I was a KTM factory rider for a day!!!

[smitty141]

Hi guys, to start this story I was hanging out with a bunch of BMW riders. I was at the Falling Leaf rally in Potosi Mo. with around 800 other riders. It is like most groups, 99% great guys the other 1% total wack jobs. I did promise not to drink the kool-aid, or to get sucked into that cult... I was there on Saturday morning on the FJR to have breakfast with some friends. I was going to take the KLR and go for a GS/gravel road ride but with no rain it is just to dusty. I was sitting at a table waiting for my breakfast and the world stop turning for just a second. A buddy of mine and the owner of a KTM dealership walked up to me.

Hey Smitty, are you going to ride your FJR in the dirt today.... I said... only if I crash.... Dale the owner of Pro-Dirt KTM said would you like to demo ride a 990 KTM Adventure??? I said sure, wheres it at... He took me to his display and showed me around the bike. The tank was full and ready to ride. He said ride it like it was mine, but please don't crash it.

Talk about a fun bike, V twin 100 horses.. Leo's slip-ons... Whats not to like. This was a real world test ride, not some ********* ride around the block. The ride was 130+ miles with 50 or so on dirt/gravel roads. All I can say is WOW!!!. It was as much fun on the street as it was in the dirt.... Is this my next bike... Maybe... Anyone looking for a nice 05 FJR and a 06 KLR let me know... I think it would be a great all-around bike on the planet... Smitty

 

[madmike2]

It is bad enough you got to ride it like that...then you report you like it...then you are thinking of buying one...

What are you, some kind of troublemaking-sh#@-stirrer-upper? Help, Admins, anyway to delete and void this thread?

 

[TheAxeman]

It is bad enough you got to ride it like that...then you report you like it...then you are thinking of buying one...
What are you, some kind of troublemaking-sh#@-stirrer-upper? Help, Admins, anyway to delete and void this thread?

And at a BMW rally no less!

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Man am I jealous.....

 

[Ignacio]

What are you, some kind of troublemaking-sh#@-stirrer-upper? Help, Admins, anyway to delete and void this thread?

Sheer jealousy. Instead...I think we'll reroute any messages he receives from KTM dealers on this board to our accounts and reply, "Yeah, yeah....my name is Smitty....where do I report for the next demo?"

Nice....very nice.

 

[madmike2]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Maybe they can offer him a "long term" test, a la' the motorcycle magazines.

Iggy, don't let Kurt find out you actually have a sense of humor and respond to mindless, babble infested posts, like mine.

 

[KSFJR]

After Smitty's report, it sounds pretty impressive. All it needs is s throttle lock and a comfortable seat and your good to go. May have to shuck a few bikes next spring to make room for the KTM. Now, which one, the Adventurer or one of the SuperMotos? I have an 01 LC4 640 that would be a good candidate to trade towards it. One thing though, I unlike some people have only been able to sit on one. Luckily I am tall enough but they are up there. Probably the biggest problems is that it uses premium fuel and changing oil. Oh, and that $14 plus thousand price tag.

Chester

 

[gr8eyes]

Its funny I've had my eye on the KTM for a while. Kieth ( the electronics wizard) in Tulsa has one. Loves it. Except the 3.5 hours it takes to change the oil.

No problem for Smitty, but I wouldn't want to make the time to do all that.

Now I'm hoping Yamaha will just import the XT660 adventure tourer.

Smitty, did the weight bother you at all off road?

 

[FJRocket]

Sorry fellas, Smitty can't come to the 'puter right now. He's on his way to the dealership to BUY a KTM Adventure 990!!!!!!! :yahoo:

Rumor has it that he has Prudhoe Bay in his sights already!

 

[madmike2]

Sorry fellas, Smitty can't come to the 'puter right now. He's on his way to the dealership to BUY a KTM Adventure 990!!!!!!! :yahoo:
Rumor has it that he has Prudhoe Bay in his sights already!

You're a bit late with that information, Rocket. He already has the KTM home, is selling the FJR farkles and the bike. Check the Forum "Classified Ads". Here for farkles, and here for the bike.

 

[FJRocket]

Sorry fellas, Smitty can't come to the 'puter right now. He's on his way to the dealership to BUY a KTM Adventure 990!!!!!!! :yahoo:
Rumor has it that he has Prudhoe Bay in his sights already!

You're a bit late with that information, Rocket. He already has the KTM home, is selling the FJR farkles and the bike. Check the Forum "Classified Ads". Here for farkles, and here for the bike.

Actually I was early with that information. He was still at work when I posted. Smitty was going to the dealership to pick up the bike after work. Wanna split any more hairs? :glare:

Waiting for the pics of Smitty's new ride...black or orange???? I'm betting black.

 

[madmike2]

Yeah....he's been strangely silent about it. He's either riding, busy selling the FJR farkles and bike....

Or adding farkles onto the KTM!

[SIZE=12pt]PICTURES....we need pictures![/SIZE]

Uhm....paging Smitty...Mr. Smitty...to your picture posting site please....