I tried a Motard last week
 

Well, my buds talked me into riding one of their Motard bikes last week (really it was one of the wives bike). I haven't ridden many dirt or DP bikes and I'd never been on one with street tires, wheels and brakes.

We rode about 50 miles in Western NC around Fontana and the Gap thru gnarly little back roads and then rung them out on 129 from Yellow Creek back to the DG motel. I really enjoyed the ride, it reminded me of the way it was when I first started riding. Good fun, decent power, pretty good handling and brakes, but mostly just fun, because you can ride any type road. The front felt a bit skittish after riding sport bikes, but I figured out pretty quick that the fix is sit on the tank and screw on the throttle. It also made my CBR feel as smooth as a Cadillac after thumping around on a single. I had a good time riding the thing.

havent had the chance to ride one yet, but am seriously considering one for my next bike

Did you inhale? :lol:

After riding one for the last year, I'm moving back to an SV. After owning 6 bikes of various engine configs, I'm really understanding the draw of the 90 degree Twin. The motard is fun to ride but the thumper just isn't an engine I enjoy.

I wanna ride one. They certainly look like a blast to ride.

Too cool, you gonna pick one up?

I agree, having the DRZ is nice, but without the option of full on dirt like mine has, it wouldn't be a bike I would keep. It's highly uncomfortable, get on any road at about 55 mph speed limit or above and you are now battling cars instead of easily passing them like on a sport bike because these things just don't perform above 65. Add to that fact that they are beat the living shit out of you, it's just not a good all around bike. It's a fun toy if you got cash to spare on a bike you won't use a lot, but I wouldn't make it my only bike. One thing I noticed is I have seen a lot of people drawn to these bikes because of the hooliganism aspect of it, just to see these same bikes on craigslist/local forums not a few months after they bought them once they realized it wasn't a good only bike option.

yeah, i have to buddies that just bought aprilias, and they dont like them already, had them for less than a month,

don't know why but I would like to have one too as an aditional bike. I don't like the 250's though. not enough power.

The one I rode was 650 Suzuki. Not a power house, but strong enough to get around on. It would cruise along at 75 just fine. If I had the money to have an additional fun bike I would think about getting one, but not ever as my only ride.

The motard is definitely a one-trick pony. But it does that trick very, very well.

There's a big difference between the enduro-based tards like the DRZ than the MX-based motards like the Huskies and home-built Japanese conversions.

how do you like the husky and whta year is yours cause im jonesin for the 510 sm, though i need another bike like i need a second pair of nuts

:rofl: Such a way with words, young fella.

05. She is a high maintenance, needy bitch but I love her.

Get an 06+ and keep in mind it's an MX bike, not a street bike...and has the same maintenance requirements.

Had a blast on mine scaring sportbikes yesterday:

http://www.vimeo.com/5152798

: ) you know you love me anyway i love the huskies

I rode a couple KTM 690's, both an SMC and an SMR, and I couldn't see the appeal. The brakes had a horrible amount of dive compared to a sportbike, and the engine ran out of breath at only 6K or something. And then there's the monkey-bar style riding position with the wind hitting you full-force.

Cool vid