KTM 950SM advice please

Status
Not open for further replies.

kirby morgan

Active member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
440
Reaction score
8
Location
West Kilbride North Ayrshire
Have been offered a 2005, 950sm with 17k miles in vgc.
Don't know much else about the bike, but looking for some advice from you knowlegable guys.
Have read about faulty fuel pumps, carbs getting gummed up and water pump replacement at around the 20k mile mark.
Don't want to cloud my judgement on the negative views on forums. So, worth a look or stay clear ?
Never had an "orange" bike and about 40 years of shaft drive bikes, but open to some views please.
 
I can not tell you anything about 'things to look out for' on a 950. (or a 990!). What I can tell you, from having had KTM's for the last five years or so, and having had mates that have had KTM's for years, is that you won't be disappointed.

KTM are, in my opinion, one of the few manufacturers out there that really deliver soul and character in a bike. The some what old school 950 will have that character in spades, and arguably (ask Tim .. Timolgra ..) an old school carburettered (sp?) bike like that with no electronics is something that you can keep and maintain and service for years and years. Whilst i'm not a dab hand mechanically, that sort of bike will be exactly the sort of thing that you can maintain yourself and enjoy fettling with.

Don't worry about the chain - KTM have given it a chain for a reason! and that is all part and parcel of the character and soul.

Bikes should be loved! They should have little characters themselves, and be things you look back at when you close the garage door. Would you get that from a Honda Cross-tourer? Pfffft! Would you get it from a 950 SM? You bet you would ... !!


<a href="https://gileslamb.smugmug.com/1290/i-wR2NQDQ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/1290/i-wR2NQDQ/0/d4a3e88d/L/IMG_4852-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
 
I had one for a couple of years and it was an amazing bike, very capable and great fun.. I had no issues other than a leaking fuel tank.. The plastic they are made from isn't designed for modern unleaded fuel so they warp.. I managed to fix mine with some fancy resin stuff but fuel tanks are expensive.
 
Never heard of the fuel tank issue mentioned above but good 2nd hand ones are not expensive.

Fuel pump WILL fail at some point, the rather crude contact points burn out, this is easily remedied by fitting a solid state 'Dr Beans' made by a helpful guy for a cost of around 30 euros.

Water pumps may fail on some bikes, the shaft can wear allowing coolant to infiltrate the engine oil, not good because water will collapse the paper oil filter (you can fit a stainless reusable Scott's filter) I updated the water pump on my bike. Simple job.

Super Enduro rectifier fail due in part to their location which causes them to overheat. Mines updated and relocated but this may not apply to the SM.

Other than that, simply brilliant and guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time you ride it.
Oh if it has standard cans, ditch them it's a huge weight saving (cos there's 2) and the noise a real LC8 make is second to none. :)
 
I had one in 2005 . Carbs did gum up as the fuel tank dissolved . It was fixed on later models . But it used to make it a 425 cc single every few months. Loved it otherwise . Better than the EFI that came after
 
Status
Not open for further replies.


Back
Top Bottom