Convince me to buy an ADV

Terez you cant go wrong with one of these bikes.I'm like a born againwith these things I've owned over twenty bikes in my life currently own five. All collect dust except the 950. One of them is a ktm 300 bought new 2007. It's jealous of the big girl

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">That's interesting as one of my other bikes is a KTM 200EXC!LOL
New to me though so not yet jealous..and it WILL get ridden!

My XR on the other hand is pouting in the corner of the cave as we speak....despite having been given the spa treatment all winter........
Down to the frame for clean/grease and new tires/tubes/head brgs/brakes/chain&sprkts/rotors/bars/cables/levers/grips/oil/filter and life in a heated cave all winter!!


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one of the reasons I went with the 990 was my fear of :huh



in the middle of nowhere!

This should be an "auto response" to any thread that starts with the word "convince" or "tell me why".

Well said.

Greatly said an absolute truth

I own a few different bikes. In fact, many of the bikes I own are regularly compared in this forum. I just picked up an '07 990 Adventure this weekend. I love this bike. I'm still warming to the looks (quickly I might add), but the bike is more engaging than anything else I have in the stable. The sound and eagerness of the motor just make you want to ride. If your looking for a bike that will consume your thoughts and win your heart you can't go wrong. You can spend lots of time evaluating the 950/990's worthiness relative to another choice (lower cost, better durability, shorter, lighter, faster etc ...). But in my mind, the time you spend thinking about the Adventure, instead of riding it, is a waste of the most rewarding saddle time a bike can offer.

If you dont like how the KTM rides you will never be happy with any other bike, ever.

I test rode mine in the rain on a dirt road,I thought, I can't belive they
built the perfect bike for me. Literaly could not stop grinning, I am 52
giggling like a school girl. But U gotta love dirt to appericate it.

How about we try another way...



BUY IT OR THE BUNNY GETS IT!

well, I still have my XR650R, but it doesn't get much use any longer. Am even thinking of selling it. For anything resembling pavement and mild dirt roads, the big KTM is just a ton more fun. It runs great long distance (bought it in Idaho and rode it home for 1800 miles - loved it)

It's heavier and you're going to respect the weight of the bike, but it also does stuff I'd never do on the XR without a real pucker sensation. On my first miles after buying the bike, and not having ridden at all for 9 months after an injury, I was doing 90mph down Idaho gravel roads, loaded up with bags for the long trip home, feeling quite comfortable on the big rig.

The S-suspension is taller than my Barnum-sprung XR, but I think for the rough stuff I'd have to send it out for a revalve. However, the stock adjustment is so much better than for the XR, plus the spring in back isn't undersized for little 160lbs racers, but works for two-up. Up front I have stiffer spring in the forks, as the previous owner already fixed that issue. Stock they are a little too plush up front. I'm 6'2" and the tall '04S is about as tall as I want a bike to be - with a different seat I'd really be tip-toeing it - and since the bike is heavy, you really don't want to have do that.

Powerband? man - this thing just pulls and pulls. Superbike basically. It's not quite the tractor the XR is at low RPMs, but you never feel like it's weak. I think up to about 40mph, the XR may even outrun the 950 due to the weight advantage, but above that speed, the KTM just blows by.

sound - get the Akras and take the end pieces out - you got your sound. My FMF-XR is nowhere near as drool-inducing

Then you realize the bike has a real electrical system and you can put stuff like bright lights on it, GPS, heated vest, heated grips and it can handle it!

First time I tried to pull away on a 990 I stalled it. That was on flat pavement.

I was quite surprised by the lack of torque at low/idle rpm's. The XR's are tractors at those RPM's - which make them good for picking your way through tricky terrain. I was expecting a TwinTractor. You just have to use the clutch more to compensate....

Your cave may not be crowded for long... you'll get rid of the others.
I just noticed your in Ottawa... hope to see you on the road on the Quebec side of the river. I have a 06 (black) half hour up north.

Rekluse

also - opening up those Akras made the bike run much better at low RPMs