950 Supermoto Chronicles

[EastSideSM]

Originally Posted by geoffh

I'm finally a member of the 950 SM club. I picked up an 07 SMR on Friday and I've been loving it ever since.
I had my first power wheelie on Friday after getting it home, and then my second on Saturday.

I have a feeling that each day of riding will also be a day of wheelies.


Over the past few months, I read every single post in this thread and I think I have an issue that hasn't been brought up yet. Seems that the bike won't start if it's in gear (even with the clutch in). It's weird no? It starts just fine with the side stand down.

Pictures to come later.

Get the sidestand switch eliminator. It works, just don't ride off with your sidestand down!! (It is around $30 and takes a known issue out of the equation once and for all)

P/N: 61011046044

Can order from KTM Twins, but I just noticed it is on backorder until 9/14/2012!!!! May want to see if another KTM supplier has them in stock.

[elemental]

Felt the need to stick my oar in. Just test rode a 2007 950 SM. It's a big leggy with 26,500km but has a FSH from a good small dealer well known to me. Loved the wild ride, seems to have plenty of go and the ergos are great. It has a gel seat but the PO and the dealer, who also rides KTMs didn't think it made much difference. At 5' 10" in my boots, the seat height was fine, (but I have done a lot of kms in the past on a R11GS). The big service at 30,000 has already been done, new Pilot Powers on it.
Just need to sell my current wheels and I'm in, I think. Although there is a 950SMR for sale privately not far which has 10k less km and is a little cheaper. But knowing the dealer, who is top notch, might be worth the extra, and I'd like the extra range of the non-R, despite the farkles of the R.

(haven't read all the thread, but most of it )

[BuckMoto]

Originally Posted by elemental

Felt the need to stick my oar in. Just test rode a 2007 950 SM. It's a big leggy with 26,500km but has a FSH from a good small dealer well known to me. Loved the wild ride, seems to have plenty of go and the ergos are great. It has a gel seat but the PO and the dealer, who also rides KTMs didn't think it made much difference. At 5' 10" in my boots, the seat height was fine, (but I have done a lot of kms in the past on a R11GS). The big service at 30,000 has already been done, new Pilot Powers on it.
Just need to sell my current wheels and I'm in, I think. Although there is a 950SMR for sale privately not far which has 10k less km and is a little cheaper. But knowing the dealer, who is top notch, might be worth the extra, and I'd like the extra range of the non-R, despite the farkles of the R.

(haven't read all the thread, but most of it )

The orange frame of the SMR is said to make the bike much faster! Good luck either way.

[snowhawk jockey]

Originally Posted by BuckMoto

The orange frame of the SMR is said to make the bike much faster! Good luck either way.

Only up to the 120 miles traveled mark, does the SMR lead with its faster paint, at which point it sputters to a stop, out of gas... Then the SM rolls on by and gets to the gas station, waiting at the 150 mile mark!

Get the 950SM and don't look back!

[elemental]

Thanks for the encouragement (not that I really need it with this bike). It has Akrapovic end cans (not embarrasingly loud), and I felt right at home after about 20 yards. In fact, after about 200 yards, my inner hooligan clawed his way out of his cage and slapped some nonsense into me. Why didn't I buy an SM years ago?

[corndog67]

I know what you mean Elemental. I bought a 950SM about a month and a half ago, went to a 16 tooth countershaft sprocket, now it wheelies out of turns and spins the rear tire up. Next is a jet kit (it's on order, should be this week), maybe a set of tires, some slip ons, and it's good to go. I did ride my Duc today, it's a little bit faster, but not much, but the KTM just might be more fun than the S4, by far the funnest bike I've ever owned. Both of them are hooligan bikes, but the KTM is quiet, the Duc draws a lot of official attention.

I've got to ask, do the Rottweiler air box kits actually make much difference? I'm not going to replace the carbs, although I will fuck with them if I have to. With some slip ons?

[elemental]

I would also go with a smaller sprocket corndog, first on the list. I have read somewherre about the 950 intake responding well to opening up, you would certainly have to rejet to take advantage of the extra air and to avoid lean. I forgot to ask if this bike was rejetted for the cans, but I imagine not, as it was popping a tiny bit on the overrun, but not enough to annoy.

[nattyMo]

Regarding the popping.

I've had mine professionaly jetted, it still pops a bit on overun and closed throttle. In discussing this with the tech who spent 8 hours working to perfect the jetting and driveability. Getting rid of the popping led to some dips in the torque output. I chose to keep the odd pop for the best overall output.

Originally Posted by elemental

I would also go with a smaller sprocket corndog, first on the list. I have read somewherre about the 950 intake responding well to opening up, you would certainly have to rejet to take advantage of the extra air and to avoid lean. I forgot to ask if this bike was rejetted for the cans, but I imagine not, as it was popping a tiny bit on the overrun, but not enough to annoy.

[EastSideSM]

Guys,

I had a breakdown yesterday on my way from Providence RI to West Port NY on Lake Champlain. It is a bit of a drag because I had taken the bike to the dealer recently to have a bunch of stuff done I wasn't equipped for like tires, chain , sprockets, valve check, and new clutch slave.

I had two seperate issues. The first one was when I stopped to drink some water about 20 miles south of Albany. When I went to start the bike, the SHORAI battery I have in the bike had NO juice, which was odd because I had been running for about an hour on the highway. I was unable to bump start but was bale to source a battery in Troy that was similar to the stock Yuasa. Once I installed the battery I was on my way again and had made it north of Lake George on I-87 N to just past exit 29 when the bike just started loosing power/drive. The engine was running but it was like it became disengaged from the drive shaft. I pulled over to the side and it was getting dark and called for a wrecker and was able to get towed back to Saratoga Springs to a friend's house.

I am trying to figure out what might have happened. Here is what I know t this point.

There is a leak at the slave master, like the gasket is going bad or something.
Bike wil start and run but will not engage into gear. Even if I put it into gear, and release the clutch, nothing happens, it is perpetually in neutral. Bike did feel a little "off" in that when I was applying throttle leading up to it dying, the bike seemed to hesitate slighlty.

Bike has just had an oberon slave installed.

I also have a coolant leak at either the housing for the water pump or one of the hose clamps, it is fairly minor as I am not loosing much coolant but it looks like it from viewing the side of the bike. I don't think that is related to anything but might be worth mentioning.

Is this possibly a simple thing like something backed out that engages the drive or is my transmission toast?

Any advice is welcome. IF anyone is local to Saratoga Springs or if you know of a decent KTM dealer in my area please sound off. I have only limited tools with me so any help at diagnosing, or otherwise would be greatly appreciated.

For anyone who thinks they can offer some real time advice or guidance, my cell is 415-992-1014.

If I can't figure it out I will have to just rent a pickup and head back to PVD.

Thank you in advance.

[aerone]

I think maybe you have had three problems. You fixed the first, dead battery. The second, is the clutch master keeping it from engaging. The third could well be the side stand switch eliminator. Or, your fuel pump chose an inopportune time to crap out. MTC..

I hope you get this sorted soon. I'm looking forward to some of these issues cropping up on my 06. I did get the replacement for the leaking neutral O ring since mine started leaking, yet to install it.

[EastSideSM]

Originally Posted by aerone

I think maybe you have had three problems. You fixed the first, dead battery. The second, is the clutch master keeping it from engaging. The third could well be the side stand switch eliminator. Or, your fuel pump chose an inopportune time to crap out. MTC..

I hope you get this sorted soon. I'm looking forward to some of these issues cropping up on my 06. I did get the replacement for the leaking neutral O ring since mine started leaking, yet to install it.

Correct, the battery issue is solved and I WILL NOT be getting another Shorai, apparently they don't like cold or heat.

My fuel pump is totally fine, I just replaced it recentlty (it is the third to date).The bike will start and run, however will not engage the gears. I can roll the bike freely while it is in gear without the clutch pulled in.

It looks like I cooked the clutch probably form loss of pressure/fluid from the master which caused slippage which I did not at the time recognize for what it was and continued to ride until the clutch failed. There is a possibilty it is frozen in the "disengaged" position, but probably unlikely.

From what I understand now, a fried clutch is the most likely scenario. I secured a pickup and will be driving back to RI later today. Thank you to anyone who offered suggestions/advice.

I'll post the final fix once I get it sorted properly.

[preppypyro]

Im curious if you gave the bike an oil change recently, maybe it got the wrong oil in it? Im not so sure with these ktm's, but I have had bikes with the wrong oil, with some kind of additives, and the oil alone seemed too make the clutch slip and not work worth a damn.

I would also try to bleed that slave cylinder. Again Ive never messed with mine yet, but any system that needs to be bled, can sometimes not get bled properly, and air causes all kinds of annoyances.

[EastSideSM]

Originally Posted by preppypyro

Im curious if you gave the bike an oil change recently, maybe it got the wrong oil in it? Im not so sure with these ktm's, but I have had bikes with the wrong oil, with some kind of additives, and the oil alone seemed too make the clutch slip and not work worth a damn.

I would also try to bleed that slave cylinder. Again Ive never messed with mine yet, but any system that needs to be bled, can sometimes not get bled properly, and air causes all kinds of annoyances.

Thanks Preppypro. In fact the oil was changed while it was at the dealer for a bunch of other stuff, I normally do it myself but figured why not while they had it.. I am assuming they did use the correct oil, but hey, who knows

I secured the pickup truck and now need to find a ramp and buy some tie downs. Deep breath, one thing at a time.

[samppa2005]

I'd be checking the installation on the slave. If it was done at a dealer it's possible something went wrong and it's their fault. I'd look for the ball bearing at the end of the push rod. It seems to be something a lot of people misplace when installing an aftermarket slave. In any case i'd be talking to the dealer who has been doing the work. Doesn't help now but could spare you some money if it's easy to show they installed something wrong.

[corndog67]

I really doubt a failling clutch slave could fry your clutch, the hydraulic clutch just disengages the clutch, it doesn't keep it from engaging, that is, when you pull the clutch,. it pushes the pushrod to disengage the clutch, so if it is not working, the clutch is fully engaged. It wouldn't make it slip or fry.