Does a Motard belong in "Off road"?

[White trash]

I'm noticing (and enjoying) the recent interest in Motards either in their own class of racing or as a street bike.

Question is, do Motard related topics blong here or somewhere else?

Should they even be legal?

Are they named 'tards for any good reason?

Where's my glasses?

[NordieBoy]

I'm noticing (and enjoying) the recent interest in Motards either in their own class of racing or as a street bike.

Question is, do Motard related topics blong here or somewhere else?

Should they even be legal?

Are they named 'tards for any good reason?

Where's my glasses?

'Tards should be in the road section - Unless you use it for off-road more than road.

Are they legal?

Mo'tards - From the French meaning More Tards.

Your glasses? I just ran them over whilst crossed up exiting the corner on my back wheel :Punk:

[Quasievil]

if they are ridden on the road they belong here if not they belong in off road.

Personally I think they are pretty cool, but on the track they are a pain in the arse, having raced a few at manfield I found them irritating because 1/ they seem to take different lines 2/ they stick there foot out in front of you
3/ they are slow on the straights and fast on the corners

They need to have there own class, they do not belong in F3 thats for sure

thats my view

[badlieutenant]

They need to have there own class, they do not belong in F3 thats for sure

thats my view
agreed, and my mate uses his for both on and off road(not motox tho)

[bugjuice]

holy cow!! Nordie, that second pic is pretty cool.. I'd love to be able to trust my tyres that much..

On the flip side of this then, if Motards can be on-road racers, then does that mean we can stick noblies on a 'busa and go nuts? And everyone would be fine with it?

[Motu]

A ''real'' Motard races on a track that has seal and dirt - it's doing both,and so is the rider,it's a real crossover,with more emfuciss (correct spelling,I checked) on the dirt side.

So it depends on where the people who ride them are coming from - are they a dirt rider getting their kicks on road,or a road rider getting a taste of dirt bike? I don't care,I got my first trail bike in 1971 and have been riding dirt bikes on the road ever since...so Motards are welcome anywhere from me.

[TwoSeven]

They are currently showing the euro-tard racing championship on sky sports. Some pretty good racing. The euros race half dirt half seal with the appropriate jumps and bumps on the dirt portion.

A tard bike is just a normal sit up and beg style road bike with the engine moved forward and a longer swingarm. Your just riding the front wheel - hence the rear slides so much.

[Motu]

No,a Motard is a dirt bike with street suspension,wheels and brakes,frame,engine and seating position is pure dirt.

Motards get sideways - street riders shit their pants when that happens,a dirt rider who can't get sideways is a Nancy.

[James Deuce]

:whocares: They have two wheels and an internal combustion engine.

That should be enough.

[Ixion]

..
Motards get sideways - street riders shit their pants when that happens,a dirt rider who can't get sideways is a Nancy.

Gotta admit , getting the BMW sideways was unnerving . But a handlefull of throttle straightened it out .

[Mr Skid]

Gotta admit , getting the BMW sideways was unnerving . But a handlefull of throttle straightened it out .
Why would you want to straight out a perfectly good skid? :unsure:

[Ixion]

Why would you want to straight out a perfectly good skid? :unsure:

Had something to do with the cliff face coming toward me

[bugjuice]

Had something to do with the cliff face coming toward me
wuss :shake:

[Ghost Lemur]

My rudimentary understanding of Motard riding style is from the small amount of research I've been doing on them recently. The concensus I've found from overseas sites is that you ride to conditions. Ie, if you're going around a tarmac corner then you knee down, if you're going around a gravel/dirt corner you use your foot.

Anyone else heard this?

Thoughts?

[White trash]

Aaron Slight rides very definitely "road race" style. Wheels in line on the tarmac and he kicked arse.

Good enough for him, more than good enough for Trash.

[Coldkiwi]

I suspect most motard riders use their bike (be it racing or casual) for on road purposes a majority of the time... but they're definitely partially focussed towards the mucky stuff too.
Why not a new section then?.. call it Rave about Retards :)

[Jackrat]

My rudimentary understanding of Motard riding style is from the small amount of research I've been doing on them recently. The concensus I've found from overseas sites is that you ride to conditions. Ie, if you're going around a tarmac corner then you knee down, if you're going around a gravel/dirt corner you use your foot.

Anyone else heard this?

Thoughts?

Was reading a Motard site resently were the better/more exspereinced riders were keeping both feet on the pegs 95% of the time.
On tar they were talking about tucking the inside knee hard into the tank,no knee out/down stuff at all.This is basicly how I ride both dirt and road,never been into knee down or leg out on either dirt or road,Just trust the tyres or use the power.
I love drifting a dirt bike with both feet on the pegs,never even considered sticking my foot out.
Different stokes for different folks I guess.

By the end of this year I hope to own a Motard myself.
60/40 road/dirt,It's gonn'a be fun. :niceone:

[Skunk]

I really enjoy riding my KLX on the road. BIG grin factor without getting illegal speeds (much).
Thinking of Motarding it but not for competition (have you seen me ride?).
Next track day I might have it done...

[Motu]

I do all sorts,but generaly keep my feet on the pegs - on gravel I get sideways a lot,but keep the bike fairly upright and only foot it if I have to...off road it depends on the corner,but the foot always goes down for a tight pivot turn,on a 2nd or 3rd gear turn I might keep them on the pegs or hover the old foot out there in case of need.On the dirt track I wore a steel shoe and the foot was always out there working hard...a third wheel.Sometimes I keep the bike more upright and lean off the bike into the turn...othertimes I'll push the bike down and keep myself upright...all sorts of stuff,all sorts of reasons to do it....I don't really analyse,just do what needs to be done to make the corner.

So,a hint Jack??

[hXc]

I want to convert the shittiest old XR200 into a motard just for fun. I reckon it would be cool just to know you can put the back wheel out and trust it not to slip :Punk: Anyone with one around the Hawkes Bay area???

[Jackrat]

I do all sorts,but generaly keep my feet on the pegs - on gravel I get sideways a lot,but keep the bike fairly upright and only foot it if I have to...off road it depends on the corner,but the foot always goes down for a tight pivot turn,on a 2nd or 3rd gear turn I might keep them on the pegs or hover the old foot out there in case of need.On the dirt track I wore a steel shoe and the foot was always out there working hard...a third wheel.Sometimes I keep the bike more upright and lean off the bike into the turn...othertimes I'll push the bike down and keep myself upright...all sorts of stuff,all sorts of reasons to do it....I don't really analyse,just do what needs to be done to make the corner.

So,a hint Jack??

Nothings cast in stone aye,but putting a foot down for me often means I'm about to hit the deck,a kind of panic reaction.
Never to old to learn I guess.
Do we admit that kind of thing around here ? :whistle:

[Brian d marge]

It is pretty cool to have a 180 corner on a wet mud track with a long straight approach ( MX track ) Flat out on tall ish gearing , hard on the brakes then 2 wheel drift round said corner .......front just on the point of wash,,,apex(ish) 0r as soon as throttle goes on feed power on start rear sliding ,,,,,...

You feel like going round just to do it again .....get it wrong and you fall on your face or arse ...and its mud ..and u have all this protection ...( always carry one) ,,
That much fun MUST be illegal....they will someone in the behive will realise ,,,then make it illegal ...or tax it beyond repair

I bought an 86 cr for next to nothing ,,,then when a 91 engine came up that went in the frame ..now a 91 has come up cheap ,,,with 2000 front end ...

It possibly is the cheapest form of racing ...86 ( vmx ...just)

And with a set of rims and a leather suit u can tard it .......oh joy ...

Yes to aswer the question tards ..belong in there own class ,,they are NOT F3 and need some dirty airtime .....

it would be cool to jump a busa ....a twenty foot table should be no prob ...an knic nac ...or shoulin may be ........

Stephen

[NordieBoy]

On the flip side of this then, if Motards can be on-road racers, then does that mean we can stick noblies on a 'busa and go nuts? And everyone would be fine with it?

Cool with me :)
I'll bring the camera :)

PS...

[ridespy]

In the states, were they call it supermoto they have jumps on the track, it looks cool, check out http://www.redbullcopilot.com/

I keep getting tempted to have a go at motrading, might trow some road rubber on my WR and give it a go.

And yes Motard should have it own area.

[FROSTY]

Im of two minds on motards . The cerebral part says that with ever shrinking feilds in road racing we need any or every chance we can to boost the number of new guys entering racing.
From an emotional point of view they piss me off taking unpredictable lines and putting their feet down round corners.
I think the way PMCC did it it F3 was fantastic-Motards are allowed in F3 no worries but must keep feet on pegs
But that said I will welcolm with open arms any racer that wants to front and race with me regardless of what bike they ride.

[NordieBoy]

Just watched the 1st round of the S1 and S2 Tards on Prime.
Most keep their feet on the pegs.
The announcer was just translating the Italian commentry and not even watching the race!
I'd rather hear the original commentry for the emotion and just guess the rest.
And the lead-in...
"Supermotard had no spectators/tracks/balls untill Youthstream came along in 2001 and created the World Champs".

The Europeans would have something to say about that...

Fcukin Youthstream money grabbers :mad: :puke:




Deep breaths, calm, butterflies, puppy dogs, flowers, Guiseppie Loungo being savaged by a rabid pack of Frenchmen...

Ahhh, that's better..

:yes:

[StoneChucker]

Crap, I thought I knew exactly what a Motard was. It seems I don't! So, what is a Motard exactly? Is it a street bike with dirt tyres? Or a Vice Versa?

I thought that a dirt bike, with road tyres was a motard.
Either way, I think I want one as the next bike I've been yabbering on about.

[NordieBoy]

Yes, basically a dirt bike with road wheels.

Purists would clarify that with...
17" spoked wheels (3.5" front and 4.25" or 5" rear)
Larger (320mm or so) front disc.
Cut down front guard.
Anything that the bike dosn't actually need to run gets removed.

And of course a loose nut on the seat...
:ride: :Punk: :devil2:

[GN1NiteStnd]

Cant say I knew what they were before now either.

All i knew is that you can register a pocket bike as a motard.
-But i wouldnt recomend it. :nono:

[NordieBoy]

Cant say I knew what they were before now either.

All i knew is that you can register a pocket bike as a motard.
-But i wouldnt recomend it. :nono:

A motard doesn't get registered as a motard it gets registered as a motorbike.


Although....
Send me $20 and I'll set up a register and add your bike to it :D

[DesmoDAZ]

When the ignorant stop bashing on what they have not done they should then do it and voice an informed opinion and rewiew, then they should ride on of these on hard pack or cinders.
Motorcycles are all about the grin factor, thats why you should own and ride one, doesn't matter what genre, if ya not grinning under ya lid you probably need to ride a Motard style bike and ride it like ya stole it.:Police:

[NordieBoy]

Wow. A 5-year old thread dredge!

:Punk: