New bike day. 690SMC-R.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Is the middle age spread an optional extra?

[Yorick]

Is the middle age spread an optional extra?

That's the body armour. Got an annoying huge double belt velcro thingy.

[Supermofo]

Saw a nice Husky 701 SM parked at the beach restaurant we went to in Spain yesterday.

[weeksy]

Saw a nice Husky 701 SM parked at the beach restaurant we went to in Spain yesterday.

I think the 701 arguably looks better than the KTM, but I've got a great relationship with the guys @PremierBikes hence going KTM.

[Couchy]

The only thing more uncool than an MX helmet and goggles with road tyres is a supermoto that doesn’t wheelie

[weeksy]

The only thing more uncool than an MX helmet and goggles with road tyres is a supermoto that doesn’t wheelie

You know what's even less cool, people who complain about others but don't even have the balls to have their own bike

[Yorick]

The only thing more uncool than an MX helmet and goggles with road tyres is a supermoto that doesn’t wheelie

You know what's even less cool, people who complain about others but don't even have the balls to have their own bike

15 all.
Couchy to serve.

[Supermofo]

Saw a nice Husky 701 SM parked at the beach restaurant we went to in Spain yesterday.

I think the 701 arguably looks better than the KTM, but I've got a great relationship with the guys @PremierBikes hence going KTM.

I assumed they might sell both, the KTM Centre do so thought all KTM dealers would.....until I think back and remember that Jim Aim don't. Doh

[weeksy]

Nah, deffo not. Premier do KTM and triumph. I'd expect they would service huksy though if you asked. But we'll, they had the 690smcr in stock, so that's what we have now.
Well, nearly now

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Husqvarna and KTM operations in the UK are entirely seperate, Husqvarna using the old Husky Sport dealer network, which was Cagiva before it was Husqvarna, KTM use the old KTM off road dealers, both also have new dealers, but they're still entirely seperate, despite Huskys now being re badged KTMs.

But KTM only own the right to make and sell motorcycles with Husqvarna badges, not the actual Husqvarna brand, which is owned by Electrolux, so they might have a say in how the bikes are sold, or KTM are just nice people and want to keep the Husky guys in jobs.

[Yorick]

Husqvarna and KTM operations in the UK are entirely seperate, Husqvarna using the old Husky Sport dealer network, which was Cagiva before it was Husqvarna, KTM use the old KTM off road dealers, both also have new dealers, but they're still entirely seperate, despite Huskys now being re badged KTMs.

But KTM only own the right to make and sell motorcycles with Husqvarna badges, not the actual Husqvarna brand, which is owned by Electrolux, so they might have a say in how the bikes are sold, or KTM are just nice people and want to keep the Husky guys in jobs.

Husqvarna is the upmarket option.
KTM is council house option

[ChrisW]

Husqvarna and KTM operations in the UK are entirely seperate, Husqvarna using the old Husky Sport dealer network, which was Cagiva before it was Husqvarna, KTM use the old KTM off road dealers, both also have new dealers, but they're still entirely seperate, despite Huskys now being re badged KTMs.

But KTM only own the right to make and sell motorcycles with Husqvarna badges, not the actual Husqvarna brand, which is owned by Electrolux, so they might have a say in how the bikes are sold, or KTM are just nice people and want to keep the Husky guys in jobs.

Husqvarna is the upmarket option.
KTM is council house option

And GasGas looks down its nose at both of them...

[weeksy]

Sure, the reality will be quite different to my imagination, but, well, this is cooler than polar bears

[weeksy]

The one other mod i'm considering is a gear indicator. Despite the plethora of electronics, the 690SMC-R doesn't have one (until the 21-22 that is). Which i find a little weird and a little irritating.

Sadly none of them are quite as 'plug and play' as i'd like in the ideal world. The closest being this one
https://berotec.de/product/cumpan-ktm69 ... 1/?lang=en

But still it requires a bit of 'fiddling' that i don't really like on bikes, including a fangled little connector that splices itself into a wire where it acts as a sensor/pickup. THis one however does also provide an RPM figure which some of the other gear indicators don't. In honesty though, the rpm is less of an issue to me.

I know i really shouldn't care.... but part of me does... i do like a little gear indicator lol.

But to go to a 21-22 would cost me the best part of £1000 more, plus needing running in and a first service on top.

[Supermofo]

Shoulda got one of them council house Suzuki's, nice little gear indicator and everything.

[weeksy]

Shoulda got one of them council house Suzuki's, nice little gear indicator and everything.

Meh, IL4, Japanese, no QS, no blipper, no Supermoto ABS. We can do the Japanese thing all day, but as you know, my heart just ain't in it. I honestly hoped the MT07 would be the answer.... but it just wasn't.

Looking back, the XSR900 almost was... in some ways it quite easily still could have been.... but i do love a 690 single.

[KungFooBob]

I've got a gear indicator thingy. One I took off the wife's ER6 8 years ago (cos she found it confusing!). I found it this weekend clearing the garage to put new carpet down.

I assume they're all pretty much the same it just differs where you wire them too?

There's no plug on it, just wires.

My 1998 BMW has one built into the dash

[KungFooBob]

Shoulda got one of them council house Suzuki's, nice little gear indicator and everything.

Meh, IL4, Japanese, no QS, no blipper, no Supermoto ABS. We can do the Japanese thing all day, but as you know, my heart just ain't in it. I honestly hoped the MT07 would be the answer.... but it just wasn't.

Looking back, the XSR900 almost was... in some ways it quite easily still could have been.... but i do love a 690 single.

I've never ridden a bike with QS or a blipper, but the new BMW has them, hopefully I'll get to try them out tomorrow evening when I pick it up.

[weeksy]

Shoulda got one of them council house Suzuki's, nice little gear indicator and everything.

Meh, IL4, Japanese, no QS, no blipper, no Supermoto ABS. We can do the Japanese thing all day, but as you know, my heart just ain't in it. I honestly hoped the MT07 would be the answer.... but it just wasn't.

Looking back, the XSR900 almost was... in some ways it quite easily still could have been.... but i do love a 690 single.

I've never ridden a bike with QS or a blipper, but the new BMW has them, hopefully I'll get to try them out tomorrow evening when I pick it up.

They're fun, but far from essential of course, but in many ways they give you less to think of and worry about, especially on track... On the road on a big 1000, for me they make a bit less sense. But on a smaller bike where you're up and down the box like a 690, 790 etc, they work great.

On track, again they come into their own as you bang it down the box without having to think about anything other than braking as late as you possibly can.

[KungFooBob]

BMW sell it as a way 'smooth' out the ride for a pillion. My mate reckons using it makes it worse for a passenger.