The work horse and the chook chaser

[DW.]

My 2 main current rides.
The work horse is my 13 990smt. I ride it every day, (yes everyday). No such thing as riding season in Queensland. Lucky to get below 10 c here in bundaberg in the middle of winter.
It has all the normal mods you do to an lc8. Sas bypassed, crash bars, bash plate, airbox removed, Itq induction, sliders, leo vince cans ect ect.

My chook chaser is a 14 ktm 500.
It too has a couple mods. Aluminium bash plate, euro map, lexx slip on, anodised wheels with rear cush drive. Aftermarket levers, pegs ect.

Both bikes are wheelie good fun.
I have a couple other project bikes, an 82 xr500r and a gs650g Katana.

[DW.]

Ahh shit, one went sideways....try again

[DW.]

Fark me, third time lucky??

[weeksy]

SMT looks fantastic! Great bike

[DW.]

Ta thanks mate.
I would say I keep it shiny and clean, but you would know that's a crock of sh-t.

[weeksy]

Ta thanks mate.
I would say I keep it shiny and clean, but you would know that's a crock of sh-t.

Nah, there's clean and there's ridiculous, i do take it to ridiculous i admit

[Supermofo]

I assume the 500cc pics were taken at different times as you rotated around the core of the planet to try and get it the right way up for us?

That SMT is lovely. My brothers mate has one and put about 50k miles on it I think. At 40k odd the rear subframe snapped but he does have a habit of carrying a huge heavy top box on trips. He is always moaning about having to move the rad to change the plugs and other bits he hates about KTMs as he spent ages getting it to fuel/run right but he really loves it and has had it for years. They really hold their money here as I keep looking. i suspect I'd prefer one to a 1090 Adv but the 1090 seems better on the age/mileage/kit/cost front. Well if I ever get a big bike again, I'm still in love with the tiddler 690

[DW.]

I assume the 500cc pics were taken at different times as you rotated around the core of the planet to try and get it the right way up for us?

That SMT is lovely. My brothers mate has one and put about 50k miles on it I think. At 40k odd the rear subframe snapped but he does have a habit of carrying a huge heavy top box on trips. He is always moaning about having to move the rad to change the plugs and other bits he hates about KTMs as he spent ages getting it to fuel/run right but he really loves it and has had it for years. They really hold their money here as I keep looking. i suspect I'd prefer one to a 1090 Adv but the 1090 seems better on the age/mileage/kit/cost front. Well if I ever get a big bike again, I'm still in love with the tiddler 690

Cheers mate, still figuring out the picture thing, thinks it's because I'm posting off the phone.
As far as working on the 990, it's a piece of piss. I don't have an air box in the road, so once the tanks off can get into it.
Most bikes are pretty easy, When I was a mechanic in Toowoomba, we were specialists in european vehicles, so Bmw, Mercedes and VW.......bikes are easy.
I especially like the cam set ups on the 990 engines, you don't have to remove the timing chain to change the shims.

[Supermofo]

I seem to recall him saying the Rad needs moving to change the plugs or something?

Anyway he loves it regardless, he's owned it for years.

[DW.]

I love mine as well. It's very reliable, the leo vince cans sound amazing. It's cheap therapy. Unlike @weeksy 's bikes.......this one's a keeper.

I can't talk though, when it comes to dirt bikes I've owned heaps. I'm a little bit of a bike slut.
Should start a new thread, "who can't make up their mind, list the bikes you've owned".
Weeksy will have a whole page I reckon.

[Gimlet]

I had an SMT before I bought the 1190.

DSC00797.JPG (162.22 KiB) Viewed 1915 times

All the mods as well, DNA airbox, Leo cans, SAS delete, custom map etc.

Bought it as a budget adventure bike for touring as used 1190s were too new and over 11K at the time. But it isn't an adventure bike really. It will tour but it wasn't ideal for me. What it wants to do all the time is shred tyres on twisty back roads and it was brilliant at that.
Kept it for a couple of years and sold it reluctantly before the miles piled up too high. Felt very guilty letting it go because it was so much fun, rock solid reliable and simple to work on. A rider's bike.
But it went to a good home. Same guy still has it and I'm reliably informed it still rips. And the 1190 that took over has been an absolute star.

One day I'd like a 990 SMR. Original white and orange one and I'd restore it to mint and use it as nature intended.

[DW.]

Noice