KTM 990 - long term experience wanted

[Ruralman]

Yoy will enjoy the 990 - great bike
My mate Mal and I are planning a trip to NZ and to do lots of adventure riding and fishing.
Not sure whether to come before or after Christmas?? - when is best
Would like to do many of the Sth Island remote spots and hope to join up with many of you guys and get lots of local info as we go
Cheers
Rik and Mal

Thanks for that endorsement - I suppose from someone with both a 990 and a GSA1200 under their name that is good news, but, why both?

To answer your question re timing for coming over - a highlight of any Sth Island backcountry riding is a trip through Molesworth and the Rainbow Station and as discussed in another thread these don't open now until Dec 28th and you would probably want to complete this route before the end of March. So if you design your trip so you can be in the top of the Sth Island in that period its prob best.
Theres a couple of routes down here in Otago - the Dunstan Trail and the Nevis which are both best ridden in summer. Especially true of the Nevis which has 26 river crossings but these hardly get your feet wet in summer whereas in winter and early spring the rivers are much higher and the approaches and departures from the fords get scoured out and can be quite challenging with a fully loaded adventure bike
Look forward to catching up if it works out that way.

[Waihou Thumper]

Why two adventure bikes?
Guess it maybe like my situation...or stinking rich Aussie....
I bought one and then the other came up so had to go through with the sale too... Stuffed up there...

Know which one I would rather have, that's for sure.....AND the clue is, it isn't orange anywhere.. (been there, done that)

Any bites on your Trumpy Then?

[Padmei]

Know which one I would rather have, that's for sure.....AND the clue is, it isn't orange anywhere.. (been there, done that)...

You mean you'd like the BMW?

[Waihou Thumper]

You mean you'd like the BMW?

Between the 990A and the BMW, possibly, yes...especially if it is the Adventure BMW 1200

[Padmei]

Fk the 1200A are monsters. I saw one in the flesh the other week & very impressive. Mrs Padmei couldn't believe Charlie & Ewan rode bikes that big around the world (Telly takes 10 kilos off bikes size)

I would love to take one around NZ but would be very careful where I took it.

[Woodman]

Fk the 1200A are monsters. I saw one in the flesh the other week & very impressive. Mrs Padmei couldn't believe Charlie & Ewan rode bikes that big around the world (Telly takes 10 kilos off bikes size)

I would love to take one around NZ but would be very careful where I took it.

You think Gonzo is hard to lift/ push up hills. Really would have to keep away from the gnarlier side of adventuring unless you were built like a brick shit house and can bench 150.

[Eddieb]

The 1200 is about 50kg lighter than the 1150's Ewan & Charlie rode and is probably lighter than my PD is. The standard 1200 weighs the same as the 990 Adventure now.

[Oscar]

The 1200 is about 50kg lighter than the 1150's Ewan & Charlie rode and is probably lighter than my PD is. The standard 1200 weighs the same as the 990 Adventure now.

Bikez.com lists their respective dry weights as 223.9k and 209.00k.
This gives a power to weight ration of 0.4484 HP/kg & 0.5004 HP/kg.

[Eddieb]

OK, I was looking elsewhere.

http://www.r1200gs.info/misc/specs/ lists the BMW at 199 dry, 225 kerb weight.

and

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mod...nture%2006.htm shows the KTM at the same dry weight.

[hospitalfood]

have not rode a KTM but was very impressed with a test ride on the 1200 GS.
not great for the tight steep stuff all day long but a my pick for round the world.

[ducatijim]

This gives a power to weight ration of 0.4484 HP/kg & 0.5004 HP/kg.

And this makes what kinda differance?

[Oscar]

And this makes what kinda differance?

Lighter and more powerful?
All the difference in the world.

I've ridden them both.
One feels like a dirt bike for the road, the other feels like a road bike modified for gravel/dirt roads.

[ducatijim]

Lighter and more powerful?
All the difference in the world.

I've ridden them both.
One feels like a dirt bike for the road, the other feels like a road bike modified for gravel/dirt roads.

Arh-huh......

[warewolf]

Bikez.com lists

OK, I was looking elsewhere.

Gotta watch most of those interweb bike spec sites. Most are full of crap data. Specifically, KTM usually quotes half-wet weights (all fluids plus 1L fuel) and these end up listed as dry weights, as that's what most japs use. Net result (ha ha) is the KTMs appear heavier than they are, and most KTM-haters love to quote those erroneous weights. BMW use a mix of dry and wet; you never know which one those sites'll pick as the dry weight.

Is the R12 really 50kg lighter? I thought one jerry can (20-25kg) was the design target?

[Eddieb]

I figure as close as we are going to get is what the manufacturers list.

KTM.com lists the 990 Adv as 78kw and Weight (dry) approx 209kg

http://www.ktm.com/990-Adventure.36....ash=da62385a81

bmw-motorad.com lists the 1200 as 77kw and Dry weight 203kg.

http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/b...00gs_main.html

At the bottom of the BMW page is a footnote to indicate the weight is without fluids as per DIN standard, whatever that is. apart from the statement that it is dry weight I couldn't find any indication on the KTM site that their measurement system was the same or different, however thier model comparison tool showed that weight as the dry weight, and had any row of data for Weight (no fuel) which was blank.