KTM 950 LC8 Adventure - will it be any good......?

[JohnnyBoxer]

I've been reading a couple of tests on this new bike.It was tested on a series of off-road/on-road rides in Spain,very similar to the Adventurer test last year.
It reads like a great bike,with more off road capability than the GS Adventurer and plenty of stomp on road with great suspension and brakes and they say it's comfortable.It certainly looks the business and will be available early May.
2 versions are available - the stock bike with lower suspension and a 19" front wheel @ £7350,followed by the more 'hard edge' rally-ist 'S' version with longer travel suspension and 21" front wheel @ £7750.
It's certainly very competively priced and punts out 98hp,with 70lb/ft of torque and is good for 125-135mph.
Main concerns for me would be:-

Factory/dealer backup/warranty/ service
Long range comfort
Long term reliability - will it run for 100,000 miles without a rebuild.
Accessories and touring ability
Overall build quality and finish for 10 yrs +
Residuals

BUT it certainly looks a fun bike and would make a good stable mate for a GS, as a fun bike with attitude.
May consider one in 2-3 years when we see what it's like and there's a few knocking about secondhand.
Anybody got any views to share.................????????????

 

[pint6x]

Have a look at them here - at the bottom of the page:

http://www.motobykz.co.uk/KTM/KTM.htm

Have to say I don't like the styling of the 950, though the 640's look cool. The 950 is too angular - a bit like the Aprilia Futura sports-tourer.

Where do they get their V-twin engines from ? are they home-grown or borrowed from Suzuki or Ducati or something ?

There's also their 950 roadbike (KTM Duke) which weighs in at 350lbs which is very light. I seem to remember the Honda 250 Superdream weighed this much !

6X

 

[retroman]

950 Duke

... straight into my dream garage

 

[Rob Farmer]

A friend of mine has one on order. I'll get some pictures and his opinion when it turns up.

 

[andrew taylor]

I think the engines KTM's own.
I do like the look of the 640, but not too keen on the 950. I'm sure a high mudguard would sort that out.

Can't say I like the looks of the 950 Duke though, should be a fun bike mind you.

 

[RussellAisbitt]

Where do they get their V-twin engines from ? are they home-grown or borrowed from Suzuki or Ducati or something ?

Read this on the KTM web-site:

"KTM decided to assume the entire R&D process themselves in-house, and hired Claus Holweg as Project Manager for the LC8, fresh from their Austrian rivals, Rotax, where he had headed up the R&D team which had developed the freshly-launched RSV Mille engine for Aprilia"

The whole article can be found at:

http://www.ktm.at/newsletter/lc8/lc8_no21_2002/default_e.html

 

[shuck raider]

Must say I don't fancy the look of that seat - looks a bit of a plank to me, but there's a road test (off-road test?) of the KTM Adventure in this month's MSL mag and they reckon it's a better bum-rest than the GS seat 'cos it's narrower. Doesn't sound logical, that, but they've been on the bike and I ain't. Otherwise, the test report gave the KTM Adv the thumbs-up all round, implying that it'll give the GS a run for its money.

 

[Spanish Bob]

From what they are saying in the mags here is that the seat is pretty much what shuck raider says - a plank. Otherwise a lot of fun. Probably wouldnt choose a motorway trip on the S version though!

Overall I suspect the GS is more of an allrounder.

 

[Taz'rant]

Wouldn't wanna stop in a hurry on that 950S... I could see myself sliding all the way up to the headstocks, where I would come to an excruciating and sudden stop!

 

[Pat Creagh]

The seat on the test bikes were a firm prototype with the stock seat meant to be softer. I think the tester commented on the seat being better than the GS from and off-road perspective. The two journos from Blighty on the test were from basically off-road magazines. This is as KTM have more exposure in the dirt side of things until now.
It is not comparable to the GS directly. It is more offroad oriented and probably has no direct competition at present. We wait to see what it will be like.
A friend of mine has a deposit on one for the last 12 months and we thought BMw were taking the pi$$...
I can't wait to have a go. Dealers will have demo bikes for 27/28 April. Orange Weekend!!!
Pat.