A Superduke and an 1190 make a great pairing. You can feel the family connection but they're different enough that they never seem to duplicate one another. You can jump from one to the other all day and never get bored. And on a bumpy road I'm probably faster on the 1190. Its seriously rapid through the bends. Makes a fantastic long-legged tourer as well.

 

And the R still looks bad arse with knobbies too. The 1290 lost its aggro appeal.

 

Buy one. You'll never be overtaken by an emu again.

 

I will mate, getting cheaper and in no rush. Grab one with around 20,000 KM on it. Just run in and half price .

 

i'm back home from Salalah and catching up on this thread.
i can see and understand the points made so far, much appreciated!

pricing in NL is pretty high then, these are the cheapest ones:
2006 950 with only 1162kms
2006 990
2015 1050 with 17427kms
2017 1090
2013 1190
2015 1290

edit:
the 1050 has a (dramatic?) powerdip at/from 6000rpm mostly due to A2 restriction capability, and its software (drive by wire limits the throttlebody opening).
so i guess its a late 990 (thats the looks over heart), 1090 or 1190, with a tendancy to the latter 2. i'll write-off the 1290 due to its size and overpricing, for now.
the 1090 has the economy and the 1190 the grunt. but for road use it'll probably be the 1090. dont mind fuelling up every alternate day, did that with the multistrada 1000ds and do that with the current ST2, daily home-work commute is 130km.

i'll see if the dealer where i got my Duke 125 has a 990/1090/1190 for a testdrive, should answer a lot of Q's i have.

 

The 1090 also has a few less electronics to play up than the 1190 - which still has a lot less to go wrong than the 1290.

If the weather improves I will take the 1090 out for a long spin and report back vs the 1190.

 

much appreciated, Ginger!

 

Hey Ginger, sorry about the hijack as I should know this, but for the 1090, what less electrics over the 1190? I thought it was pretty much the same as the R?

 

Hasn't got the lean angle sensors for the cornering ABS/TC. Just standard ABS.

 

Does the 1190 have lean-sensitive TC? I though it was just the ABS that was L-S.
Do you mean to say I've done 8500 miles going round corners without having the throttle against the stop unnecessarily?

 

It sure does, I have replaced my throttle with an on / off switch and all is good.

 

Give it a try for us, just to confirm. Wide open. And try to lock the front while leaned over too.

It’s almost impossible to find out what features are on what model or year with KTM.

 

blow some dust off this one.
did a testdrive on a 2012 990SMT with Leovince end cans and original sftcase panniers, and was happily impressed. unto 6000rpm its smooth as silk, but after that it explodes with power! good handling at low speeds felt very stable and no sense it wanted to topple over (yes that's how slow I can ride in corners).

due to the circumstances we've left the 990 and 1190 and 790 adventures aside due to the pricing being really high, even for used ones, and because the missus can't get up there without a kitchen stool...

the 390 Duke is gone due to the physical and mental health of the missus. the 620 is up for sale with all parts I've got (spare engine bottom end with new big end, bolts and gasket sets etc).

the 620 is probably going into a trade-in with the SMT. really content with how it handled.

 

My 950SMR was always a hoot commuting into London every day all year round. Since then I have done the same on 1190R and 1290SMR. I have always preferred the R variants, mostly because they have less electronic controls, but I also prefer the riding position.

 

aye, the R is higher, that would be good for me with me long legs but the missus only at 1.6m and physical condition its a no-go.
there was a 1090R, we had sitting try-out but it was really difficult for her to climb aboard. too bad, as the info here previously mentioned was confirmed by a bloke who drove it for a while.

but the 990SMT did really well, she could climb onboard with doable hassle when the bike was on the centerstand. the MTS1000DS and ST2 before did about the same mileage (240-270km per 15.5L) and she could get on the ST2 alright. this was about the same, even more so as the panniers on the ST2 were further forward and the sculpted panniers on the SMT. I reckon its a winner.

 

had a sleep over it and some (pointless) discussions with the missus about it, after all she has to go on the back, we made the decision to go with the SMT.
she agrees it not going to be a jap, especially not a bee em doublyou, and we closed the chapter on modern Ducati's.

now give the 620 a final wash and overall checkup so no fuss about that at trade-in moment.
when I get the SMT I'll post some pics and see if I can get any info on mods made.

 

Take one africa twin adventure sport and hand it out to any nutter to rag it round (demo bike) for the first 1500 miles of its life then take it off to Algeria with very few mods and race it in a week long desert rally, crash it bash it but do little more than park it up each night.
Then take it to the africa eco race flip it off the top of dunes throw it down on rocks many times, do minimal maintence (prefered the "mechanic" stayed well away from it) and I could not be arsed, then have a good go at setting it on fire going down the beach at dakar because the bag containing the emergency flares fell over the end of the exhaust
Bike never missed a beat and started first time every time, those in the know say yes because it is a Honda!

 

Wish they would do a new SMT, 17" front on a 1290, proper suspension, slightly less travel on suspension ( say 180 instead of 200) remove cornering lights and such bollox, lighter wheels.....

BINGO, best KTM ever.....

.....unless they could squeeze the 1290 lump in the 990 chassis ��

 

I read somewhere on internet a bloke who put an 1190 engine into a SMT (or was it SMR?). the back fitted alright but the front was challenge to get the engine supports sorted, some welding/cutting/grinding here and there. was a beast!

perhaps somebody is willing to try and put SMR suspension and wheels in a 1290 ADV? the chassis is all the same anyway.

 

It's easier just to SMR-ise an 1190 with 17" rims and SM bodywork. A German guy did it and created an original looking orange and white 1190 SMR. It looked fab. I'm sure there's a thread about on here somewhere but I'm buggered if I can find it but I'll keep looking.

If I remember, opinion was divided whether the 17" front wheel looked lost on those long forks but if it rode like a 150 bhp SMR/SMT, who cares?

Can't remember either whether he went the whole hog and had a one-off under-seat exhaust system fabricated, but that would really finish the job.

 

KTM probably think the SD GT covers that market, but I am too tall for it and don't want sports bike suspension, cramped position and no luggage.

May look deeper into 17" wheel for 1290 over winter.

Would love smt style exhaust system, also help get width down with panniers and look much neater.

 

Ginger: maybe not a good idea but thought I would mention it: what about an RC8R exhaust? ok, its below the engine but you've got plenty room there.

and its done deal: I signed the purchase contract for the SMT. collection this Thursday!

 

1190 = 911
1290 = Cayenne
1050/90 = Gayman

 

Owned all of above except 1050, kind of agree with above, except 1090 as it is a very good bike if compared to the likes of the Suzuki V-Strom or Honda Varadero, Tiger 800 which it is competing with - would take the 1090 over any of them for sure.

The 1050 I have not ridden, but I suspect as KTM had beheaded the performance I would not be so keen, unless I found one for really low money in which case it would make a great commuter bike.

 

Its obvious then, Guzzi V85, shaft drive if you are out for practical then thats the whole argument in one, shaft drive shit bust, and Guzzi is the only option, for me it would be OLD suzuki GS850 or a superten 1200,

For the rest of it stop being a stupid a name is just a name. Harely for instance had to buy extra parts for their bikes as so much was from outside US they could not call it american, lots of KTM are made in china/india, BMW made in china what country the company with the name on the tank started in is NOT relevant anymore.

However for real world use/enjoyment you only have to remember certain things, there is no need for CANBUS/electronic adjust suspension/riding modes/cornering lights or any other of the bollocks manufactures charge you for to fix WHEN they go wrong, if you need them then you cant ride ;-) if you can ride why pay for something you dont need ;-) you want a bike that makes you smile every time you sit on it? then that = 950/990 simples ;-)

 

as mentioned earlier somewhere I had the chance to drive an all-ot original 750S guzzi (red frame, green tank and fairings, 4LS drum brake up front and lafranconi exhausts, does about 70kmph in 1st gear without the valves going through the head covers!): driveshaft is not for me. going round corners whilst accelerating is not really a charm on them.

 

950 sm. Cheapfuneasytoservice.