KTM SM-T

[Chris Canning]

As someone who stuck between a 955(i like the riding postion and two up practicality,but hate the wheels with a passion but have run 17" Dymags for years) and the 1050 for it's road ergos,this turning up me is certainly an option.

http://www.visordown.com/motorcyclenews ... /5881.html

[Advwannabe]

Wow Chris,

Looks like it could be a really good bitumen road all rounder with Katoom performance.

A number of folk in Oz have been commuting and even touring on their SMRs so I guess the SMT is a logical progression

Still reckon that engine's a bit of a jackhammer compared to a triple though....

[Chris Canning]

I've ridden an RC8 with a bigger motor in a higher state of tune and that was fine and so was the fuelling,although i know others that haven't been so lucky,my main concern would be the size of the fuel tank at 19 litres.

[zombie]

now that bike I like a lot

[blacktiger]

my main concern would be the size of the fuel tank at 19 litres.

The Adventure only has 19.5!

[abruzzi]

The other issue (I have a 950 adventure) is that the LC8 motor can be pretty fuel in-effecient.  I regularly get 35-38 mpg on the KTM.

Geof

[zombie]

Geoff
How do you like the katoom 950
as I have had a hankering for one of them for a while
Is it up to long days in the saddle is my big question

[abruzzi]

Geoff
How do you like the katoom 950
as I have had a hankering for one of them for a while
Is it up to long days in the saddle is my big question

It's a brilliant bike.  It feels a lot different than the tiger, the handling and suspension is crisp.  It's ligher and feels it.  I dropped my Girly once, and couldn't lift it.  I've dropped the KTM often and have had no trouble lifting it.  After getting the KTM I decided to keep both, but farkle the KTM as a 50/50 street/dirt and the Tiger as a 90/10.  I've take the KTM on single track that I would never take the Tiger.

On the negative side, the tiger is smooth compared to the 950 which is kind of vibey.  The 21" wheel isn't as solid as the 19" on the tiger.  If the air pressures are just right, it can get a little head shake when decelerating at about 40mph, but the steering damper solved that.  It's tall, which for me (30" inseam) means it's a little tricky to drive around town.  The later models (2005.5 and later) lowered the bike some.  I'd hate to see an early S model. Finally the fuel economy sucks.

I've done 10hr days on it, and it can do it, but it isn't going to be a comfortable as the tiger, just due to the vibes.

Geof