gcp
Guest
Seems a reasonable deal, a lightly damaged 2004 sold on e-bay for over 4k just after easter.
Have you had a ride on it ?
Have you had a ride on it ?
KTM ADV 990
- Thread starter TaffyScouser
- Start date
gcp you have a pm
basil
Registered user
After Mr bmw poor build quality/corosion issues/crap custumer service.Its 990 adventure S for me bought from AMS tewksbury,exellent bike,quite suprised at 185 miles to 15 litres of fuel top up.Decent gearbox with wide range of ratio,s,very much better of road than gs12.Plus £4500 price saving over gsa 12 completly loaded with luggage 
When did you buy the bike, if you dont mind me asking.
basil said:After Mr bmw poor build quality/corosion issues/crap custumer service.Its 990 adventure S for me bought from AMS tewksbury,exellent bike,quite suprised at 185 miles to 15 litres of fuel top up.Decent gearbox with wide range of ratio,s,very much better of road than gs12.Plus £4500 price saving over gsa 12 completly loaded with luggage
Sounds good, don't forget your scottoiler
Twit!
Guest
AndyT said:
Sounds about rightish... 950s hold their value now as there are not many around in the dealers.
I punted mine back to the trade for 4650. But it was shagged. Did 35000 miles in just over a year round the world. The luggage boxes were fine but very battered, the bike was destroyed... Had had new exhaust, head gaskets, clutch cylinders, radiator, top end rebuild. Service history was sporadic to say least as after Istanbul going east it was 'kind of' serviced. Bike was dropped and crashed more times than I can remember, every panel had a scratch and the crach bars were gaffer tapped together... All in shagged!
But, the price I thought was pretty good and the bike sold quickly after it was cleaned up. Pity the new owner...
basil
Registered user
Andy T,bought bike 6 to 8 weeks ago,scottoiler fitted all ok. 
hokoboko
Guest
KTM 990 S fiel consumption
Basil,
I heard the KTMs are very thirsty but you seem to be doing fine - any reports since then please? I'm testing one Tuesday. Grateful for any feedback. Thanks
Basil,
I heard the KTMs are very thirsty but you seem to be doing fine - any reports since then please? I'm testing one Tuesday. Grateful for any feedback. Thanks
beacon
Registered user
Basil what does the wife think of the back seat? does she still go off road with you? what tank rage have you had from it?
Activmoto
Guest
ANDY MELTON said:
basil
Registered user
Hey up beacon,yep our lass aka cybil & spanner are still welcome on the back.The front section seems slightly better on the arse than gs1200,alas the rear seat ispoor to say the least,ive just had a custom rear seat made up in two tone ,black antislip on top ,orange up side far more padding on rear.200 miles is tank range,tanks hold 22 litres,on one trip fuel light came on at 185miles only got 15 litres in.Ive had bike since1st july,off road its is a far more superior bike off road,just got back from 400 miles off road trails in pyrenees
beacon
Registered user
Thanks Basil, I got one for a test ride on Fri am, big decision though the 1150 has been fantastic! but don't fancy the 12 cant aford ADV, Colin Apalyards are not the most helpful, had to really twist there arm to get it for 3 hours, they were only offering 1/2 hour!! what goods that!! We'v just got back from 3000 mile in France (Pyrenees) too, but NO off roading. how did it handle the journey?
Being the only serious alternative to the R1200GS, I thought it incumbent upon me to discover the nature of the beast, so I went down to my local KTM dealer and arranged to pick up a 990 Adventure demo on a Saturday morning. For insurance purposes, test rides can only be an hour long, maximum … if you want longer, you have to return to the dealer and fill-in another form etc. I explained that one of the main reasons for wanting a longer test was to assess the comfort of the bike after riding continuously for a tankful. They appreciated this and accepted me as a customer… if I came on my own bike and left it there for some work to be done, I could have the Adventure for as long as I wanted. I booked it in for a free change of air in the tyres!
The demo bike was a brand new (360 miles on the clock) orange, ABS-equipped one, shod with Pirelli scorpion tyres and the (optional extra) gel seat.
My first impression was that the engine is very noisy, you can hear all the gears, chains and valves thrashing about, even with my ‘quiet’ helmet and earplugs. If I may borrow a quote from a colleague “It sounded like a Dalek having a wank in a dustbin”. I’m 6’-2” tall and the riding position felt like a jockey sitting on a racehorse. The suspension has 210mm/210mm travel compared to the GS’s 190mm/200mm, so I suppose the footpegs were mounted slightly higher, the seat height being the same as the GS on high setting. Basically, with it being slimmer, lighter and having 21”/18” wheels, it felt like a BIG enduro bike!
I set off and after a few miles, got on the M1, the screen is surprisingly good for something which is quite minimal looking, I could quite happily live with that. I sat playing around with all the knobs and buttons… there’s a standard analogue rev-counter (bright orange) and a digital multi-function display (mainly bright orange) for continuous display of digital speed and water temperature. There are various warning lights on the right and selector and set buttons on the left for displaying trip, total mileage, clock and mileage done on reserve. There are two fuel tanks, each one having it’s own filler cap, holding about 11 litres and having to be filled separately. When the fuel hits reserve, a warning light comes on and the digital display switches to ‘0’. It then begins to count upwards, telling you how many miles you’ve done on reserve…. not how many miles you’ve got left so, depending on how you’re riding, you may run out of fuel at any time! There is an ABS button on the lower edge of the dashboard which will switch off the ABS if held in for a couple of seconds… it reverts back to ‘on’ when the bike is next switched on. Indicator, flasher, main/dip and horn buttons are all where you would expect them to be… i.e. not where BMW put them!
Off the M1 and through Chesterfield… the most noticeable thing is the snatchiness in traffic, best solution was to knock it up into a higher gear than you would normally use and feather the clutch more, the engine’s got plenty of torque, but you have to rev it a little more than the GS.
Out into the country lanes and it flicks around just like a very well-planted enduro bike, the suspension’s superb, although the front end dive takes a bit of getting used to again.
I decide to take it up a fairly straight forward, steep, gravelly lane, with berms and ruts and a few rocks thrown in, but not too challenging. I stuck it into 2nd gear, stood up on the pegs and it breezed up without hesitation. I even stopped half way to take a photo and got going again easily.
Next up was Snake Pass. A bit more traffic than usual, but easily dispatched by dropping down a couple of cogs and twisting it… it’s higher geared than the GS, and also higher revving so you have to play more tunes with the left foot to keep it ‘on the cam’, as it were. The braking isn’t as good as the servo’d GS and the lever didn’t start to do anything until it was halfway to the grips, which was a bit disconcerting. Talking of ‘grips’, heated ones aren’t a factory option, but the dealer will fit Oxford ones if you really want.
A few more ‘under-maintained’ back lanes later and I was at a green lane that has been ‘re-surfaced’ since the last time I went over there and in some places it’s almost 10” deep in ‘builder’s rubble’. I stopped to take a photo and had Hell’s own job to get going again… it was uphill and I just couldn’t get any grip, I was either stalling the engine, or the rear wheel was spinning uncontrollably, I think it was knobbly tyre country, not Scorpion territory. These few minutes of merriment had the water temperature gauge nudging itself up a few segments towards the top of it’s display, and the fans spinning like a hard drive. My temperature was rising also… the dealer had got my credit card number, ready to charge me for any damage I caused, needless to say, I eventually made it up and over the top without mishap.
Did all my usual favourite limestone lanes/fords on the way back… no dramas, except for the fuel light coming on and the countdown starting… how many miles have I got left? I decided that the least I could do was to shove 5 litres in each side of the tank. I did this and carried on, but the warning light was still on, and it was still counting the miles! After I got back, it was explained that you have to cancel the warning light manually, and the counter would then reset itself… what a crap system!
I’m glad I’ve had a go on one, but I shan’t be buying. The ride is too frenetic, there’s too much snatch in the transmission… shaft drive is WONDERFUL. Engine vibes are quite noticeable up to 3,000 and above 6,000 revs. Seat comfort is a lot better than I thought, but I don’t think it beats the GS for long journeys… I remember a mate saying ‘It’s like riding a sofa’ when he road mine (or words to that effect) and I fully agree with him… I was quite happy getting back on my sofa. I think the footpegs are way too high, or the seat too low… my legs were definitely too cramped for long journeys. If you were limited to having one for just days out and having a quick blast to blow away the cobwebs, it’s a brilliant machine, but I couldn’t live with it long term. Its enduro heritage really shows through… I’d love to take one around Morocco, off-piste, in the desert etc.
I forgot to say…. first service was at 600 miles, with subsequent services at 4,000 mile intervals, alternating between a ‘full’ and an ‘intermediate’ service… average cost £175/200 a time. Guarantee period was the same as the GS, 2 years.
This is just my opinion/experience of course, but thought I'd share it with anyone who's interested… … I’ve no axes to grind either way, in fact, if Honda made the GS, I’d be the first in the queue!
The demo bike was a brand new (360 miles on the clock) orange, ABS-equipped one, shod with Pirelli scorpion tyres and the (optional extra) gel seat.
My first impression was that the engine is very noisy, you can hear all the gears, chains and valves thrashing about, even with my ‘quiet’ helmet and earplugs. If I may borrow a quote from a colleague “It sounded like a Dalek having a wank in a dustbin”. I’m 6’-2” tall and the riding position felt like a jockey sitting on a racehorse. The suspension has 210mm/210mm travel compared to the GS’s 190mm/200mm, so I suppose the footpegs were mounted slightly higher, the seat height being the same as the GS on high setting. Basically, with it being slimmer, lighter and having 21”/18” wheels, it felt like a BIG enduro bike!
I set off and after a few miles, got on the M1, the screen is surprisingly good for something which is quite minimal looking, I could quite happily live with that. I sat playing around with all the knobs and buttons… there’s a standard analogue rev-counter (bright orange) and a digital multi-function display (mainly bright orange) for continuous display of digital speed and water temperature. There are various warning lights on the right and selector and set buttons on the left for displaying trip, total mileage, clock and mileage done on reserve. There are two fuel tanks, each one having it’s own filler cap, holding about 11 litres and having to be filled separately. When the fuel hits reserve, a warning light comes on and the digital display switches to ‘0’. It then begins to count upwards, telling you how many miles you’ve done on reserve…. not how many miles you’ve got left so, depending on how you’re riding, you may run out of fuel at any time! There is an ABS button on the lower edge of the dashboard which will switch off the ABS if held in for a couple of seconds… it reverts back to ‘on’ when the bike is next switched on. Indicator, flasher, main/dip and horn buttons are all where you would expect them to be… i.e. not where BMW put them!
Off the M1 and through Chesterfield… the most noticeable thing is the snatchiness in traffic, best solution was to knock it up into a higher gear than you would normally use and feather the clutch more, the engine’s got plenty of torque, but you have to rev it a little more than the GS.
Out into the country lanes and it flicks around just like a very well-planted enduro bike, the suspension’s superb, although the front end dive takes a bit of getting used to again.
I decide to take it up a fairly straight forward, steep, gravelly lane, with berms and ruts and a few rocks thrown in, but not too challenging. I stuck it into 2nd gear, stood up on the pegs and it breezed up without hesitation. I even stopped half way to take a photo and got going again easily.
Next up was Snake Pass. A bit more traffic than usual, but easily dispatched by dropping down a couple of cogs and twisting it… it’s higher geared than the GS, and also higher revving so you have to play more tunes with the left foot to keep it ‘on the cam’, as it were. The braking isn’t as good as the servo’d GS and the lever didn’t start to do anything until it was halfway to the grips, which was a bit disconcerting. Talking of ‘grips’, heated ones aren’t a factory option, but the dealer will fit Oxford ones if you really want.
A few more ‘under-maintained’ back lanes later and I was at a green lane that has been ‘re-surfaced’ since the last time I went over there and in some places it’s almost 10” deep in ‘builder’s rubble’. I stopped to take a photo and had Hell’s own job to get going again… it was uphill and I just couldn’t get any grip, I was either stalling the engine, or the rear wheel was spinning uncontrollably, I think it was knobbly tyre country, not Scorpion territory. These few minutes of merriment had the water temperature gauge nudging itself up a few segments towards the top of it’s display, and the fans spinning like a hard drive. My temperature was rising also… the dealer had got my credit card number, ready to charge me for any damage I caused, needless to say, I eventually made it up and over the top without mishap.
Did all my usual favourite limestone lanes/fords on the way back… no dramas, except for the fuel light coming on and the countdown starting… how many miles have I got left? I decided that the least I could do was to shove 5 litres in each side of the tank. I did this and carried on, but the warning light was still on, and it was still counting the miles! After I got back, it was explained that you have to cancel the warning light manually, and the counter would then reset itself… what a crap system!
I’m glad I’ve had a go on one, but I shan’t be buying. The ride is too frenetic, there’s too much snatch in the transmission… shaft drive is WONDERFUL. Engine vibes are quite noticeable up to 3,000 and above 6,000 revs. Seat comfort is a lot better than I thought, but I don’t think it beats the GS for long journeys… I remember a mate saying ‘It’s like riding a sofa’ when he road mine (or words to that effect) and I fully agree with him… I was quite happy getting back on my sofa. I think the footpegs are way too high, or the seat too low… my legs were definitely too cramped for long journeys. If you were limited to having one for just days out and having a quick blast to blow away the cobwebs, it’s a brilliant machine, but I couldn’t live with it long term. Its enduro heritage really shows through… I’d love to take one around Morocco, off-piste, in the desert etc.
I forgot to say…. first service was at 600 miles, with subsequent services at 4,000 mile intervals, alternating between a ‘full’ and an ‘intermediate’ service… average cost £175/200 a time. Guarantee period was the same as the GS, 2 years.
This is just my opinion/experience of course, but thought I'd share it with anyone who's interested… … I’ve no axes to grind either way, in fact, if Honda made the GS, I’d be the first in the queue!
basil
Registered user
Hey up again beacon,it took the the long journey ok bar for fuel pressurizing due to blocked breather pipe on tank at first service.I,ll admit the bmw pips it on touring.neck to neck on twisties,no more said except off road,i,ll leave gs for fun,ask jonny boxer.As for last comment on drive line i find it far better than gs shaft,which as more backlash as to be beleived.Hope to see you & the young one out soon.
zool
Registered user
They're alright and apparantly do their job really, REALLY well - but they just LOOK LIKE SHIT
STOP FOR A SECOND AND LOOK AT IT, LONG AND HARD.
They're really 'spindly' in places and weak looking like a comedy off-roader !
A design by a Primary School kid at best
Yeah, i know . . . . really good off-roaders blah, blah, blah - But they look like SHIT !
Seriously - your riding round on a giant Orange Triangle !
They just look Shit !
One day you'll catch sight of yourself in a shop window and cringe like a bald 50 year old bloke in a yellow 911 convertable and think what was i thinking
Yikes !
Oh yeah i may have forgotten to mention but i think KTM's look like SHIT !!!
Zool
I figure that after SEVEN YEARS he's probably happy with his choice
(Always read the dates of posts)
BTW - thanks for the insightful comments on Katoom styling.
A
I figure that after SEVEN YEARS he's probably happy with his choice
(Always read the dates of posts)
BTW - thanks for the insightful comments on Katoom styling.
A
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2002
- Messages
- 8,329
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I figure that after SEVEN YEARS he's probably happy with his choice
(Always read the dates of posts)
BTW - thanks for the insightful comments on Katoom styling.
A
One day you'll catch sight of yourself in a shop window and cringe like a bald 50 year old bloke in a yellow 911 convertable and think what was i thinking
He's having a go at bald people in 911's now
