Discussion
Looking to get my first bike (43 year old returning to an old passion) and looking at a supermotard style bike for road use. Have been looking at the Suzuki DR-Z400S, Honda FMX650, Yamaha XT660 and the KTM 640 LC4 or 625 SMC and wondered if anyone had any experiece of any of these bikes.
I will be going for some test rides at my local KTM dealer in the next 2 weeks but I have no experience of KTM at all and wondered what they were like as an ownership proposition. I have owned Yamaha and Suzuki in the past and have Honda experience but the KTM is a new breed to me!
Thanks
I will be going for some test rides at my local KTM dealer in the next 2 weeks but I have no experience of KTM at all and wondered what they were like as an ownership proposition. I have owned Yamaha and Suzuki in the past and have Honda experience but the KTM is a new breed to me!
Thanks
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 2nd September 09:59
A mate of mine has a KTM 660, it's a tad 'extreme' as a first bike - kickstart only, lights that only work when engine running, no ignition key, 50 mile tank range but it is very quick and handles well in the twisties, it's very easy to leave most big sportbikes behind on narrow country lanes. Top speed is not much but that's not what they're about - which is why my mate bought it as he got a bit 'concerned' about losing his licence. I believe the 640 is similar (maybe slightly more civilised) but they really are a blast.
Only KTM I've owned was a 500 Motocross (2-smoke) which was an absolutely mental machine - a bastid to start and shook itself to pieces with the vibrations but up to 60mph was extremely quick, not recommended for the faint of heart!
Of the bikes on your list I'd get the KTM as they really are a 'focused' machine.
Only KTM I've owned was a 500 Motocross (2-smoke) which was an absolutely mental machine - a bastid to start and shook itself to pieces with the vibrations but up to 60mph was extremely quick, not recommended for the faint of heart!
Of the bikes on your list I'd get the KTM as they really are a 'focused' machine.
catso said:
A mate of mine has a KTM 660, it's a tad 'extreme' as a first bike - kickstart only, lights that only work when engine running, no ignition key, 50 mile tank range but it is very quick and handles well in the twisties, it's very easy to leave most big sportbikes behind on narrow country lanes. Top speed is not much but that's not what they're about - which is why my mate bought it as he got a bit 'concerned' about losing his licence. I believe the 640 is similar (maybe slightly more civilised) but they really are a blast.
Only KTM I've owned was a 500 Motocross (2-smoke) which was an absolutely mental machine - a bastid to start and shook itself to pieces with the vibrations but up to 60mph was extremely quick, not recommended for the faint of heart!
Of the bikes on your list I'd get the KTM as they really are a 'focused' machine.
Only KTM I've owned was a 500 Motocross (2-smoke) which was an absolutely mental machine - a bastid to start and shook itself to pieces with the vibrations but up to 60mph was extremely quick, not recommended for the faint of heart!
Of the bikes on your list I'd get the KTM as they really are a 'focused' machine.
Thanks for that. Luckily they seem to have electric start as standard now
garyhun said:
Just been informed that they only have a range of around 46 miles 
None of the 'motos are great for range TBH. 46 miles is probably about right if you thrash the tits off it continuously. The best I've manged is about 65 miles from my 450...
With the plank like seats on these bikes, I'm ready for a getting some circulation back after 50 or 60 miles anyways...
Are you looking for something ultra flickable or something with a bit more grunt and weight? I had my eye on the KTM 950 Supermoto...wish I could have both
Looking at the specs, you can get about 1.2 litres more fuel into the KTM, which will make a difference in percentage terms at least.
Any Supermoto (perhaps with the exception of the 950) is not a great deal of fun on the motorway though. "A" roads might be just about bearable, 'cause at least you've got some corners to distract you from the facts that the vibration is making your fingers go numb and your arse feels like it's been kicked by a horse! OK, perhaps I'm hamming it up a little bit
I've done a couple of long-ish motorway jaunts on mine, and there has to be a damned good destination as a reward for bothering
A gel seat helps a bit...
Any Supermoto (perhaps with the exception of the 950) is not a great deal of fun on the motorway though. "A" roads might be just about bearable, 'cause at least you've got some corners to distract you from the facts that the vibration is making your fingers go numb and your arse feels like it's been kicked by a horse! OK, perhaps I'm hamming it up a little bit
I've done a couple of long-ish motorway jaunts on mine, and there has to be a damned good destination as a reward for bothering
A gel seat helps a bit... Edited by 711 on Sunday 3rd September 17:33
IMO KTM are pretty much the best put togeather bikes on the market today, everyone always refers to honda as being the benchmark for quality if thats the case then KTM sit in the very special presentation case above the mark on the bench that honda have put there. I've got a EXC525 Racing and I've tried my hardest to break it but just can't.
garyhun said:
Are you hamming it or are they really that uncomfortable on long runs? To be honest I see that occurance happening less than 4 times a year as most riding will be evening or weekend blasts down A and B roads!!
The bikes are perfect for weekend blatts on B roads and twisty A roads, but they are not great on long journeys. They're about as naked as bikes get, with narrow hard seats and the engines are vibey at speed.
You do sit upright which gets the weight off your wrists at lower speed though, and your legs will be a bit straighter than on a sports bike which helps from the knees / cramp angle. So it's not all bad.
It's a bit horses for courses really, and it will depend to a certain degree on what your own build is like as to how comfortable you'll be. The only way you'll realy know is if one of the dealers lets you test ride one for a half day or at least a couple of hours. It's as much about the style of the bikes than any particular model I think, although you might get along slightly better with bike A over bike B...
I'll quite happily do a couple of hours on the motorway on mine to get to some nice twisty roads and scenery, so it can't be that bad I suppose.
Edited by 711 on Monday 4th September 13:16
Sounds like you need a KTM Duke 2. That'll tick all your boxes. I had one for a couple of years, and it turns you into a complete hooligan, but isn't as hard-core as the dedicated SM's. You're in Dorset? Try Sideways....
www.sidewaysmotorcycles.com/
If not, Charlie at Motosport Aprilia in Wareham has the Aprilias in stock. I had a look, but they're pretty extreme.
www.motosportaprilia.com/
www.sidewaysmotorcycles.com/
If not, Charlie at Motosport Aprilia in Wareham has the Aprilias in stock. I had a look, but they're pretty extreme.
www.motosportaprilia.com/
adetuono said:
Sounds like you need a KTM Duke 2. That'll tick all your boxes. I had one for a couple of years, and it turns you into a complete hooligan, but isn't as hard-core as the dedicated SM's. You're in Dorset? Try Sideways....
www.sidewaysmotorcycles.com/
If not, Charlie at Motosport Aprilia in Wareham has the Aprilias in stock. I had a look, but they're pretty extreme.
www.motosportaprilia.com/
www.sidewaysmotorcycles.com/
If not, Charlie at Motosport Aprilia in Wareham has the Aprilias in stock. I had a look, but they're pretty extreme.
www.motosportaprilia.com/
Thanks. I have been speaking to Ivan Pearce at Motosportaprilia and Chris Burdett-Clark at Sideways for the past few days and will be going down to both in the near future!
Ivan's a good, straight guy to deal with. I've bought (too) many bikes from him over the last 4-5 years. I only live a mile from them, so I generally buy my bikes there.
They are a very friendly dealership, and they'll go that extra bit to keep you happy. Can sometimes be a slow process though, as they often seem understaffed.
Tell him Ade says 'Hi'; he'll probably add a couple of hundred to the price!
They are a very friendly dealership, and they'll go that extra bit to keep you happy. Can sometimes be a slow process though, as they often seem understaffed.
Tell him Ade says 'Hi'; he'll probably add a couple of hundred to the price!
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