The big KTM 990 SMT thread -- riders check in w/ photo!

appreciate it

how long do you'll let your bikes warm up? my first ktm, do i'm not sure of the protocol??

but.... if you read the bmw 12gs manual it gives you all kinds of break in rules. thing is, you ride it like you stole it as everyone knows. i was wondering if that is true with the ktm.....................

On my prior 950 SM which was carbed. Warm out, as long as it took me to put my jacket, gloves, and helmet on. Cold out, same as above and the length of a cigarette.

On a FI bike, fire it and go. Beemers and Katooms are different animals.

I have a Super Duke 990 which of course is also powered by an LC8. Per the manual you should let the bike warm up until it reaches 4 bars on the temp guage before operating the bike. Something about equalizing the temps between the cylinders and the pistons.......I'm not an engineer so I don't know if this is truly necessary but since KTM recommends it I follow their advice.

I don't see any similar recommendation in my 2011 SMT manual. It only says, "Always warm up the engine at low engine speeds."

Literally, the steps that follow that statement are hit start, put up the side stand, and pop the clutch.

When searching for the term "bars," it considers anything below 6 to be "Engine cold" and 12 bars to be "Engine hot."

I sat on an SMT at the recent international moto show while it was in long beach. Felt amazing. So light. She's on my radar as a possible vstrom upgrade when the time comes.
How 'bout some pics owners!

Maybe they don't feel the need to be so specific any more because the bar count thin isn't that big of a deal. I'll probably keep doing it just because it's part of my pre-ride ritual and it really doesn't take a big twin more than a minute to reach 4 bars sitting at idle.

It's the same as with break-in.
Just don't molest a cold engine.

If anyone gives an exact answer, it's just their opinion and there's no
way to verify it.

On smt 6 bars on temp gauge. It takes about 5 min or so. Depends on how cold the outside temp is.

Plan B:

You can convert a lower-priced used SM to a "T" . . . And have a carbed SMT:

yeah, lots of good answers for how to warm up the engine. i'm picking up my new friend (smt 2012) tomorrow!! will post some photos and ask about warm up. anything else i should make sure to talk with the dealer about tomorrow??

The larger windscreen is awesome. Looks decent too. Recommended. The KTM tank bag fits nice, see if they'll give you one.

I should throw up a couple pics...

Congrats on new bike.

I had the 690 screen on my 950. Couldnt make out a whole lot of difference but I sure thought it looked cool.

What kinda award didja get!?

Irony was, those are both my bikes :huh

My cousin's bike was down so he took my DR. We swapped after lunch. This happened. Turned out he had a license suspension and the cop impounded my KTM because he was riding it and left us there.

2 hours later a buddy got us.

Great day!!

The procedure in the manual for checking oil level gives fully warmed up as 6 bars on the gauge. 12 bars is not so much hot as overheated - I had it happen to me in Andorra last year, the whole dash lights up like a Christmas tree and just screams "turn me off NOW".

As far as warming up before a journey goes, I let it idle til it's showing at least three bars (which takes a minute or two, about as long as it takes me to put on my lid and gloves) then go easy with the throttle til it's showing at least five (a couple of hundred yards, usually).

:huh or

So why did they pull you over in the first place? I'm sure it wasn't speeding...

I was on a group ride a few months ago and we went over a highway crossing and I pulled a SMALL wheelie and looked back and another in our group did too. We cruise up the road and we get the disco lights. Cop went by me and to the other guy and chewed his ass and not mine. Just a warning.

First time my cousin (who usually rode an sv650) got to ride my 950 and open her up.

KTMs will getchya in trouble like that.