Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128245
2004 KTM Supermoto Bikes serious ra cer an d the supermoto dabbler. With five ser io us race weapon s to choose from , the regiona l racer or t he pr iv at e er shou ld have eno ugh bi ke to be c om peti tive in the spo rt . The KTM 525 SMR is the company's mldsized Supennoto-specific model, a longside the 450cc version and the 660cc factory Open-class monster \ that Is raced in Europe . I THE B IKES Cycle News had the chance to sam pl e a select i on of r a ce bik es fro m KTM and t he street - legal 6 2 5 SMC LC4 at an introduction in Las Vegas. We started the day ridi ng at the Xplex Las Vegas Motorspo rt Raceplex , a Kart track just outside of town . Paul C arruthers , Scott Roussea u and I were able to rid e the bikes at the Kart trac k , where , despite the slic k surface and some enterta in ing front -wheel slides, we had a blast. However, the real highlight o f th e weekend would oc cur lat er that n ight when we had th e opportunity to rid e the AMA Red Bull t rack th at D on Canet and crew had just assembled at the Rio Hotel f., Casino. Th e AMA Red Bull co m peti t ors hadn't eve n been on the vi rg in t rac k yet when w e got to sample it. What a treat! Supportin The Spa KTM puts its money w here its mouth is Supe rmoto class title w ith current N at io n al 125cc Nationa l Moto cross ' Champio n Grant L angston , a n d it to ok th e team championships in both the 450 and Unli m it ed cl asses. Howev er , KTM's support goes well bey ond it s extensiv e rac e t eam sup port. In 2004 , the co m pany is go ing to sell what it races by offering a slew of race -ready machines for both the The company that was without a doubt the most vi si ble in th e paddock all season was KTM . Th e Austria n firm had the largest te am , and via its title sp o n sorsh i p of the Unlimited Supermoto c lass, it supported th e inaugural season more than any oth er s. Th e Austrian compan y 's Euro pe an Supe rmoto expe r ience made j um p ing on the Red Bull Supermoto bandwagon a no-brainer. With a hug e t eam of talented ri der s, KTM wa s at the front all season and won th e South Boston r o u n d with Doug Chandler on his 450 SMR. Additional Iy , KTM easily lifted t h e Un lim ited B y BLAK E C O N NE R PH OT OS B y DW IM A GE S '.lith the first season of th e AMA VV Red Bull Supermoto Cham p i onship series ov er and done w it h, it' s eas y to look back and comment on the series' su ccess es and fa ilures . One th ing that almost every one w ill agree with is that the ser ies improved dramaticall y toward the end of th e season. The fina l event in Las Vegas was ex cellent, to say th e le ast. There was great rac ing, b ig stars, a great track , and an interesting and some what unexpected outcome. 64 JANUARY 7 , 2004' cue I e n e vv so Th e co m bi natio n of the f a st stra ights, metal j um ps, and the cool dirt section had all of us t alk ing about the exp eri en c e for da ys. It wa s this course that als o allowed us to stretch the legs on the KTMs and get a better sense of not only the suspension but the c a pa b i l i ti es o f the excelle nt brakes, and th e motors . To be h onest , the differences