Going to the dark side...

[Devil]

Wow!

Looks totally different in black, minus the KTM decals... Very stealthy.

The screen and hand-guard combo changes the front appearance heaps. The pic just justifies what you said about heaps better wind protection. I'll be looking for one soon... Mainly for the longer trips.

Thanks for the pics.

PS: Do you know if your power/ECU is on the soft setting?

I started the bike the other day and it said 'soft' where the clock is... Only for a few seconds... Long enough for me to go 'What the?', lol...

Yeah, tidies up the front quite a bit. You need to see it in person.

I've been hunting for that ecu setting switching, but I cant find it. I'm wondering if it's not on mine (it's an '07 model, but was new when I bought it, only a couple of months ago). I know the switch is on the R and prestige and the enduro... Unless i'm just looking i the wrong place.

Either way, the shop can load whichever map I want.

Let me go look at the clock now...

[AlBundy]

Sorry, I should have added that I hadn't seen the 'soft' come up since....

I'll be heading to the KTM dealers during the week to have a chat to them, regarding the map and possibly finding out about others. Maybe soft is for std machines and anything else is for a pipe or filter etc? Will be good to find out...

As far as the switches go, I think they are on the SMR and the 08 models, not on the 07 SM's... The R and Prestige are essentially the same machine... The owners manual doesn't say anything either, so have to assume it doesn't have one...

[Devil]

Apparently, the switch is for a personal preference thing whether you've got the pipe or not. I can see it makes sense for the enduro, because yuo may want to soften the power delivery if you're on a dodgy surface, but not really on the motard.... unless you're on a dodgy surface...

I've been told anyway, you can just get the latest map put on. I'm not one for fussing around with switches.

There is a seperate map for the full akra exhaust system (which you can use with any full system).

Where are you located anyway?

[Gremlin]

Looking good Debbil...

Another little boy waits... but he didn't mess up his colours first time around, and his is a bit bigger...

Now if the shop would hurry up getting it on the road, and the accessories fitted I mean, its only been 3 sleeps since I did the deal

[AlBundy]

Seen the Wings pipes?

Someone sent me this link....

http://www.mototoys.com.au/41.html

[AlBundy]

Looking good Debbil...

Another little boy waits... but he didn't mess up his colours first time around, and his is a bit bigger...

Now if the shop would hurry up getting it on the road, and the accessories fitted I mean, its only been 3 sleeps since I did the deal

Cool...

Should be interesting...

[Devil]

Seen the Wings pipes?

Someone sent me this link....

http://www.mototoys.com.au/41.html

Yer, I had seen the Wings pipes. They look very much like the Akra's, but I really dont like that logo! I asked if they could get them without the logo, but it doesn't look like that would be possible!
Good price though too.

[idleidolidyll]

get rid of the maggot and buy the ktm; you'll never regret it

[idleidolidyll]

be careful with an after market can on a big KTM.

even my akra titanium muffler blew the guts out.

my current FMF just did the same thing.

i reckon the welded end can is about the only way to ensure it'll last doing road miles.

[Gremlin]

I asked if they could get them without the logo, but it doesn't look like that would be possible!
Good price though too.

Yeh, if you're buying direct, it might be possible, but he likes to use his distributors, and Rod (mototoys) says not possible

be careful with an after market can on a big KTM.

even my akra titanium muffler blew the guts out.

We'll find out I guess....

[AlBundy]

I've been commuting with the 690 for a bit now...

I must admit, it isn't very smooth at 50-60km/h at about 3200-3700rpm. It surges quite a bit on a constant gas....

Any of you find any issues?

Or is it more a trait of a single? The DRZ did something similar but not quite as pronounced.

Or is it a fuelling issue, ie. lean?

Grassy arse.....

[idleidolidyll]

I've been commuting with the 690 for a bit now...

I must admit, it isn't very smooth at 50-60km/h at about 3200-3700rpm. It surges quite a bit on a constant gas....

Any of you find any issues?

Or is it more a trait of a single? The DRZ did something similar but not quite as pronounced.

Or is it a fuelling issue, ie. lean?

Grassy arse.....

If it's tuned well it should cruise OK below 4000rpm.
That's part and parcel of a highly tuned single. Your 400 was a soft motor designed for soft riding and in fact was probably a better commuter than your KTM will ever be.

That said, the sheer thrill of the katoom is worth the little bits of agro that come with it. About the only real disadvantage is the expensive and relatively frequent servicing.

My smc is geared for about 190kph but it will never see that speed in reality. Strangely, I'm thinking of RAISING the gearing to give it a better range on the road.
1st gear is all but useless anyway so I figure a 5 speed with overdrive that gets more than 200km per tank will be better for me than a 6 speed that runs out at 170km.

Of course that would mean piddling around town in maybe 3rd gear to prevent the shudders.

[AlBundy]

If it's tuned well it should cruise OK below 4000rpm.
That's part and parcel of a highly tuned single. Your 400 was a soft motor designed for soft riding and in fact was probably a better commuter than your KTM will ever be.

That said, the sheer thrill of the katoom is worth the little bits of agro that come with it. About the only real disadvantage is the expensive and relatively frequent servicing.

My smc is geared for about 190kph but it will never see that speed in reality. Strangely, I'm thinking of RAISING the gearing to give it a better range on the road.
1st gear is all but useless anyway so I figure a 5 speed with overdrive that gets more than 200km per tank will be better for me than a 6 speed that runs out at 170km.

Of course that would mean piddling around town in maybe 3rd gear to prevent the shudders.

Too true, the DRZ makes for a good town bike...

Is the range on the SMC that short?

The SM has a 13.5l tank, so 250km plus is well within range.

Yeah, I've read some of the debate regarding dropping the front sprocket for a 15. Seems to make the present 5th gear revs, the future 6th. As it is, I find I need at least 120 on the speedo before 6th feels smooth, that's at about 5000rpm. So really, for me, 6th as it is, is already an overdrive... Nevermind making it longer...

[idleidolidyll]

Too true, the DRZ makes for a good town bike...

Is the range on the SMC that short?

The SM has a 13.5l tank, so 250km plus is well within range.

Yeah, I've read some of the debate regarding dropping the front sprocket for a 15. Seems to make the present 5th gear revs, the future 6th. As it is, I find I need at least 120 on the speedo before 6th feels smooth, that's at about 5000rpm. So really, for me, 6th as it is, is already an overdrive... Nevermind making it longer...

the smc has a 12 litre tank and i have it set for aggressive on the dial up control under the seat. It's probably true that i screw the throttle pretty hard too.

that 170km is a mix of cruising at almost legal speeds and going hard. Going fully hard would empty the tank in maybe 140-150km: a bit boring for my riding mates huh!

the gearing thing is a mystery until i start to mess with it. Luckily i have a bunch of ktm sprockets to play with from my 640 Duke. I'll post my thoughts as I play with it but not for a while as I won't be riding for a couple of weeks anyway.

[Devil]

Intermeresting.
Commuting/round town blatting/bit o motorway I get 240km on 11L (when the fuel light comes on). Open road I get even better.

Do feel a small surge at lower speeds, but nothing irritating. I dont change into 4th untill i'm doing at least 60km/h. Have to be doing at least 100km/h for 6th. But 110km/h in 6th is no problem. Smooth as.

You can get a different map put on the bike by a ktm dealer. They get updated every so often.

I find in 1st, 2nd and 3rd you can putter around at 3000rpm, but any higher gear and it prefers to be at least 3500rpm, or 4000rpm.

No problem though with rowing through the gears, I love the response!