The Kawasaki is water cooled, which makes it faster and more reliable. The Suzuki has more modern bodywork over a slower, less reliable, harder to start engine. WERA in the northeast US has a racing class for 500cc Kawasaki Ninjas, and everyone replaces the stock suspension and stock intake and exhaust.
Some comments I found about taking a 450cc dirt bike and making it into a roadracer, that Roland Sands was working on, I have not tried the links in it:
A Ninja 500 costs $5000 new or so, and much cheaper used. While it doesn’t have the power of this converted 450cc dirtbike, it’s not too shabby.
Not only does the Ninja 500 have less power, it also weighs a good deal more at 388lb (dry). I don’t care that this single is more potent, I’m more excited that it’s super light at 250lb.
Not only is that thing going to get 80 MPG, but it’s going to be fun as all hell to ride. I need another motorcycle like I need a hole in the head, but now I kinda want to build one of these things myself as a commuter bike. *WAY* cooler than a scooter with just as good fuel economy, and you can keep up with traffic on the highway. (Suzuki used this idea for their 400cc supermoto, but it is a lot slower than a 450cc dirt bike).
Tigcraft in the UK was the first outfit to experiment with these engines in European supermono racing. And this is already years ago. Tigcrafts are smaller ,lighter, probably a lot faster and not to forget they look much better. What ’s the fuss about….
There is simply nothing available in the sub 600cc sport bike market unless you want cheap components and mediocre performance (i.e. Ninja 250 and 500, and Hyosung 250).
Back in 1974 I had a Ducati 450 desmo enduro… bought second hand from a friend….. put street wheels and tires on it and went racing. Aside from the brakes being weak it was highly competitive on club tracks.
http://www.ahrma.org/rr_modern.htm
In the UK:
http://www.supermononewsletter.co.uk/
Check out the video of a Tigcraft minimono running rings around a supersport 600:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNWsqoo71Hs
todd 03.02.08 at 12:31 pm
Other than freeways, there aren’t enough places around where I live to get a 100HP plus bike up to speed. The lightweight 450 detuned to approx 40-50HP for durability and a license plate would be so easy to embarass the squids on their big, heavy 600cc plus bikes.
Anyone can build one of these 450cc super singles to fit the rules and go racing relatively cheap with this new class. The rules seem to focus on leveling the playing field, not light weight bikes.
I would like to see 250cc 2-strokes.
I’ve just bought an old 80’s rd frame with title and am putting a newer 450cc yamaha dirt bike engine in it. It solves the problem of getting a title and registration for a dirt bike engine.
I am sorely tempted by the underwhelming Royal Enfield.
This is how I would like to see a Ducati Supermono: http://www.oliepeil.nl/beeld/Duc_Supermono_549R_OP.jpg