thumper

Undertaking the ultimate blasphemy, and putting a magnesium XT 550 engine in a worn out RZ 350 frame. Thumpers rule.

whats a thumper?

Anything with one cylinder. They tend toward being, uh...buzzy.

My buddy just bought a used 97 KTM 620 Duke. #90 of only 500 made that year. Not going to see another one on the road. Its piped. And it freaks the Harley guys. He he.

Anyone see the kits to turn 450 dirt bikes into quasi-GP racers? Quite cool.

This is a thumper.

sounds, smells, and feels like a chainsaw

wanna buy it?

I prefer my thumpers requiring 4 strokes to complete a cycle. Bit less buzzy. Just found out, a friend has a three year old KLR 650 with FORTY FIVE miles on it. He's looking to trade it in on a bike for his wife. I told him that I'd match whatever the dealership would offer him.

Thats not really a thumper.

A thumper is a four stroke single. End of story.

Thump rocks! I rock the blast and no matter what people say that little beast can show larger bikes what's up.

Can you folks name some of the modern thumpers? I can only think of the honda klr, buell blast, and the suzuki m45(I think that's what it is called). Other than dirt bikes what other singles are there? I think bmw and ducati might be making singles but hell if I know.

Suzuki has this coming out soon.

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/TU250X/2009/TU250X.aspx?category=standard

wheelsmithy wrote: Undertaking the ultimate blasphemy, and putting a magnesium XT 550 engine in a worn out RZ 350 frame. Thumpers rule.

Nice.

I've thought of sticking a breathed-on XR650 motor into a Hawk GT frame for an unclassable trackday weapon. It has been done before. I need another project like a hole in the head, though. Not that that will likely stop me...

Hey, if you come across another one of those XT motors for cheap, let me know. I have a '71 Trackmaster chromoly frame/rolling chassis hanging from my ceiling that was built for one of those. It was bought NOS from a local dealer by a friend's father, and he loaned it to me to hang up as an object d'art in my apartment. Knowing him, I don't think he'd object if I returned it as a running cafe racer.

benzbaron wrote: Thump rocks! I rock the blast and no matter what people say that little beast can show larger bikes what's up. Can you folks name some of the modern thumpers? I can only think of the honda klr, buell blast, and the suzuki m45(I think that's what it is called). Other than dirt bikes what other singles are there? I think bmw and ducati might be making singles but hell if I know.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=15

I spent my entire dirt bike 'career' on thumpers. Love 'em! The post- 1998 YZ400 new generation short stroke high RPM thumpers REALLY rock! There aren't a whole lot of street thumpers out there right now, at least not here in the Great Satan.

A lot of street thumpers are dual sports or supermotards. Suzuki's DRZ400S and SM, Yamaha WR250R and X, TW200, XT250, Honda CRF230L and X, XR650L, Kawasaki KLR650, Super Sherpa and KLX250S and SF for example. Most of the KTM lineup. BMW also has the XCountry, G650, and one or two others.

There's a whole heap of dualsport or motards, I was referring to the true 'street only' bikes like the Honda FT500 Ascot or the Yamaha SR500.

Buell Blast. Which reminds me. Anyone have any pics of dualsported Blasts?

Better yet, café'd Blasts!

Suzuki savage(or whatever alphabet soup name its got now), Duke, SRX 600(had one-awesome), SR 500, GB 500, and tons of old, cool European stuff-I probably missed some

Like a Sounds of Singles racer? It has been done, and as counterintuitive as putting a one long 600 or 650 where a 650 v-twin was, I believe they're awesome . I wanted a ninja 250 frame, but my brother offered tro return this frame to me after a 15 year absence, and I couldn't resist. Probably better to buy another SRX 600, but where's the fun in that?

I meant one lung-duh

Don't forget about Royal Enfield's Bullet. You want retro, there's none better.

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/models/classic-g5.html

Jensenman wrote: There's a whole heap of dualsport or motards, I was referring to the true 'street only' bikes like the Honda FT500 Ascot

I put 40K miles on one of those. Had the seat reupholstered so it was flat(more like a dirt bike), made some rear sets, and put on some clip-ons. Also had a custom header with a SuperTrap. Had two different front sprokets that I changed depending on where I was going to ride(only took about 15 min.)

A buddy had a VT Ascot, it was neat but nowhere near as much fun as an FT. The FTs were so skinny and light (compared to the twins and fours) that it made you feel like a hero.

Apexcarver wrote:

Is it just me or do spikes on a bike's gas tank seem like a bad idea?

As cool an idea as it sounds, and I like the idea, please, please, please don't do it to an RZ350. Ninja 250 yes. There are a ton of them, and they're a dime a dozen. But there aren't many RZ's left...and you could probably sell the RZ to someone who wants one, buy a tired 250 Ninja, and come out money ahead.