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why do sportbike guys want sumo's?

49K views 148 replies 98 participants last post by  chef babu 
#1 ·
After I took a spill on the motocross track that pretty much ended motocross for me, I decided to get a supermoto as it looked fun and seemed similar to MX. I've never owned a sportbike, and never had a desire to own for that matter, but I notice a lot of sportbike guys ask me about my sumo. I was at the gas station and some guy on a sportbike was telling me how he wanted to get one. Then when I left the gas station the gate guard at my girlfriends neighborhood was asking me about my sumo as well. He told me one of his friends got one and hasn't ridden his sportbike in months. Essentially 2 guys that ride sportbikes within 5 minutes showed a lot of interest in supermoto.

I really don't know what to say other than it's fun, as I've never owned a sportbike, and have only ridden one a few times. So what's the deal? Do sportbikes just get boring after awhile?

(I've never owned a sportbike or wanted one mainly because most of the guys I see riding them are complete douche bags that really have no clue how to ride it, I know this is not the case with all, but it seems like a lot of them are this way)
 
#2 ·
I converted after riding a SuMo on the same roads I used to ride on my Duc. On the Duc, those roads scared the hell out of me, on the WR250X, it was a total riot. To me, it's the weight and handling difference that makes Supermotos so much more fun than sportbikes. Plus, sportbikes have way too much power for the street for the average rider (me included, I was either going to die or go to jail eventually without a doubt). Plus, supermotos are fun to ride fast and slow, sportbikes aren't very fun to ride slow for the most part.

That's my two pennies...
 
#60 ·
Straydog hit the nail on the head...I ride a BMWs1000RR on the track. On the street that bike isn't fun. It has more power than you can ever use safely on the street. Now on the track that's a whole different story. A SM bike is just plain fun. It has less power so you can wring its neck and not feel like the road is shrinking. The handling is a hoot and they are very versatile. I ride my 150F modified :) indoor and have a DRZ400 for the road/track.
You should get on a track with a sportbike sometime. I will clear things up for you :)
Have fun and enjoy whatever you ride. Afterall they're all bikes
 
#3 ·
These days sportbikes are built for the race track, and in my opinion make horrible street bikes.

I own a more tame, rideable sportbike, a 1993 CBR 600 F2. But I have ridden new bikes and would certainly prefer a supermoto over the high-strung wrist numbing sportbikes for the street.

You can have a lot more fun around town on a supermoto, and I think that's probably the attraction.
 
#5 ·
I think alot of it has to do with the way we got into motorcycles. Many of us grew up on dirt bikes, enduro's, UJM's,...and it was the discovery of pure freedom and fun as hell.

Then, as we were programmed to do, eventually 'graduated' to the ultimate in outright motorcycle balls. Sportbikes. I think most of us still had some fun, but realized it was hard as hell to hit the target with such a big gun. Not to mention the fact that most of us also had very real near-death experiences on them, and it was like being a fish in the land of fish hawks in regards to the cops. The fun was fading.

I think these guys just want to recapture the fun again. Worked for me! :thumbup:
 
#6 ·
I still ride my R6, but only at the track. Yeah they are made for high speed and the track is the only place you can safely enjoy it for what its meant for. I use my WR250X for the street, the canyons, to ride dirt trails and I also regularly go to the track on it. I converted my R6 back to street use for the off season, but Ive barely touched it. Even when I take it out for a short ride, it feels awkward and making tight turns on it sucks. I totally prefer the WR over the R6 for anything except the big fast tracks.
 
#7 ·
Lay your sumo on it's side = $0
Drop your sportbike = $1000 or more

Plus riding down steps on a sportbike is kinda sucky.
 
#9 ·
I have been riding sport bikes since they first hit the market back in 86,bought the first gen Gsx-R750. Now own a 07 Gsx-R1000 which is my last sport bike and it is has some work done to her. The sumo was bought as a 50th birthday gift to myself and wanting to open up my choices in roads that can be ridden on,plus wanting to have more fun to satisfy the hell raiser in me still. Should be a hoot to learn how to ride my Husky at pace on my roads and the new ones I find as well.
 
#10 ·
I agree with about everything you guys are saying. I love my Duc and it loves to go fast, but you gotta have the right roads and right conditions. Traded my Daytona 1200 straight up for a Husky 450 cuz I got bored with the Triumph after riding a real sportbike. I wonder, does a liter sportbike make you a better sumo rider, or vice-versa?

Dude at worked asked me if I'm still riding bicycles much. Replied by saying I spent a lot of time motorcycling this year. He commented about kicking back and cruising, like I'm on a shadow or something. I just laughed and shook my head! Frickin clueless.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Know once I get myself use to the sumo I will carry more corner speed compared to my sport bike on certain roads,can use more of what the sumo has over a liter bike. Will be almost like a toy so to speak given ones experience and skill set. At least this is what my thinking is on it,have hopped on a street triple which I could ride the heck out of coming from my 1000. Also feel the sumo is going to help with riding my sport bike also,could say it is going to work both ways.
 
#12 ·
I bought a gsxr because I wanted to be cool. Then I realized how slow I was on a big bike. So I am back to the small ones. I want another SV.

I never in my life had this much fun on a bike like my sumo. Confidence on these things is overwhelming. There is no hesitation. I just dive in the corners.
 
#14 ·
It seems most of your are coming from the inline sport bikes. I have a twin (RC51) and it's good to go at any speed. The torque is also right there when you want it. It won't do 200mph, but were am I'm going to do that on the street? I just go and look for twisties just like I'm going to do with my SM.

I agree though. Sportbikes a can get really lame in an urban environment. But, I do have a lot of fun riding my RC51 and you get the front end up on that just about as easy as any SM. I also love the sound on the twin when your fire up the RC.

The reason I got into SM was mostly the fact that's it's kinda a blend between to worlds. You get to go in the dirt and have fun on the pavement and also you get to add new obstacles to your arsenal of fun. A speed bump is now a little mini jump, a dirt road is no longer a problem it's now more roads to enjoy.

It's much also much much much cheaper. I couldn't believe how much more affordable it is to get parts. Sumos are also quite sexy IMO. But, in the end I really don't care because I just love bikes (with or without motors). I think it's the whole "the grass is always greener on the other site" mentality. Right, now I'm starting to see some really sweet custom cafe racers made from old cb's and such. I'd love to have one of them, but my garage can only hold some many bikes at the moment.

Of course the girlfriend seems to want a cafe :D.
 
#16 ·
1. F-ing fun!
2. Cost. Highsided my SM=$60 for new bars and a couple kicks to the subframe, highsided R6= clip-on, tank, rearsets, bodywork...don't wanna do the math. Insurance on a sportbike= at least $3000, SM= $650.
3. Respect. I hate the local sporbike scene, more suction cup pink mohawks and stunt cages(on a bike that the owner will never be able to wheelie) than you can shake a stick at. But when you show up in full leathers and jump a speedbump as they gawk you will have a few that get it. They come over and talk and want to know more...CONVERTS!
This vid was back on 05' or 06'?? Local on/off ramps that you could make continuous loops(not condoning it but it's where I learned to get my knee down way back 15yrs or so). This was shot by a group of sportbike guys that talked mad sh/t but couldn't back it. So my boy and I put on a demo.
 
#17 ·
seems like all of you have a sportbike background. I thought there would be more people from MX/Trails only, and no sportbike background like me.

I've taken my 2 stroke MX'ers blasting down the street a few times just to test adjustments, and I always had the "oh shit, I hope a cop doesn't see me" feeling. I still have the seem feeling about my SM. For some reason I still feel like I shouldn't be on the road, legally.

I admire the true sportbike guys (I met Ben Thompson through a mutual friend, and a few other great riders who were really cool) but as I said before it just seems like a lot of the typical guys I see on sportbikes are wanna be thugs are d-bags. SM has a true enthusiast feel. Plus, I don't know how well I'd do having a bike capable of doing 200+...seems like you'd have to test it out at least a few times.
 
#18 ·
It was $ for me. A track day on my CBR was at least $200(if I kept it rubber side down) and a weekend event. Now I can hit up the kart track for $10 after work and be home before dark.

Plus backing it in is pretty much the sweetest thing that's ever existed.
 
#45 ·
+10000000

Could not have said it better myself.:thumbup:
 
#19 ·
I live in San Antonio and don't know of any tracks. I never see other SM's either. I think I've seen one SM on the street in the 8 years I lived here.

I don't think I'm ready for a track anyway, I suck, still getting used to this whole pavement thing...and engine braking.
 
#20 ·
Eagles Canyon Raceway Slidell, TX
GrandSport Speedway Hitchcock, TX
Motorsport Ranch Cresson, TX
MSR Houston, Mercedes-Benz Suger Land Road Course Angleton, TX
Texas World Speedway College Station, TX

Here's a few tracks in the TX. And it doesn't matter if you are "ready" any track time is always a good thing! I've seen guys rockin v-stroms and even a cruiser at trackdays. You couldn't be any slower then them! Just do it!
 
#22 ·
Its the new fad!
seriously though, for me - been roadracing since the early 90's - Sportbikes represented the pinacle of 2-wheeled fun!
In 07, i bought a 600 gixxer (after a 12yr hiatus) and loved it - took the thing on trips, and found a new local race track here to play with it. ! thing i hated with it was traffic jams - pain in the ass (heat, awkwardness at 2-3mph, stiff clutch, etc...).
A friend was selling his DRZ, so i bought it - and then again the 'love' hit me - traffic jams were bearable, and racing it was a hoot!
Its awesome to grief guys with R1's, 10R ninjas, etc...when on the track!

For highway trips i have an SV1000 - but for city riding ill stick with the SM!
 
#23 ·
Ex roadracer, sportie, trail, MX, etc, rider here. I live here next door to Deals Gap. Sporties do indeed do awesome on certain roads here. Then the other 80% of the mtn roads here in the Smokeys, the sumo is the better choice. I like and need both.
 
#27 ·
I grew up on dirt bikes, and moved to a CBR929 for a couple years. While the straight out power and acceleration of the CBR were a blast, the riding position and the bumpy Massholechusetts roads were torture.
I can say without a doubt, that I have more fun on my DRZ than I EVER had on my CBR. Wheelies, stairs, cutting across lawns, jumping curbs, bumpy roads-bring it on!
Plus, like Jonesti said, if you drop your sm, it might cost you a couple bucks, if you drop your sportbike, it might cost cost you a couple HUNDRED!
 
#28 ·
I know we are talking sumo's but I picked up my BMW R1150GS and its a heavy bike but has a similar riding style. My point is I have been riding Ducati's for over 10 years now and I started using this bike to lead group rides on twisty's with the sport bike guys and they can not hang with me in the corners, now in the straights she tops out about 120 so not much for top end. But where it counts (in the corners) this bike handles amazing, I have even got 12 inches of air on the asphalt (both tires), try that on a rocket. These style of bikes rock on the road.
 
#29 ·
I have taken a similar path to get here that several others have. I never rode dirt growing up, started off on a R6 way back in the day. moved down to a 400cc Honda NC35 from Japan that I loved. Fate happened and I ended up with a new liter bike. Messed up and started taking it to the track and suddenly road riding was absolutely no fun at all. Did nothing but track days on the big bike and bought a dedicated trackbike.

Still enjoy the hell out of it, but wanted something else that was fun below 150 mph and ended up buying a supermoto after talking to several people that went the same route.

Still intend on riding both a ton, but with the supermoto I can hit the track whenever I feel like it for a lot less money. Wont ever give up the big trackbike though, just two different ways to get a buzz now.
 
#32 ·
Any serious rider who lives the life,meaning that riding is just not a hobby but a life style...eats,shits and breaths riding can see a reason and a purpose for having a supermoto.It just makes sense to own one,life is short so ride hard and raise hell:thumbup:
 
#75 ·
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