Sold my R1150R and bought a KTM 950

bmwkid · Post by **bmwkid** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:14 pm

Since I 1988 I have 8 BMW's the last being the R1150R I sold last week. What a great bike my buddy and I travled 48,000 miles together all over the Southwest in good times and bad times. It was just time for a change and I wanted a big dirtbike. The new GS just not do it for me,too high tech and too much of a street bike. My brand new KTM 950 Adventure is a blast to ride. I have just 1000 miles on it and the thing is just flat out FUN!

I want to thank all of you on this board it has been fun..

mnnden · Post by **mnnden** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:05 pm

bmwkid, from what I have read, the KTM 950 is about as good as it gets.
I (like you) really have enjoyed the "R" and have a fondness for the BMW. But There are other makes, (Yes it is true!) and some dam good ones. I have been looking (for some time) for a second bike, and I think it just miight be a KLR 650 or the DR650. I just wanted to wish you the best!! I have always enjoyed your posts, I really hope you will do the right thing an submit a ride report on the KTM. Good Luck, Den

fnfalman · Post by **fnfalman** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:03 pm

I can't fault you there. I rode my brother's KTM 950 Adventure and I was so impressed that I called up the local KTM shop and tell them to put my name down on the 990 Adventure. I don't want to deal with carburators.

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:54 pm

How tall are you..I'm 6'4" and was on tippy toes when I sat on one.

DJ

bmwkid · Post by **bmwkid** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:18 pm

I for one can do without F.I. most of the time. I spend my working time with 43 of my best friends fixing German cars with all kind of FI problems,so it is nice to tear into a carb once and awhile and jet it, clean it what have you.

6'4" I wish,heck my wife wishes. I am 5'9" 30" inseam and tiptoe the bike,but hey when I started racing motocross in the 70's I tippy toed everything so I am used to it for sure. It is well worth the nose bleeds when you roll that throttle open on the 950 while flying up these bumpy, twisty Nor Cal roads.

I do think the R1150R was one of the best bikes out of the 33 I haved owned and would not hesitate to buy another one. I rode mine almost everyday to work,sport rode it on Sundays and rode that bad boy through California,Oregon,Washington,Nevada,Montana,Idaho,Utah,Arizona and Colorado. The R1150R did it all except allowing me to go off road on those roads out in the dessert I would pass on my trips. So before I get too old to do it I wanted to get a big dirtbike and the KTM seems to fit.

Who knows maybe I will be a BMW owner again? We will see.

Post by **wncbmw** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 8:06 am

The KTM seems like a great bike, but I swung a leg over a friends new one and nearly had a panic attack in the parking lot! I guess you could get used to the height if you are used to dirt bikes but man, I needed a step ladder to get on the thing!

collyers · Post by **collyers** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:17 am

The 950/990 is pretty tall, but there's quite a bit of sag designed in (it's a 60/40 DIRT/street bike, after all). I'm 6'3", and even though it's tall at a stop, once moving you don't notice it at all. The 950 supermoto is shorter than the R1150R, and if you don't do serious off-road, THAT's the monkey to get. The 990 vs 950 thing is all about emissions control, FI is much cleaner than carbs, and the new 990 has switchable ABS. If you've sat on a pre 2005.5 model, they were almost 2" taller than the current non-S model.
Good choice - the 950 Adventure can truly do-it-all, and do it all better than any other, IMHO.

click for humiliation (or the difference between the Adventure & the GS)