get an africa twin mate mines done 100000km original clutch ,new wheel bearings

Zimi,
This link might help you to make a judgement:-
950 Issues

As for all makes and models of bikes, it very much depends on how the bike itself has been treated and maintained in its' earlier life.
Only you can make that call when you inspect it; I think this is a key reason why people buy bikes from their friends and other people that they know can be trusted.

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Dave

FWIW, the guys I know with 950s / 990s tend to look to swap them out after about 50,000 miles / 80,000 kms ...

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Mine's an 05 950 - now on 72,000 miles. Seems fine to me, might be selling if I can't afford to keep that and a BMW 650 Sertao fed and watered...
The thing is that I would'nt use the 950 for a RTW etc, too thirsty and unnecessary amount of power. Great bikes though with amazing handling.
Cheers
Col

Hi people

I've got a much modded 2004 950 Adventure. They're a well made, reliable machine with great performance & suspension but like all bikes, have their particular areas of weakness. These are best addressed once & for all prior to undertaking a big trip. Ist, replace the standard clutch slave with an aftermarket one. I used an Oberon unit made specifically for the 950 & it's easy to install & solves that issue. 2nd, the standard fuel pump (same as the one on Honda africa twins) will eventually fail due to the contacts wearing. There are several fixes for this - I chose the popular Facet fuel pump replacement. These are very reliable & designed for ultralight aircraft. There is an excellent kit available which provides all of the items to install it, including fittings & fuel line. Others have installed a vacuum pump & there is a kit (Dr Bean's) which replaces just the contacts on the standard pump with reliable solid state. The standard sidestand mount design bolts to the engine case & can crack the case in a getoff on the left side - this has happened to several owners & is a major expense & pita to fix. There are several sidestand relocator kits out there which solve this problem & give you a much stronget sidestand mounting, well worth doing! Like many bikes, the voltage regulator can fail due to heat - mine did. All I did was replace it & drill some small holes in the l/h wing of my bashplate to allow more cooling air onto the reg. No dramas since. Some people install a 2nd radiator fan kit which is a good idea for lots of slow riding. Once again, there are several cheap, easy to install kits out there. The 950's aren't the most fuel efficient engines around - you can spend heaps & install a 44 litre Safari tank, but I just take a 12litre fuel bladder & roll it up when not in use. The 990's are fuel injected but still not much better fuel wise.
The best thing about these bikes are that they do everything really well - great for the road & offroad, the Paris-Dakar design (they were originally designed for Dakar & won outright on their 1st try) gives them a very entertaining, lively feel when riding & they go very hard when you want it. Like some bikes, the rims are a bit soft (esp the front rim). Many people replace them with a stronger rim. Great machine though, I've owned many bikes & this beast is definitely the best. There is a magic resource on the ADVrider website under "orange crush" (specifically about the KTM twins) look under wisdom of the forum for anything & everything associated with the 950/990 Adventures. All you'll need is there. Good luck & all the best.

Nick - Darwin, Australia

Nick

My one has today 120.000km at the moment i going from Sao Paulo to Alaska for the second time (same bike)
Few things to mention, i HAD NEVER HAD A mecanic problem on this bike
Oil Change every 5000km, oil filter every 10.000km ( I use washable one) and air filter every 20.000km
At the end of this gtrip it will be 150.000km. Sorry it,s not for sale.

Well, there's "miles" and miles.

Mine has 47k KM and has see ALOT of off-road, never out of 3rd gear riding.

They're wonderful. Fun. Capable (always reminding you that the weakest link is the fool holding the handlebar) and great all-rounders.

Like the "OLD" GS they have a few niggles that can be addressed a la @Wantok describes (and I have). I'd add the VRR for remote travel (a problem on MANY bikes !), and a Fumoto oil valve to make oil changes quick and (not) dirty. With each year from 2006 the niggles are more & more addressed at delivery.

Once those are addressed . . . it's pretty much free wheeling fun. The exception is to see the necessity of a valve adjustment after the initial one, though it's a PIA to check.

What other bike's rider is grinning so much on such an ugly bird !

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Orange, it's the new black.

I have an 07 with ABS.
In this post I read that the back brake can be a problem even when the TSB was resolved. I have experienced this myself. Because the ABS bikes have the ABS switch, which requires one to think ahead of time, we all make one error time after time. That error is; We forget to turn off the ABS when we hit dirt. Braking on the dirt with ABS, activates the unit. This in turn forces what air bubbles are in the main unit under the seat to travel down the line to the rear caliper. This is the 1st problem.

2nd problem: Dot fluid attracts moisture. The rear reservoir has a piss poor seal and generally will let air in and out at the right hand side Phillip screw head. When you are hot dogging about and heating up the rear brake, you literally boil the moisture in the fluid causing air bubbles in the line. Over a long time this builds up and a bleeding is in order.

Use high temp 700F fluid, squeeze the calipers for your final action before butting up the systems and do not ride in dirt with ABS on. Following these suggestions have made my brake work every time for thousands and thousands of care free miles.

My KTM - admittedly the 990 Adv - has done 53,000 completely trouble free miles. I did fit the Oberon slave cylinder and the BDCW side stand re-locator to try and avoid any problems.

Food for thought.

The Original: KTM 950 Adventure Bike

The Great Adventure !

Does this fit to the sump drain, that pretty inaccessible oil tank drain, or both?
I looked at the Fumoto website and it has just one of their models of valve recommended for this bike - maybe this valve fits both locations on the bike (if the thread is the same dia and pitch)?

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Dave

The LC8's are dry sump motors like most modern engines. So, as you may know, very little oil comes out of the sump.

Therefore the "quick drain" valve goes on the oil tank, out of harm's way. A length of line, perhaps a small bit of grinding/filing and some have used a few washers to ensure good access to the valve switch.

Mine works great !

Quick Change Oil Valve

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Orange, it's the new black.

Thanks.
I couldn't see a deal of advantage for draining the sump but it's a whole different game for the tank.

I see you got the one with a nipple for attaching the drain hose.
So a washer, or two, allows the valve handle to point in the best direction for future operation of the valve.

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Dave

Yep. you still use the fiber washer that's beneath the sump drain bolt and then enough thin washers/shims for orientation.

Very reliable fixture - used by nearly every car manufacturer.

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Orange, it's the new black.

Hi, this is to Mr. Steve Pickford. (yeah only my second post and unsure to whom I'm addressing.....
I rode a 2004 950 from the UK, two up. starting out with 20,000km on her dial.
I carried a water pump rebuild kit and a fuel pump as EVERYONE said they were poor. After riding 25,000km to Cape Town, no problems (two rear punctures one rear ((thank god)) spark plug. At 60,000km the fuel pump failed outside of Tennant Creek in NT Australia. One hour to diagnose and fit. Water pump still going strong (quick look to the skies). Odo now at 70,000 after a circuit around Oz. Monster service done and since setting valve clearances at 20,000 they have not changed. All work done by me as that's my trade (so sorry cant quote dealer prices but as there is 40 mins at the start and finish of the valve job service it probably is more than a BM) but its not rocket science and the manual is very very good. The extra work for me is justified by there are not a heap of them on the road we travelled and I love her and she's orange!!
Tyres? the new rear from the UK got to Cape Town and the front was changed there, from new, 45,000 km, good eh?
However in Oz the front did 23,000 and the rear did 16,000km, not sure why. As we now had two bikes I can only put it down to I was trying to keep up with Diane on her 650 Transalp!!!!
Going to NZ or south America next and the KTM is definitely coming with!!

Hope this ramble helps, if you need help or whatever,
on Vibre +61403961516
www.rimorterra.wordpress.com

best regards and best of luck, with your travels,

Andrew