Guys, My last commitment for Cycle World magazine is the Long Term Wrap Up of the KTM 950. I need some of those pull quotes and anything you think I should know about this bike. Please don't pretend that I don't know anything and fill this thread with crap, but.... JIMMY
Last commitment? Does that mean that we don't get to read your stuff anymore, or we have to go to another magazine to do it? Cycle World paid far too little attention to the dirt side of the spectrum with you there. I hate to think how little ink they'll give us when you're gone.
After 120,000 miles on my R1100GS & 50,000 on my vstrom, the LC8 has replaced them both. It suits my 50/50 riding style perfectly. the ultimate Pac Northwest ADV bike!!! ...but please...the seat!! :huh Wes in Portland, Or
Like most machines it needs to be further tailored/adjusted for your particular use, and to have a few known wrinkles ironed-out. The tank vent issue is a great example of such a quick-to-fix but an annoying issue. In the case of more intense dirt use, aftermarket rims are highly recommended. Higher Pro-Taper bars, and Fastway pegs really make the cockpit more liveable, along with the Boejangles (RDSS) rally seat (give James a hand and put in a web link or phone number for him). I'm still struggling to find a good tire combo for 60/40 dirt/street...I ate a Terra-Flex Moto-Steel in just over 1000kms...I'm gravitating back to the Continental TCK-80 rear, Pirelli MT-21 front combo which seems to work best/last longest. Otherwise, I'm up to 18,000 kms, with zero mechanical failure/issues, and only regular service for downtime. It's the best, most fun, most reliable bike I've ever owned. Bryan Flannigan - Ottawa, Ontario
The more I ride this beast, the more I want to ride it. After the necessary seat/pipe/jetting/windscreen/extra rims/peg mods, all I'm waiting for is the bar-riser and steering dampener.....the motor gets better as it loosens up, the brakes quit squealing and start braking, and the oil consumption stabilizes....I'm at about 3K, and it's just about perfect. In fact I haven't ridden the Graves R-1 for awhile (rotors turning brown!) JM
How can buying another bike create more room in your already cramped garage?...Get a 950 and sell everything else
Jimmy, After 4,000+ miles, a trip to Mexico and a mix of commuting, dirt roads and goat trails, I love the 950. To me, it's like a sportbike with suspension & knobbies. UP: High grin factor when you ride it. Awesome supension on a stock bike Handles like a sportbike on the road, like a motorcrosser in the dirt What other stock, 400+ lb bike can you jump? Down: The seat is too narrow, sloped wrong and too hard for serious freeway miles Jetting can be "not quite right" from the factory The front wheel isn't built for serious off road use. The best thing about the free bags is the price. The gremlins of any first year model, water pump, speedo pick up and carb settings. That about wraps up my thoughts on what I consider to be a badd ass, do it all bike. Hope it helps and best of luck to you over at DR. Cheers, Paul
First day I rode my 950S to work, one of my friends proclaimed it to be the "Hummer of motorcycles". Being a former LC4 owner, I first described the bike as a LC4 on steriods, but the Hummer comment stuck with me and that is how I describe my bike to those who don't know what it is - which is almost everybody, motorcycle fan or not.
Sorry Cliffs, The GS Adventure is the Hummer of bikes. I guess we'll call the GS the H1 and the KTM, the H2.
Nononono that comparison is all wrong. The H2 is a suburban, that weighs more, uses more gas, and costs twice as much. Sounds much more BMW-like to me. The H1 at least had some serious engineering and capability behind it, but I think it's too slow and heavy to really compare with the KTM. Motozilla nailed it. The KTM is a sportbike for the real world. High tech motor, Great suspension, and a little bit of edgy style are integrated into a bike that can make a trip to the mall feel like the beginning of the Paris-Dakar.
At 11k kms my 950 has been totally reliable. Sommer did the maintenance like they invented the bike Two things on the downside: -it REALLY needs aerodynamic work. Or should have gotten that from the get go. Strange to build a 220 km/h bike without windtunnel testing. I get deafening turbulence at my body height. -it gets very hot in some circumstances: both cats get awfully hot under the seat. The engine itself too when driving slowly. I do hate that fan humming all the time, it makes me feel something wasn't engineered entirely well. On the other side: this space is too small to sum up all the plusses: handling, component quality, brakes, build quality, paint job, originality, useability etc. etc. The seat I just got used to (or did my butt go that numb?)
Rims ! Tires! Clutch ! Rims ! Tires ! Clutch ! Oh' and if they could keep KTM out of the picture selling Akrapovic's..
My two comparison cents: The GS1200 is the Volkswagen Tuareg Diesel V10: fast, powerful, good, but hey, it's a Diesel! The ADV 950 is the Porsche Cayenne Turbo-450 horses and pretty unbeatable as an on/offroad mix. PS the ADV 950 beats the Tuareg Turbo easily from 1-100
The GS will get you just about anywhere you want to go. Upon arrival, you'll find the 950 Adventure rider halfway through his second beer.