KTM 950 - GS Move Over

[evenflow]

KTM? dont think so. Went to have a look at one in Mand S..Thought it was a bit ugly from the front wid that screen.It dosnt wink at u like the beemer does.
Would think I might give myself a hernia trying to get on the thing.

 

[Pat Creagh]

Evenflow,
You should have tried one out.
The silver one is about the same height as a GS and a whole lot lighter. You can't see the headlight from the seat, only it's brightness, something missing from the B*W.
It also goes pretty well.
Pat.

 

[IainMac]

I've sat on the Orange S (at Mand S: Looks like its sold now as it weren't there today) and its a tad taller than a GS Adventure on Ohlins (out of the crate preload) but not by much & the narrower KTM saddle helps slightly. The Plain Silver one is lower than a GS Adventure as I could flat foot on that (balls of my feet on the S), Last time I flat footed the GSA was when the rear shock preload gave up (stock showa) and it rode like a chopper.

Iain Mac

 

[Flying Scotsman]

CycleWorld has a review

The July issue of CycleWorld has a good review of this bike (the US version of MCN). Unfortunately, the July issue has not yet made it to their webpage CycleWorld .

The author, Jimmy Lewis, is a forum member on the US version of this site Adventure Rider When I get home this evening, I'll re-read the report and post some of the useful information.

The only real negative comment that I remember was regarding the seat; it's too hard for long street riding.

Ride Safe
Steven

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Ok...here we go - the US review of the 950

I must be mad for copying this from my Cycle World but if only this site would let me post attachments or scanned pics without first having to sponser the site then I wouldn't have this problem Although I reside in a country where cash is king, I'm still a Scottish skint-flint and my pockets are deeper than my arms are long

I'm only copying from the final notes for the 950:

Jimmy Lewis, Off-Road Editor says

"A lot of the 950's international press kit was devoted to the "Travel-Enduro" segment of the market, some 40,000 strong in Europe, all multi-cylinder bikes from the Suzuki V-Strom to the Honda XL650V Transalp to the BMW R1150GS. To me, KTM's Adventure seems built as well as the best of them. Not as vibrant in the motor as the V-Strom, nor as torquey as the Boxer and, man it suffers from a distinct lack of cushiness in the seating department. But it does everything I ask of it on the street, plain and simple, and the KTM kicks ass off-road. What do you expect from a dirtbike builder? Props to great suspension (relatively) light weight and low center of gravity. And we didn't even get to ride the long-legged "S" model. Since I have a hard time staying on the road in the first place, the KTM is just a softer seat abd a set of heated-grips away from being my kind of travel-enduro-adventure-touring-sportbike."

Now after typing that, I can't be bothered to copy what the other editors said. Some great pics of the bike in the mag!!!

Ohh, just a little more...

"The only other motorcycle that comes close is that "other" Adventure, the BMW R1150GS. But that Bavarian bike is roughly 100 pounds heavier, and its opposed-Twin engine is too wide for the sort of trails that I gravitate toward-nothing is more frustrating than having to turn around at the start of a tasty looking single track. WIth the KTM, there's no turning back".


FYI...Best Dual-Purpose Bike of 2003 (according to the US media): KTM 950 Adventure


By the way, saw Red Hot Chili Peppers last weekend; f'ing brillant!!!

 

[Jon]

Flying Scotsman,

You don't have to remortgage your house to sponser the forums..........a fiver would do (that's approx $7.50 )

Come on, get yer hand in yer pocket. Gotta be worth the price of a couple of what passes for beer over there

 

[Pat Creagh]

Who is this "Jimmy Lewis" guy anyway??????;-)))

 

[judge]

Who is this "Jimmy Lewis" guy anyway??????;-)))

I'm making a punt here but he just might be the Off Road Editor of Cycle World (the US equiv. of MCN by all accounts) and no doubt too a fine and upstanding citizen of whichever town and State he resides.

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Who is this "Jimmy Lewis" guy anyway??????;-)))

Why don't you do what I did; do a web search

http://www.jimmylewisoffroad.com/

 

[jnrobert]

Who is this "Jimmy Lewis" guy anyway??????;-)))

As Judge stated he is the off-road editor of Cycle mag and was also on the BMW Paris Dakar team (best finish third). He has won several of the Langton mini-supercross races (basically XR100 engined bikes in special frames and suspension). He also recently raced the Daytona race as a guest of BMW on their twin. Not sure where he finished.

If you are looking for a vacation trip he runs trail rides out in the desert and I believe you can hire him as a personal trainer if you are entering the Paris-Dakar.

Oh yea, and the best part is that he is bald - which for those of us that are hirsute challenged is good news.

P.s. He also loved the KTM 950 Adventure.

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Oh yea, and the best part is that he is bald - which for those of us that are hirsute challenged is good news.

 

[Deadskin]

My first impressions of a KTM dealer

Get down to a local KTM dealer and see for yourself

I DID
Trevor Pope in Gosport / Hants
Saw a silver one,
Lots of questions ????
But chap was on the phone, waited 20 minutes
Then gave up
Apparently there the No 1 dealer in the south
whether this means No 1 as the best or the Number of employees
who can say.
Not too impressed though.

 

[skybluebird]

I saw the silver one in M&S, it was lust at first sight! They were supposed to have a demo at the end of April for the official launch, but didn't. I've been in at least twice a week since, asking for a demo. No joy, despite their having a new, registered silver and a 2nd hand (!) 2 week old orange model. Finally got sick of waiting, and bought a GS last weekend. No regrets so far!

And M&S still haven't been in touch....

David

 

[Adventure Boy]

get a GS

Just bought the Adventure fully loaded because its a BMW and the reliaility of these bikes is second to none thats speaking from experiance, and the 2nd hand prices are so good they are a Must

 

[The Foolish Fellow]

ktm move over

i think in a head to head it would be the ktm that would move over

 

[cactipus]

Sorry but I think the KTM looks like something out of a cheap sci-fi movie where the guys haven't learned to make flying bikes yet.
Probably great performance wise but the BM ADV really does if for dinner in looks and probably the longevity department!