Harley guy going to adventure bike?

[NothingClever]

If your definition of 'fun' and mine are the same - then I'd have to agree.

You need to decide what you're after, because each bike fits slightly different niche (and they both fit their respective niche very well).

The big KTM will leave a goofy grin on your face every time you treat it like a giant dirt bike - where the GS will leave you terrified and feeling lucky to be alive if you treat it like a dirt bike.

On the other hand, the GS will leave you laughing at the KTMs every time you take on fuel, point it down a few hundred miles of good road, carve up some twisty piece of pavement, or try to recover some value when you sell it.

Overall, the GS is just mellower than the KTM. If you are after mellow - the GS is the ticket. If you want to go out every now and then and drift through corners, fling it off of water bars, etc - the KTM wins hands down.

I've been listening (and participating in) to the BMW vs. KTM War since 2002 (having owned and ridden both). That has to be in the top 3 of the best threads I've ever read which offer a fair comparison and no trench warfare.

Well done!

[Butch1979]

Suggestions on years to watch out for or major changes between 2007 and present on the BMW or KTM? I am leaning towards a KTM because of size and price.

Thanks for the awesome info! Posted my HD on craigslist today, we will see.

Butch

[zolo]

Is there any way you can test ride a GS12 and a KTM 990?
I know most BMW dealers will have a demo to ride.
As for finding a 990 to test ride I think it might be harder to do. I know here in GA the KTM dealers are few and far beween and I have yet to see one as a demo to ride.
They are so different it would be good to ride them and see what you like and what you dont like.

[Butch1979]

Is there any way you can test ride a GS12 and a KTM 990?
I know most BMW dealers will have a demo to ride.
As for finding a 990 to test ride I think it might be harder to do. I know here in GA the KTM dealers are few and far beween and I have yet to see one as a demo to ride.
They are so different it would be good to ride them and see what you like and what you dont like.

Good call! This is a big change in style of riding. Closest BMW dealer is abou 40 miles, I will check that out.

[watrboy]

Great discussion. I did kinda the same thing. I sold my Honda Valkyrie Interstate and switched to a Honda XR650L. Can't get over the fun factor. Easy to commute, 48 mpg and all dressed up to travel and half to a third the investment of the GS or KTM.
Course I only ride pavement if it is getting dark and back roads will take too long. I am probably 70% dirt 30% pavement. I am more the fast back road and left the gearing stock. I can run all day at 70 with the windscreen on.

I just got tired of always wondering where that side road went to. Now I can find out and avoid traffic all together. This bike is too tall for you, but there are lots of inexpensive and expensive dual purpose/adventure bikes out there.

Good luck with the move. I sure like mine.

[CoastalDefender]

Well done!

There's a few individuals on here and there who I pay attention to when it comes to bikes and their attributes, GoodTimes happens to be one of them, he is a wealth of accurate, unbiased, first hand information.

[NeverEnough]

Is there any way you can test ride a GS12 and a KTM 990?

How you react to test rides is always a function of your current riding style and ability. One way to get a better feel for a long-term buying commitment is to do a trip with an outfitter or rent one for a trip- assuming you don't have a riding buddy willing to loan you a bike for several days. I also recommend getting some lessons on how to best use big dualies. I did the Jimmy Lewis course and not only was it a blast, but it did great things for my overall riding skills. You might be surprised what you can learn to do with big GS with the proper instruction (just strip all your farkles off the bike before the class!)





I just think it's a good idea to spend some serious time in the saddle before buying bikes that both expensive to buy and to own. They're worth it, and the BMW and KTM are both great machines; however, they are very different riding experiences. And the BMW 800GS is also worth looking at.

[Frank]

The reality is, I'll use the bike more commuting to work than dirt roads.

Based on what I have read, a BMW is your ticket

[camit34]

I did just this...

I went from a Honda Nighthawk to a Ninja to a HD...it was too big of a move from the Ninja to the HD but I did enjoy the HD. Last summer I stumbled on a '97 BMW R1100GS with only 52k on it for a steal from a co-worker and jumped on it...very nice bike, can't believe how much fun I have on this thing! SO after 7 years of the HD, it is going buy buy this spring.

From this...
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To this...
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[Hondarider]

The BMW and the KTM are both great bikes with the best possible riding positions. I own a GSA, but I spent some time on the KTM 990 Adventure before I made the purchase. The GS has better wind protection, shaft drive, and tubeless tires that can be plugged on the side of the trail in 10 minutes. Those were really the deciding factors for me. Other than that, the KTM makes better noise, feels lighter and more nimble, and I LOVE orange. You really can't go wrong with either. I still own my Harley, but it doesn't get out of the garage much now that I have the GS.