Riding to the line, I felt like a dude armed with only a knife in a gunfight, but I still held my chin high and was ready to take my medicine. I was hell-bent that the first quad race of my life wasn't going to be a total wash. I leapt from the line in the Amateur main event and tried to wrestle the KFX into obeying me as best I could. Even with the tires bulging with air, my steed held steadfast and was a real piece of work to turn on the pavement. By the end of the race, I felt as though I'd just gone three rounds in the octagon at an Ultimate Fighting Challenge event and was beat into submission-but hey, I didn't finish last! I placed ninth out of something like 25 riders. (Let's not mention the fact that I think two guys crashed, two had their quads break and two were riding ATC 70s.)
Most of the top pros went back to knobbies or a severely cut tire and were able to slide their quad into and through turns as if they were on dirt. The fastest machines were lowered with an extended front suspension, a wider rear axle and sway bars. The most-popular and -fitting machine for supermoto is the Yamaha YFZ450 or Honda's TRX450R. Power is your friend when riding supermoto, and you have to have enough to spin the rear tires while exiting turns to get through the corners with any speed.
There is definitely going to be a slight learning curve if more supermoto ATV events start popping up. The KFX and similar sport quads can be made to supermoto but need a little massaging to work. Adequate protective gear, or the lack thereof, is another issue based on what I saw at the event. Remember: Safety first! Dress for the crash and not for the ride. Skin and pavement don't get along, so if you're thinking about riding a supermoto quad, be sure to wear roadracing-type leathers or full padding under your normal gear. At a minimum, wear fully padded shorts under your riding pants, body armor with elbow pads under your jersey and street gloves, which provide more hand protection. And, of course, boots, helmet and goggles.
My buddies first told me I was crazy, but when all was said and done, they were interested in the outcome. There was an element of fun, but for me, it was like going to the movies wearing a blindfold. I could hear the story but couldn't grasp the entire picture without all of my "senses"-meaning the proper machine to get the job done. While watching some of the fast pros rail their way through the pavement section, I was envious and curious about what it would be like to slide around a full-blown racer. Since none of the riders had any real supermoto quad racing experience, it was wild to hear them talk about how much fun they had after the races were over.
Supermoto will probably never be a mainstay sector of quad racing, but a small crop of events each year could very well fuel the need for speed and open new doors for the racing world.
KFX400 Supermoto PartsDouglas Red Label front wheels (10x5), $66.28 eachDouglas Red Label rear wheels (10x8), $69.00 eachBig Gun Exhaust Race Series Complete KFX400 system, $499.95Pro-Design/Advantage Performance Distributing deadman's tether kill switch, $34.95Pro-Design/Advantage Performance Distributing Pro ATV Power Pack, $196.95Alba Action Pro Elite nerf bars, $159.99