KTM 990 - long term experience wanted

[warewolf]

Hmm, jury is still out. Certainly looks more organic, less edgey than the earlier ones.

PS are you sure the price on that Tranny isn't a misprint... outrageous. What would the Varadero be priced at? 25...26...27K ???

[oldrider]

It's true, you can't have long legs "and" good looks, so I will just have to be happy with my short ones!

and of course my lowered Tiger.

[young1]

The new model runs a 16 front from factory so won't need license losing speed for 6th.

Is that one less than the last model? I had mine geared down 1 on the front at the first service, makes it a lot nicer in the gravel.

M

[CrazyFrog]

I think they have finally cracked the looks side of things - this beast looks beautiful

Yep, those white ones look this shizz alright. My mate has just got a 990 SMR in the same colour scheme, looks wicked.

[oldrider]

I think they have finally cracked the looks side of things - this beast looks beautiful

I think the die is cast, "you are gonna get one"!

Enjoy the excitment of the occasion, new bikes are soooo infectious, they are always capable of so much more!

Trouble is, every time I get a new bike it always ends up with the same old rider, they never seem to be able to improve that department!

[dmc]

Is that one less than the last model? I had mine geared down 1 on the front at the first service, makes it a lot nicer in the gravel.

M

Yep, everyone I know of ditched the 17 for a 16.

[warewolf]

(I see the new Transalp is listed at $21700 - I reckon THAT is getting seriously overpriced!!)

PS are you sure the price on that Tranny isn't a misprint... outrageous. What would the Varadero be priced at? 25...26...27K ???

So where did you see that? June 2008 Kiwi Rider lists the Tranny at $14,495 (quick review) and the Varadero at $17,995 in the price list at the back.

[helenoftroy]

....and I will take it out for a ride. If thats a clincher then the deal making may well begin.

I think the die is cast, "you are gonna get one"!

Enjoy the excitment of the occasion, new bikes are soooo infectious, they are always capable of so much more!

Trouble is, every time I get a new bike it always ends up with the same old rider, they never seem to be able to improve that department!

Oh Ruralman!! oldrider is on the ball I reckon.....once you ride her it will be a done deal!!

Hey!!us more mature models are just perfection,none of us need improvement!!

Oh and Ruralman! gifter of fine fleece to this Spinner & Weaver!beautiful fibre ,a pleasure to work with!!

[Ruralman]

So where did you see that? June 2008 Kiwi Rider lists the Tranny at $14,495 (quick review) and the Varadero at $17,995 in the price list at the back.

I got that from last months Kiwirider mag - I think the one before had 2 different spec T/A's listed with the cheaper one about $18K - all bikes seem to have gone up as new stock has come into the country largely due to the lower $NZ. I see the new price for the Kawa Versys is over $15K now

Oh Ruralman!! oldrider is on the ball I reckon.....once you ride her it will be a done deal!!

Hey!!us more mature models are just perfection,none of us need improvement!!

Oh and Ruralman! gifter of fine fleece to this Spinner & Weaver!beautiful fibre ,a pleasure to work with!!

I don't see it as a done deal yet and I am still wondering whether I should come up to CHCH and test the GS800 - the trouble with that bike is that it would be a major pain not having dealer support down here (BMW needs a good kick up the arse for leaving that situation as long as they have)

I bloody know this mature person ain't anywhere near perfection - but the right mount always makes you a better rider aye!!

So I have fleeced the HOTty have I ??? - we expect to see photos of you wearing something before long. Should we start a poll to see what sort of garment KB'rs want to see you in ???

[Horney1]

I agree with Crisis Managements' various points. I've done about 65,000km on my '06 990 now.

I've had it stop for no reason at lights without reason on rare occassions. It also stopped dead one day. I thought it had dropped a cam chain. No, it had only dropped the cam chain drive cog! Was in the shop for 5 weeks waiting on a woodruff key.

It has (also prior to incident above) a shitty deep flat spot at ~3.5 - 4krpm. The mechanics over here in Melbourne don't seem to have the skill or desire to sort it out properly and I can't program the onboard computer without their proprietry computer. One day it hesitated doing a low speed U-turn at some lights on a busy 2x2 lane road. It fell sideways and I chose to have my arms near ripped off by catching it's weight rather than have it fall and break the mirror at zero k's

Every time it goes near the shop I find something they have stuffed up and have to fix it myself. (eg airbox hoses not attached, oil light switch not connected, rear brake pedal very loose & maladjusted, rear brake caliper 1/2 jammed etc). I can't wait to get some decent NZ mechanics onto it. In the meantime I've started servicing it myself now it's out of (expensive) warranty. It's certainly no basic bike and takes a lot of disassembly to do what should be simple tasks.

BUT, setting those things aside, it does have MOMENTS OF SHEAR BRILLIANCe and when it's "on song" it's oh so great!

I think if I was going to do it again I would consider a 950 or the enduro with carbs (although, it seems they also have their share of control mechanisms on the carbs). I'm still toying with the idea of aftermarket computers etc (and fewer sensors)...

[warewolf]

I got that from last months Kiwirider mag - I think the one before had 2 different spec T/A's listed with the cheaper one about $18K - all bikes seem to have gone up as new stock has come into the country largely due to the lower $NZ.

Scary jump.

test the GS800

The oilhead boxer GS is too much bike for me, but I'd seriously look at the 800. From what I hear the 800 engine is a gem, and the rest of the bike pretty good, too. Still may not be as geared towards gnarlier stuff like the KTM, but likely better at it than the Tiger or a boxer GS.

[ducatijim]

Scary jump.

The oilhead boxer GS is too much bike for me, but I'd seriously look at the 800. From what I hear the 800 engine is a gem, and the rest of the bike pretty good, too. Still may not be as geared towards gnarlier stuff like the KTM, but likely better at it than the Tiger or a boxer GS.

Very well said, think i tried to make those points somewhere.................?

I had a demo f800gs in my garage for a weekend and still ask myself WTF did I go for a KTM....I mean, even my wife hates the orange!!

Seriously thou, I ONLY chose the kt over the BM because of my expectation of useing it here in Ozzi, specifically in remote areas and know from previous experience here that 17" rear tyres and 19" fronts are like rockinghorse shit even in places like Darwin! Everything is 18,19 & 21" off the shelf in even the smallest little town.

In every respect, bar 'balls-out' trailing( which VERY few men can do on a bike that big), the BM is far superiour....

Like the Dilmarh tea man says>>>>>

DO TRY EET!!!!

[Padmei]

I love honesty

[buzzard]

Just logged on to this website and saw this thread thought i would give you my experience.

I have a 2006 990 one of the first in NZ. It is a truly awesome bike and great fun to ride. I use it most days for a regular commute of around 20kms each way. I have some fuel stats I can dig our somewhere, i will try to remember to post them later.

The bike has performed very well with a couple of exceptions. firstly my battery died last year, around the bike 2 year birthday. It cost almost $500 from AMPS for a new one! Secondly the oil/water pump went last year. This was more problematic as the radiator coolant was being sucked into the engine and pooling. It took AMPS quite a long time (read that as lots of labour) to work this out and fix it, so $700ish later it was repaired. Other than normal services each year, which AMPS have done it has required nothing more that petrol.

the build quality is excellent and it is very comfortable to ride even over long distances. It has cruised around the South Island extremely comfortably. I have the Hepco and Becker cases (all 3) for it and these are great. The motor is great and I have had no problems with the twitchy throttle or flat spots - maybe I have gotten lucky.

I have periodically thought about trading it in for something more mundane and probably more suited to the riding (commuting) that I mainly do, but everytime I look at it that thought goes straight out of my head.

I am happy to answer any specific questions about the bike you may have. i would recommend a test drive - but only if you want to buy one. If you are having doubts, then dont test drive because you wont want anything else after a ride.

Cheers and good luck.

[Ruralman]

Thanks for all the great input. All going to plan I will test ride the bike tomorrow.

I've been looking at some UTube video of the BMW 800GS - Its a pretty capable machine and all the comments on here about them have been positive so I need to have a look at it as well. While I'm sure they won't be immune from their own issues I haven't heard of any - am I just looking in the wrong place??

Apparently Yamaha will have a 1200 version of the Tenere out sometime soon - I would expect it will be "up there" price wise as well and no doubt it will have the same weight issues that have riders preferring the GS 800 to the GS 1200.

Its bloody hard to get the perfect bike isn't it.

If KTM (and others) put a Km warranty on their bikes rather than just a 12 month one it would help - every car has it, why not a 50,000km (or more) warranty on a bike (with maybe a 3 or 5 yr period)