Ktm 990?

I know this has been discussed ad nauseum but I thought I would throw this out in this forum again. I am thinking of jumping ship from a 800GS (before that had an 1100GS) to the last of the 990's. Issues I think the KTM would solve would be highway power/speed and off road performance. Concerns are maintenance and mileage. As a long term BMW rider this decision involves a fair amount of angst. Thanks in advance for help.

I made the switch the other way :huh had a 2010 990 that was possessed & tried on three separate occasions to kill me.

Loved the bike, had more usable HP than a normal person needs or can use,would cruise at I-state speed ( 75-95 mph)
in the hi-hole & would go more if you wanted to reduce you tire contact patch to zero.

But like I said the bitch was possessed,so after her third attempt at my assassination, I sold her and went BMW 800 gs, same

hi-way speeds, MORE comfort seating, as in Sargent Yes I'm a happy camper now, and have lived to ride a lot more

But that's my story & i'm sticking to it & not what you ask,

2009 & newer seem to have all the old issues well in hand,--snatchy throttle, water pump etc, if you do your own maintenance their

like any piece of machinery --they go back together just like they came apart--easy to work on at least for me anyway.

They do however use up rear tires at an alarming rate----so if you want to go fast in the rough stuff & don't mind picking up a

behemoth when it decides it's nap time KTM 990 's the bike for you

I hear you. I got gun shy every time I was ready to pull the trigger on the 950 and later 990. Fun test rides though!

I had a 950 Adv before my actual '08 800GS.

The 950 has better suspensions (WP) you can adjust, a powerful engine but you can't ride it under 2500rpm, is heavier, drinks a lot of fuel and the seat isn't comfortable. You can't make some tight curves as you can with the GS (I don't know the name in english for the distance in what you can ride a tight circle).

Speedo and onboard computer isn't as good as the one on the GS too...

In fact, the only thing I regret is the "explosive" V-Twin of the 950...

Two great bikes

Rode BMW's for 17-18 years. Last 16 months ktm990smt. Fun bike. Month ago 2700 mile trip on it big grin factor. Maybe triumph 800 next time.

If you've ever been told that your riding scares people, get the 990. If you have trouble finding people to ride with because they think you're nuts, get the 990.

I've owned 4 BMW's over the years. Worked as a motorcycle instructor at the BMW PC for 2 years and got to ride everything they had. I think BMW makes great bikes. Very well made, very dependable.

The 990 isn't nearly as nice in fit and finish. The damn glove compartment lid comes off my bike a lot when I ride. When I was re-attaching the left gas tank (after changing the oil), I had to get a 2x4 to help me line up the bolt holes.

This, however, can be an advantage. When I get stuck in the woods, I have no trouble kicking the bike over so I can drag it out. I never could get comfortable doing this with my Adventure. I RIDE the 990 .... and ride it hard. You have to... it doesn't like anything under 5 grand.

I bought a 990 in June. I've ridden it to the northeast (from NC), I've ridden it in the woods, in the snow.... everywhere. I love this bike!

The truth is...you'll have fun on whatever you choose. But pick the bike that speaks to you.
(Of course, if you hear voices in your head, you should probably buy the 990)

Have fun! Ride hard! Be safe!




(The whole time I was writing this reply, Buckcherry's 'Crazy Bitch' was playing in my head. I think they were probably thinking of a 990 when they wrote the song.)

I'm not sure this thread should have been moved to Orange Crush from Parallel Universe. The point was of moving from a F800GS to KTM, asking F800GS riders what they thought.

the moderator givith, & the moderator taketh away,blessed be the moderator

It's all good! Thanks for the replies. Test road a 990 today, definitely more go than my 800 and fun to ride (at least on the street). Seat seemed better than my stock 800GS 2x4.

I had a 950 before switching to the F800GS.

The 950 motor is more exponential.....so, quicker on pavement but more challenging to control in the dirt. The F800 is much smoother and more linear power band. You need better throttle control habits for the 950/990 offroad.

The KTM stock suspension is better. After $2k upgrade () my F8 performs admirably.....once brought up to my personal standards.

My 950 averaged 35 mpg fuel consumption. The F8 is getting 50+ mpg. Not sure how the 990 compares.

The maintenance routine on the 950 was a real PITA......ridiculously so. And I'm a good mechanic that likes wrenching. I got sick of working on my 950. Too much crapola to remove for simple tasks like oil change. They say you get used to it. I never did. Probably biggest reason I sold it. Bike was a real hoot to ride, otherwise. Well that....and I had to pick it up once. :eek1 Ho-chi-momma that thing was top heavy tough to stand back up for this 5' 9" old fart.

Comparatively, the F8 is a breeze to work on. It's well thought out for easy access with good fit & finish. Haven't had to do much to it anyway. I like this aspect much better. AND its quite easy to pick up! I think that's due to the lower and better mass centralization primarily due to fuel location.

Both are super fun bikes with their own quirks......and expensive to own. I had a lot of fun on my 950, but have definitely enjoyed my F800 more.

HF

Ps. Seats are very easy to modify or replace to your liking.....not a serious factor.

Perfect, just as we thought, you winners need to stay on the BMW forums and eat my dust out on the trail.
That is of course if you ever get more than 10 miles from starbucks.

Get back to your cubicle and let the Men rage.

Max

^^^This....

If you're worried about MPGs and maintenance intervals don't buy a 990. If your're like the rest of us hooligans who don't give a damn about poor MPGs caused by the right wrist and enjoy wrenching on your toys then the 990 is the perfect bike.

Wow, where did that come from? I personally appreciated the response, as it gave a balanced view of both bikes.

Still going to end up with a katoom though...

Owned a F800GS. Own a 990ADV R.

I rode the 800 pretty hard, dropped it quite a bit...still a heavy bitch...not a dirt bike. Soooo, if you are going for a heavy big bike anyway...990 no question. I did love the BMW, thought I was going to get another after I wrecked it. I am sure I made the right decision going to KTM now though. Try it out dude, if you hate it (not going to happen) you can always sell her and go back to the 800. 990 makes smiles everytime you get on it, and sounds way more badass when you get a real exhaust on it.

Of course my other bike is a supermoto and I am a hooligan at heart.

I took one look at that seat and that was enough to scare me off. Looks like it would not be comfortable for very long. The one I saw was the orange and blue scheme, very nice styling IMO.

Why thanks for recognizing me as a "winner" Max. That is very kind of you, as I usually shy from the subject.

I'd happily eat your dust, just for the sake of enjoying a ride in Idaho. I don't care so much about winning anymore. Heck, I'd even bring my Husaberg to avoid offending you with my Beemer, seeing you're so sensitive about it. But I'm not quite certain if that was an actual invitation. Its a bit clever to discern.

Guess I'll ponder it over a cup of coffee.

HF

In my experience, anything over an hour sat on a bike without moving (say, a motorway) and you'll start to feel concrete where there was foam!

I was expecting the seat to be an issue on my 2012 (std, not R). So far, it's been fine but my longest non-stop ride has been about 2 hours in the saddle. The difference with the KTM seat, compared to those plusher-looking 'touring' seats, is that you CAN move around quite a bit. It's useful for off-roading, of course, but very handy to relive pressure points on long rides too.

Jon

I love mine. I've only ridden the F800gs a few times, but extended time on other BMWs with the same engine has my hands going numb after a few hours from the vibration. I've done a cross country trip in 5 days on my 990- I think the stock seat is fine, and ridden it in all weather and terrain. Crashed it on ice at the top of pikes peak, picked it up and rode on through utah and nevada.
Aside from the usual skidplate sidestand stuff, the best upgrade was adding an extra fan and lower temp thermostat to cure the occasional overheat warning on very hot days when stuck going slow.

Timely thread for me as well. I am going back and forth whether or not to trade my 2012 Super Tenere in for a 2012 990R. I have not done a test ride yet, but everything indicates that I will love the motor, and that alone would probably seal the deal. Cons might be the "infamous" maintenance issues and requirements of the KTM, no shaft drive, and for me no tubeless wheels. I know - if I don't want to do maintenance (including the chain, and getting good at pulling a wheel/tire to fix a flat, which sucks by the way....), then don't consider the KTM, right? For the record I am a good wrench, with most of my time spent working on my race car, so that does not scare me but I have to ask myself if I want another machine that I have to spend as much time working on as driving/riding time.

In the end though I think it always goes back to the motor, and the suspension and the dirt...... one other con of the 990 might be to simply wait for the 1190? Insightful inputs greatly appreciated.