F451
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We need a pic of that 500 in road race trim, sounds fun.
Varg rider considering YZ conversion for less weight
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Chaconne
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Interesting. I have an MX-1 I rarely use that hand hold because it is stupid sharp like you say. But since Vargs are weighted toward the battery front it is far easier to steady the bike and use the rear tire to hoist it up on the stand. Easier on the back too since you can use your legs to lift it.
Sort of the same with my older WR450 but that bitch makes the Varg seem like a skinny chick...
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That handle sure doesn't help in perceived weight. I'm considering grind them round a bit.
Basic sumo setup, but road race spring rates instead of MX, rear was 95Nm spring, .5 up front, and little me at 155lbs. For those paying attention, the front end is 06 SMR with 8mm wider width clamps. Still have the forks. Raced on a 1.6mi road course. I had delusions of going sport bikeier, started working on a 'super mono' based on a 2016 250XC with a theory of a BRC 500 down the line:
Still have the modded R6 clamp setup that'll drop into a KTM frame, but didn't finish it because, I found other, dumber ideas...
Interesting. I have an MX-1 I rarely use that hand hold because it is stupid sharp like you say. But since Vargs are weighted toward the battery front it is far easier to steady the bike and use the rear tire to hoist it up on the stand. Easier on the back too since you can use your legs to lift it.
Sort of the same with my older WR450 but that bitch makes the Varg seem like a skinny chick...
My 150 I would do a variation of that, from the right side, lock the front brake, left hand grabbing way back under the fender, and lift and pivot on the front wheel to get onto the stand. I can't pull that off with the larger machines. I've done the rear wheel lift, sometimes get sketchy if the front forks decide today is the day they're going to twist on me.
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I just ordered one with a sidestand...
Moto 17
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Yamaha is building an electric…they are working with electric motion out of France on some of the tech.
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And yet we have seen nothing more than a gloryfied DIY project.
That bike is super cool, any advice on lowering like getting the shock and forks.
I've never actually lowered any of my bikes? In fact I tend to end up trying to raise at least one end of them for most racing formats I do? My MT-09 the rear is getting JACKED up. 
The SuperMono experiment is the odd exception due to going to a much shorter front end, but even there, the game was to retain as much working height and swingarm angle as possible post conversion.
Forks can be tweaked internally to reduce their working length, resulting in lowering the front, you can do similar with a shock for a PDS bike, or play with linkage geometry as another option if your bike has a link, but either way you're affecting much more than just ride height when you do so... anti-squat, where you are in the leverage curve, you're removing available travel... I'd avoid lowering if possible myself?
The SuperMono experiment is the odd exception due to going to a much shorter front end, but even there, the game was to retain as much working height and swingarm angle as possible post conversion.Forks can be tweaked internally to reduce their working length, resulting in lowering the front, you can do similar with a shock for a PDS bike, or play with linkage geometry as another option if your bike has a link, but either way you're affecting much more than just ride height when you do so... anti-squat, where you are in the leverage curve, you're removing available travel... I'd avoid lowering if possible myself?
F451
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Great pic! And nice setups, looks super fun. I'm guessing a KTM 500 road race bike (not supermoto) would be a rare site on the track. Thanks for posting.
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It's easily doable to lower the KYB's on the Stark though. The conversions kits do exist and are not even expensive. Not even extra work at regular overhaul.
Lowering is always a compromise, one i luckely never had to make due to being an average Dutch guy (183cm/6ft). But in Hard Enduro it can make a lott of sense since tipping over due to short legs issues can be more of a problem than any of those drawbacks you mention.
Lowering is always a compromise, one i luckely never had to make due to being an average Dutch guy (183cm/6ft). But in Hard Enduro it can make a lott of sense since tipping over due to short legs issues can be more of a problem than any of those drawbacks you mention.
Road race or sumo, it's the only one I ever encountered. A friend got it as an easy to plate woods/ice bike, then got the itch to road race... given we have a motard class and our rules basically allow singles everywhere, he tossed 17s on and sent it. Ultimately ended up a B bike beside an FS450. He had a crash that shut down his riding for a bit, I bought the bike to use as a all rounder and was surprised to see it didn't give up much to the 450s. It is a touch heavier, more gyro effect so not quite as flickable, but on a 'big' road course it didn't matter as much. Classic short track sumo, it'll hang but require more physicality. The other 'downside' to the 500 is no one has really explored hot rodding that motor setup, so if you're going to chase being at the point end of the competitive stick, you'll have far fewer easy bolt ups to squeeze more power out of it vs a 450.
'Hard' enduro at my skill level is that small rock or root in my path these days...
On the road side, there is changes to technique that allow safe control of a bike when you're not as inseem graced as others, even at 5'10" I try to adopt them as just good riding habits. I can see where it's a different game in the enduro world though, I'm curious if the 7/8's machines will start dominating there as batt life and motor power density improve just due to less bike to get in the way?- Likes
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The OP started his question for Hard Enduro use. That's why i keep bringing it up.
In road racing short legs don't really matter.
On the other hand, the misses does fine at 163cm/5'4 on full size bikes. She could use a bit lower though for Hard Enduro, but she does MX and fast sand Enduro on the same bike, so every bit of travel she can get is welcome.
In road racing short legs don't really matter.
On the other hand, the misses does fine at 163cm/5'4 on full size bikes. She could use a bit lower though for Hard Enduro, but she does MX and fast sand Enduro on the same bike, so every bit of travel she can get is welcome.
Appreciate all the responses. Gave me enough to think about. I'll keep rolling with the Varg for now.
WIll likely build a 65 conversion for my son later this year though. He is not interested in racing and 95% of his seat time is around the yard or trails next to a sub division so gotta keep going with electric for him. I'll be looking for some guidance on that build after I find the bike to convert
WIll likely build a 65 conversion for my son later this year though. He is not interested in racing and 95% of his seat time is around the yard or trails next to a sub division so gotta keep going with electric for him. I'll be looking for some guidance on that build after I find the bike to convert
Chaconne
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I am a short Italian guy and never have lowered a bike since it is a suspension compromise I don't want or need. I tried a link on my older xr400 and it was not a good compromise for me.
For most situations I have found training/drills that specifically target those situations where lean and tip-toe and no-man's land happen are really important. For static drills a bench with a preacher curl set at seat height or higher is also pretty useful for strengthening those one legs and high side leg overs that stubby Italian legs need to work on.
Also as we age we get stiffer so stretching and working out the core and aerobic workouts go without saying in my world at least.
Che sorpresa!
When you lower the bike, you lower the center of gravity, but you also lower the handlebars or whatever you use to lift the bike. Since the distance of the handlebars to the ground is greater than the distance of the COG to the ground, though, you will still make it easier to lift the bike because the height reduction will affect the COG lever arm more than the handlebars.
For example, if you lower the bike by one inch when the handlebars are 50 inches high and the COG is 20 inches high, then the handlebars become 2% lower and the COG 5% lower.
So maybe the bike can become easier to lift even if you only raise the handlebars by one inch, but I think that in either case the lever arm advantage would be negligible.
Lowering the bike to fall less may make more sense.
Here is a not so expensive plan:
• using a longer pull rod to lower the rear end
• playing with the rear shock clickers and preload to hopefully find a good compromise for the different leverage of the longer pull rod
• using handlebar raisers to:
- make the handlebars higher
- have more clearance for the fork to raise it in the triple clamps
• raising the fork to lower the front end, to keep the bike balanced and to preserve the original rake
but from the pictures it seems like there is not much leeway to slide the fork upwards because the reinforced sections for the clamps of the outer tube are short anyways.
