SMC or RC8R?

Grendel has a dilemma. He was set to pull the trigger on ordering an RC8R. Then he took a long weekend trip through the coast and the mountains with friends on his SD and realised he was never going to use the RC8R like he thought. The SD is just too good to tour and rip on. So now he is looking at the SMC. it would handle track days (the track Grendel rides on is very tight and twisty with lots of elevation changes - 16 turns in 2.4 miles with 400 ft of elevation change) and it would handle the occasional rip and commuting duties. If he got the RC8R he is afraid it would only really be used on the track and that is a lot of dosh for track only.

if you had not realised Grendel is keeping the SD.

If you're keeping the SD then by all means....get the RC8R.

John

I'd say 690 Enduro with SM wheels extra. Track days, errands, fire roads....

Can you go the other way? Dirt rims on a SMC?

I did it with my 640 but had to add another front caliper to the equation to clear the taller wheels spokes. 690... don't know.

The Husky 630 peeks the interest as well as it has a wider ratio primary... similar power, less cash.

Looking at a used SMC with less than 500 miles on the clock on Wednesday. So Grendel must decide soon.

I seriously enjoyed my demo ride on the 690 SMC. Try it out. If it doesn't float your boat than move on. No harm done.

There isn't really a right or wrong answer here, just depends what you want and how deep Grendle's pockets are. SMC should be much less spondulics than an RC8R. If you're keeping the SD and can afford it, I'd buy the RC8R (I have actually just bought and RC8 myself - unfortunately the SD had to go). Maybe I'm missing the point, but why would you want an SD and an SMC? Without being too crass about it, they're sorta the same thing. RC8R is whole different sack of snakes though...

If you're keeping the SD, then get the SMC or the enduro with SM wheels. Big cc, reliable Supermotos are just awesome fun and I miss having one, and I think they complement the attitide of the SD perfectly, but are much more flickable and do provide a different riding experience (a bigger difference than between the SD and RC8 IMO). ...I hate to say it but the newer Huskies are lovely too, and assuming you don't want the new BMW800 powered one, you should test ride a 510. (much better than the 610).

However, if you have the cash, and good dealer support, get the KTM...

The RC8R is lovely, but pointless if you still have a Superduke. After 3 days on one, on road and track, I realised I either needed to get the SDR back ASAP.

A buddy of mine rolls on a 690 SMC. We occasionally swap bikes in the twisty bits, and I have to admit that the SMC is a hoot. An SD it ain't though.

My buddy thinks if he were to do it over again, he'd have bought an SMR plus a tard wheel/brake kit instead.

And you guys think SDs have fueling issues? You literally have to spend a small fortune to get a 690's fueling sorted - its been a non-amusing saga. Vortex box and Leo Vince to the rescue!

IMO no reason to own the SMC if you have an SD.

One day on the track with the RC8R as your dance partner and Its a no-brainer - it'd be an RC8R for me.

SMC? pah!
get a husaberg

RC8R for track use.

I'd go for the SMR rather than the SMC if you do end up with the 690, but that's just me. I found the SMC to be just "meh".

I've bought an 07 Supermoto with the new LC4 motor when it first came out and it's great fun. I've got 25,000 miles on mine. I've even done some multiday rides with single days over 400 miles. There isn't another single on the road that will pull that 690, and will eat just about anything on twisties under 80 mph with an equal or lesser rider.

I'm thinking of selling it and getting an SMC or a 690 Enduro and some supermoto wheels and brakes to have something even a little more differernt than my SD.

Grendel did it. 2008 SMC with only 384 miles. Chicken strips are literally 2" on each side. Grendel's test ride around the block scrubbed more rubber than the PO did in his three years. Plus 1/2 price of new. How is a Grendel to resist?!

SMR would have been nice, but there just aren't any in the US.

Theres a dealer in WV that had every flavor of R that KTM had. Even had an Erzberg 950. Right now he's selling an RC8R Akra for 16,5

Don't get the SMC (generally referred to as the SuperMoto Cummuter), forget about the RC8 and get a "real" supermoto

Good work Grendel. We need pix of your new ride mate. I think you made the right choice mate.

Grendel is going to be locked up! His friends said they are collecting money now to pay the impound fee (note: not bail). This bike takes 40 points from anyone's IQ as soon as their ass hits the seat! Overlap with the SD? He'll no!

Now Grendel just needs to find a way to add the RC8R and his trifecta will be complete!

Have you seen this

Watch out for those rolling stoppies

seen it before but always a pleasure to watch it again

The bike clearly is capable but looks wise I have some reservations, maybe in black with an Akra...? It doesnt looks as hot as the Duke III for sure.....I would be v interested in a shoot out between the 2 bikes though.....I suspect teh SMC would be the hooligan of the 2 as might be lighter with longer travel suspension perhaps.

Thoughts??

Very very different purposes. The SD is much better at trips and high speed rips. The SMC is best at roads that keep you at 60 mph or lower. Totally different riding style. Grendel still has a lot to learn on the supermoto style. It still has about 1/2 of chicken strips left and can tell Grendel has to learn a bit to get rid of that last bit.

Grendel just could not pass up the deal. The RC8R is not out of the picture, just will be put off for a year. Maybe this time next year he will have a three ktm garage.

Maybe a separate topic, but any good tips on Sumo-riding techniques? Grendel has some experience in the dirt, but way more street experience. He is not sure whether to lean on the inside on a corner or ride the high part of the seat.

the Sumo guys I've seen racing on telly do it upright, leant he bike, elbows out, leg out to weight it round the corner but keep body upright. I guess they know what they are doing

Your offroad skills should pay off

I can only speak from a viewed experiance and very little from a on seat place. I think that a person that has a good road course style will be perfectly capable of getting every last mph out a a corner on a sumo bike.
I went to ButtonWillow race track to watch Chris Fillmore and the Boz Broz practice on the cart course. The were preparing for the X-Games and Ben Bostrom and Chris Fillmore know a few things about putting together good corner speed on a thumper.
Both riding styles were completly differant than each other. Ben left his inside foot on the pegs and Chris the classic dirt track style. Ben rode the bike more nuetral with very little weight shifted inward and Chris rode off the outside letting the bike do the leaning.
All directly related to comfort and both looked like they were riding on a Sunday cruise.
I owned and rode a Duke and a DRZ 400 and never felt like I could ride the bikes in the classic style due to muscle memory forcing me into my comfort zone. My guess is that you will find tgat a foot remaining on the peg will fit you very well and you will get that scooter sliding just fine, foot firmly pegged. Larry Pegram and Max Biaggi and Nicky Hayden all have the road racer stance and I have seen them in SuperMoto racing perform just as well as thier dirt breathren.
My best guess is all about comfort.

As dribble said whatever feels comfortable. I push the bike down under me and stay up, ride like I'm on dirt...feels natural.

That is a great video. What a laugh.

As for the SMC, I had one before my SD, and after I got the SD I felt there was quite a bit of overlap. I mean, there is less than 100 pounds difference between each with both fully fueled. I had to double check that, I was surprised. It was getting so little use after SD, and it felt so much heavier than my dirt bikes (which was a feeling of lightness that I thought would be fun on the street) that I tried the Aprilia SXV 550 and the Husky 510 SMR (both real supermotos; the SMC is not). The SXV is manic, a barrel of laughs, and anyone who thinks they are badass on an SD but wants something more badass needs to try this. It's the most manic, exciting bike I've been on for the street.

However, at that time they had not fully straightened out their serious problems of oil mixing with water (that was indeed sorted with 08 models, as it turns out) so I bought the Husky, which itself is far more manic, far more "throw aroundable" than the SMC. I weighed the Husky with 1/3 tank of gas: 272. SMC with same gas: 330. I'm not Bashing KTM or the SMC, the SMC is an all-rounder, not a supermoto. If you already have an SD you have a great all-rounder, you might want to try a totally different beast with the next hell-raiser. The only warning, you are not going to want to sit on the highway for 50 miles on either the Aprilia or the Husky.

Lightness is everything in this kind of bike. I never was tempted to come up to a stop sideways on the SMC, or to lock the brake in a turn. As soon as I had a couple of hundred miles on the Husky I was sliding down my driveway sideways when my kids would come out to see me coming home, stoppies at lights, sideways in turns. Yes, the SMC will do all of that, but the point is I just never felt like it. I know this is off topic, since you were asking about the RC8R. Just thought I should throw this out there....

I had a Huskey 510 smr as well, absolute bonkers . It was purely a short manic ride everytime I was on it, but ended up getting rid of it cos I want to go out for longer rides than I could on the 510.

I also had a "soft" supermoto in the guise of a MZ Baghira (don't laugh). For what it was (it's a Yamaha XT660X in drag with uprated parts), it did very well. I used it in all weather, all year round as a commuter and a toy, I always had a good laugh on it.

I guess what I'm saying is that you will enjoy your SMC (I'm guessing it'll somewhere sit inbetween the two I had) at low speeds/for short trips. For longer ones yuo'll still have your SD. Personally I'd have gone for the RC8, but thats because I've done the SM stuff and that RC8R does look tasty!

Book yourself on some offroad days, enduro, MX even trials, and get used to using the back brake more, steering with your upper body, and letting the rear wheel move about under you. ... It will be fun, and help a bit with balance (...although it hasn't made me brave enough to drift on tarmac, LOL)

Meanwhile sit upright, get forward on the seat, elbows up, and own the road!

In LA, there is a track organization called SoCal Supermoto. They will provide instruction and even a bike. All you have to do is get down here. http://www.socalsupermoto.com/

Crotchrockety---- Damn You

Double damn. Grendel just finished sending e-mails to friends who live down there to see if he can crash on their couch.

I love my SD, and this past weekend I rode my old SM bikes along with my RC8R and SD. I have to say, that you cannot go wrong with the choice. I love the RC8R, but my old DR-Z400SM with all the mods I did to it still is an awesome twisty road toy. I might have to get another one. I love the RC8R though. I am very happy the way it all turned out.







I bought all of these bikes, except the SD new, then sold the Super Motos. I find them to be at best so-so commuter bikes because the seats suck so bad, but there is a lot of bang for your fun money.