I was chatting to a KTM dealer last week after yet another test ride and he tried to tempt me with a 1290SDR. I said if KTM stick the 1290 engine in the RC8 and make a purely road-going sportsbike - a-la 1299 Pani, I'd have to seriously think about it. He said so many people have said the same thing that KTM just might do it. If they did that bike would be the ideal base for a KTM streetfighter. A good Streetfighter, to my mind is a naked sportsbike. The SDR isn't quite like that. At its heart its essentially a monster supermoto. A fighter-ised RC8 with the 1290 engine would be awesome.
Think very carefully before buying an Aprilia. Unless you have a trusted dealer near to you then don't go near one. Just my advice. The factory is a fucking nightmare to deal with! Never known anything like it. Me, I'm with Gimlet, Comfy and a few others around here; I want a sportsbike with upright bars. And I like V-twins. And I like Ducatis. A simple formula.
So when are you buying your next 1098 SF Nothingfaced? You know you want to. You can get a nice one for £9000, spend £5000 of engine mods and suspension and and still come out £3000 ahead of the £17,000 Ducati will charge for a 1299 SF. If they ever build one...
A few lads from the KTM forum (generally German or Austrian) had built RC8 street fighters, a couple of them looked awesome, having had two RC8's myself i'd happily go that route. A new RC8 (RC16 derivative) with full electronics is going to happen if you ask me, they said No, but equally they've said they'll build a v4 race only machine in limited numbers, if thats not just a tease i don't know what is. sounds like they'll use that as a test bed and count up the numbers of people shouting 'sell me one please' KTM's over-the-counter 250bhp MotoGP bike | Sport Rider put me down for a road version any day
I've been considering one of these as my next bike, which will solely be a commuter. Reason being i think they look ok but no too nice so hopefully will go unnoticed in London (would get an all black one, even though i prefer the red), perceived (by me) to be 100% reliable and comfy, with power to boot. As i read above and elsewhere thy seem to start effortlessly which is a problem that has plagued my 1198 since the day have had it. Anybody know much about the range, is there a facelifted model that irons out faults for example?
Seems the Sport is the one to go for, as has a qs and heated grips, aswell as some fancy riding aids and suspension settings, i think.
Just got back from my first ever test ride of a bike, a 15 plate S1000R Sport. To contradict the above, i had absolutely none of the fabled vibration through the bar and pegs, none whatsoever. I set off at 8.45am and as soon as i set off i realised i had forgotten my neck warmer, it was bloody freezing! It was set on one for the heated grips and after a while i had put them up to two/max, and they were a revelation. Really damn good, my thumbs were still a little tingly (bad circulation) but a little adjustment got these to make contact and they were soon toasty. I have read elsewhere about this (and the S1000RR) having no soul because they do everything so well and i do kind of get this now, it was blisteringly fast but was silky smooth getting there with no fuss which did mean not too much character, but as a commuter it is perfect. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of torque it had; found myself a few times at 40mph in 4th and hadn't realised and it still was rolling along nicely. Some nice popping and farting as going down through the gears too, infact the standard exhaust was nice and loud with a good sound to it. Decided this morning 160bhp is all you need for the road too....
Pulled up behind a new shiny car in traffic and caught a glimpse of the front end, had forgotten about it and it gave me a bit of a fright! Still, once you are on it it is of no consequence.
Ha ha, yes. Thought i better had due to the reading of the vibrations, got it for free too (usually £15 to bring down the excess to £250 should you prang it). So i am in fact £15 up today, going to blow it on women and booze.
Yeah that front does take some getting used to, One half looks like Marty Feldman and the other half like Lucy Lui
I think this is my new favourite bike. Only my second day on it but love how smooth the engine is. Also pleasantly surprised with the amount of grunt, thought it would have none at low revs but it tries to lift when gassed from the off. Not sure if i have an aftermarket seat either but it's incredibly comfortable, and i do feel quite high up when on the bike. Am getting used to not changing gear so early aswell (have never had an il4 before), it does however sound the same right the way through the revs up to around 9000rpm. I also have totally lost that fear i had previously of coming out of meeting or pit stop and wondering if it is going to start again. That is worth every penny.
Yep, mine is the same (sounds the same up to 9000 rpm). I put the Akrapovic slip-on onto mine, and it sounds exactly the same as it did with the OEM pipe! Doh! (Looks much nicer, though!)
I'm pleasantly surprised by the sound of the standard pipe, doesn't sound too feeble and makes some nice pops and farts. Put a tail tidy on yesterday, that improves the look ten fold i think, and took the rear pegs off. Have you done the same, and put anything in place of the bolts? Love the way each nut is detailed with BMW and the size of the star bit needed, a nice touch.
Rear pegs off and R&G blanks fitted. BMW HP brake and clutch levers fitted. On the lookout for HP rearsets, but I refuse to pay the exhorbitant price BMW want for them new.
I was just going to go for some cheap Chinese levers from Ebay. I found a set that said for a 2014 bike but not 2016, i thought they were the same model then it changed at 2017, or am i wrong?
