As an owner of the original Promoto MX, hearing the news of Losi releasing an all-new Supermoto immediately sparked my interest. With word of the new release coming with some fresh new parts as well as some revised and updated concepts used on the original MX, I was excited to get my hands on one to try for myself. That said, let's dive in and take a look at the changes Losi have made to refine their game-changing Promoto-MX, transforming it into the all-new Promoto-SM, and we’ll see how they fare…
Wheels and Tyres
The most noticeable change Losi have made to the Promoto-SM from a performance perspective is the smaller, supermoto-style, street tyres. Not only do they ride a whole lot smoother and quieter than their off-road counterparts, but the smaller diameter wheel offers noticeably better acceleration and overall speed than the original MX off-road tyre.
Upgraded Braking System
As well as the speed of the supermoto style tyre, Losi have gone ahead and revised and fitted an all-new front brake calliper and floating piston, which is intended to improve the bike's braking force. Did I notice a difference?
Initially, I found it difficult to say whether the revised braking system was an improvement. It wasn’t until I got halfway through my first battery pack that I felt a noticeable difference - and by difference, I mean the difference was the fact that it continued to perform the same. On my Promoto-MX, once the mechanism heats up under some hard braking, I’ve noticed the brake force fades ever so slightly, especially on high-grip surfaces. The revised piston and calliper fitted to the SM, on the other hand, suffered no brake fade whatsoever. It's super consistent throughout from full to flat of a battery pack - perfect, given the speed the new bikes get up to.
Lean Bars
Another update Losi have taken the time to complete is the shape of the lean bar wheels. The newly shaped wheels definitely allow the bike to lean further and turn a whole lot sharper than the original MX, which is well-suited to the performance expected of the supermoto style bike.
Bike Design
Aesthetically, I think Losi have absolutely nailed the supermoto look. With the shortened front fender and the life-like protection of the additional hand guards, the bike looks super impressive and about as scale as it gets. Thankfully, Losi have released the plastics in multiple colours, as im personally not a huge fan of the white plastics that come on the bike from the factory!
Overall, I think Losi have done an exceptional job replicating the look and the performance of a supermoto. The performance updates make for noticeable improvements in drivability, and the aesthetics are spot on. For those of you unsure of whether to drop next weeks paycheck on a RC bike that comes with features suited to on-road riding, never fear, with the turn of a few hex drivers, you can switch out the SM tyres to go get a taste for dirt with their MX counterparts… Yep, every part on the SM is cross-compatible with the MX (and vice versa!) Talk about the best of both worlds! I may already own a Promoto MX, but knowing the SM performs as well as it looks isn’t leaving me much choice but to clear a 1:4 scale size space on my shelf, 'cause my RC motorbike collection is about to double!
If you're interested in purchasing one yourself, you can find them here.