steviegasgas
Registered user
Hi all, well its been a month or so since buying the SMT. Its a 2012, in white, has done 3k.
Previously I have had various sportsbikes, R1(brill), Gixer 1000s(awesome), Aprilia mille R(interesting), then moved to going further afield in Europe, then had GS 1200(boring), Ducati Multi1200(brilliant). I also have a R6 purely for trackdays.
I bought the KTM without riding a KTM ever, it looked good and I was also looking at getting rid of the Multi very quickly before the warranty ran out.
I asked a learned gentleman on the GS site called Poucher who had recently bought an SMT and with his reply I took the SMT home.
I may ramble a bit as I will just type as my brain thinks of bits and pieces but here goes....So, first impressions were, it looks great, similar to the Multi in a sense, helmet on and here goes, all paperwork signed and the bike is mine, I take off, go about 20 metres and pull in quickly, eek, I forgot to phone Carole Nash and change the insurance. Get that done,phew, helmet back on, pull out into traffic, it goes well, quick throttle response, nimble, commanding riding position. I am being completely analytical, I bought it as a replacement really so its got a bit off work to do to impress. Controls are light, clutch is nice, gearbox is tight, no missed gears, neutral easily found.
Off dual carriageway and onto some twisties, first some traffic, its effortless to overtake, its not as quick as the Multi, but where you need the speed it is, when the multi and other sportsbikes are beginning to go nuts and your having to back off the KTM has done the overtake and is sitting waiting for you to go for the next one, its strange, it seems to have just the right amount of power, mmmnn. But it does have a weave at 70-80, can be powered through but causes slight unease. ( This was more or less cured by sorting the suspension, I put it all back to standard then reset on the sport setting supplied, I still want to play with the front yet though and the rear still squats a little but not much)
Get home, park up, think about my sore ass, yep, its a bit nippy, throw it in the shed and tell the wife I have got a new bike, she says "thats nice, Take me to the pub tonight for a drink" Its a tradition that she is the first pillion, its the only time she evr goes on the bike and the only time I ever carry a pillion. She gets togged up and hear we go, shit, the throttle is rubbish, its on or off, I never really noticed it as bad but when trying to ride with her on the back as cautious and gentle as I can be I cannot hold it on a constant throttle, it keeps wanting to go.
Have you ever ridden a forward going ex racehorse, well its like that, gotta hold onto the reins or its off, concentrating nearly as hard on that as I am thinking how nice it would be if it was her wee sister that was on the back instead, ahem.
After a few wee bashes of helmets, steady as you go, we get to the pub and back. She likes it, has a good view, says her little derrier is okay, and she likes the look of it, can we do it again she says, praise indeed.
Right, now its serious, I plan a quick jaunt to the North of Scotland, that being my old home and family still there, its a 9 hour ride.
Leave Norfolk, meet mate on his Triumph 800xc who is coming for the spin too and away we go. After an hour I remember I have no fuel gauge, eh, whats that all about, so every time I refuel I re-set trip 1, the fuel cap swell, its pants, you put key in and it lifts off and then just flops about to the side threatening to either fall or scratch the tank.
But thankfully range is very good, I saw nearly 170 at its best but I am not interested in MPG, if you work it out do not tell me cos I dont wanna know, I am still getting a sore ass, the seat is narrow, the multi was the most comfortable bike ever cos yer whole ass sat on the seat and not just yer ass bones, but its not unbearable.
Wind protection is good, no buffeting at all, the Multi was crap, awful, like being in a 12 round battle wi Tyson, the SMT is fine, no extra noise than usual, helmet easy to move around.
We hit rain, lots off it, damn, I cannot see a thing, all the spray is getting me, I duck to the side and try and put my visor into the airflow to blow it clear, I cannot find the area, I have to constantly wipe my visor with my finger to see, I try head up, to side, but cannot find the sweet spot for blowing it clear.
My legs seem okay, no wetter than usual, chest maybe bit wetter but you dont get the chest battering air that annoys and drives you insane, re multi.
Its dry again, getting near Fort William, I get pat some traffic, waiting for mate to catch up, hear he comes, except its not him, vroom, straight past me with wee nwave, he is on it, mmmnnn, wait for mate, or go play, so I catch him up, its a Mille R, not RSVR and he is going for it, looks good, scraping his knees, moving around lovely on the bike, but the last thing he expects is me to be sitting right up his chuff, I have my rollbag behind me, textile suit on and we are having a right laugh. We stop behind a bus In Fort William and he is waving at me, and the bike, giving thumbs up etc. Proper surprised him, and me aswell to be fair. I rode it smooth, no excess movement, just smooth in and power out, lines were good. The SMT did well, little bit off movement on power but thats just the PR3s, great tyre but they do wallow a fair bit under strain, a bit like riding with a soft tyre.
Get to me sisters and I am beginning to gel with the bike, it feels good.
Homeward bound was much of the same, but on arrival and putting it in the garage I said to myself this bike may well be a keeper, that's a first for me.
Changes I am going to do.....
Try and get a race type screw cap so no need for using ignition key etc.
Try a vario screen of some sort or a touring version.
Put on the Akras I bought second hand.
PC3 or remap for the Akras and also to try and cure the snatchy throttle.
Put my HID lights in, I swear by them although for a single headlamp unit probably the best lights I have ever used as standard on the bike as is.
Put on crash bobbins, or maybe crash bars on the side, and either mount my 4 led spots on the bars or on the side panels and get them sculpted in by my painter mate.
Mount my sat nav.
So there you have it, my experiences so far, and also a little more news, my mates came down to visit, one who has ridden 24000 miles in one trip on a bmw down through canada and the states, one who is on a triumph 1050 sprint.
I lent them my bike to go and play as one came in the car, they ent off for all day saturday, bmw rider was amazed, he said thats the first time in years that he has actually felt a sheer joy from riding that he used to feel as a youngster and the other mate is now actively seeking to sell his Triumph to get an SMT.
Any advice on the way to go forward with the modifications I want to do or any other ones you recommend then please let me know.
All the best and maybe meet some of you guys soon, cheers.
Poucher, thanks very much for your initial reply, yer a gent!
Previously I have had various sportsbikes, R1(brill), Gixer 1000s(awesome), Aprilia mille R(interesting), then moved to going further afield in Europe, then had GS 1200(boring), Ducati Multi1200(brilliant). I also have a R6 purely for trackdays.
I bought the KTM without riding a KTM ever, it looked good and I was also looking at getting rid of the Multi very quickly before the warranty ran out.
I asked a learned gentleman on the GS site called Poucher who had recently bought an SMT and with his reply I took the SMT home.
I may ramble a bit as I will just type as my brain thinks of bits and pieces but here goes....So, first impressions were, it looks great, similar to the Multi in a sense, helmet on and here goes, all paperwork signed and the bike is mine, I take off, go about 20 metres and pull in quickly, eek, I forgot to phone Carole Nash and change the insurance. Get that done,phew, helmet back on, pull out into traffic, it goes well, quick throttle response, nimble, commanding riding position. I am being completely analytical, I bought it as a replacement really so its got a bit off work to do to impress. Controls are light, clutch is nice, gearbox is tight, no missed gears, neutral easily found.
Off dual carriageway and onto some twisties, first some traffic, its effortless to overtake, its not as quick as the Multi, but where you need the speed it is, when the multi and other sportsbikes are beginning to go nuts and your having to back off the KTM has done the overtake and is sitting waiting for you to go for the next one, its strange, it seems to have just the right amount of power, mmmnn. But it does have a weave at 70-80, can be powered through but causes slight unease. ( This was more or less cured by sorting the suspension, I put it all back to standard then reset on the sport setting supplied, I still want to play with the front yet though and the rear still squats a little but not much)
Get home, park up, think about my sore ass, yep, its a bit nippy, throw it in the shed and tell the wife I have got a new bike, she says "thats nice, Take me to the pub tonight for a drink" Its a tradition that she is the first pillion, its the only time she evr goes on the bike and the only time I ever carry a pillion. She gets togged up and hear we go, shit, the throttle is rubbish, its on or off, I never really noticed it as bad but when trying to ride with her on the back as cautious and gentle as I can be I cannot hold it on a constant throttle, it keeps wanting to go.
Have you ever ridden a forward going ex racehorse, well its like that, gotta hold onto the reins or its off, concentrating nearly as hard on that as I am thinking how nice it would be if it was her wee sister that was on the back instead, ahem.
After a few wee bashes of helmets, steady as you go, we get to the pub and back. She likes it, has a good view, says her little derrier is okay, and she likes the look of it, can we do it again she says, praise indeed.
Right, now its serious, I plan a quick jaunt to the North of Scotland, that being my old home and family still there, its a 9 hour ride.
Leave Norfolk, meet mate on his Triumph 800xc who is coming for the spin too and away we go. After an hour I remember I have no fuel gauge, eh, whats that all about, so every time I refuel I re-set trip 1, the fuel cap swell, its pants, you put key in and it lifts off and then just flops about to the side threatening to either fall or scratch the tank.
But thankfully range is very good, I saw nearly 170 at its best but I am not interested in MPG, if you work it out do not tell me cos I dont wanna know, I am still getting a sore ass, the seat is narrow, the multi was the most comfortable bike ever cos yer whole ass sat on the seat and not just yer ass bones, but its not unbearable.
Wind protection is good, no buffeting at all, the Multi was crap, awful, like being in a 12 round battle wi Tyson, the SMT is fine, no extra noise than usual, helmet easy to move around.
We hit rain, lots off it, damn, I cannot see a thing, all the spray is getting me, I duck to the side and try and put my visor into the airflow to blow it clear, I cannot find the area, I have to constantly wipe my visor with my finger to see, I try head up, to side, but cannot find the sweet spot for blowing it clear.
My legs seem okay, no wetter than usual, chest maybe bit wetter but you dont get the chest battering air that annoys and drives you insane, re multi.
Its dry again, getting near Fort William, I get pat some traffic, waiting for mate to catch up, hear he comes, except its not him, vroom, straight past me with wee nwave, he is on it, mmmnnn, wait for mate, or go play, so I catch him up, its a Mille R, not RSVR and he is going for it, looks good, scraping his knees, moving around lovely on the bike, but the last thing he expects is me to be sitting right up his chuff, I have my rollbag behind me, textile suit on and we are having a right laugh. We stop behind a bus In Fort William and he is waving at me, and the bike, giving thumbs up etc. Proper surprised him, and me aswell to be fair. I rode it smooth, no excess movement, just smooth in and power out, lines were good. The SMT did well, little bit off movement on power but thats just the PR3s, great tyre but they do wallow a fair bit under strain, a bit like riding with a soft tyre.
Get to me sisters and I am beginning to gel with the bike, it feels good.
Homeward bound was much of the same, but on arrival and putting it in the garage I said to myself this bike may well be a keeper, that's a first for me.
Changes I am going to do.....
Try and get a race type screw cap so no need for using ignition key etc.
Try a vario screen of some sort or a touring version.
Put on the Akras I bought second hand.
PC3 or remap for the Akras and also to try and cure the snatchy throttle.
Put my HID lights in, I swear by them although for a single headlamp unit probably the best lights I have ever used as standard on the bike as is.
Put on crash bobbins, or maybe crash bars on the side, and either mount my 4 led spots on the bars or on the side panels and get them sculpted in by my painter mate.
Mount my sat nav.
So there you have it, my experiences so far, and also a little more news, my mates came down to visit, one who has ridden 24000 miles in one trip on a bmw down through canada and the states, one who is on a triumph 1050 sprint.
I lent them my bike to go and play as one came in the car, they ent off for all day saturday, bmw rider was amazed, he said thats the first time in years that he has actually felt a sheer joy from riding that he used to feel as a youngster and the other mate is now actively seeking to sell his Triumph to get an SMT.
Any advice on the way to go forward with the modifications I want to do or any other ones you recommend then please let me know.
All the best and maybe meet some of you guys soon, cheers.
Poucher, thanks very much for your initial reply, yer a gent!
