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5 Dec 2007
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sheffield, UK
Posts: 226
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I can back up what adventure950 has to say about the bike - both from personal experience and from speaking to other riders and dealers. Dealers I've spoken to are seeing bikes with big mileages on now without significant problems. The engine in mine gets stronger and smoother the more miles I put on it.
Mine's upto 22k miles and the only issue I've had is the weak clutch slave cylinder at 19k. KTM has updated the part, so hopefully failures should be less common now. Even so it's only a 15 minute job to replace and the parts small enough to carry on a long trip if it worries you.
The water pump issue is widely scaremongered by certain members on the ADV Rider forum, but it seems to be the case that if there's a problem then it will show up early on.
Off road handling is brilliant for this sort of bike. Unloaded the bike rides like a bike enduro bike (which is basicaly what it is). Loaded up it still goes well, it just takes a bit more effort. Mud and very soft sand can be hard work, but not impossible. On hard, rocky ground you can maintain rediculously high speeds and the suspension just soaks it up. It's a lot more capable than the big GS's or the AT on the rough stuff.
I do all my own servicing and after you've done it once it's a doddle to strip down the bodywork to get access to the engine. If you're confident working on your own bike then it's not an issue.
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5 Dec 2007
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Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Stoke, UK
Posts: 210
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I had so many problems with my 950 (an early one), that I would never buy another KTM. Head gasket went twice, and after 5months in repair, it had to have a new engine.
Service interval were only 3,000 miles apart, BM's are 6,000.
Mony 63, your battery going flat every 2 weeks - check that the carb heaters are connected to the main fuse. If they are connected through the 'aux' fuse, it is on all the time, and the heaters will come on when it gets cold, even with the ignition key removed. KTM UK connected mine up wrong and my battery kept going flat. You can check this by taking both fuses out when you park up, see if battery still goes flat.
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5 Dec 2007
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Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 839
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Ktm
I was surprised by how light the bike feel and two up the bike was still better off road than my R1200GS, the fact is I love riding off road but when you load a bike with luggage or a pillon the performance are very different. I use my XR650R for many trip and my klr or R100gs were great but I am always looking for a bike light powerfull reliable off road ready ,the ktm look a bit like that. Just for fun I price the update to do on my GS to make it very ready for off road travel and it came to be about $5000 .
Humm I think I will keep it on gravel road at the most.
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5 Dec 2007
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sheffield, UK
Posts: 226
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Holland
I had so many problems with my 950 (an early one), that I would never buy another KTM. Head gasket went twice, and after 5months in repair, it had to have a new engine.
Service interval were only 3,000 miles apart, BM's are 6,000.
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A few early models had a problem with the head gaskets - a warranty update was issued involving fitting new head bolts and washers and retorquing them. All early bikes should have had this sorted by now, for late bikes it's not an issue.
Service intervals are every 4500 for oil and filter, 9000 miles for full service.
Yes it's more time consuming to service than a 650 single, but compared to a typical japanese 4 cylinder sports bike it's a doddle.
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5 Dec 2007
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Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 839
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Ktm
I know the AT is a great bike but in the US we didn't have any luck and when I left France I should have brought my Tenere , this was too a great bike for travelling on and Off road. I hope to see some new bike coming to state in the 08 and 09 . but I have not too much trust in seeing the EU model coming to the US.
Too Bad
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15 Dec 2007
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Contributing Member
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 374
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2up in Africa
I have just brought one these with a view to practise for a 2 years prior to a trip Africa. That seem nice and big for 2 up riding. I wondered if anyone has done extensive travelling on one 2 up?
Craig
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9 Jan 2008
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Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Guildford, UK
Posts: 269
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Just joined the club with a 990 ready for collection next month. The performance and handling sounds very encouraging - you never hear a bad word said against this bike on these grounds. However, I am a little concerned about the temperamental mechanical nature of the KTMs. Are there any current common problems.
I have a (soon to die) Africa Twin with 70000 miles from new, 40000 of them hard in South America. It never let me down on that trip despite infrequent servicing. Still on the first clutch I would mention. Honda's approach to the AT has led me to leave the fold and look elsewhere for a similar machine. I have no doubt the KTM will be a better bike on and off road from a rider's perspective but guess I will get to know the mechanics well at the KTM dealership.
Anyone know if there is a big KTM following in the UK? I don't see too many around Guildford.
Cheers.
Matt
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6 Feb 2008
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Posts: 126
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Now still in Africa at 36000km's on the '04 ktm. riding serious offroad with luggage is perfect, as long as you load it perfect.
I dont understand the problem story's at all. NO issue's so far, with proper maintanance of course, did a rally with it to, hard.
Met one other guy now, 38000k no problems on an '05, know several other bike's with 50.000+ k's without real problems!
YES i take it rtw, happily. when i'm back home i estimate the bike at 60k km.
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5 Dec 2007
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Gold Member
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Philadelphia, US
Posts: 646
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkLG
Off road handling is brilliant for this sort of bike. Unloaded the bike rides like a bike enduro bike (which is basicaly what it is). Loaded up it still goes well, it just takes a bit more effort. Mud and very soft sand can be hard work, but not impossible. On hard, rocky ground you can maintain rediculously high speeds and the suspension just soaks it up. It's a lot more capable than the big GS's or the AT on the rough stuff.
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Good point BUT loaded I still had a better experience in Mongolia with the AT than the 950...no comparison...
Unloaded the KTM is the beast between the 3 off road.
On road, the GS is at home...a Chelsea tractor with no comp...
Maintenance wise, the AT has the least number of issues and the GS/950 compete for second place...unfortunately, not being availbale in North America...the AT won't have as much blurbs on ADVRider...
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