KTM Value

When comparing KTM 990 Adventure R w bikes such as Triumph 800xc, I wonder why it's tougher to buy into the KTM. Can someone point out why the KTM costs more?

Triumphs IMO are fine bikes, but you don't have to look very far into the KTM to see where the money is spent. WP suspension is a great place to start. That and the fact that the big 990 will suck the paint off the little Triumph

yesterday i rode a new triumph 800xc back to back with a 05 950 adv. the 950 with 30k on it was faster and the suspension more adjustable for whatever the conditions. the 800xc was a sheep in wolf's clothing.

The triumph is a street bike that goes in the dirt, the ktm is a dirt bike that can tour the street.

Somebody else said it, but "Do you know why you don't see a lot threads about people putting Ohlins on 990's?"

"Because they don't need it."


Also, they come stock with Brembo's.

Because of this:

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Some riders are satisfied to purrrr like a kitty, meow meow. That's how Triumph stays in business.

Others want that feeling, you know it. The one that starts at the foot pegs, migrates up through the frame, fuel tank, into the thighs, all the while assaulting the ears, causing the heart to oscillate in the upper chest. It starts at about 4500 rpm and builds from there. Pavement, sand, mud, or rocks. The existential connection between the pleasure centers of the brain and throttle, right hand. 990R

I can't afford a Porsche Carrera. I can afford a 990R.

If I'm not mistaken, some of the Triumphs and other higher end bikes come with Ohlins and Brembos. And the KTMs aren't that much more expensive any more, especially compared to the BMWs and whatnot. The White Powers (depending on who you ask) are comparable to the Ohlins, although the Ohlins cost a lot of bread.

I was with ya until the last line. The 990 is great at what it does but it's nothing close to a Carrera, RSV4 or even my 1198S. But that's okay since it does put it in a league of it's own.

I like what I am reading i.e. 990 is the "real deal" and it has "soul" and that is awesome because it is affirming what I thought after shopping for bikes last week. Thanks everyone for giving me that final push to go up to the dealer and put my cash on the barrel head

Seems to me that you are confusing.....COST........with VALUE........

The KTM presents a much better value for what it costs, IMHO.....you won't need nearly the farkles to get the performance and value with it....

- Brembo brakes (not the best ones for the road IMO but great on the dirt if maintained well)

- Full adjustable WP suspension (48mm front on the KTM vs 45mm on the Tiger)

- Hydraulic clutch (IMO a must for the dirt)

- Excel wheels (some people managed to bend em, i still have to achieve that)

- V-twin = more torque (off-road torque is king!)

- More power (better engine for off-road and road, hands down. But i'm a LC8 fan so i may be biased )

- 265mm suspension travel front AND back on certain models and years (Triumph 220mm front and 215mm back - do you need the extra travel? I do since i bottom the 950S out already)

- 207kg vs 215kg (and the Tiger comes with weak handguards and a sucky ass bashplate vs KTM's sturdy handguards and bad-ass bashplate - it's still lighter!)

Basiclly, the KTM is kitted out better, suits off-road more then any dualsport on the market AND brings the most riding fun of them all.
Do you want to ride the pavement more -> pick any other dual-purpose for a lower price.
Do you want to rip the dirt more often and more extreme -> KTM adventure is the way to go. 990s/950s/990R preferable for the longer suspension travel.

Maintenance wise it's better do be a DIY guy on the KTM. I don't know the cost of the Tiger but the KTM costs an arm and a leg on big services if you can't do them yourself.
If you CAN do them yourself it's dirt cheap to maintain for the fun u get out of it. AND it is an easy bike to work on, not a fast one (at all lol) but it's put togeather very simple and intuitive.

Also, the knowledge gathered on this site about the Adventure is quite endless and good expertise is not hard to find here either.

Buuuutttttt.......some guys get that accessories disease, and even though their KTM works worlds better than most bikes, they feel a need to put all kinds of bullshit on it, quite a lot of which doesn't make it go any faster, stop any better, make it any more reliable, and most of that stuff you'll never get your money back on, stock is usually worth more.

On my 950, I put a jetting kit, a set of slip ons, which probably don't do anything more than make more noise, the highest quality chain in the world, and I keep good tires on it, and that's it. There's skid plates, luggage, lighting, seats, big tanks, different size wheels, replacement shocks, just all kinds of shit, that is basically unnecessary. They work pretty good as they are from the factory.

Have you ridden both?

I struggle with short test rides. A rider just can't get a real feel for a bike in only a few short miles. But after owning my 990 R for about 5 months now I know for me it was the right choice. I think cost and the type of riding a person is buying the bike for, is the reason some would choose the 990 over the Triumph and some wouldn't.

I'm not knockin' the 800 XC,, it's a great bike. A very refined triple cylinder motor, likely, one of the smoothest motors built. Several friends of mine own one and they all seem very happy with the bike. In fact one of my friends whom I respect very much didn't like the 990 due to the fact that it didn't have enough gauges on the dash cluster. I mean,, come on no "Fuel" gauge on a $14,000 ADV bike?


I prefer some of my motorcycles to be just a tad bit truculent.

WJR

To be fair to the triumph, bigger doesn't always mean better and showa in general make pretty damn good forks.

Or you need stiffer springs and different valving, but more travel is always a good thing.

I dont know anything about the triumph hand guards or skid plate, but the plastic handgaurds the ktm comes with aren't tough enough for hard off-roading with a bike has heavy as the 9x0, and the factory skid while not entirely worthless needs to go for rock solid protection.

Damn straight.

until a rock punchs a hole through the skid plate and case, or the side stand grounds hard and cracks the cases...

All they have is a blinking light + tripmeter, like any other KTM out there, and that's more then enough. If you're going out on an adventure trip you take back-up fuel with you anyway.
Fuel gauges are for SUV soccer moms that put diesel in their petrol car.

Talking off the showroom floor here, the stock WP feels way better then the stock Showa off the 800xc IMO. Not saying Showa is bad, at all. On 450s the stock Showa feels better then stock WP's to me.
(been so for years actually, the reason why KTM/WP has not stepped up in that department beats me)

Again, off the showroom floor. 90% off the 'weekend fun riding with mates' people never toutch their springs or valving. It's only when they go towards (off-)road racing/trackday purposes the suspension upgrades kick in.

Id go with the stock KTM guards and bashplate off-road. The Triumph would be needing an upgrade for my peace of mind. It's very sub-par for off-road IMO.

I'm not dissing the Triumph, at all. Just pointing out the KTM comes more rigid straight off the showroom floor. A big bike that's more dirt oriented needs to be decked out a bit stronger, and that results in a higher cost.

crofrog has some valid points. I think those reasons are why some go with the Triumph.


A couple things he failed to mention,
wind protection, IMHO (sorry 990 fans) the 990 has virtually none.
Don't forget the side stand bracket,, if not relocated could be a spendy repair.

I'd still rather ride my 990R

WJR

Yeah most of my experience comes from the 450's although i ride ktm's with wp's the showa's felt better until very recently (2010ish).

Cool, I dont really think the stock ktm ones are bad ass but I'll take your word for the triumph stuff.


Fear not i still think the ktm is better than any of the other adventure bikes out there if you care about dirt performance at all. In the right conditions the 950 is amazing I've ridden around and past more than few small dirt bikes on forest roads and 2 track.