Long-Term Wrap-Up
Long-Term Wrap-Up
KTM 950 ADVENTURE DEFYING DEFINITION
IS THE KTM 950 ADVENTURE A STREETbike or a dirtbike? That debate has been lighting up Internet forums ever since the Austrian adventure-tourer was introduced in 2003. Remember, many of this bike's owners are aggressive former GS riders who broke BMW rank and turned orange.
After a year with our long-term 950 S, we’re not any closer to an answer. The big V-Twin does everything, and all of it pretty well. In fact, this bike is as close as mere mortals will ever come to the nowbanned twin-cylinder Paris-to-Dakar Rally racers that many motorcyclists lust after.
As much as the Adventure looks like a rally racer, however, it isn’t, and when the nearly 500 pounds get away from you, you’re in big trouble! But while our longterm testbike hit the ground a few times, it fared remarkably well; the only item that needed replacing was the fairing/instrument carrier ($188). The lower sides of the twin plastic gas tanks were badly scratched, but we found an inexpensive alternative to having them repainted on the Adventure Rider website (www.advrider.com). For $225, Roger Eggers (805/682-4580; re2gers@cox.net) offers carbon/kevlar guards that look similar to those offered as KTM Hard Equipment accessories, but are thicker and less prone to damage in a rocky tip-over.
We bitched about the 950’s rockhard seat from the beginning, and while it softened up over time, we meanwhile stumbled upon a character named Boejangles who offers quality saddles for $300-400, depending on whether you want a gel insert (Renazco Dual Sport Seats; 707/579-5198; www.renazco dualsport.com). Another comfort-related change was to a taller FMF 909 Team Bend handlebar, which eased standing up off-road.
One of the issues that had many Adventure owners miffed was bending rims. And while we finally dinged one, it was our fault for hitting a big rock going way too fast. New front hoop: $342; lesson learned: priceless.
Speaking of wheels, the biggest dilemma we faced concerned tire selection. The standard Pirelli Scorpions worked great on the street and decent on a dry dirt road, but we didn’t dare trust them in sand or mud. Continental TKC80s provided a good 50/50 mix, but didn’t shine at either. Metzeler Karoos and Michelin > Deserts worked fine off-road-albeit with rapid wear (the latter are a tad better here)-but required caution on the road. Add to that the fact that changing tires is tedious with the wide stock rims, and we opted to have a second set of narrower wheels built ($562). Made from genuine KTM parts, and measuring 2.15 inches wide in front and 2.5 inches out back, these let us run more durable Dunlop D606 knobbies off-road while keeping the Pirellis on the stock wheels for street riding. A KTM Hard Equipment centerstand (a $ 140 accessory on our 2003 model that now comes standard) eased wheel swapping.
I ride for fun, and this bike puts a huge grin on my face. On a backroad, it will run away from my previous BMW R1150GS. There are six bikes in my garage and this is the only one with a healthy battery!
-Mike Tittle,
Anchorage,
Alaska
God, I love this bikel I’ve been dreaming ot a Dakar Rally bike ever since I first saw the race 15 years ago. Now, KTM offers It retail. Thank you. -Steven Johnson, Boulder, Colorado
Because the stock double-disc front brakes can overpower the tire off-road, we eliminated one side and used a master cylinder from a 250SX ($159). We then saved a few bucks by putting the extra rotor on our spare front wheel. The single-disc setup also gave the bike a lighter front-end feel.
Another trouble spot concerned gas tank venting. Often, one tank would stay full while the other ran dry, and they sometimes vapor-locked on hot days. We solved this problem with a little rubber hose and a dirtbike-style one-way valve venting to the atmosphere.
As for servicing the motor, shame on us and kudos to KTM for building a tough one. We performed the first few oil changes in a timely manner, but refrained from a proper valve adjustment until well beyond the recommended 9000 miles. Even so, the motor still ticks like a clock, except right at start-up when the hydraulic camchain tensioners make an unnerving rattle as they take a second to pump up.
One issue that was never resolved was the bike’s tendency to dance around at high speeds off-road. We were looking for an aftermarket triple-clamp that would accommodate a Scotts steering damper, but never found one. Many owners, however, report that revalving the fork and adding stiffer springs works wonders for stability. Precision Concepts Racing (www.pre cisionconceptsmcing.com) has a bit of experience with this.
So, is the 950 Adventure a streetbike or a dirtbike? All we have to say is, “Who cares?!” We’re just glad KTM built this bike, because there really is nothing else like it. □
lag I~aaI~
Our 950 Adventure has been a flawless bike, and it crashes well It's been oft its wheels-one big high-side on the street, one full forward flip in the dunes and a few flops to the side-and the darn age has been mostly cosmetic.
For oft-roading I appreciate the S model's long-travel suspension and 21/18-inch wheels, but for street riding I'd choose the lower base model-and wonder why it doesn't come with 19/17-inch wheels like its competition
Simply stated, the Ad venture is the ultimate streetbike for a dartbike guy It's hard to imagine only owning one motorcycle, butthereisa r.~ argument here
The 950 Adventure is the essence of motorcycling. No chrome, no image, no excess...just pure design for function. Go anywhere, have fun doing it and never, ever wish you were on another bike. This is the On Any Sunday motorcycle. -Ben Zaitz, Larchmont, New York
SPECI FUCATIONS
$11,998
