Cant go wrong with 9*0 SM, 950 Adv 05/06 if you can find one....thinking mpg. New 1**0 appear to be better on fuel, but IMO the 9*0 Adv is a better looking bike.

 

So criteria for a suitable bike for commuting etc is you think the 9*0 Adv is a better looking bike :rotflmao:
Don't worry about actual real world use now will you

 

why an adventure? an expensive commuter.

1190 adv a great commuter with all the aids.

 

If you're not going off road, how about a 990 SMT?

 

The SMT was about the easiest bike for home maintenance I've ever owned. Easier than a 990 Adv because there's no body work in the way. Service intervals are short on the 990s but if you're doing them yourself or at least the minor ones, it makes little difference. Not a great fuel range but if well maintained they're as tough as old boots.

The 1190 would be a great choice. Agree with Ginger, get a later one. Just as tough and reliable as the 990s, better fuel range, better comfort, longer service intervals and they don't use oil. Can't speak for the 1090 because I haven't ridden one but it also makes sense.
The 1190 would be my choice. I'd have one over a Multistrada every time. It handles better, has a vastly better reliability record and its much cheaper to service. IMO its more fun as well.
An 1190 would be a bit wasted as a commuter though.

 

1190r it means you can wheelie past the traffic [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

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1190 is the first bike I’ve owned that I enjoy riding in the winter. Gives ultimate confidence in wet and wintery roads, great wind protection with the right screen, and a perfect seating position. This is the first of many bikes that I would use as a commute or, ride on the road in the winter. J


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200cc and the worlds gone mad....:rotflmao:

 

- which is more accessible for repair/maintenance (i.e. not having to stip all the tupperware off to get to a simple sparkplug)?

No idea, I have an 1190 and will be adding a 1090 to the garage in a week or so.

- which is easier to lift onto centerstand (with or without boxes on the back)?

No Idea, probably similar - as has been most of my bikes, never had any that where really easy / difficult except the Mrs TDM900 with a 3rd party stand.

what gremlins have been sorted before and which are still to be resolved?

I think the 1050 / 1090 / 1190 are all quite good, IIRC 2015 onward models had better starter motor / airbox

- R or normal version (why would i choose an R for road useage)?

No point, unless you find a bargain - but they are taller if that bothers you.

- what options for decat and endcans?

Endless, but why start messing to get more power - just go for the next size bike up instead.

- whats the user's opinion on service costs vs mileage (for example does it consume drivechains and sprockets every 5000km)?

Depends how you ride, 1050/1090/1190 have 1 year / 9,000 mile intervals which is pretty good for commuting, my 1190 chain is really good after 10,000 miles, 1050's / 1090's should be a bit easier on chains.

- what (useful) advice/tips/experience can you share?

From my research and experience I would think the 1050 would be a good commuter and cheap to buy as they are not as popular, but you only get 95BHP and it has a flat top end.

Earlier 1190's can be had quite cheaply, but I would go for a 2015 onwards if you want one of these, a real beast when given some stick and the suspension is really good, but it will be the most expensive to run, you need a lot of self restraint not to use the available grunt.

My money would go on the newer 1090 model if running costs are a concern, it has a good amount of power (125 BHP) but without the tyre / chain destroying mid range of the 1190, should also be a bit better on fuel than the 1190, based on the 1050 / 1190 so no real gremlins to worry about and as the whole bike (engine and chassis) was designed for the 1190 everything is under-stressed by comparison. It is also a shade lighter and lower than the 1190 which may make it a bit easier to ride for some.

I have just picked up a 1 year old 3,000 mile 1090 at a great price which I will use for shorter trips and running errands instead of piling too many miles on my 1190.

As for a great commuter, I have a V-Strom 650 as well, this easily tops 250 miles to a tank (at a good cruising pace, I am sure it would manage 300 in less clumsy hands) costs very little to insure and maintain and its @70BHP takes a while to wear down tyres - but the KTM is a lot more fun, I doubt the little Suzuki will get much use when the 1090 arrives...

...The Mrs TDM900 would also make a great commuter, it is not quite as economical as the smaller Suzuki and has a smaller tank, but can still top 200 miles on a fill up and has a really good torquey engine and these things last forever, it is also really narrow and has a low seat....

...but if you really must commute on a KTM I would suggest you look for a 1090.

 

My 950 SMR was the ideal commuting bike, IMHO. Easy to manoeuvre; great engine braking and brakes. Not that economical though.

 

Not a great commuter bike if it's hard on the fuel [emoji8][emoji21][emoji21][emoji21]

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c 90 :scooter:

 

The only thing I don't like about the 990 Adv for road use is the weak front brake. Its perfect for riding on loose stuff which is what the bike was designed for but given the willingness of the engine on the road it always feels under-braked for me. It has a slightly better fuel range than the SMT though I would have said the SMT is more comfortable. You can get a Palmer screen for the SMT which gives decent and turbulence-free weather protection. The standard screen on the Adv I found quite noisy.

My 1190 Adv has a screen from the 1290 Super Adventure fitted which is excellent (the OE 1190 screen is awful) and its a cheaper fix than the Palmer screen for the SMT.

The SMT/SMRs are a bit prone to corrosion if used for year-round commuting, particularly the fasteners. The ADV seem to be less so but that bodywork can hide a lot of evils and makes cleaning awkward. You can avoid it with proper care but you need to keep on top of it and IMO late model KTMs from 2015 to the present day have a better finish quality.

 

Ginger has given a good argument, which is correlated by Knapper and thus has narrowed it down to 3 models: 990, 1090 and 1190.
990's are still holding value here in NL (there are plenty 990ADV starting from EUR 7000 and up), 1090 starts from EUR 14500, 1190 starting from EUR 9000.
the 1090 is also recent so explains the pricetag.

there's a fully loaded 1050 with hardcases and akrapovic 2015 model is available here for EUR 11800...only done 9300km!

 

i need time to analyse all this and seriously figure out how to convert gut/feeling into something tangible, just like chainsets, aftermarket stuff, extra runninglights, handguards against the wind, hotgrips etc. cases are always an added advantage not just for luggage but also as centerstands in case of...
this will take a while...
i do still appreciate all the added input. thanks very much guys!

 

You could probably find a decent 2015 1190 and kit it out with luggage for less than the cost of that 1050 and it would be a lot more fun to ride. If you're happy with 95 bhp you could save yourself 4K and buy the 990 Adv.

 

There are a lot of hard luggage options for all of these bikes. I wouldn't bother with the KTM luggage. There are cheaper and better functioning and looking after-market alternatives.

 

my 900SS trackbike has 90hp/90Nm (sold to race oldtimer ducati paralleltwin, still going strong!)
the (current) ST2 has 88.4hp/92Nm
my former 1000DS had 95hp/107Nm
the above "powerhouses" are pretty good for long non-stop trips.

my Duke 620 with only 47.8hp (completely stock except for HGS4 exhaust, if anyone has the original Remus in good shape let me know!) and the racing paralleltwin 500 with its astronomical 37hp/40Nm, are soooooo much more fun to drive, but they will not be on long trips. regularly i have to go to The Hague and Rotterdam for consulates and embassies to get my visa's, and driving from Assen its 2,5 to 3hrs drive. did it once on the Duke 620 almost shit myself and couldn't hold nor light my cigar so numb and shakey me hands were!

so coming to my point: its not so much the power i'm after, its mostly the practicality with looks and seating posture. and as said before: no jap or bmw or american, either italian or austrian.
these are the only ones that have heart/soul/gut/feeling when riding and troubling, i prefer that over the 15-in-a-dozen heartless boring japs/bmw that everyone else has and try to talk you out of getting one but when you do they're all f-ing jealous.

not making much sense am I...?

 

Wow, those prices are high.

Here (UK) 990's are around £4-5,000, 1050's can be found at @ £6-7,000 and I only paid £8,000 for a 1090 with a load of extra's including panniers (1 year old / 3,000 miles) and I was also looking at a 2015 1190 with 6,000 miles on it for around £7,000.

Not many used 1090's as they are a very new model, next cheapest I have seen is a 6,000 mile used one for £8500. Ex demo's showing up here for just over £9,000 - about 10,000 of your Euros.

One thing worth noting with 1050 / 1090 is the centrestand is not a standard fitment (£165) in the UK, neither is the power socket, cheap at around £8 for the official KTM part

 

For what it is worth. I have 2014 1190R Adventure with 55k miles on now. Daily commute into London, around 1k miles per month 50% motorway 50% london roads and traffic (not much gets in the way though). I get around 48 mpg. Best bike ever, always look forward to the daily commute. Had 950 SMR before hooligan bike but still prefer the 1190R. Always had the 9k service intervals and that's about all. Keep her in sports setting with sports suspension as per manual, just because i prefer the feel and had the same on the 950 SMR.

Changed the screen and hlamp mask over to SA 1290 fairly early on and mage a world of difference for all year riding, sometimes revert to stock screen in the summer.

 

No point in fucking about Arthur, just get the 1290S

 

I'm pondering the same question at the moment.

I spent a couple of months doing a 50 miles per day commute on my 950SM. The two main things that stopped me were the thought of putting so many miles on my beautiful bike and the chore of filling it up every other day. As the evenings got darker my back roads route to work became less practical and going down the motorway isn't really a 950SM strong point.

I've tried to persuade myself that the choice of bike should be an affair of the head rather than the heart but as I'm on the KTM rather than the V-Strom (or similar) forum, I've obviously at least partially failed in my persuasion efforts.

Things that I've decided I want are:

ABS
Traction control
Some weather protection
200 mile range
Half decent service intervals
KTM

Trying to remain budget constrained leads me down the route of a 1050.

The other non KTM 1050 that I've considered is a Triumph Tiger Sport.

 

I would definitely go for a 1050 / 1090 with those requirements, at a steady cross country touring pace (as close as I get to commuting on the 1190) the mpg tends to be in the high 40's, I did once ride really steady (think taking IAM exam) for a short while and it was managing over 50. But with a 23L tank it will comfortably pass 200 and maybe manage 250 if you tried hard enough.

The smaller 1050 / 1090 lumps are likely to be a bit better, no idea how much better as my 1090 is hiding away from the cold and wet UK weather so has not been out since I got hold of it.

Obviously 1050's will be cheaper as they are older, and probably less desirable with the restrictions, I would certainly go for either an early low mileage 1050 if looking for a bargain, but would rather pay the extra for an early 1090 over a late model 1050 - but I suppose if it is only used for commuting the extra 30BHP is probably not necessary and will only burn more fuel and chew up the tyres quicker when used.

You can justify the 1090's extra cost as it would also be a better weekend bike than the 1050 and maybe take some extra strain of your beloved SM, one of the reasons (Apart from a great deal) I took the 1090 was I did not see myself wanting to ride the 1050 with the 1190 sat next to it, but can't wait to ride the 1090 as it has enough power for me to want to go out on it saving the 1190 for the best of the weather and touring.

 

Guy - not sure you'd like the Tiger Sport if you're considering a KTM.
I had the Tiger 800 and it was more expensive to run than my 1190. Same fuel consumption, more expensive and frequent to service, same tyre wear. Can't see the 1050 engine being any better. They would be cheaper to buy but that's the only advantage I can see. I tried the updated Sport when it came out but found it vibey and nowhere near as grunty (obviously) as the 1190.

 

A mate of mine test rode a Tiger Sport last year as a possible replacement for his aging Aprilia Futura. We went down to 3X and I led him out on a nice twisty test route as I know the roads really well. He said it was comfortable and he liked the handling and the brakes but the engine was too anodyne. Too smooth and characterless. He reckoned he couldn't live with it after a V-twin. And the 1190 left it behind.

 

For what it's worth, the 1190 Adventure (and likely the 1050 and 1090) are easier to service than the 990 in terms of basic oil change. Everything is just on the one side and simple to get access.
But there is not much to it. The 9x0 is maybe better on a major service as less bolts to get the tank off etc.. Saying that I have it down pat now, and the 1190 tank is now quicker on and off than my 9x0 adventure.

 

990 is the worst bike I’ve worked on.
Fine if it was a roadbike for once a year service. But as a big dirtbike in a dusty place, I found it annoying.
Haven’t said that, I’m over “spannering” now.
Not the time or the patience.
If it’s your thing. All good.

 

If I was getting another big adventure/touring bike I’d get an 1190R.
Probably wait another 2 years and grab a bargain.
Keep the SDR of course.