Ready to Race, again..

[Rich:-)]

A couple of years ago I added 990 Super duke to my stable and I have been riding her more & more, thus she has become my default solo bike. My 2007 V Strom 650 was relegated to 2up duties, which is a job I don't think it has the power, brakes or suspension for. Though I admit it still did a pretty good job at it.

I found my Wee was good fun when solo or touring with gear, but I started to dread the 2up riding, no doubt made worse by the comparison to my solo riding on the SD... so she had to go as I wanted to get a bike that was more on a par with my 990SD.

I had a hit list of 3 - BMW S1000XR, Multistrada 1200, KTM 1190 ADV... for me the 1190 was an easy choice being that I already have a baby LC8 in my Superduke, and trust the KTM brand. Ducati's can be expensive to own and BMW's are... ermm... BMW's...

My Vstrom eventually sold (in about 3 weeks I think), and for good price too, and by chance the exact bike I was looking for appeared on fleabay (private sale) just over a hour away.

So here she is..



2015 '65reg 1190 Adv 

6300 miles and already 3 services.
She is immaculate.
A few extras like factory heated grips, radiator cover, low 'sports' screen & a touring screen (low sports screen fitted in the pics), K&N air filter, Supersprox rear sprocket.. and best of all a decat front pipe. I couldn't get the PO to part with the Wings tail pipe so that is on my list to get soon, along with a seat upgrade as that one isn't particularly comfy.

She goes like stink too, and had my GF giggling like a child whilst hanging on for dear life.







So, it's sayonara I guess. I still have one Suzuki but no V-stroms anymore.

[Rusty Nuts]

Nice. And naughty. And orange. Fun will be had.

[wurzel]

Lovely bike!
don't clear off,loads here have bikes other than the strom,or as well as lots of KTM riders too, I have a couple myself.

[Ridaz]

Having rode one I cannot agree more about the bikes ability to put a big smile on your face. Looks lovely 

[TLPower]

Without wishing to be smoke up the arse blower, that is the tidiest orange one I've seen. Similar miles to mine, it came with 5,400 miles on a 66 plate. As you have no doubt noticed there is some proper dross out there, I went to the KTM dealer in Sheffield yesterday on my way back from a Peak District blast, they still had the kicked to death 14 plate in there, still with knackered tyres, still at £8999. It's been in there since the beginning of May. The same overpriced ones are still on autotrader and E-bay from May as well.

I agree about the standard seat, I bought the non heated ergo from https://www.gear4motorcycles.co.uk/ £127.00 delivered, I found a 10% discount voucher on line. It is much better, though a little taller until it settles. I added some more underseat insualtion after yesterdays run, I'd read about the heat issues, the ride through Sheffield was a bollock boiler. I'll see if the insulation makes any difference before gutting the cat.

Has the previous owner fitted aftermarket pipes or fitted a delete?  I fitted the Arrow endcan without the baffle which I think sounds brilliant. Mine came with the KTM attempt at heat deflection which includes a radiator fan shroud, they are not a lot of cash.

I think I've sorted the vibration white finger on the throttle side by filling the bars with silicone, adding weights inside the bars at the ends, fitting bar end weights and grip puppies. Being a stunted shortarse I also needed Rox risers copies and I welded a loop onto the kick stand as I was struggling to retract it when seated.

I fitted a Heed Sat Nav mount, this needed a couple of supports adding as it wobbled a bit. I used the standard screen but added MRA vario brackets to a home made spoiler, I then fitted some spacers to move the screen away from the headlamp, I now have zero buffeting.

Congratulations on the new 'bike, they really are excellent value, I know I've spent a few bob on mine but I lay the blame entirely with Brockett. I'm paraphrasing here but he said, " there are no pockets in a funeral shroud".

I'll post some pictures later.

[Rich:-)]

Thanks for the comments. 

TLP - yes I also saw so many overpriced and poor condition bikes out there, I have been watching the market for at least 3 months prior to deciding to buy. This was the first that I actually went to look at and I just couldn't fault the condition or history, and the price was also very reasonable... so I knew my search was over as quickly as that. Just a quick haggle though as I am from Sheffield and we have standards to uphold.

I need to work on the heat issues too, the decat was suppose to help with that, or at least I hoped it would but when I got bogged down in slow moving traffic I got some roasted chestnuts.
I'll check to see if I have the deflector kit, I think it does as I have just read something about it on the pre-delivery paperwork. Also the front seat has the heat shield foil under it so I expect it's all been done, and to be fair the seat did stay cool, it was just my inner thighs that were getting hot.
I'm tempted to buy the Wings heat shields as I think that'd deal with it, but I could knock something up pretty easily so might try that first.

The decat pipe is a seperate pipe minus rear header (if that makes sense), no idea what the make is and the PO couldn't remember either. I have the original KTM pipe (with cat) as well, I'll hang on to that for "just in case" and believe that they should stay with their bike anyway.

Haven't noticed any vibration issues yet but to be honest I've barely ridden her. I have had tingly fingers from both my Vstrom & my SD (more so from the Vstrom interestingly) but it doesn't tend to happen often.

The side stand is a bit tricky to retract, it's hard to catch with your boot and doesn't seem to want to flick up until it's moved quite far back. It's something I'll just get use to I guess.

The small screen is OK, very little wind protection but no buffeting. I'll test the touring screen in the next few days.

The power is great, although sometimes when really beaning it I felt the engine backing off at the higher revs. This didn't happen when I was riding 2up so I now think the TC must have been kicking in. Will try it in sport mode with TC off next time I go out.
I also found that when 2up.. rolling the power on to full in 4th will result in a TC controlled mini wheelie when the revs go over about 7000 rpm, followed by a tell tale twitch of the bars as it touches down to change gear.
Will have to try that again with TC off.

[TLPower]

  another dee dah, where are you from? I was born in Gleadless, we moved to Marsh Lane above Eckington, then we moved to Grenoside where I nearly grew up.

The "surge" at 7k is very addictive, when you've had your magic worked it does the flighty front thing in 5th....

Pictures.

[wurzel]

  Mine gives no vibes through the bars, (1290 sdr), but with the evo tune does get the front lofted rather easily through 4th gear, silicon and lead shot mix in the bars works wonders in the bars if they do vibrate.

[Rich:-)]

Had family dotted all around Sheffield, but not many left now.
I was raised between Hillsborough & Wadsley, and went to Wisewood school.
Then moved to Ingbirchworth (near Barnsley) before being taken against my will 'darn sarf' to Hampshire.

[TLPower]

Small world, we were planning on going to the Fountain at Ingbirchworth for lunch tomorrow....

It's shut down

[Rich:-)]

We use to go there too, often (as a kid) we use to buy a bag of chips directly from the kitchen, a large bag packed to bursting with delicious chip... good times..