Long-Term Update

Long-Term Update

KTM Adventure Super shaker

ENGINE VIBRATION IS WRECKING our KTM Adventure. More specifically, it's wrecking everything attached to our Adventure. Headlight bulbs, license-plate brackets, globalpositioning system mounts, flat-tire repair kits—all have either broken or come adrift while the bike was in motion.

It’s wrecking riders, too. Managing Editor Matthew Miles recently spent a 360-mile day in the KTM’s saddle en route to a three-day dual-sport ride. “Freeway running was absolutely miserable,” he noted. “The Travelcade gel seat, Pro Grip gel handgrips and taller AFAM gearing took the edge off, but only just.”

The Big Gun exhaust may be at least partly to blame. Former desert racer Tim Morton, who runs Baja Bound, a tour company specializing in off-road trips to Mexico, has ridden our rally replica in both stock and modified form. “I put about 500 miles on the bike, mostly easy riding,” he commented. “I recall that the bike worked much better before, when it was fitted with a low-mounted Yoshimura slipon. Now, the engine is not as smooth, and it doesn’t have as much top end. After two days, I actually got a headache from all the vibration.” Nothing a nicely balanced V-Twin couldn’t cure, eh KTM?

$7498

YAMAHA Venture Champagne freight train

AS WE NEAR THE END OF OUR LONG term test of Yamaha's Venture ttouring bike, opinions are mixed.

“This thing goes down the superslab with style,” noted Assistant Art Director Brad Zerbel. “Unfortunately, it’s out of its element just about everywhere else. On the other hand, it’s comfortable, looks good and the cruise control is great. I like the fact that I can increase or decrease my set speed by 1 mph.” Editorial Director Paul Dean had this to say: “Just completed an 1100mile round-trip to Faguna Seca for the big Superbike bash. My opinion of the Venture? Hated it.”

Dean described the saddlebags as “roomy, but with overcomplicated locking mechanisms that take up quite a bit of space.” Further, the pushbutton releases atop the bags require a “ridiculously hard push to unlatch the lids.” Other observations? “The engine is really noisy. I’m not talking about its booming exhaust note, which I like. Em talking about an assortment of whines and clatters and ticks and taps that makes you wonder how Yamaha ever got this thing through an EPA sound test.”

On a positive note, Dean liked the bike’s speed. “I was surprised when I saw an indicated 120 mph on one of those long, flat stretches of Highway 58-in fourth gear! Maybe the speedometer lies a lot, but I didn’t expect that much top speed from this bike.”

$15,999

SUZUKI DR-Z400E The perfect trailbike?

THE IDEA BEHIND A LONG-TERM TEST is to accelerate a bike's lifecycle, and diagnose and remedy any problems. Thing is, most bikes just don’t break anymore-you have to want to break them. Case in point: our Suzuki DR-Z400E. So far, the most significant problem has been rock damage to the lightweight-but-brittle magnesium engine covers. Sure, we could have bolted on a big aluminum skidplate, but we didn’t. Not yet, at least.

We did fit frame and radiator guards and a quick-adjust, bearing-pivot clutch lever from Works Connection (530/642-9488). It’s some of the best fitting, most effective stuff you can buy. Pity the company doesn’t make aluminum case protectors, too. To liven up the bike’s worn appearance, we added a graphics kit and seat cover from Factory Effex (661/255-5611).

Other than changing the engine oil, and plugging the punched-out cases with liberal amounts of Quicksteel epoxy, we’ve done little more than regular maintenance. The stock filter wore out around the seal, so we switched to a No-Toil filter and oil. In contrast, we’re running the stock exhaust pipe because it works better than anything else we’ve tried. Enough said.

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