First, an Introduction

Racing motorcycles has been a big part of my life since 2004. Funny enough, it was an article I read on a website that sparked my curiosity and turned a pastime that I enjoyed into an obsession. I have fond memories from the early days of sleepless nights, waking up at 2am to begin my trek to the race track (because I will never sleep anyway), and sleeping in the truck outside the track gates (thankfully I splurged and bought an extended cab). Often when I tell people of the lengths I drive or the sleep deprivation I subject myself (and others) to for the sake of my sport, I am met with puzzled looks and often asked why.

My name is Andy Cule and this is my Supermoto blog! My intention for this blog is to bring recognition to the sport, promote dialogue between riders and share best practices for race preparation and riding technique to make us all better riders. I have been racing for a while now, which in no way makes me an expert – it just means I have amassed some experience. And like many of you know, there is no substitute for experience. My experience prior to racing comes from years working as an automotive technician at a Ford dealership; some years ago I switched careers into the teaching profession and now I teach auto shop at a Hamilton high school.

My life is complemented and completed by an understanding partner in Shanna. We live in a modest home with our three pets; two dogs and a cat. I am a middle child, having an older brother and a younger sister. I am an uncle of three nieces and a nephew, all of whom ride motorcycles, albeit my nieces favour the four-wheeled ATV after a bad experience on the PW80 at their grandparents’ house.

So now that you know a little about me, I want to share with you what I do in the off-season to keep in riding shape, in the hopes that you will in return share your methods of keeping the riding cobwebs away. I spent the time and money and built a set of ice riding tires for my MX bike. Ice riding is as close as you can get to Supermoto when the weather is frigid and uninviting. Taking a set of MX tires and building ice tires isn’t that hard if you are not afraid of a little work. Alternatively, you can buy a set of professionally made tires if that is easier for you. Beyond ice riding, indoor motocross is another option – Chestermans indoor motocross is a challenging track located in Tillsonburg, Ontario.

We’re always open to new ideas and new riding buddies, so please offer up and contribute what you do to stay in riding shape. Take a moment to let the motorcycle racing community know what you do to stay in shape in the off-season.

Happy riding,

Andy

2012: A Mixed Bag

I can’t believe it’s almost February and here in southern Ontario we haven’t really felt the effects of old man winter at all. Some days, the positive temperatures have me thinking of spring and the upcoming supermoto season.  2012’s arrival has a lot of new developments going on in the world of supermoto.

The asphalt surfing will continue, albeit on a different scale this year. The new Supermoto Ontario club will offer affordable practices bi-monthly at the new track being developed in Drumbo, ON, just between Woodstock and Kitchener off the 401.  The guys from Supermoto Ontario had an awesome display at the International Motorcycle Supershow in January and I was able to get a glimpse of the proposed dirt section, and it looks amazing.

The bike show generated a lot of interest in the new club, and I am looking forward to seeing all the new faces at the new track. The club will focus on building a rider base in 2012 by offering a friendly atmosphere for all, where the experienced riders will help with riding technique and bike setup – definitely a bonus for anyone who wants to try it out.

The Quebec races will return this season with the Supermoto X Fest at Mecaglisse, a world class facility featuring full grids that make this an excellent event.  The H Games event in Carignan offers fans an up close view of Supermoto racing, with a live DJ and freestyle motocross to entertain throughout the day.

Our American friends have made some big strides too! Dave Duprey fromMISuperMoto has released the series’ schedule, with two of the four events taking place on the city streets in West Branch and in Wayne, Michigan. Anyone who went to last year’s event in West Branch will tell you how amazing it was racing through the streets in front of thousands of spectators. Going over the 50-foot tabletop right on the main street was impressive, especially for racers!

Another very exciting development is the return of professional supermoto racing in the US after a two-year hiatus. The six-race schedule will have top talent from around the United States and some Europeans battling for the championship once again. USA Pro Supermoto has secured the Italian tire manufacturer Goldentyre as a major sponsor for the next three years. This development, coupled with a bike and parts manufacturer for rider sponsorship, will definitely help to get the grid positions filled.

Out west, the BC Supermoto Association has six races planned for 2012, all at the Tradex Exhibition Grounds at the Abbotsford Airport, located in the Fraser valley outside Vancouver.

Although 2012 looks to be a building year here in southern Ontario, there are a lot of new developments to be excited about in the world of Supermoto.  Please share your comments and links to all things supermoto here at the blog so we can all stay connected.

Thanks and take care!
Andy Cule

Supermoto Tire Test

The supermoto season is drawing near. As I prepare to swap the ice tires with the motocross tires, I can’t help but reflect on how mild this winter has been in southwestern Ontario. The lack of ice has pushed me indoors to ride motocross to stay sharp. That got me thinking about tires, and how I have used different brands over the years with varying degrees of success. One sure thing is that tire selection is as varied as rider personality. Each tire has similar characteristics, but is very individual in how it grips the track and how it behaves through its usable life. A supermoto-specific tire is a lot like a road racing slick, albeit with a light, flexible carcass designed for less horsepower and a lighter bike.

It is shocking to think that the small, sometimes toonie-sized contact patch is all that we have to use for traction on our motorcycles. The contact patch is the portion of a bike's tire that is in actual contact with the road surface. The size of contact patch does vary depending on tire pressure and weight distribution; a lower tire pressure results in a larger contact patch. Similarly, weight transfer during braking or accelerating can affect the size of the contact patch.

The temperature of the tire also plays a huge part in the traction available at any given time. Tire manufacturers have recommended tire pressures when the tire is up to temperature.  It’s always best to set and adjust tire pressures after riding, to tailor for feel and grip. Ambient temperatures will determine track surface temperature and, along with friction, will ultimately affect tire temperature.

Like I stated earlier, I have used many different brands of tires. When I first started riding, like most of us, money (or lack thereof) was the largest determining factor in the selection of my tires. Supermoto is great for beginners because one can expect to use one set of tires all season. A set of slicks and maybe, just in case, a set of rain tires can give you that extra bit of grip, and security on rainy days. A rain tire is grooved and the compound incorporates silica to improve wet grip as well as the tire’s ability to get up to temperature quickly.

Manufacturers such as Shinko, Maxxis, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Michelin and Goldentyre all produce a supermoto-specific tire. Goldentyre is the new control tire for the USA Pro Supermoto for the next three years. The Canadian Goldentyre distributor is GP Moto out of Kamloops, BC. They have tires for the upcoming season if anyone wants to check them out. From what I have read in forums, they perform like the Michelins or Dunlops, with identical grip and feedback and a slow wear through the tire’s lifespan.

All manufacturers make a few optional compounds with different grip levels and wear rates; this allows you to select the appropriate tire, depending on ambient temperature and asphalt type, to ensure optimum results. The best way to determine what you need is to speak with your knowledgeable tire distributor and fellow racers at the track.

Battling It Out in 2012!

2012 is shaping up to be a really exciting year for supermoto racers in Ontario. Supermoto Ontario (SMO) has announced a two-race regional and national series to be held at Shannonville Motorsports Park. So mark these exciting weekends on your calendars — June 17^th and September 16^th. These two dates will also include practice on the Saturday from 5:30 until dusk, with the racing taking place on Sunday. These two dates make up the regional series as well as the national series. The national series will have the supermoto racers shredding asphalt and banging bars in Ontario and Quebec; trust me, it will be an all-out war!

The limited number of races will push riders to race hard for a podium position. This is an open invitation to anyone who raced supermoto in past years to dust off their wheels and brakes and come out to battle once again! I am expecting to see some old rivalries renewed, and new ones formed in the upcoming season.

Supermoto Ontario is looking to add sponsors to sweeten the deal for racers. They plan on providing championship winners with prize packages at the end of the year. This will give riders an extra incentive to push their bikes and skills to the limit in pursuit of the championship. I am so stoked for the upcoming season! SMO has secured a number of sponsors already including Maxima oils, who have donated product for the series. Check out Maximausa.com for product information and be sure to support those who support you. Mission Cycles, a local KTM dealer located in Angus, Ontario, has offered all SMO riders special tax-included pricing for all purchases. Every rider knows the costs associated with their motorcycle, and we can all appreciate an amazing offer when we see it, so be sure to call Mission Cycle with your pre-season wish list in hand. Don’t leave it to last minute!

Nineonenine designs are the official graphics sponsor for the 2012 race season, so contact them to replace those tired looking number plates. If your bike looks anything like mine, it's a necessity to freshen up for the upcoming year. Some other friends of SMO who need mention are Pete from Supermoto Specialities,who is a knowledgeable guy and a tireless supporter of supermoto. I want to take a moment and thank Shannonville Motorsports Park's owner Jean Gauthier for supporting the plight of supermoto and SMO, and making his awesome world class facility available for 2012.

SMO is also working with Shannonville to make changes in the dirt section. Here’s what’s happening: The guys have started making arrangements to introduce a new berm turn after the first table-top jump to make the dirt battle more exciting while keeping safety in mind. The new berm will enable riders to carry more speed through the dirt and provide two race lines for rider preference. Some riders with motocross backgrounds can really impress with the amount of speed on slick tires. In addition, a new rhythm section before the first steel ramp will level the playing field, changing the previous dirt track corner to a more technically challenging obstacle.

All of these additions and modifications have been carefully considered with one thing in mind. Make the existing track more challenging for riders, while making the race action more exciting for race spectators! Talk about bang for the buck. Great work guys!

Racing at La Tuque, May 12-13th, 2012

Our drive started out Friday about midday after feverishly going over all the gear and bikes the night before, making sure not to forget anything.  Over the years I have had a lot of practice packing the truck/trailer for a weekend race getaway, but no matter how many times I do it I always manage to forget something and this time it was the second pair of tire warmers.  Good work!

My brother Albert and myself began the long trip down the 401 headed to the belle province ,making  a quick stop to pick up a fellow bombsquaders  Pat and Mike.  The combination of a truck full of guys, coupled with the 11 or so hour drive multiplied by Paddy’s hankering for cheese curds just outside Kingston and Mikey’s choice of beef jerky and I knew we were in for an exciting weekend. The drive was long and tiresome but once we got through Montreal traffic and started heading north past Trois Rivieres the scenery changed and the beauty of the mountains made us all happy. We knew it wouldn’t be long before we arrived in La Tuque.

La Tuque is a special town in the fact that the cities whole economy is driven by a paper mill and has been that way for many years. The population is small but the municipality is more than willing to close down the streets for  supermoto and quad racing. Luc Boucher and his team did an amazing job laying out the track for the two day event. The race sanctioning body is Supermoto Quebec with François Cominardi at the helm of his team of organizers. I want to take a second and thank them all for their hard work and despite the obvious language barrier we were made to feel welcome during the weekend.  The supermoto and superquad  races are only the first part of the 12 hours of endurance in La Tuque. The horsepower festivities continue the following weekend with endurance racing both with motorcycles and quads.

The course layout was very challenging with a lot of rough pavement in the infield chicane making it very tricky indeed. The dirt section consisted of a double jump with a kicker which shot you out onto the infield, followed by a surprisingly huge back straight for a drag race complete with cheering section. A fast left handed turn perfect for backing it in brought you back to the dirt section, where on Sunday the cheering could be heard over the full throttle of engine under hard acceleration. The cheering was a welcome gift from the fans because the ruts on the double were deep enough to scrape foot pegs by the end of the 12-15 lap finales! It was a very challenging course indeed!

With the first Canadian National in the books it looks like the season is going to bring some very hard fought battles. It is nice to see all of the old riders bringing their A-game, and lots of new faces in the paddock. A great enthusiasm can be felt around the Supermoto scene that extends beyond provincial borders and that is good for the sport!  Supermoto Ontario has been working really hard on the dirt section at Shannonville and it looks amazing, great job guys for all your hard work.  Make sure you come out to support on June 16^th and 17^th at Shannonville to see some exciting racing.

2012 XFest

Meccaglisse and Xfest are always important dates for Supermoto; this year being no exception. This year’s guest of honour was Boris Chambon; Boris is a World Champion racer from France. He was invited to the Xfest to race and to teach a riding school prior to the race weekend. All in attendance commented about Boris’ extensive knowledge and riding ability.  Students were pumped to put what they learned into practice on the amazing 2.2 km Mecaglisse racetrack.  The French rider was on borrowed equipment from Frederic Coeymans was very gracious in letting Boris use his bike! During the pro introduction on Sunday it was funny to see Frederic relaxing on a race day with a big smile on his face. I am sure he didn’t miss the hectic race day schedule.

The race weekend brought some bright sun and very hot temperatures. The excessive heat always makes me question my decision to race when I am about to put on my leathers.  But as soon as I roll out on the track it becomes all worthwhile as I prepare mentally on the short trip around the track on my way to the starting line. The sighting lap is always very important to inspect the dirt section as it changes throughout the day or as repairs and maintenance is completed.  This weekend brought its share of difficulties for a number of riders. On Sunday, SM1 race one had Francois Asselin colliding with Jerrett Bellamy over the tabletop jump; the crash basically collected the whole field of riders due to the close proximity during the beginning of the race.  Francois’ day was done due to re-injuring a shoulder and collarbone. Jerrett’s KTM took the brunt of the crash not allowing him to return to race action. Steve Scharfe’s bike was damaged in the scuffle as well; His 450’s engine case was cracked and put him out of action. Anyone that knows Steve knows how much of a die-hard racer he is. Steve used his 250 bike to continue to compete against the much more powerful 450’s.

Former Canadian champion Dave Arnold was flying as usual on his Honda until a broken gear in the transmission locked up the engine solid and brought his race weekend to an abrupt halt. Despite the early end to his weekend Dave was still in good spirits and seen helping fellow riders with setup and riding technique.  A fellow Pro rider Chris Barendregt was still working on getting comfortable with the new bike and setup as well as fighting front brake issues. Myself, I couldn’t seem to get the rear Dunlop to hook up no matter what I did, playing with tire pressure and rear suspension settings made it better but I still couldn’t get the grip I needed to get the drive off the corners.

A crowd pleasing favorite is the drift competition on Sunday. This competition pits pro riders up against one another after the introductions. Each rider takes a turn sliding their bike around a turn in front of the spectator grandstands. After each rider takes a couple of turns drifting around the corner, spectators give applause based on rider drifting ability. This year’s competition saw Boris Chambon winning over Maxime Sylveste taking second place.

All the racing was very exciting, especially the Pro races where the French champ battled hard with the current Canadian champion Maxime Syvestre. The overall win went to Michael Martel who has stepped it up big time this year keeping pace and consistently placing well during each of the rounds. This year’s supermoto racing has been action packed and the two upcoming rounds at H-games in Carignan and Shannonville’s final round are sure to impress all those that come out to participate and spectate. See you at the track!  

H Games at H Gregoire/Eskape.ca

This year’s long drive to Chambly for the fourth consecutive H games was worthwhile for all in attendance. The supermoto race action was coupled with some smashing and crashing action of a demolition derby.  The race track configuration was changed from last year with a huge tabletop jump that had some riders jumping as high as the power lines followed by a set of gnarly woops that were big enough to get lost in! The pavement layout had a high speed corner and some serious switchbacks perfect for sliding action to wow the crowd while challenging riders.  The heat and humidity had a lot of riders switching from leathers to MX gear in an attempt to stay cool. This is always a risky decision due to the resulting roadrash in the case of a slip, when things go bad on the asphalt. Another interesting difference from all other races in the national schedule was that race action was going late into the night and racing would be taking place under the lights. The darkest place on the track seemed to be the table top jump and woop section where seeing clearly is most important. I can only speak for myself but I welcomed the challenge and it made for some fun racing.

A pretty large number of spectators showed up to support the riders. A local musician played music during the evening while staging took place and in between breaks in the action. Another feature was some side by side race action as well as some intense mini -moto racing. One thing for sure is that the spectators always have lots to see and do at the H games and that is what makes it so great!

The racing was fast and furious with the results as follows:

Open Amateur                  SM2 250                       Veteran+35                     SM1 Open

1.Stephane Dupont             1.Mathieu Gagne           1.Frederic Belanger          1.Tommy Fortin                 

2.Frederic  Belanger            2. Steve Sharfe             2.Steve Sharfe                2.Marc Andre Viens

3. Samuel Berard                3.Phillipe Landry            3.Mark Page                   3.Stephane Dupont

Quad Open Am                                Pro Atv Quad                     SMX Pro

1.J. Charles Desjardins                    1.Michael Lanthier               1. Maxime Sylvestre

2. Eric Berwdt                                  2.Sylvain Arsenault             2.Micheal Martel

3. Stephane Blanchette                     3.Eric Gerard                      3.Paul Jutras Rouillard

One thing I enjoy most about racing supermoto is the camaraderie in the pit area; It is like a family atmosphere away from home.  Even though some things are lost in translation promoter and racers alike make the out- of-province Ontario racers feel at home. The race action is heating up moving into the final round coming up on September 15-16^th at Shannonville Motorsports Park. The points championships are up for grabs and everyone I talked to is looking forward to do battle again. I encourage all to come out and support the sport and catch some exciting race action. As the season wraps up everyone will be looking to push harder than ever to try to get on the top of the box at the  supermoto event of the year. See you at Shannonville Motorsports Park.