I WANT/NEED A MOTARD!!!!

First topic message reminder :

After putting some road tyres on my DRZ,  I think I can safely say that the number one bike that belongs in my possession, is a Motard.

BUT...What one???????

I`ve been looking at sites all over the world, and feed back as pros and cons from Magazines and forums, between all on the market, old and new, and  I`m still scratching my head as the "ONE" that belongs in my shed.

I THINK, I`ve narrowed it down to:
                                              2007 KTM 950 SM(carby model, not FI) 
                                              20** KTM 690 SMC R
                                              2012 Husqvarna Nuda 900

There are others like, DUC`s, APRILIA, BMW, big bored so called Motards, but they`re getting close to the Bandit weight, which defeats the whole purpose of a Motard
 
I would love an 20** Aprilia SXV 550...BUT from all readings, don`t as they`re just a race bike. I`ve been reading thinks like valve checks and replace oil every 1000km`s, new piston rings every 6000-10 000km`s, oh, and a fuel tank the size of your hand. Watched a few youtube clips on these bikes..insane things.

Criteria is, has to be able to do everything, and a daily rider. Wet weight, I really don`t want it to be above 175kg`s, but I think I`ll have to give in a little bit.  The Bandit "wet weight" is about 252kg`s. I`m so use to it, that when you get on something light, it feels like a push bike.

I`m leaning toward the 950, but I`m still a bit scared of the name KTM. Some people say awesome, some people cry with pain, I don`t want pain.
I DO NOT WANT AN ADVENTURE BIKE, NOT MY THING.  Motard and Adventure bikes are totally different, Some may say they are...they`re not.
So...got an opinion, love to hear it??????

Anybody had, or know anybody that's had any of the three mentioned?

Sometimes you just gotta roll your own 

$8000

Cheers all.

Obviously that's just a file photo, but will be the same result.

To me, a Motard "is" a trail bike with road going tyres, and predominantly a single cylinder.

Its just a shame no one makes one you can practically go any distance on and a daily rider.

I`m surprised that Suzuki didn`t do a factory DR 650 Motard, as they did with the DRZ400SM

The DRZ400...SM and S, are slower than the E model.
The E, has hot cams, higher compression and a 39mm Flatslide Keihin carb.
The SM and S, only have a 36mm carb minus the other mentioned changes, and they`re heavier by 10kg as well.

So if anyone else out there was contemplating a DRZ400 for what ever reason, get the E model.

Now...to start looking for a good 650 to transform over time.

gus wrote:$8000

Thanks Gus, but its got to be a trail bike platform.
Long suspension travel, and be able to jump it if I so choose, with road tyres.

I had a drz400sm. It was underpowered and boring to ride, but would do 150 in stock trim. Tank size as stated was to small for country riding, so I sold it and bought the E variant. The E kicks is arse, but i'd love a set of sm rims.

reddog wrote:I had a drz400sm. It was underpowered and boring to ride, but would do 150 in stock trim. Tank size as stated was to small for country riding, so I sold it and bought the E variant. The E kicks is arse, but i'd love a set of sm rims.

I do like my 400e, as a matter of fact, its my favourite bike to ride. At 138kg, and the plush huge travel suspension, it just absolutely soaks up the worst of roads, and annihilates any other bike in a corner up to 70km/h, which means its the perfect urban bike.
But it will be retired to be used on my property, and back to what it was intended for.

Just road a Husqvarna sms 630, 2010, with 12 000k`s on it
Me likey...me likey aaaallot

Suspension, feel, and flick-abilty, are awesome.

The torque, I was expecting more, but it suited the over all package. and was very smooth.

Felt like I could ride around AUS on it, apart from the typical hard seat that all motards have.

Brakes were incredible, maybe an over kill with the Brembo`s.

But..could I actually ride long distances on it is the question??????

I test road it from a Suzi dealer, listened to their bull shit    "its so reliable, you could ride it to the moon..blah blah blah"

After I rode it, I went straight to a Husqy dealer, probing him about it. He gave it nothing but praise, apart form, the BIG question, can they cope with a long distance ride on the hi-way.
He basically said, it wouldn`t be a good idea, due to they have a very small oil capacity, and it will kill it, unless you change the oil no longer then 800-1000k`s, also due to it being derestricted as it was. He said if it was stock, you could get away with every 2000k`s.
So maybe another kick in the guts for trying to find a Motard.   
But maybe not, as It has all the stuff to turn it back to stock, eg:Computer and the likes of, which means a possibility.

Over all, I love the thing, but a hard call to make.

It's a dry sump...you could increase the oil capacity...

Dekenai wrote:It's a dry sump...you could increase the oil capacity...

yeah that's right..

This would be the perfect scenario, but finding somewhere on it to harbour the reservoir, is an issue, as they`re such a compact unit, and everything has its place.