Dirt / Sumo swapping

[klx-rider]

Are any of you guys using the same bike for Dirt and swapping wheels to do days at the Kart tracks? How well does that work with the suspension needs being so different?

I have 2 older dirt bikes and I've been holding off on upgrading to a newer dirt bike because I've been doing less and less dirt riding. The supermoto track thing looks like a blast but it's hard for me to justify a dedicated bike for that given the on/off history of supermoto at the Infineon track.

Just wondering how many of you have gone through this and what you ended up doing. I know I can buy some supermoto wheels for my current bike but ideally I'd get a newer bike.

 

[Crash Gordon]

Your set up will likely be far from ideal, but it beats nothing.
I swapped my dirt wheels onto my supermoto and took it for a few trail rides. I may as well have taken an R1 on the trail for how stiff the suspension was.
I suspect that you'd have the exact opposite problem, depending on your set-up.

 

[Roadstergal]

I swapped dirt wheels back and forth with SM on my 150R, but I ended up just getting the KX100. If you're in that grey area where you're not doing much dirt or SM, having two bikes might be harder to justify - but if you're willing to travel to the SM, Brok has practice days before every SM round, so you're not just limited to Sears.

Another thing to consider is that SM bikes with dirt wheels do better on dirt tracks than they do on real-deal offroad (for me, at least), and there are tracks for that at Prairie City and a number of the local dirt parks.

 

[Toecutter]

I do the wheel swap on my husky te450 dual sport. The susp is really soft in the dirt and even softer when on tyhe street. I love having the options of different rims and tires. It works OK for the street. I did a track day on the husky and it was way to soft. I did not mess with the susp very much. I am sure someone competent could set it up well.


As with anything like this it is always a compromise. Great dirt bike, ok supermoto. I had better luck when I did this with my CRF450R. it converted to a SM and was better on the track compared to the husky. I can swap wheels out in about 45 min and be on the road or dirt.

 

[Crash Gordon]

I swapped dirt wheels back and forth with SM on my 150R, but I ended up just getting the KX100. If you're in that grey area where you're not doing much dirt or SM, having two bikes might be harder to justify - but if you're willing to travel to the SM, Brok has practice days before every SM round, so you're not just limited to Sears.

Another thing to consider is that SM bikes with dirt wheels do better on dirt tracks than they do on real-deal offroad (for me, at least), and there are tracks for that at Prairie City and a number of the local dirt parks.

Fair point. I still get itchy to ride my supermoto on the MX practice tracks.

 

[klx-rider]

As with anything like this it is always a compromise. Great dirt bike, ok supermoto. I had better luck when I did this with my CRF450R. it converted to a SM and was better on the track compared to the husky. I can swap wheels out in about 45 min and be on the road or dirt.

So MX bikes with their firmer suspension make for better crossovers between the 2 worlds. I didn't see the CRF450F listed in your profile. Are you still swapping or did you give up on this and get a SM?

 

[Toecutter]

I sold the CRF. and yes i attribute it being a better sm due to the suspension. But the husky is a blast around town and on back roads. I need new springs on it.