KTMs - not as tough as they're cracked up to be (redux)

I might have to go on a diet.

Or just stick to bikes that can take a bit of abuse.

FFS.

 

From the pic it looks like it would be simple enough to have a
strengthening fillet put in if you throw it at an engineer to fix.

 

I need to get the original back from the mate who gave me a hand
swapping it out. I think he said he'd braced it.

It's a shitty design fault, and I can't even blame it on the exhausts
being badly fitted this time. Five fucking weeks.

 

If you were a bit taller you could buy an XT. Electrical gremlins can
be bodged at the side of the road but broken sub frames need more than
cable ties & insulating tape.

 

I've been eyeing up an LC4 690 supermoto.

Bit of a price jump though.

 

Yeah, they need some prick to MIG 'em back together while they're still on
the bike and the battery hasn't been disconnected.

 

I wouldn't. Heavy on tyres, heavy on fuel and you can't leave it
outside in the rain.

Great fun to ride though.

 

That bad compared to the 640?

Does it snap on a monthly basis though, that's the question.

 

1k miles to wear out a rear tyre is bad, 1k miles at running in speed
to wear out a tyre is really bad. Admittedly it was a very soft tyre
but that was taking the piss. Tank range was terrible but the seat made
the tank range just about perfect.

Mine ended up with an instrument panel full of water after a night in
the rain and KTM tried to bullshit me that I'd broken the plastic cover
by dropping something on it. Apparently it's a known problem and after
that I kind of lost interest and traded it in for an Italian/Japanese
hybrid with electrical issues.

 

Tank range on the 640 is about 90 miles. 60 miles to reserve when
commuting. The seat's about the same. Tyre-wise, I have fairly hard
Maxxis hoops on there to avoid them squaring off after a couple of days
commuting.

See, there's the rub. They all have faults, might as well pick the
prettiest.

 

Good plan, Husaberg it is then. Or possibly Aprilia. Or Husky.

 

You broken it again? Do you weight more than my svelte 13st or are you
aiming it at speed-humps at 90mph?

 

What the hell are you doing to the bike to break another subframe?

Got any pics?

--
Veggie Dave
http://www.iq18films.co.uk

"To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim
that Jesus was not born of a virgin." Cardinal Bellarmine

 

Commuting through London.

http://twitpic.com/47v0it

It's a pisspoor bit of design.