Long Way Down

[whitedelight]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

What the fuck you smoking?? Plenty KTM's out there with big milage on them. You do know that of the three BMW's two of them ended up with cracked frames, and one them never even completed the journey. In all fairness they would have been better off on the KTM's.
But then they would have been fine on Africa Twins.

[Copernicus]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

What the fuck you smoking?? Plenty KTM's out there with big milage on them. You do know that of the three BMW's two of them ended up with cracked frames, and one them never even completed the journey. In all fairness they would have been better off on the KTM's.
But then they would have been fine on Africa Twins.

In the end it was not about the bikes - it was about a person who made a choice, right or wrong.  But it definitely yielded results for BMW, something that KTM may have regretted later.  But it is all in the past now.

[Garfield]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

What the fuck you smoking?? Plenty KTM's out there with big milage on them. You do know that of the three BMW's two of them ended up with cracked frames, and one them never even completed the journey. In all fairness they would have been better off on the KTM's.
But then they would have been fine on Africa Twins.

How did you measure this?

Any KTM's do the same trip?

I don't really give a shit what bikes they used, I enjoyed watching the DVD's, but the strange opinions voiced about their trips has been more entertaining than the trips themselves 

[cocky]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

You quite done talking kak now, had a BMW sponsored muffin and late??
My 990 has over 120 000 km's on it, most of it off road, Mark Hardy's 950 has even more on it. Google is your friend, best you do some research on both brands and the issues.

[Garfield]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

You quite done talking kak now, had a BMW sponsored muffin and late??
My 990 has over 120 000 km's on it, most of it off road, Mark Hardy's 950 has even more on it. Google is your friend, best you do some research on both brands and the issues.

Ja maar nie jy of Mark laai 290kg se kak ook nog op die bike nie, laai die ding soos 'n Qua-qua bakkie en doen die trip dan praat ons weer.

[Gérrard]

Ja-nee.

[Garfield]

Ja-nee.

  net so.

[LDV]

Hul gatte sou defenitief seerser gewees het op ktm. Ek kom nou terug van 2 weke trip van elke dag ry. En kani eers op kantoor stoel sit nie


Sent from my iPhone

[cocky]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

You quite done talking kak now, had a BMW sponsored muffin and late??
My 990 has over 120 000 km's on it, most of it off road, Mark Hardy's 950 has even more on it. Google is your friend, best you do some research on both brands and the issues.

Ja maar nie jy of Mark laai 290kg se kak ook nog op die bike nie, laai die ding soos 'n Qua-qua bakkie en doen die trip dan praat ons weer.

Luister nou badprop, die punt wat die muffin vreeter gemaak het was oor die myle ...... daai twee het anyway nooit daai kak gelaai of saam gery nie, daar is n X5 en n Nissan Patrol wat saam gery het.
Lees die hele verhaal, moet nie soos iemand wees wat 7de Laan kyk nie.

[Stofdonkie]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

You quite done talking kak now, had a BMW sponsored muffin and late??
My 990 has over 120 000 km's on it, most of it off road, Mark Hardy's 950 has even more on it. Google is your friend, best you do some research on both brands and the issues.

Ja maar nie jy of Mark laai 290kg se kak ook nog op die bike nie, laai die ding soos 'n Qua-qua bakkie en doen die trip dan praat ons weer.

Weld dan aan die frame sonder om die battery te ontkoppel, fry die electrics (alhoewel die bike nog start en ry) en dan 'het die bike dit nie gemaak nie'.

 

[DUSTRIDERS]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

You quite done talking kak now, had a BMW sponsored muffin and late??
My 990 has over 120 000 km's on it, most of it off road, Mark Hardy's 950 has even more on it. Google is your friend, best you do some research on both brands and the issues.

Ja maar nie jy of Mark laai 290kg se kak ook nog op die bike nie, laai die ding soos 'n Qua-qua bakkie en doen die trip dan praat ons weer.

Luister nou badprop, die punt wat die muffin vreeter gemaak het was oor die myle ...... daai twee het anyway nooit daai kak gelaai of saam gery nie, daar is n X5 en n Nissan Patrol wat saam gery het.
Lees die hele verhaal, moet nie soos iemand wees wat 7de Laan kyk nie.

Dis n lae hou.................................................................wat het jy teen 7de laan kykers?

[cocky]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

You quite done talking kak now, had a BMW sponsored muffin and late??
My 990 has over 120 000 km's on it, most of it off road, Mark Hardy's 950 has even more on it. Google is your friend, best you do some research on both brands and the issues.

Ja maar nie jy of Mark laai 290kg se kak ook nog op die bike nie, laai die ding soos 'n Qua-qua bakkie en doen die trip dan praat ons weer.

Luister nou badprop, die punt wat die muffin vreeter gemaak het was oor die myle ...... daai twee het anyway nooit daai kak gelaai of saam gery nie, daar is n X5 en n Nissan Patrol wat saam gery het.
Lees die hele verhaal, moet nie soos iemand wees wat 7de Laan kyk nie.

Dis n lae hou.................................................................wat het jy teen 7de laan kykers?

Niks nie, hulle is soos mense wat Huisgenoot lees, glo alles want dit was op TV of in die Huisgenoot.

[Garfield]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

You quite done talking kak now, had a BMW sponsored muffin and late??
My 990 has over 120 000 km's on it, most of it off road, Mark Hardy's 950 has even more on it. Google is your friend, best you do some research on both brands and the issues.

Ja maar nie jy of Mark laai 290kg se kak ook nog op die bike nie, laai die ding soos 'n Qua-qua bakkie en doen die trip dan praat ons weer.

Luister nou badprop, die punt wat die muffin vreeter gemaak het was oor die myle ...... daai twee het anyway nooit daai kak gelaai of saam gery nie, daar is n X5 en n Nissan Patrol wat saam gery het.
Lees die hele verhaal, moet nie soos iemand wees wat 7de Laan kyk nie.

Jy kan dieselfde myl coffee shop toe en terug 100000 keer ry soos jy, of 100000 keer verskillende myle op kak paaie ry - die eerste een tel nog steeds niks.

Aan die einde van die dag het die BMW's die trip gedoen, met hulle support, muffins en so aan terwyl KTM dit ook maar soos ons almal op tv moes volg en die bikes in die showroom bly staan het

[Garfield]

Ek sweer die gesprek lyk erg bekend, so asof dit al voorheen afgespeel het.

[Welsh]

Look, this is neither defending one brand, nor bashing another, just my unbiased opinion, honestly. I really think that if the lads had been mounted on KTM's - superior dirt handlers though they may be -  they just wouldn't have been tough enough to go the distance.
It's a case of horses for courses, and those 1150 dreadnoughts were the better horse for that particular course at that time, though even one of them didn't make it. And I would have my doubts about present day 1200's - all plastic and gimmicks.
No, I reckon that had they been on KTM's at the time, then the trip would have had to be completed on three Russian 2-Smokes.  

What the fuck you smoking?? Plenty KTM's out there with big milage on them. You do know that of the three BMW's two of them ended up with cracked frames, and one them never even completed the journey. In all fairness they would have been better off on the KTM's.
But then they would have been fine on Africa Twins.

Definitely not a KTM bash, but I think a word of caution on the KTM would have been so much better, assuming we are talking the 950. The 950 was only launched in 2003 and the LWR was in 2004, it is fine to mention the high mileage 950's but the early models 2003 and 2004 were definitely not without their problems, from head bolts to fuel and water pumps.

There is no way anyone can say how those early model 950's would have done or not done, no matter how good they are once sorted  .   

But I agree on the Africa Twin

[Grrrr....]

Gawd you guys are predictable!!!!

[Garfield]

Gawd you guys are predictable!!!!

True, the "1200GS rider did not greet me" thread is imminent, closely followed by a CoG thread.

[Draadwerk]

This thread is headed for a short way down

[Cremaster]

Definitely not a KTM bash, but I think a word of caution on the KTM would have been so much better, assuming we are talking the 950. The 950 was only launched in 2003 and the LWR was in 2004, it is fine to mention the high mileage 950's but the early models 2003 and 2004 were definitely not without their problems, from head bolts to fuel and water pumps.

There is no way anyone can say how those early model 950's would have done or not done, no matter how good they are once sorted  .   

But I agree on the Africa Twin

Yeah the early LC8s had their known teething issues: http://www.ktm950.info/how/ktm_950_issues.html

I am still amazed by the perceived (assumptions of note) reliability differences between KTM and BMW. Both brands manufacture highly reliable motorcycles.

However:
I had problems with my former 2006 R1200GS: complete shaft crown failure.
I had problems with my former 2007 KTM 990 Adventure: sticky gearbox due to a little part that was abnormally worn...
And that's it. Both dealers handled the issues very professionally and was under warranty.

[Grrrr....]

Definitely not a KTM bash, but I think a word of caution on the KTM would have been so much better, assuming we are talking the 950. The 950 was only launched in 2003 and the LWR was in 2004, it is fine to mention the high mileage 950's but the early models 2003 and 2004 were definitely not without their problems, from head bolts to fuel and water pumps.

There is no way anyone can say how those early model 950's would have done or not done, no matter how good they are once sorted  .  

But I agree on the Africa Twin

Yeah the early LC8s had their known teething issues: http://www.ktm950.info/how/ktm_950_issues.html

I am still amazed by the perceived (assumptions of note) reliability differences between KTM and BMW. Both brands manufacture highly reliable motorcycles.

However:
I had problems with my former 2006 R1200GS: complete shaft crown failure.
I had problems with my former 2007 KTM 990 Adventure: sticky gearbox due to a little part that was abnormally worn...
And that's it. Both dealers handled the issues very professionally and was under warranty.

Ag k@k man! Don't come here wiff facts!

You brand whore KTM riders need to wake up, your brand is k@k, Charlie Boorman said so!!!