Which Supermoto/motard

That KTM range is excellent. I’m on my second, as is a friend and my uncle is on his 5th or 6th.

Only yesterday I was saying that the SM range is such a versatile bike. Engines are bulletproof and it’s just a properly simple, hooligans bike. If you can get a test ride, you’ll be hooked.

Spares are cheap enough and readily available. Easy enough to service yourself too.

 

The super duke is great, just slightly more sports orientated in its seating and peg position whereas the SM is more upright and versatile. Stick a top box in and travel, take it off for a trackday. That sort of bike. It’s real world quick, copes with today’s piss poor roads very well.

@Gimlet is another fan and noobie has already agreed with what I said above.

The 1290 super adventure is meant to be very good. My dad test rode one and said it’s the perfect bike to ride across Europe in comfort and then have a blast in the twisties when you get there. I think that’s what he’s have if he had one bike. Instead he has the GS and the 1290 SuperDuke R.

 

4k seems to be the right money for a KTM 950 sm, plenty about so choice isn't an issue. Spend some time on the ktm forum seeing what to look for then go informed. See what the recommended add ons are and try to find one with them all on. It is a bike that puts an awful lot of smiles on your moosh

if you stick at 4k then the ktm would be a buy I would put first. If you are going to chop the beemer in and go top money then a 1260 multi or a ktm 1290 super duke gt would be my 2 choices to test ride.

 

It was the aftermarket airbox I did to my uncle’s yesterday. He was happy.

 

As JH says, the all the KTM LC8 range have a lot going for them. They're simple, solidly engineered no-fripperies biker's bikes with eager and raucous performance and they tend to get under your skin. If you can I'd stretch to a fuel injected 990 over a 950. The carbed 950s have a lovely smooth throttle response but the 990's have a touch more power and the finish quality was better. Some have notoriously harsh throttles which can be easily sorted with remapping while others weren't too bad at all. On the KTM forums you can find 990s that have been remapped and sorted. I sold my fully uncorked and sorted SMT through the KTM forum last year.
Decent 950's are getting harder to find as people tend to hang on to them and ride them into the ground.

The best of the bunch is the gorgeous white and orange 990 SMR, if you can find one. And it'll be more than 4K.. But its a properly taut, sharp and focused big motard scratcher with top spec brakes and suspension. The SMT is the more practical version with more comfort, better screen options and a (slightly) better tank range.
The SM, in R or T flavour are very sensitive to having the correct induction and suspension set-up. Get them right and they're feisty, hard-revving, agile hooligans that devour the most challenging twisties at a rate of knots out of all proportion to their power figures and they really egg you on. Get a good one and a vicar would grow horns as soon as he touched the throttle.

The 990 Superduke has a slightly hotter top end and a bit more bhp and overall top speed. The R is the one to have, the later the better. If you're keeping the Multi and you miss the sports bike thing but don't want the back break, a 990 SD could be just the thing. You can by pre 2010 models just about on budget. The riding position isn't that dissimilar to a 1290 Superduke. Pretty upright and comfortable but not as tall as the SMs with shorter travel sports bike suspension. You can hang off them and rag them like sports bikes without needing physiotherapy. But again, like the SM's, they need to be set up correctly or you'll be wondering what all the fuss is about.

I confess I'd have a 1290 Adventure over a Multistrada. The performance is phenomenal when you really crack them open. But they're really the KTM version of the Multi. A big, expensive, sophisticated, tech-laden upright sports bike. Its got the legs on a Multi but feels a little more raw. If you're otherwise happy with the Multi there's a lot to be said for partnering a big techno-bike like that with a simple, old-school, lightweight, nimble and rapid back road thrasher and that's exactly what the 990 SMR/SMT/SDs are to a T.

 

My tuppence worth would be to keep the GS and get the 990 or 950 Supermoto as @Gimlet says. The big bikes dont play the supermoto card well enough in my opinion, they are really good but just too massive and heavy to satisfy.

 

My first KTM and still my favourite bike I’ve ever owned. Loved it to bits and it was stolen. Still miss it but the SMT is a very close second just losing out on lust factor.

 

They're the Daddies.

Edit: sorry @ibgarrow didn't read it properly. You have a GS now not a Multi. But the same comments apply.

 

My mate is literally about to come back to biking after a few years off and he's opting for another 990 smt. They're a great engine the lc8 and tend to get a really loyal following

However, if I were you and to only have one bike I'd go for the 1290 adventure over the 1260 Multistrada. The engines are mega smooth and full of torque from ktm, they'll surprise you. Ktm styling is edgier I'll admit, but don't fall for fluff and 'pretty', try that engine out on full power mode

If you want a 2nd bike and keep the gs then going for a 950/990sm is a good shout. I very nearly bought a 990sm-r as posted above a few years ago. You'd want an earlier version of those though because the later ones removed the brembo calipers pictured with a cheaper set.

FYI I've got a 1290sdse and love it, it's got insane torque and offers superb comfort for this sort of bike, but they're well over £4k unfortunately

 

If you're an all-round sort of rider that does a bit of everything, its not easy to find a do-it-all bike. The GS is one of the world's best selling bikes for good reason but no bike can excel at everything. In theory I could sell my 1290 Superduke and my 1190 Adventure and replace them both with a 1290 Adventure S. Logically, in the real world it would do all that the other two do. But I would miss the looks and attitude of the Superduke, its more brutish state of tune and that extra hit of power, even if 99.9% of the time it is completely superfluous. But knowing it's down there if I want it is just good for the soul. And I love the comparative simplicity of the 1190. It was only about four years ago that it was state of the art but tech has moved so quickly it now feels pleasingly analogue and uncomplicated and I like that.

You might be lucky and find your Goldilocks bike that does everything but if not, a second, cheaper bike that offers a contrast to your main bike and fills in the gaps in its character is a more practical proposition and it allows you to appreciate more your other bike's strengths.
Ideally, for a happy and fulfilled life, everyone should have many, many bikes. Tell your wives folks.

 

I had a 990 superduke, 2010 bike ( well 2008 but in a factory for 2 yrs). Solid bike, well made and TBH way more usable than the Pani. If you can get your hands on a looked after one you'll love it.