Z3n
Squid.
Needs better suspension, less weight, more power.
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Rumor: KTM 800 to compete with BMW/Triumph?
- Thread starter revnort
- Start date
hyperdookie
New member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2009
- Location
- los altos
- Moto(s)
- 10' KTM 530 EXC, 08' hypermotard, 94' XR650L
- Name
- Neil
Z3n
Squid.
I'll confirm one way or another in 2 weeks if I agree with that or not. Picking up my 690SMC and riding it from Seattle to Santa Barbara. But I did the same trip on the DRZ last year and it handled it just fine.
Please do report back. Not knocking thumpers, just saying they need a lot of counterbalance to offset the vibration, and a small V-twin such as the SV/DL motor is much better suited for the open road. A Parallel twin would be my second choice.
...and of course triples have the best balance
Z3n
Squid.
Please do report back. Not knocking thumpers, just saying they need a lot of counterbalance to offset the vibration, and a small V-twin such as the SV/DL motor is much better suited for the open road. A Parallel twin would be my second choice.
...and of course triples have the best balance
Agreed on the counterbalancers. Good fatbars and some bar snakes help too. V-twins are nice but I can't abide the additional weight that comes with the engine. 300 pounds is too good to give up the second the road starts to turn. The bike damn near rides itself through the twisties.
The DRZ is counterbalanced, so's the 690SMC.
Z3n
Squid.
I cannot stand the soft pads. Honestly, the supermotos aren't that bad, you just have to be active about moving around, and if you need to, you can even stand up for awhile, thanks to the enduro inspired ergos.
Z3n
Squid.
6th gear and 65hp stock is what I'm looking forward to. No need to mod, just an endless supply of gas, oil, and roasted tires.
hyperdookie
New member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2009
- Location
- los altos
- Moto(s)
- 10' KTM 530 EXC, 08' hypermotard, 94' XR650L
- Name
- Neil
We'll be needing a full ride report when you return. I've been drooling over the SMC for a while now. Congrats. Why Seattle?
Z3n
Squid.
I'll do a full ride report
Gonna actually try and make this one decent with pictures and real observations and everything! Seattle because that's where the bike of my dreams is. I'm buying it from a friend who's giving it to me for a killer deal, and he's the original owner, I know he took great care of it, and I've already ridden it before.
(his housemate owns one too)
hyperdookie
New member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2009
- Location
- los altos
- Moto(s)
- 10' KTM 530 EXC, 08' hypermotard, 94' XR650L
- Name
- Neil
Nice! Is it the one in the foreground? Those are the tubeless rims huh? I hear the new ones are coming with tubeless standard now.
Z3n
Squid.
Yeah, the one in the foreground. Mostly stock, but with the tubeliss rims. The picture doesn't show it but the orange flake in the wheels and hubs is just fantastic. So good in the light. I'm looking forward to a 2000 mile trip of getting to know it
Sharky
Well-known member
Sharky
Well-known member
Makes me think bad to my paint shaker 620. After 20 minutes you're numb anyhow.
My 690SM vibrates more then an I4 but is not objectionable. A hundred mile trip over Ham to the Junction and back required 2.1 gallons, way awesome I thought until I checked the rear tyre. Other pluses are the slipper clutch and FBW throttle which allows a 48mm throttle body. Changing the oil sucks, 2, element type filters and 2 screens, one on each side.
rean1mator
New member
I think the new electronics package is key hopefully. It just doesn't seem like KTM has been able to sort their ecu/fi issues on their existing vtwin. Even with their 690, there seems to be issues with the ecu/fi being a little finicky from the research I've done. Kinda seems hit or miss.
As far as the vtwin goes, my thought was that the engine design that worked so well on the 950 carbed version was just not suitable for an FI setup. They've had since 2007 to sort out the FI on the 990 and have been unsuccessful.
I absolutely loved my 990ADV but at the same time could not accept how horrible the fueling was on that thing and ended up selling it with the intent of buying another once they figured out the FI on it.
Let's just pray they work towards a significantly lighter version of the 990.
Thinking about a sub 400lb 800cc ktm with ktm level handling makes me happy. I'd be happy with around a 425lb-450lb for the most part. What is the 990ADV low 500lb's?
As far as the vtwin goes, my thought was that the engine design that worked so well on the 950 carbed version was just not suitable for an FI setup. They've had since 2007 to sort out the FI on the 990 and have been unsuccessful.
I absolutely loved my 990ADV but at the same time could not accept how horrible the fueling was on that thing and ended up selling it with the intent of buying another once they figured out the FI on it.
Let's just pray they work towards a significantly lighter version of the 990.
Thinking about a sub 400lb 800cc ktm with ktm level handling makes me happy. I'd be happy with around a 425lb-450lb for the most part. What is the 990ADV low 500lb's?
Z3n
Squid.
There have been occasional FI issues showing up (one BARFer has issues with his that were resolved by a grip of parts under warranty), but it seems like most of the issues that show up have more to do with people not understanding a few things...
First of all, there's a 10 selection switch squirreled away on the bike that controls the ignition maps, and makes a HUGE difference in how the bike performs. They come from the factory in rain mode, typically, there's also a street mode and a race mode. Race mode is insane, street mode is still pretty insane, and rain mode feels like you shoved a sock down the intake.
Second of all, people love to throw exhausts at shit, and these bikes don't respond well to exhausts unless you have someone who really knows KTMs and 690s doing the work. It's hard to get power out of a bike that's already getting a crapload of power out of a 649cc single. In side by side rides of identical KTMs, one running the stock exhaust, and the other running a Leo Vince slipon, the one running the Leo Vince slipon was much slower, and had a huge hole in the midrange that made wheelies difficult. This was with the Akro map that most dealerships will load up with an aftermarket exhaust. They NEED tuning, and most dealerships don't have the tools or the expertise to do it right.
Finally, the fueling in the more aggressive modes is insanely responsive. Almost too responsive, you think about getting on the throttle and shit happens. Great when you're flogging it but can be a bit much around town.
So...they're great bikes but they require a little more involvement on the part of the owner if you want to get the best out of them.
slackmeyer
New member
From what I've heard, the 2010 and 2011 models have been much better in that regard. But I haven't ridden any 990. I don't think it's the engine architecture though- I don't see how it's much different from ducatis and aprillias that do fine with fuel injection. I'm not saying that it's going to be I-4 smooth, but I think the 990 motor could work fine at lower speeds with the right injectors/map/cams. Hopefully KTM is getting it sorted out.