[Miweber929]

To me the Kramer thing just doesn't make any sense.
They have pretty good if not excellent small bike racing now. I like watching the small bikes better than anything else. In a class were they are already cost efficient somewhat.
There are so many guys going to Ninja 400 at the track it's becoming the trend. They are about 1/4 the cost of the big bikes taking them to the track.

Agreed, the Kramer thing is interesting. Several local people are riding them up here in CRA, I think the importer may be local and doing well with them but they are REALY expensive for what you get. Not that it's not competitive, not that it's not a high level, ready to go race machine, it's just a large investment for something raced 5 times a year (because of winter) and will get thrown down the track and end up in a heap at some point in its life. It's also not street legal, you can;t sell the street parts to recoup some money and you pretty much have to buy parts through them.

Cool, but I think money could be better spent for the average track day junky.

 

[Miweber929]

I wonder what the re-sale is like on the Kramers. Low production runs and they're not former street bikes.

Fairly high still. It’s a niche bike, and if you want one, you’re willing to pay the premium. The local guy sells them used from time to time and they’re better priced but still high. I’ll try to find an ad.

As others have said, a lightly crashed bike with upgraded suspension and a tune is a better buy financially for a travel junky unless you REALLY want the top notch track experience.

Found this on their website:

Used Inventory — Krämer Motorcycles USA - Race-Ready Motorcycles

www.kramermotorcyclesusa.com

 

[Miweber929]

Would really like to do the track / road conversion on the YZ450 supermoto like the picture, but the cost of doing this would be near the cost of a used Kramer.
They tried to get this class happening in OZ back in 2013 I think but it all fell over.


View attachment 51929

They tried it in the US as well, I bought an older WR450F about that time, but the class didn’t go far. I had done some research and cost depended on how far into it you wanted to get and what could do yourself. In its most basic form it’s really just lowered suspension and 17” wheels with bolted on rearset pegs, wrapped in bodywork or not so the cost of the bike is your biggest factor. Must have been around 09, maybe 10 or 11 because I had an ‘03 (or ‘04) WR that was a steel frame and carbureted and the FI ones were just coming out or had just come out.

You could go crazy, R6 fits and triple tree, custom subframe, longer swingarm, etc. but again the cost goes way up.

 

[Miweber929]

I just read that Moto 3 will be changed to 500cc twin spec engine. This blow a hole in the Kramer deal.

The Kramers are more used in club racing anyway, won't be a huge thing to them; they'll simply pivot and start will a new motor. The Aprilia 457 (? or whatever it is) would be great, the 390 KTM should be fine, lots of choices.