'04 950 Adventure

[nevil280659]

Hi Folks

I'm looking at a 2004 950 Adv in orange on Sunday. 3 owner bike with 20k on it. Recent £600 service to include regular items plus valve clearances. MOT, Good tyres, new C&S and recent brakes. Rusty spokes and a few small paint blemishes. Bike looks straight enough in the photos and the seller seems like a good sort.

I wanted to pick the collective brain here and ask those with far more experience than yours truly, 'If you were looking at this bike what would you check over?'

I've done web based research and found that lots of folk like the 950 over the 990, that the water pumps can be troublesome, that the clutch master cylinder can be iffy etc. I'm not sure that it's possible to check these things without tearing the bike to bits on the sellers driveway, so will have to take a judgement here, but any tips gratefully received.




Thanks in advance.

Nev

 

[Timolgra]

There's ways around the waterpump, fuel pump and clutch slave issues but check the exhaust pipes where they come together before bending out to the silencers, they can rot through there and are expensive.

Great bikes!

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

Yes indeed what Tim said, the Y piece under the seat can have hidden corrosion behind the brackets so have a good look if you can as decent second hand replacement items are like hens teeth.

You'll feel if the clutch slave cylinder is on the way out with a spongy lever action that tightens up when pumping. The water pump seal is unfortunately a gamble you'll have to take.

Look at it this way though. An Oberon slave cylinder is around £100 and a CJ designs uprated water pump kit is about £100. Worst case scenario is that you need to replace both at some point and it costs you £200 if you do it yourself. That may be in 3 years time, may be 3 months. Factor £200 in the deal and you're covered. Of course once you've done them you can just forget them!

What you'll then have is what I consider to be the best twin cylinder adventure bike out there. And only those that have had a GS, a 990ADV and a 950ADV will have a real understanding of what I mean by that statement.

 

[nevil280659]

Hi again

Thanks for the info re the exhaust, I'll give the Y piece a bit of scrutiny when I see the bike in the flesh on Sunday.

Tunneruk - I'm in Whitstable and Giles (of this parish) used to be my next door neighbour, some years back. I quite often pop over to his place for a coffee and a chat when I'm out riding. I had a very clean 1500GS last year and regret selling it really (even though it was a bit slow) I'm hoping the 950 will be more exciting!

Cheers for the info guys,

N

 

[nevil280659]

. I had a very clean 1500GS last year and regret selling it really (even though it was a bit slow) I'm hoping the 950 will be more exciting!

Cheers for the info guys,

N

I meant 1150GS of course, although they way things are going, the R1500GS can't be too far away from the production line!

 

[Old Codger]

Slow but mint and reliable them 1150,s
Eldest has the 640 enduro now that is a hoot !
Hope all,s well with you Nev
Frank

 

[nevil280659]

Hi Frank

I sold the 1150 in a fit of pique last year and regretted it almost immediately, it was a lovely thing and great fun!

Hope you're well chum!

N

 

[doyle]

Worth paying particular attention to the twin fuel tanks in case it has been let down and they have cracked,they are expensive to replace. Also they are better started without throttle.I can't remember what the potential problem is but it usually results in a 'clacking sound'. Someone more knowledgable might be able to help or look it up.

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

Tunneruk - I'm in Whitstable and Giles (of this parish) used to be my next door neighbour, some years back. I quite often pop over to his place for a coffee and a chat when I'm out riding. I had a very clean 1500GS last year and regret selling it really (even though it was a bit slow) I'm hoping the 950 will be more exciting!

If it doesn't put a big grin on your face then you're not human. They're a cracking bike to ride. After an 1150GS it'll feel like a razor!
If you're ever about and near Maidstone you're more than welcome to pop in for a cuppa and a chat ............ Bring biscuits

 

[Giles]

..... I'm in Whitstable and Giles (of this parish) used to be my next door neighbour, some years back. .....

Ahhhhhhh .... Happy days ..... Summer, lying in a hammock in the garden, sipping gin and listening to Nev (professional guitarist) jamming with his buddies playing Django Reinhardt .....

 

[nevil280659]

The last bike I bought from Ebay was an ST1300. It was a really good price BUT I had to collect from Ulverton in Cumbria (nice part of the world, from what I saw) That's a long drive from Whitstable.

I then bought a 7.2m long Mercedes Motorhome...... I had to collect from Darlington....
I took the train and then drove it back the same day


So here's the plan.......

On Sunday, I fly to Edinburgh to give the KTM the once over, do the deal (return flight booked in case it turns out to be a lemon) If the bike looks half decent, then stay the night in a B&B and then set off for East Kent early Monday morning.

430 miles on an untested bike, in the middle of a Scottish winter, what could possibly go wrong?

Now THATS an adventure!

'It is a truth, universally acknowleged, that ANYTHING I'm remotely interested in that's advertised on Ebay will be located at the other end of the fecking country'


Green lanes as soon as the weather perks up Giles?

 

[Giles]

....Green lanes as soon as the weather perks up Giles?

Yes .... I'm up for that!

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

The last bike I bought from Ebay was an ST1300. It was a really good price BUT I had to collect from Ulverton in Cumbria (nice part of the world, from what I saw) That's a long drive from Whitstable.

I then bought a 7.2m long Mercedes Motorhome...... I had to collect from Darlington....
I took the train and then drove it back the same day


So here's the plan.......

On Sunday, I fly to Edinburgh to give the KTM the once over, do the deal (return flight booked in case it turns out to be a lemon) If the bike looks half decent, then stay the night in a B&B and then set off for East Kent early Monday morning.

430 miles on an untested bike, in the middle of a Scottish winter, what could possibly go wrong?

Now THATS an adventure!

'It is a truth, universally acknowleged, that ANYTHING I'm remotely interested in that's advertised on Ebay will be located at the other end of the fecking country'

I bought my KTM under similar circumstances, although my flight was Gatwick to Newcastle rather than Edinburgh.

Good luck at security at the airport, they had me in a secluded room for a strip search, apparently my Hein Gericke suite has all kinds of metal reinforcement as do my Daytona boots, then my lid wouldn't fit in the overhead locker or down the gap in front of my seat so I had to strap it into the seat next to me which nearly resulted in me having to pay for an extra seat

You'll be just fine

 

[cash]

At that mileage and age I would expect the bike to be up to speed were mods are concerned ...just buy it you know you want it

 

[Fenlander Strasse]

I had a 2004 Adventure R - they were plagued with head gasket problems, so that's something else to fret over. It blows hot coolant over your legs so it'll keep you warm...

 

[nevil280659]

Well, I did it.

Flew up to Edinburgh and was met at the airport by the owner of the bike and we chatted away during the 30 miles or so from the airport to his house in North Berwick. I gave the bike the once over, ran it round the block and did the deal. I then set off to find the B&B that I'd booked only to find the place deserted. The light was fading and there was a voice in my head saying 'ride the fecker home, you'll be there by 2am!!'

Leaving the abandoned B&B, I dived into a car park, stripped off my jeans and got into my biking trousers, added a few layers and set off. After an hour or so it, the sun finally disappeared and the temperature sank like a stone. Time for a re-think! After going past a few likely hostels, I saw a sign for 'Holy Island' and a few metres later saw 'The Lindisfarne Inn'. I popped in, and took a room for the night. £49 for room, two course dinner and breakfast, which I felt was very reasonable. Steak & ale pie followed by sticky toffee pud, an evening watching Guy Martin on the tele and an early night.

This morning, I rode down to the coast, as luck would have it, the tide was out so I took the causeway over to the Holy Island (Lidisfarne) and took a couple of pics. Then back to the A1 and headed south for a few miles, before taking another detour to Bamburgh Castle on the Northumberland coastal route. When I hatched the plan to collect this bike, I'd imagined snow, rain and all manner of nasty conditions. I have to admit to being amazed at my luck with the weather, cloudless blue skies, light winds and bright (too bright, sometimes!) sunshine all day.

After a little sight seeing, it was time to do the hard yards south back to Kent. A1(M) stopping for coffee and fuel at Durham and then Sheffield, then M1 stopping at Luton for a final splash and then the last leg home.

471 Miles today on the KTM950 Adv. It's been a strong bonding experience.

What I have learned.

1) The bike is surprisingly comfortable.
2) I goes rather well.
3) Heated grips are a good thing.
4) The tickover needs adjusting (too low)
5) The Scotoiler refuses to relinquish a single drop of it's precious cargo, no matter what setting one chooses.

Autopsy tomorrow!

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

I had a 2004 Adventure R - they were plagued with head gasket problems, so that's something else to fret over. It blows hot coolant over your legs so it'll keep you warm...

Plagued?? That's the first time I've ever heard of that!

 

[Old Codger]

Nice one Nev !

Howz about some piccies then ?

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

Well, I did it.

Flew up to Edinburgh and was met at the airport by the owner of the bike and we chatted away during the 30 miles or so from the airport to his house in North Berwick. I gave the bike the once over, ran it round the block and did the deal. I then set off to find the B&B that I'd booked only to find the place deserted. The light was fading and there was a voice in my head saying 'ride the fecker home, you'll be there by 2am!!'

Leaving the abandoned B&B, I dived into a car park, stripped off my jeans and got into my biking trousers, added a few layers and set off. After an hour or so it, the sun finally disappeared and the temperature sank like a stone. Time for a re-think! After going past a few likely hostels, I saw a sign for 'Holy Island' and a few metres later saw 'The Lindisfarne Inn'. I popped in, and took a room for the night. £49 for room, two course dinner and breakfast, which I felt was very reasonable. Steak & ale pie followed by sticky toffee pud, an evening watching Guy Martin on the tele and an early night.

This morning, I rode down to the coast, as luck would have it, the tide was out so I took the causeway over to the Holy Island (Lidisfarne) and took a couple of pics. Then back to the A1 and headed south for a few miles, before taking another detour to Bamburgh Castle on the Northumberland coastal route. When I hatched the plan to collect this bike, I'd imagined snow, rain and all manner of nasty conditions. I have to admit to being amazed at my luck with the weather, cloudless blue skies, light winds and bright (too bright, sometimes!) sunshine all day.

After a little sight seeing, it was time to do the hard yards south back to Kent. A1(M) stopping for coffee and fuel at Durham and then Sheffield, then M1 stopping at Luton for a final splash and then the last leg home.

471 Miles today on the KTM950 Adv. It's been a strong bonding experience.

What I have learned.

1) The bike is surprisingly comfortable.
2) I goes rather well.
3) Heated grips are a good thing.
4) The tickover needs adjusting (too low)
5) The Scotoiler refuses to relinquish a single drop of it's precious cargo, no matter what setting one chooses.

Autopsy tomorrow!

What a fantastic way to ride a new bike home! Congrats fella! I look forward to seeing it!

 

[nevil280659]

Hi Frank

My phone is set to take pics that are too big to upload here. I'll see if I can resize them somehow but have to admit this is not my strong suit!

N