KTM vs BMW

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aka.Goliath

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So I'm looking at buying a touring bike. The question is should I buy a KTM Adventure 900 or a BMW 1200GS. What are the differences in quality, build, braking down, parts availability etc. Please anyone help, I'm looking to buy second hand so I'd be looking at something older than 2 years old.
 
Not too sure about Touring (Adventure) bikes. KTM is tops when it's about offroad/enduro so I wouldn't say no to a KTM (looking for a nice KTM 300 2t myself :D).

Take a look at the forums at http://www.e-dirt.co.za, the okes there have some good advice.
Also check Dirtbike Fanatics on Facebook and RAD (a new mega KTM store) in Johannesburg.
 
If u want to go "adventure" touring e.g. good portion dirt roads and tarmack, then go KTM - KTM doesn't rule the Dakar for nothing ;)
If you just want to stick to mainly tarmack and occasional dirt road go BMW.
 
having a fair experience with bikes myself, KTM is definitely very good for offroad/enduro's.. Im not too sure about the BMW offroad bikes but my dad who is a mechanic said that the superbikes from BMW are better than all the others (including Ducati where my dad works). They just leaps ahead in electronics and what the bikes can do. Although not sure if i would buy one cos at the 24hour race last year/early this year there was a BMW competing and they crashed it and couldnt get the thing started, apparently the only way once it jumped into the safe mode is to link up to the computers in Germany and they could unlock it there. so thats just an extra thing to consider incase the offroad bikes have the same feature.
 
I also wanted to mention that you should not look any further than the Dakar. KTM all the way
 
It seems that if you plan to be more off than on get the ATM and if u plan to be more on than off the road the Beemer is going to be the comfy choice.
 
How old are you? Its like amg mercedes vs bmw m3. The ktm is that bit more hardcore, like the m3, but the beemer is that bit more comfy, like the amg, if you catch my drift. As a younger person I would hop onto the KTM in a heartbeat, but my dad on the other hand would have the bmw.
 
Have you thought about the Yamaha Tenere 1200? i spent decemeber touring the wild coast on one and they are incredible. Also much cheaper than the ktm and bmw
 
Great thanks everyone for the advise so far.. I'm really keen on the KTM now. It seems to be the right one for me. Just to go test ride it to see if it fits me ok (I'm 6 foot 6) so not everything fits. Last thing that Yamaha Tenere 1200 looks good but I don't really know Yamaha for their on/off road bikes, what is the census on that bike? Btw I'm 22 so I'm looking for a fun can go anywhere sorta bike for driving fairly long ways and then taking that awesome off ride trail when I get there sorta thing.
 
aka.Goliath said:
Great thanks everyone for the advise so far.. I'm really keen on the KTM now. It seems to be the right one for me. Just to go test ride it to see if it fits me ok (I'm 6 foot 6) so not everything fits. Last thing that Yamaha Tenere 1200 looks good but I don't really know Yamaha for their on/off road bikes, what is the census on that bike? Btw I'm 22 so I'm looking for a fun can go anywhere sorta bike for driving fairly long ways and then taking that awesome off ride trail when I get there sorta thing.
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Hold on.how much experience do you have?a ktm 950/990 isnt the best bike to hop on with no experience.

yamaha is excellent ito offroad.theyve won the dakar a few times and do extremely well with motoX.

As said above,go check out wilddogs.maby look at an intermediate bike first to get the hang of things,such as a klr650 (repairs are also cheaper WHEN you fall.wear full ATGATT.
 
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HeftyCrab said:
Hold on.how much experience do you have?a ktm 950/990 isnt the best bike to hop on with no experience.

yamaha is excellent ito offroad.theyve won the dakar a few times and do extremely well with motoX.

As said above,go check out wilddogs.maby look at an intermediate bike first to get the hang of things,such as a klr650 (repairs are also cheaper WHEN you fall.wear full ATGATT.
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TBH neither is the bmw. But if you take it really really easy for the first two years of owning it you should be ok.

BTW you need to be fking tall to ride a KTM. Shorties wont feel very at home.
 
I haven't got the most experience but have been riding other peoples bike for a while. This would be my first bike to buy. I've been riding a BMW 650GS for a little while now and I DO NOT fit on it at all, I'm 6"6' (2m tall), So a big bike is my only real option. a BMW 1200 may be a bit to much for me so that's why I'm keen on the KTM. The Yamaha looks quite nice... So I'm stuck between the BMW 800, KTM 990, and the Yamaha Ténéré 1200 (which may be a bit much again). I have planned to do an advanced bike coarse when I get what ever I get.
 
crysis said:
BTW you need to be fking tall to ride a KTM. Shorties wont feel very at home.
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You sure? Alfie Cox is not exactly the tallest dude out there (170cm) and he does fine on the big dakar bikes.

Edit: If you buy a used KTM in good nick you could potentially sell it for more a few years down the road. I sold two of my KTMs for more than I paid for them, dunno if it was luck but they definitely hold their value better than jap bikes.
 
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I'm keen to know as well!

That KTM is awesome. I also saw an F800GS Black Edition or something today. OH MY WORD. I nearly crashed my car looking at it.
 
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