I might be a KTM convert

Post by **weeksy** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:29 am

I'm going to our local orange place later to drool and drop off mirrors. I won't be buying anything though.

If I do buy a bike again, it'll be hard to resist a KTM.

Post by **Mr. Dazzle** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:31 am

I didn't know they even made the X-Bow any more - it's been around for donkey's years now! Still got 5 decades before it matches 7s/Caterhams I suppose.

Post by **Taipan** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 10:29 am

I like KTMs but they dont like me! I think I concluded a while back that "character" is something I can easily live without and Jap reliability conquers all! I loved my 690 Duke, but I'd certainly not walk past my MT-09 to get on one.

Post by **weeksy** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 11:04 am

Surely an Elise/Exige ticks the box and has more real world appeal

Post by **Mr. Dazzle** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 11:24 am

KTM like to claim its the closest thing you can get to a road legal track car. It is pretty tracky but it's miles off Radicals and Ultimas etc.

It's 50 years newer than a Caterham so of course it's going to wipe the floor with one in terms of modern build aspects. A Caterham is driving distilled though, tis the whole point.

Post by **Noggin** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 3:47 pm

I'd LOVE an RC-8 - maybe one day I'll see if I can reach the bars and get a test ride!!

Post by **Supermofo** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 4:37 pm

I still like KTMs a lot just wish they could sort the flaws

Post by **Skub** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:05 pm

KTM along with Aprilia make it necessary to have a good local dealer. I wouldn't have confidence in the local dealers selling either of those marques,so although I like the bikes on paper,the dearth of good back up makes them a no no for me.

Post by **weeksy** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:17 pm

Skub wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:05 pm KTM along with Aprilia make it necessary to have a good local dealer. I wouldn't have confidence in the local dealers selling either of those marques,so although I like the bikes on paper,the dearth of good back up makes them a no no for me.

I'm lucky having a great relationship with my local dealer so would buy one without worry.

Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:22 pm

I've done around 12k miles on my Falco (owned from new), and have only taken it to a dealer a couple of times for stuff I can't do (adjust the CO levels) and have done all the other maintenance myself. It's been completely reliable. But the Falco is one of the last Aprilias that doesn't have a boatload of electronics. It has EFI, but its ECU is driven from a socketed EEPROM, so changing the fuelling is simply a matter of getting a new chip baked. Everything else is mechanical, and all the better for it. It probably helps that the motor is not in-house Aprilia, but Rotax.

Post by **Skub** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:49 pm

mangocrazy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:22 pm I've done around 12k miles on my Falco (owned from new), and have only taken it to a dealer a couple of times for stuff I can't do (adjust the CO levels) and have done all the other maintenance myself. It's been completely reliable. But the Falco is one of the last Aprilias that doesn't have a boatload of electronics. It has EFI, but its ECU is driven from a socketed EEPROM, so changing the fuelling is simply a matter of getting a new chip baked. Everything else is mechanical, and all the better for it. It probably helps that the motor is not in-house Aprilia, but Rotax.

I had a real notion recently for a V4 Tuono,however I made the mistake (or maybe not) of doing a bit of online reading on various Aprilia forums. As you say,because the bikes are loaded with electronic now,there is a high percentage of grief experienced by owners. Some mechanical woes too on bikes with few miles. Valve clearances seem to need adjusting a lot,typically for the first 10k or so,then the engine seems to settle.

There is a general vibe among the Aprilia V4 owners,that if you want a V4,then you must put up with the fickle nature of the beast,it's almost a rite of passage if you wish to be a true Tuono owner. These are not faults,they are character.

I honestly don't think I'd be prepared to put up with that amount of 'character' just now.

Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:59 pm

Yes, I get where you're coming from. If there's one 'modern' bike that could tempt me, it's a V4 Tuono but I would have the Griffmeister at the end of a telephone, or able to get to him easily, whereas you seem to have a dearth of dealers you can trust in NI. Having a marque expert readily available makes a helluva difference.

I suspect that if you lived closer to AP Workshops you might already be a Tuono owner...

Post by **Skub** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:07 pm

mangocrazy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:59 pm Yes, I get where you're coming from. If there's one 'modern' bike that could tempt me, it's a V4 Tuono but I would have the Griffmeister at the end of a telephone, or able to get to him easily, whereas you seem to have a dearth of dealers you can trust in NI. Having a marque expert readily available makes a helluva difference.

I suspect that if you lived closer to AP Workshops you might already be a Tuono owner...

Could very well be true!

Bigjawa · Post by **Bigjawa** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:35 pm

Skub wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:07 pm
mangocrazy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:59 pm Yes, I get where you're coming from. If there's one 'modern' bike that could tempt me, it's a V4 Tuono but I would have the Griffmeister at the end of a telephone, or able to get to him easily, whereas you seem to have a dearth of dealers you can trust in NI. Having a marque expert readily available makes a helluva difference.

I suspect that if you lived closer to AP Workshops you might already be a Tuono owner...
Could very well be true!

I remember when the only Aprillia dealer in NI was East End Motorcycles....

Who is it now? Wes McCrum?

Post by **Skub** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:41 pm

Bigjawa wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:35 pm I remember when the only Aprillia dealer in NI was East End Motorcycles....

Who is it now? Wes McCrum?

Jezza McWilliams did Aprilia for a while,years ago.

I think it's McCrum now and to be fair to them I don't know a lot about them. McCallen has KTM and the word isn't good.

Bigjawa · Post by **Bigjawa** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:47 pm

Skub wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:41 pm

Jezza McWilliams did Aprilia for a while,years ago.

I think it's McCrum now and to be fair to them I don't know a lot about them. McCallen has KTM and the word isn't good.

East End was pre Jezza. Haven't heard good reports about McCallen myself both with Kawasaki and KTM.

Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:55 pm

I never liked McCallen as a racer - dunno what he's like as a dealer. His attitude to backmarkers on something as unforgiving as the TT course was plain dangerous to me. I heard quite a few backmarkers scared shitless about being lapped by McCallen at places where there was zero margin for error. He basically used to ejoy shitting them up, big time. Twat.

Post by **MyLittleStudPony** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:03 pm

I've been very impressed with my (little) KTM. Great handing and the build quality seems good - although the console mists up which is a significant blot.

When I was in the KTM dealer some of their bikes looked awesome, I think it was a 1290 SuperDuke which caught my eye. But I have no use for one so I didn't get one. I can really see the appeal though.

Post by **Dodgy69** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:05 pm

Them make some cracking bikes, it's just the faults, recalls and software updates that get a bit tiresome.

Bigjawa · Post by **Bigjawa** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:11 pm

mangocrazy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:55 pm I never liked McCallen as a racer - dunno what he's like as a dealer. His attitude to backmarkers on something as unforgiving as the TT course was plain dangerous to me. I heard quite a few backmarkers scared shitless about being lapped by McCallen at places where there was zero margin for error. He basically used to ejoy shitting them up, big time. Twat.

He's manic. He's calmed down a bit but still talks like he's on speed.

I saw him outbrake himself at the Dundrod hairpin and physically drag a 250 out of the shuck and take off at full speed. He's a scary wee man.

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