Author Topic: Please share your KTM experiences....  (Read 4573 times)

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Offline TLPower

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #20 on: June 02, 2018, 20:40:37 »
It's been added to a new multibike policy, so it's fate is secure.......for now.
The spokes on the new Nail2.0 shouldn't rust because they didn't originate in Japan, India probably. lol

I'd really like to keep old faithful if only to bequeath it to Power Junior as an Albatross, just like my late Dad left me and our kid a grandfather clock. :stirpot:
To be happy, I don't need private helicopters,a Florida house or a yacht. I'm fine with my motorcycle,a trip to a forest in Bavaria and some lunch money.

Walter Rohrl.

Offline WayneS

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #21 on: June 02, 2018, 22:22:35 »
Congratulations on the purchase and I know you will enjoy it.
I feel the need to purchase a 1290'S.
 

Offline wurzel

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #22 on: June 02, 2018, 23:43:43 »
   Congrats on the new bike mate, you are just going to love that motor!
In my opinion the KTM v twins are the best out there, torque, tractability, outright power and thrust, and character, an intoxicating and easy to live with package.
  The bikes, having their own quirks, as others with any character do, are of a high quality in build and individual components.
   I shall be looking forward to how you get on with the bike, I'm sure you made a great choice!
I hanker after an 1190 myself, but having the 390 Duke, and the 1290 r, which is breathtaking, I can hardly justify one right now.
 

Offline TLPower

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #23 on: June 11, 2018, 20:10:25 »
After a short blat last Wednesday and a slightly longer run yesterday up to the rather giddy heights of the York, I have come to the conclusion that the 1190 Adventure is rather good.

I realise that 'bikes have become refined in the last 16 years, I foolishly thought that fitting a high end rear shock and updating the front forks on the Cagiva would be sufficient. This suspension added to the Suzuki TL engine provided an entertaining if rather crude method of travel.

The KTM without wishing to sound all gushing and over-effusive just does everything the Cagiva did only better.

Much, much better.

I'll start off with the engine, the fueling is light years ahead as it should be, the throttle does what modern bikes do and delivers power in small increments smoothly. It produces 73lb/ft of torque from just over 3000 rpm with 92lb/ft at 7800 rpm. Or one can choose a different setting and have instant death. This is called "sport", I have chosen street as it hasn't been raining, the raining setting reduces power to only 100bhp. There is another one I think for "off road". In street mode it is more than quick enough, I tend to short shift for my own preservation. To date one of the most impressive aspects is the roll on acceleration, 6th gear 50mph, twist the throttle and it sets off like it's in 2nd. The throttle settings can be set with different traction control settings and I assume wheely control. I've set them to "boring" in the menu. To summarise it has more than enough power and is civilised below 7.5k. Above that it is angry and scary.

I cannot begin to imagine what the 1290 is like.

Brakes, the 2 piston sliding Nissins on VFR discs were satifactory in 2001 on the Cagiva, the KTM comes with 4 piston radial Brembos with Brembo radial master cylinder on the front and a single Brembo on the rear with Galfer discs at both ends are quite astounding. It also has cornering/lean sensitive ABS. I haven't tried that yet or the lean sensitive traction control...

The suspension is electronicaly adjustable, one sets the preload by choosing what load the bike has, rider only, rider with luggage, rider with pillion and 2 up with luggage. Depending on your mood you can then choose between comfort, street, sport and off road. I enjoyed comfort on the Motorways as a magic carpet kind of ride and then switched to street for the twisy bits. I haven't tried sport or off road yet. All the adjustments can be made whilst riding. Even with a 19" front wheel  the chassis is far more direct and agile than the Nail with it's 17" front, the previous owner fitted Roadsmart 3 tyres to replace the Conti TA2's.

The only issues so far are what we all have with bikes, the screen (adjustable) and the handlebars. I've ordered a pair of bar risers and I'll continue to faff with the screen, if that fails there is always a Givi Airflow. I was almost happy with the sound until I heard Nelson the Africa Twin again. Now an exhaust is on the list...

Do I need 150 bhp? No.

Do I want 150 bhp? Yes. :lala:
To be happy, I don't need private helicopters,a Florida house or a yacht. I'm fine with my motorcycle,a trip to a forest in Bavaria and some lunch money.

Walter Rohrl.

Offline tallpaul

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #24 on: June 11, 2018, 20:14:12 »
Sounds like a barrel of laughs to me! Enjoy TLP, but please keep it shiny side up. Any plans on modifying the exhaust...?
Old enough to know better, but still too young to care...

Offline TLPower

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #25 on: June 11, 2018, 20:17:13 »
STRICT instructions no modifications, so I'll have to buy one then   lol
To be happy, I don't need private helicopters,a Florida house or a yacht. I'm fine with my motorcycle,a trip to a forest in Bavaria and some lunch money.

Walter Rohrl.

Offline SuzukiSte

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #26 on: June 11, 2018, 20:18:29 »
@TLPower like chalk and cheese.

Offline wurzel

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #27 on: June 11, 2018, 20:21:16 »
   Sounds like the bike has all you want in performance terms, as it ought to, if you want it to really fly, traction control off, sport mode, it does make a difference, but you will want to cover the back brake in the first 3 gears...ahem... :thumb:

Offline SuzukiSte

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #28 on: June 11, 2018, 21:56:17 »
 :auto-dirtbike: :auto-dirtbike: lol

Offline kwackboy

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #29 on: June 11, 2018, 22:08:13 »
Sounds like a great bike ..  :thumb: I like KTMs alot but where I live you would be robbed at the traffic lights, if you escaped that , stolen within minutes of it being parked up .. sigh .. ????
Chief trouble maker 🙂

Offline Ridaz

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #30 on: June 11, 2018, 22:11:52 »
I know I commented on this bike in another thread already but to be fair, it's all I've talked about with other bike minded people at work today.

Just wow! It scared me  :thumb:


Offline TLPower

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #31 on: June 18, 2018, 11:43:02 »
A brief update.

Having some time on my hands last Friday I removed the home made MRA screen affair I had on the Nail and stuck it on the KTM screen in about the same place. As I live quite close to the A1 I went for a quick run and it was superb, no buffeting and a fly free visor. I'll order some of the MRA brackets as my efforts are fairly horrible but they work.

One of my other issues was the stabbing pain between the shoulder blades, this was sorted with some 50mm rotating risers. The other issue of my right hand going to sleep was cured when I started riding with a slight bend to my elbows (I'm not a well man, but I never mention it..) I adjusted the bars to move slightly back allowing a slight elbow bend and this sorted it.

I changed the throttle mode to sport on Wurzel's insistence, far from killing me it actually makes the fuelling far more linear.

And fun.

I really enjoyed the 'bike on it's 1st decent run, it's super frugal the 1st top up took 3 gallons for 176 miles and even after some spirited riding the average was still showing 55mpg. Stunning.

Next on the shopping list is the KTM ergo seat as the standard one is rather uncomfortable.

I'll finish with scary part, as Wurzel had warned, when pressing on in 4th gear I hit a crest and all I could see was sky, I didn't do a thing  other than let off the throttle, swear and it sorted itself out.

Now it needs a wash.
To be happy, I don't need private helicopters,a Florida house or a yacht. I'm fine with my motorcycle,a trip to a forest in Bavaria and some lunch money.

Walter Rohrl.

Offline wurzel

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Re: Please share your KTM experiences....
« Reply #32 on: June 18, 2018, 21:33:13 »
 Sounds like you are getting the bike sorted to suit you,sport mode does let it loft the front a bit more, traction control off and care is the order of the day...
They are surprisingly frugal on fuel for such potent machines, and KTM planks or sadles are the norm.
Try the ergo seat, but you might want to get yours sorted by one of the independent seat blokes.
Mine on the super Duke is bearable, but can give the old castanets a bit of a clattering!