JUST FYI

[JetdocX]

In case you and your Tiger are not getting along like here .  I took a couple of test rides today:

Went and test rode a Cagiva Gran Canyon that a guy locally was selling.  He's got two.  Impressions:  The Ducati 900 powerplant is fun , but there's no "rush" of acceleration.  The exhaust note is sweet, but the bars are way too narrow and no heated grips.  It felt like I was sitting upright on a sportbike.  One bike turned in way too quickly for my taste and the other seemed well sorted (maybe notched SHB's?)  They sure turn heads, though and the red color makes me feel funny in my nether regions.  The transmissions were buttery smooth and probably the best feature of these bikes.  And the dude selling it was a bit wierd (he collects these things and is very proud of them), and the $4000 asking price was ridiculous.  I would maybe pay $3000 for it, but to offer that to this dude would have insulted him for sure.  Compared to my Tiger, this bike does not really shine all that brightly and $4000 for an 8yo discontinued bike?  Add the "remove engine to adjust valves" part into the equasion and it's a deal breaker for me.

Oh shit moment on the Cagiva:  The speedo reads km/hr.  I was somewhere between fouth and fifth (I think) and I looke d own and I was going 120 in a 50.   :shock:  :shock:  :shock:   I also hit the rev limiter a short distance down the road and that is an all enclusive invitation for you to stain the insides of your riding pants.

Then I hopped back in my truck and went to the KTM dealer!  I was able to talk the dealer into a test ride of the 990 Adventure.  The ergos fit me really well.  The bike is easy to work on.  The layout seems well thought out and makes sense to me.  The aftermarket is HUGE for bolt on farkles.  Now to the ride:  Low speed with barely open throttle is MISERABLE!  The engine keeps hunting around for the right speed.  It really ruins what would be an otherwise well sorted bike.  The fix is to buy aftermarket cans and upload a different fuel map.  If you still don't like it, then you can buy a dirtbike throttle cam to slow down the throttle twist down low and supposedly make the low speed stuff happy again.  I'm skeptical, but a lot of the ADV guys swear it can be fixed.  Acceleration is very impressive.  That bike has torque out the ying-yang.  Very useable without being scary.  The suspension stock is WP world class.  No complaints there at all.  Even for a fat bastard like me!  With the stock pipes the bike sounds deep and throaty.  I like it.  I could be in this bike.  I'm a fan of this bike.  One 2008 left.  The 2009's come in March.  One is black and white.  I've seen pictures.  It looks like a bad-ass cop bike without the dorky radio box or faggy lights.  

Bike lust is one bad-assed monkey on my back right now. :twisted:

[fano]

Have you checked some used 950s? Now is a good time to shop.

[JetdocX]

I'm right there with ya, brother!  I just never rode a 900 series KTM before, so I wanted a taste.   8)

A cheap ass like me on a new bike would be an abomination of nature. :lol:

Edit:  I'm sick-sick-sick of carbed bikes.  That's the reason for the 990 not 950.

[fano]

I'm right there with ya, brother!  I just never rode a 900 series KTM before, so I wanted a taste.   8)

A cheap ass like me on a new bike would be an abomination of nature. :lol:

Edit:  I'm sick-sick-sick of carbed bikes.  That's the reason for the 990 not 950.

Unfortunately 990 still have some problems. 950 seems to be a little more dependable. :twisted:
This is my riding buddy's bike.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=419599

[JetdocX]

Unbelieveable!  He's parting out a 990?  What dealer is this through? :shock:

[Cos]

Took that same 990 out for a ride. The only thing that spoiled the ride for me was that low speed throttle jerk.

Find an Aprilia Capo. Solid. Or a well sorted 955. Change pegs, change bars...presto.

[abruzzi]

I've never ridden the 990, but the word on the Orrange Crush is the FI is much better if upon starting, you idle it until you hit 4 bars on the temp gauge.  This apparently lets the FI self adjust.  The second thing to do is the throttle cam.  The problem with the Akropocvic FI map, is it drops mileage by 8-10mpg.

On the other hand, the carbs on the 950 are pretty good.  Mine hunts a bit for idle speed, and I need to fiddle with the idle adjust if I ascend 6000 feet.  I agree that the suspension on that thing spoils you.

I test rode a Gran Canyon.  $4000 is actually a good price (market wise), even if the bike doesn't seem worth it.  The one I tested had very sluggish steering, but that could have been the seller mis inflating the tires or something.  I will say that they are better looking, and better off road than the Multistrada.  For those outside of the US, after Cagiva sold Ducati, they renamed the bike "Navigator" and put a Suzuki Vstrom engine in there.

Geof

[fano]

He took it to both KTM dealers in Salt Lake numerous times, but nobody seems to be able to sort it out. On the other hand he never had a low speed throttle jerking problem. Go figure.