracks a tard can run at. Mine's been sitting 2 years now cause I dont have anywhere to run it without popping the motor. I love it too much though, and cant bring myself to sell it. Really wish I had an SV or something though so I could run tracks around here.

[Chippertheripper]

Is it in mass? I'll take it out and run some fuel through her if ya need.

[Pittenger5]

If it were in Mass Id be flying up and running her at Loudon myself.

[Ductard]

Thanks for the rich, insightful feedback, Oreo.


Seriously though, thanks to everybody who replied. It sounds like one of my original reasons for wanting a motard might be out. So another possibility would be to get a track bike (like an SV) for now and either give up the idea of dirt riding or get a bike for that down the line sometime.

I've never actually ridden a motard - so if you can't dual purpose them, what's the draw? Is it just a different kind of ride? I know that's a broad question based on personal preferences, but short of getting the chance to test-ride one around the track I'm all ears on people's reasons for choosing a motard over a track bike and vise-versa.

[Chippertheripper]

Motards are fun for a number of reasons:
They way half of a normal bike, so you can flick them around and late brake EVERYBODY (at a td)
They're just a blast to ride. Power to weight is often pretty decent too, they're generally pretty good on tires, and since they top out pretty low compared to a ss, you can use all the power, so to speak.
They are free to crash too.

For the price of a nice tard, you can get a decent sv, AND a dirty with a plate, as suggested above.

[OreoGaborio]

Thanks for the rich, insightful feedback, Oreo.

Wiseass...

If you want me to elaborate I'll go back and copy/paste Richie's reply cuz his post was spot on.

[union]

This is the one we have. Its not mine it belongs to one of the shop partners. Wheels may or may not go with it but it does have two sets of spoked wheels. Ours isnt a converted SX, XCW or EXC model. Its a true SMR and its been well upgraded from there.

[Manny]

Wirelessly posted

I have a drz 470 for sale. Marchesimi wheels, brembos and the 470 was done by sisneros speed works in CO the drz god. Many many have seen this bike. It's a great track bike, probably not competitive racing wise.

Pm me for more info.

[lrrs313]

Damn it James, you need to keep that bike for a little longer. I know that bike, and I want that bike. Unless the owner would like a 350 sx with low hours for a trade.

OP - motards are a lot of fun, very cheap to crash, pretty much all that has been said here. I will say that a properly built and maintained motard can be both competitive and reliable, just ask Clark (lrrs428).

[csmutty]

Damn it James, you need to keep that bike for a little longer. I know that bike, and I want that bike. Unless the owner would like a 350 sx with low hours for a trade.

OP - motards are a lot of fun, very cheap to crash, pretty much all that has been said here. I will say that a properly built and maintained motard can be both competitive and reliable, just ask Clark (lrrs428).

You really asked Clark about being reliable? He blew his up on the last weekend.

[Chippertheripper]

You really asked Clark about being reliable? He blew his up on the last weekend.

Not to mention shooting the rod through the bottom of the thing and shopping for cases ALL of last year.

[lrrs313]

You really asked Clark about being reliable? He blew his up on the last weekend.

After how many hours on that motor? He went all last year on one motor. And as for his previous experiences, that's why I would ask him. He's seen both sides. He's blown up his share of motors that weren't built properly, but has also had pretty good luck with a motor that got him into the 19s. Yes, they WILL blow up if you push them too far either on hours or trying to squeeze horsepower out of them. But I'm pretty sure smutty blew up his r6 motor, and I know or a few sv motors that have popped also. Any motor put on the track will eventually blow up, its just a matter of how long before it happens.

[OreoGaborio]

..., and I know or a few sv motors that have popped also.

Only if you build the piss out of them. They're about as reliable as you can possibly get for a track lump if you keep it SS legal.


And if anyone has a solid perspective on the reliability of an R6 vs a Motard, it's Smutty. That kid could blow up a sack of flour.

[csmutty]

My R6 motor only popped because I raised the rev limiter in the ECU. If it was stock I doubt that would have happened. SV motors are reliable as shit. Dirt bikes were built to withstand varying rpms not the constant high rpm that they incur while road racing or doing track days.

And Irideflatout.

Super tempted to get a few fire crackers and put them inside my moms flour container. Think she might kill me.

[Pittenger5]

I ran a season on a stock motored RMZ. Hit 22s, so not slow.

Though I made sure to run double oil for extra protection, so that mightve helped.

[Kurlon]

You might kill yourself with that stunt. Dispersed flour works as a fuel/air style explosive, google it, it's crazy the boom you can make with that stuff.