Fri, 18 Sep 1998 12:48:26 +0200
- Message No. 4057
From: "Jorn Ronnow"
Subject: RE: Varadero : I will buy it (when I 'll got the dosh that is...)
gmitropoulos@pnc.co.uk wrote:
> >>> I am sure there are loads of @ riders who, like me, spend the 99.9999%
> of
> >>> their riding time on tarmac rather than off road.
>
> >But then, what's the point of riding an offroad bike? And even more so:
> >what's the piont in making/buying a street bike with mild offroad
> >cosmetics? A VTR would do the job much better on winding tarmac roads
> >thanks to lower center of gravity and smaller wheels.
> For a start I do not believe that who ever has an RD07 is actually riding
> an off road bike. A bike that can go off road, maybe, but far
> from off road
> bike.
We've had five offroad meetings (that I know of) in my Sweden so far this year, most of them gravel road roadbook rallies (from approx 250 to 700 kms) and one big meeting on a military exercise field with two different offroad tracks (25 km track - fun and hard work with some lovely sandy parts!). I've attended all meetings I could and lots of other @s also came, mixing with the Dominators, KTMs etc. I think all the @ riders who came to a meeting would agree: It IS an offroad bike! (Which is probably why privateers have used it in the Paris-Dakar).
As far as tarmac is concerned, we take it easy on tarmac in order not to wear out our knobby tyres.
> Well, I will answer your question with a question. What is the point of
> riding a supermoto?
None what so ever. A supermoto is for posing, not driving.
> I am sure you know the answer. Give me a KTM
> Duke which
> IS "a street bike with mild offroad cosmetics" and try to catch me in any
> back/mountain twisty road, using a VTR/CBRRR/ZXR/etc.
With my old RG 500 Gamma or the RD350 I had before - no problem! The lower center of gravity and smaller front wheels make these bikes superior on twisty roads. No surprise - that's what they are made for. I haven't driven one, but I guess a Ducati 600 would do the job even better than my old street bikes.
> What's the point? the point is ease of use, power delivery that does not
> scare the rider, better control, more comfortable, much easier
> and safer to
> ride in a city, faster in the city, faster in twisty roads, shall I
> continue???
Except for the city aspect, a street single or small twin leaves the supermotos behind. Just look at the results in the "Sound of Singles" road racing series.
> The @ has been a hybrid from the moment it first appeared.
It's a rally replica with rally capabilities: The Honda Production Racer in Paris-Dakar 1988 (60 built) was a standard RD03 with modified suspension, larger tanks, another muffler and higher gear ratio (to keep the full speed revs down). In 1990, 8 RD04s where rebuilt the same way.
Compare this to Yamaha's Super Tenere: The engine in the desert rally bike is basically the same (TRX 850), other than that, it's a totally differtent bike with different frame etc.
Keep sliding
-Jorn
www@atic.org