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/128335
KTM's Super Day That's what it felt like going from stock KTM to KTM factory bike. That's why guys like me ride stockers and guys like Hughes ride factory bikes. Once we 'd worn ourselves com- from it. I thought it would be heavy and difficult to handle , but it actually weighs in right around 230 pounds (dry) - just like its little sibling. It was really just a more powerful version of the 450. KTM has it over on the other manufacturers in that it makes a motorcycle that is easily converted from motocrosser to supermoter. And vice versa . And it sells it as such, the 5MC versions of the KTMs coming with a set of motocross wheels, tires and brakes in addition to the supermoto setup. In roughly 30 minutes or so (if you're Moen, maybe three to four hours to a week if you're me), you can change the bike from one formula to the next . So it's really two bikes in one . For a guy who knows he likes motocross but would also like to try some supermoto, is there a better idea than an SMC? Methinks not . Naturally, we were riding the bikes set up in motocross trim at Cahuilla, but we 'd also get to sample the supermoto combination later in the day. But first things first. One of the neat things about our time at the motocross track was being able to ride with Hughes, and I use the term with loosely. You watch these guys race live, and you watch them race on TV, but you don't know how good they really are until you share the track with them . Hughes flat-out flies. To prove that it's not all about the bike, KTM offered me the chance to ride Hughes' factory 450 . An awesome beast if there ever was one . I'd like to say that I mastered his ride and came to the conclusion that the only reason he was marginally faster than me was that his bike was bet ter. I can't . I rode his bike, and it wasn't easy. Fast? Ungodly so . But that part was mostly manageable. What made Hughes ' bike difficultfor me to ride was the suspen sion. At my speed, I don 't think the fork even hinted at compressing. Ditto for the rear shock. Combine that with the fact that I was hitting every bump that he floats over, and you can probably imagine the arm pump I had after just a few laps. Ride a fullysuspended mountain bike, then jump on a rigid and ride it through a rock pile. 62 AUGUST.4, 200.4 • CYCLE NEWS pletely out at the motocross track , Heben gathered the troops and handed us off to Harden, who seemed to be champing at the bit to get us out on the open road on the big Adventurers . But saying the Adventurer is merely big is like saying that Dolly Parton has large breasts . Ain't enough . If I thought fear was trying to ride Hughes ' factory bike well enough to not look sillyon TV, I was wrong. Fear was trying to mount the Adventurer and get it turned in the soft sand in front of Moen and the boys - just to leave the Cahuilla facility I must have looked like a monkey . making love to a bowling ball. But soon enough we were on the open road, and riding the Adventurer was suddenlya pleasure. The bikewas in its element. And so was its rider. But this street-riding stuff wasn't gnarlyenough even to crack a smile on Harden's face. Still almost fresh from competingin (and doing well in, untilan injurythwarted his race) the Dakar Rally, Harden wanted to see us suffer a bit more . The only way to do that was to get us back on the dirt. So that's exactly where he took us. With barely enough street time to allow us to catch our breath, we were back offroad , watching Harden slide his big KTM in front of us like it was a 12S. We were on switch-backing fire roads , criss-crossing our way over Mount San Jacinto and into Idyllwild, our destination for lunch. When we got there, we were flat-out beat. A few hours of chasing the front end on a bike that weighs 436 pounds will do that to a guy. To be fair, however, you probably won't find a bike this big that you can ride off-road as hard as you can ride the Adventurer. Remember, we were trying to keep up with Harden. Color me insightful, but I also noticed that Harden had some form of a knobby fitted to his front wheel. Mine looked like an ex -ValentinoRossislick. After being waited on by Idyllwild's finest waitresses, we threw down our cheese- burgers and were back at it on our Adventurers (also a quick thanks to KTM p.r. girl extraordinaire Laurette Cushman for the birthday cake!). Since ldyllwild's best had made us a bit late, our ride to Apex Raceway in Perris would be pavement the whole way. We were late, and we had to make up time . We did so - on the highway. The highway consisted of twisties and straights... and straights and straights and straights. Then we arrived in Hemet, California If you've never been to Hemet, act like you've won the Lotto. Because you're lucky. Unless you like stoplights. I'm surprised people don't come from all over the world just to count them . How could a town of so little have so many?A man wiser