Supertest: KTM LC8 950 Adventure

Our communication with KTM is over. The end of November was squeezed out by the cold, and it was winter here. After only three months and 11.004 miles, the great Adventure is stuck in the garage, waiting for mercy from the sky that did not open and did not want to open to shine the warm sun on our plot of land. We will still ride, but common sense tells us that riding two bikes on snow and ice is not the best option.

Up to the desired 15.000 kilometers (this was our godly goal, although we knew we would be close to the time and weather), we were out of, say, two warm weeks.

But despite the fact that this was not a full-fledged supertest, we got to know our KTM well in three months and for the first time will give a conclusion that only a motorcycle owner can give. Of the fourteen days that a typical test lasts the longest, there is a big difference in the image that a motorcycle shows when you drive as many kilometers with it as the average Slovenian motorcyclist does in one season.

When we leafed through the diary and read the comments of all types of drivers who changed while driving, the most noticeable and frequent comment was the following: as in the 'field' ... '

Indeed, KTM has proven itself in every way, and what worried us is corny.

We still had the most headquarters reviews. This one is a little tall (which those less than 180 cm are complaining about) and a little too stiff. Of course, this problem can be solved successfully, as KTM has an extensive offer in its accessories catalog, and the height of the rear end can be slightly reduced by adjusting the shock absorber. But we didn’t, because different drivers were constantly changing and we wanted to keep the bike with the default settings. We were also disturbed by the large circle of races, which makes it a little difficult to turn in the city or on a narrow road. When driving very fast, we also noticed that the rear shock does its job diligently when the rear wheel passes successive short and sharp bumps (asphalt, undulating rubble), but nothing like that, so we can say that this is why driving with it is dangerous. It used to be said that it is a little less comfortable.

The comfort head was a weak point for KTM in the past, as well as the first Adventura 950 series. But now that's all. There is a lot of comfort now, only a spoiled motorcyclist will complain. Last but not least, sportiness is in the KTM genes, and the sportiness that makes it so great and superior in other areas comes at a price. Fortunately, this one isn't too tall, as you can say it is, after all, the most comfortable KTM we've driven so far. Another important fact is that from now on the passenger can also sit comfortably and enjoy driving. The windscreen is not perfect, it only lacks a perfectly adjustable windshield, but it is enough for driving on country roads, mountain passes, as well as for several hours on the highway. On cold days, we also appreciated the plastic hand guards and the wide fuel tank, which protects your feet well from the cold air.

As we already mentioned, we remember not only about the usefulness, but also about the sportiness. We drove through corners almost like a supermoto, on the highway it had to withstand full load, that is, a speed of 200 km / h, and if you knew where we all drove with it on the ground, our KTM would probably take pity. But look how he breaks down, he never once whined that he couldn't. The Dakar school is well known here, which KTM passed with honors. Their race car, which won the world's toughest rally, is basically the same, only slightly lighter and adapted to difficult African conditions.

If you ask us if we will go with him to the Sahara or on a trip around the world, the answer is simple: yes! Would you change anything? No, as you can see in the photographs, he is able to cover huge kilometers even outside of civilization. So he has two fuel tanks. They are separated from each other (if one of them breaks or gets damaged when dropped, you can continue working with the other, which is still working), which caused some headaches at first, but over time they got used to not refueling to the brim. opening. Even the plastic suitcases, which have a double wall to store 3 liters of excess water in addition to luggage, are made for adventure in the unknown, just like a motorcycle.

I dare say this KTM is the only one in its class that can handle some pretty serious off-road use, including some beautifully executed jumps.

From a technical point of view, KTM has gone through a lot. He received a very hard hit on the front wheel (a stone near Dubrovnik), but the rim was barely noticeably damaged, but definitely fully controllable (there was no need to replace it). She was even more gripped by the night brake lever, which hit her in the back as the underside of the motorcycle hit a hidden rock. Even then, the brake lever could still be used and during regular maintenance the Panigaz technicians in Kranj replaced it for aesthetic rather than safety reasons (“zero” maintenance was performed at Motor Jet in Maribor, and the first regular maintenance in Panigaz). ... We would also like to thank the service technician who did his job perfectly, as we were satisfied with the service and the correctness of the staff.

A thorough inspection of the engine just before we took it out of control did not reveal a single malfunction or malfunction. Not a drop of oil on the engine, fork or shock! Even the ground under the engine was dry and grease-free after a month in the garage. Since we drove it and left it there right after driving off-road, we were a little worried about whether the engine would start (water, dirt and electricity never went together), but there was no worry. As usual, the two-cylinder engine rumbled at the first press of the button.

After all this "one season" we can say that we were satisfied with KTM. No extraordinary service, annoyance or anything else to make our life miserable. All we had to worry about was checking the engine oil (a good liter consumes 11.000 miles) and refueling.

The farewell was bitter as we had a good time at KTM, but we're excited to see an updated Adventure coming soon with a 990cc engine. See, electronic fuel injection, with even more power and even more comfort. We need to correct the title: The adventure is not over yet, the adventure continues!

Costs

Regular maintenance costs per 7.000 km run: SIT 34.415 30.000 (change of oil, oil filter, seals), 1000 XNUMX SIT (first service for XNUMX km)

Rear Brake Lever Replacement (Test Damage): 11.651 20 SIT (price excluding VAT XNUMX%)

Additional oil refill (Motul 300V): 1 (4.326 IS)

Fuel: 157.357 9 s. (Current fuel price is based on January 1, 2006)

Tires (Pirelli Scorpion AT): two rear and one front (79.970 Syrian pounds)

Estimated price of a used test bike after the test: 2.373.000 seats

KTM LC8 950 Adventure

Test car price: 2.967.000 SIT.

Technical information

engine: 4-stroke, two-cylinder, liquid-cooled. 942cc, carburetor fi 3mm

Energy transfer: 6-speed gearbox, chain

Suspension: adjustable USD fork, rear single adjustable hydraulic shock absorber PDS

Tires: before 90/90 R21, rear 150/70 R18

brakes: front 2 reel with a diameter of 300 mm, rear reel with a diameter of 240 mm

Wheelbase: 1570 mm

Seat height from ground: 870 mm

Fuel tank: 22

Test errors: unmistakable

Lowest fuel consumption: 5, 7 l / 100 km

Maximum fuel consumption: 7, 5 l / 100 km

Average fuel consumption: 6, 5 l / 100 km

Dry weight / with full fuel tank: 198/234 kg

Sales: Axle, doo, Koper (www.axle.si), Habat Moto Center, Ljubljana (www.hmc-habat.si), Motor Jet, doo, Maribor (www.motorjet.com), Moto Panigaz, doo, Kranj .motoland .si)

We praise

useful on rough terrain and on the road

recognition, sportiness

field equipment

center and side stand

workmanship and components

engine

We scold

price

we missed the abs

the rear shock absorber does not perform its function perfectly on short successive bumps in the road or terrain

slightly low rudder

wind protection not flexible

he still lacks comfort to perfection