Which Supermoto or Street Scrambler in 2025?

[stevo as b4]

Evening all.

I've been away from this place for a few years, so I hope some of you and the originals are still around, and enjoying owning, riding or working on bikes and keeping the dealers busy.

I'm finally going to be buying my first brand new bike in 23 years this autumn, so I'm going to do the old favourite which bike post and ask you all for some advice, thoughts and opinions based on your experiences, which will be a lot more significant than mine!

I'm going to try and buy a new Supermoto bike or maybe a street scrambler single that I can put some nice sticky tyres on. It's only going to be used on the road for fun, short rides, bike meets, and maybe a track day with like minded bikes now and then. I've still got Kawasaki KMX 125's and 200's, but have been more interested in mountain biking for the last 6 years or so.
Here's my arbitrary short list, assuming they are all available as new UK bikes.

1, New Suzuki DRZ4SM (I've heard late September is the release date).
2, SWM 500SM.
3, Sherco 500SM.
4, TM Racing 300 SMR ( Fuel injected 2-stroke that's street legal just!).
5, Fantic Caballero Rally 500. (Would like to put 17" supermoto wheels on it maybe?)
6, Triumph Scrambler 400.

The list above is not exhaustive, but is a start point. I'm not that interested in a minimum/ maximum budget or the cc etc. I do like a lighter bike under 140-150kg dry however.

I've only closely looked at the Triumph in person so far, and I wasn't so impressed with it as I expected to be, from the great looks in photos. I felt it looked very budget in finish and build quality, and not a patch on the the bigger 900/1200 scrambler bikes in comparison. I'd want a Triumph to feel a bit special really, and the Scrambler just felt cheap and also physically a small bike that was trying to look bigger and tougher, but not achieving it. If I got one, then I'd also want to put spoked 17" wheels on it I think, and maybe a high level exhaust too.

I might be mad, but I've discounted the Ducati 698 and all of the KTM range for various reasons. My ideal bike was probably the Kawasaki KLX 300SM, but Kawasaki can't and won't bring them into the UK, or I'd already have one in my garage.

Finally, I'd like to think that Chinese bikes have really come on hugely since my last new bike purchase, so if there's any good or retro Chinese single cylinder Supermoto style bikes out there, I'd give my unbiased consideration to them.
For the short rides and limited use I am predicting then even an electric Supermoto bike would probably work for me. Missing the ICE sound is one big sacrifice to make, but it's doable. The issue with electric bikes for me is that none of them look like a classic, retro, or real bike. I could maybe give up the sound, but I'm never going to ride what looks like a battery box with wheels!

So far I'm thinking wait for the Suzuki, and look at it and the SWM first. The Fantic Caballero Rally looks stunning, but I'd want to fiddle with it and try putting 17" supermoto wheels on it. Maybe it'd look and ride great like that? I know there is the regular Caballero, but I do like a tall bike with wide bars.

[stinkwheel]

[to v or not to v]

Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 too.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
Moto Guzzi V7.

[Zen Dog]

I test rode a Triumph Speed 400 and an RE Guerilla 450 recently. I was genuinely impressed with the build quality of both to be honest. Neither looked built down to a price to me (maybe the welded pillion footrests on the RE).

Comparing them -
The Triumph felt like it had better quality suspension, and a more neutral riding position. The rev counter is rubbish (a tiny digital bar). Engine is brilliantly fun for a little bike. But it did have a strange hunting issue at low constant throttle openings, which is apparently normal for them but would drive me nuts. If it wasn't for that I think I would have bought it.

The Guerilla suspension definitely felt crashier, though it was just as good around a corner. Riding position (especially the seat) tips you forward more than the Triumph (something I don't really like). The clocks are really good. All the info you need, clearly displayed, and looks cool too. And it's got bluetooth nonsense, which the Triumph hasn't. The engine didn't feel as peppy as the Triumph though, especially in the top half of the rev range. Much cooler colour schemes though.

Ultimately I decided not to buy either of them, and I'm looking for something small, light and comfy, which is not really your use case. But for what it's worth, that's my impression of them.
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Current - '94 VFR750FR (Dead), '00 VFR800FI, 2011 CBF125 Previous - '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win (chinese copy of an old Honda design with a C90 engine)
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[TbirdX]

I have a CF Moto 450MT. Not put that many miles on it yet but it looks the part and rides well.

Gets rave reviews all round and I can't disagree in my limited time thus far. Only downside is slightly iffy throttle response at low speeds. You can either live with it or not.

Trouble is, you can't get them new at the moment, nor in the near future I suspect but they are starting to appear 2nd hand a bit now.
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VFR800X - CFMoto 450MT - TTR250

[Ayrton]

[to v or not to v]

[stevo as b4]

Evening all.

Thanks to everyone who has replied to my which bike post, and it's nice to see some old names and people I remember from way back too. Stinkwheel, Blue etc.

I've also had a quick look at the bike suggestions you have all made for my next/ last new bike. First off I've looked at the CF Moto range and I feel like I'm being a bit awkward really. The CF 450MT is a cracking and likely extremely good mid size adventure/trail/ Enduro sector. Unfortunately it looks too adventure/Dakar style bike for my liking, so it's out. The rest of the CF range is either too modern or is in other defined categories of bike that aren't for me really.

The Royal Enfields do look nice in the same way as the Triumph 400's too. But though the Guruilla 450 is actually a nice looking bike, it's more like the Triumph speed 400, and not a high piped street scrambler. And with the Triumph it was only the Scrambler that I liked really.

Regarding the Kawasaki KLX 300, The the appeal of these for me is that it comes as a factory built Supermoto that's set up for supermoto use. It's appeal to me was partly this, but also that it seemed like a bike that can be upgraded and have lots of potential for aftermarket parts upgrades and tuning. This isn't really something that I want to get into, but it's not unescaped me that they make about 24-25rwbhp as standard, and they can be made to make 32-33bhp with the right parts. Then there's tyres, brakes and cosmetic bits you can get to change or improve them depending on your view point. Again I wasn't after a bike to mess with, but it's appealing for this silly reason that I could fiddle with it. It's not ever going to be a UK market bike due to it not meeting Euro regulations, so it's thankfully/luckily off the list.

I think I'll look at the other bikes I short listed, but there's nothing electric that looks like what I'm after. Maybe the Stark Varg in supermoto trim, but i don't want 80bhp and can't probably afford well into five figures for a bike I'm not going use that often. <£10k is about where I'm at.

In summary, I know I should be more open minded and try to get the most machine for my money and something great value and capable for the price, but I'm not feeling it yet. An example is that I do like the look of the Kawasaki Z650RS, but a retro street bike no matter how good value they are and decent to ride, well they don't really make me want to go out and spend money.

I'm pretty sure even if I'm boxing myself into a corner here that my next bike needs to look like:
1, A competition supermoto bike with lights and road legality or

2, A nice classic looking street scrambler bike like the Fantic 500's, that I can put some nice spoked 17" wheels on and leave it at that give or take.

The Suzuki, SWM, Sherco and TM are still very appealing for me to investigate, but then so is the Fantic and maybe the Triumph though I'm not sure on the scrambler 400X from my first look and sit on one.
I might be mistaken, but I thought I remembered a Chinese bike from a few years ago that basically looked like a Yamaha XT500 supermoto. That would be a lovely bike to have, but I just don't want to build one myself due to having a shed full of old broken two stroke KMX's, or the spare time to do a project these days.

[TbirdX]