HeatedGrips
Registered user
Had a test ride on a 990 Adventure today. Verdict: brilliant bike ruined by one major flaw.
I've had GS's for the last six years, tried the 1200 and didn't like it so thought I would have a look at the competition.
The KTM is a really nice bike, but low-speed snatchiness caused by (I think) the fuel injection make it a real pig to ride in town.
Trying to run with a fixed throttle between 20 and 40 in second or third had it lurching back and forth. Not the most relaxing way to tackle wet, diesel-slippy roundabouts! In fact I had to resort to slipping the clutch on a couple of tight ones.
Get it on the open road and it's fine. The handling is much sharper than the BM's, the engine is a revvy, punchy delight, the gearchange something we GS owners can only dream about, wind protection as good as my current bike, and the mirrors bigger and clearer.
The ABS worked fine, you really have to provoke the bike to get it to activate, even in the wet you have to pull on a sudden whopping handfull of front brake. It's a bit different to the GS because you get fork dive under braking, and as the ABS cuts in the forks rebound big time. Bit of a surprise if you've got used to Telelever handling.
Even the seat height wasn't the problem I thought it would be for my puny 29-inch inside leg. The bike's so much lighter than a GS1150 that stretching a toe down isn't too hard.
I really wanted to like it and was trying to find reasons why I should buy one, but that fuel injection would be impossible to live with. I do a fair chunk of riding in central London where it would be a damn nuisance.
The dealer wasn't surprised at my reaction. When he asked me what I thought I told him it was a brilliant bike ruined by one thing. Straightaway he said: "A snatchy throttle?". Seems I'm not the first to complain. He said KTM have no current plans to remap the ECU. Wonder if they're taking the same "Head in the sand" approach to it as BMW are with their servo brakes?
Ah well, I was expecting to put the GS in the "For Sale" section today. Looks like I'll be staying with you lot after all. On the bright side, this website and its members are still the best around by miles.
I've had GS's for the last six years, tried the 1200 and didn't like it so thought I would have a look at the competition.
The KTM is a really nice bike, but low-speed snatchiness caused by (I think) the fuel injection make it a real pig to ride in town.
Trying to run with a fixed throttle between 20 and 40 in second or third had it lurching back and forth. Not the most relaxing way to tackle wet, diesel-slippy roundabouts! In fact I had to resort to slipping the clutch on a couple of tight ones.
Get it on the open road and it's fine. The handling is much sharper than the BM's, the engine is a revvy, punchy delight, the gearchange something we GS owners can only dream about, wind protection as good as my current bike, and the mirrors bigger and clearer.
The ABS worked fine, you really have to provoke the bike to get it to activate, even in the wet you have to pull on a sudden whopping handfull of front brake. It's a bit different to the GS because you get fork dive under braking, and as the ABS cuts in the forks rebound big time. Bit of a surprise if you've got used to Telelever handling.
Even the seat height wasn't the problem I thought it would be for my puny 29-inch inside leg. The bike's so much lighter than a GS1150 that stretching a toe down isn't too hard.
I really wanted to like it and was trying to find reasons why I should buy one, but that fuel injection would be impossible to live with. I do a fair chunk of riding in central London where it would be a damn nuisance.
The dealer wasn't surprised at my reaction. When he asked me what I thought I told him it was a brilliant bike ruined by one thing. Straightaway he said: "A snatchy throttle?". Seems I'm not the first to complain. He said KTM have no current plans to remap the ECU. Wonder if they're taking the same "Head in the sand" approach to it as BMW are with their servo brakes?
Ah well, I was expecting to put the GS in the "For Sale" section today. Looks like I'll be staying with you lot after all. On the bright side, this website and its members are still the best around by miles.
