Have you looked at the V STROM? -Pete --- Spee-dee-D <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thanks for the feedback Bob. I was looking at them > today and they seem (to > me) to have a much higher build quality than the > Japanese bikes. I asked > about the price of parts and they told me that brake > levers and fork seal > use to be expensive and that KTM is now using > another supplier who is much > more reasonably priced (in line with Japanese > prices). Even with that said > though, I'm unfortunately not financially in a > position right now to justify > the price difference, nor do I intend to use the > bike for more than just off > road pleasure riding. So I have decided to look at > a used Yam YZ4245F > tomorrow (seem to have pretty good reviews). I've > looked at the 250 and 450 > in the showrooms, but if this used one is in good > shape I think I'll pick it > up. > > GWN > Daren > > PS. If I was seriously interested in a dual sport > however, the L4 Adventure > is a beautiful machine, and I imagine that the L8 > Adventure will be awesome > too. Seems like a better bike than the BMW GS to me > for your buck. > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: GTS-1000 Owners List > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf > > Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: November 22, 2002 9:17 PM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Re: KTMs > > > > > > I DO! Imagine that, RSRBOB with an opinion. :) We > happen to be a > > KTM dealer, > > in addition to YAMAHA of course. Anyhow, they are > pretty decent > > motorcycles, > > but compared to Japanese bikes they are very > expensive to maintain. For > > example, imagine popping $80 for a clutch or brake > lever? That is > > retail on > > them. Sure you might be able to find them on line > for less........ but how > > much less? I am guessing that is about 4x as > expensive as a > > Yamaha lever, if > > not more. How about fork seals? I don't remember > the specific model but I > > believe it was a 250 SX, nothing particularly > special about the forks, and > > the seal repair "kit" which was one seal and one > dust seal was > > $90 retail per > > leg.... As far as reliability, they are pretty > dog gone reliable. Nothing > > really noticeably less than the Japanese brands. > In the Hare > > Scrambles, they > > are generally a touch faster than the Japanese > bikes, cc to cc. They are > > maintenance intensive, esp in the four strokes, > but equal to the > > maintenance > > suggested by Yamaha on their racing 4 strokes. One > other thing to think > > about. KTM USA is a small company. And dealing > with it is not as easy as > > dealing with someone like Yamaha. Expect it to > take longer to get > > parts that > > have to be ordered, up to two weeks where it takes > us 3 days for Yamaha > > parts. Also, customer relations does not have the > financial resources of a > > Big 4 mc company, so don't expect as liberal > attitude when it > > comes to grey > > areas of warranty coverage. You think Yamaha was > reluctant on the > > ABS issue? > > If you liked that, you might love KTM. As for me, > they are not worth the > > extra money. They are not markedly superior to the > Japanese brands and in > > some areas lag behind. If you want something that > could be perceived as > > exotic, it could be for you. > > RSRBOB > >
__________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus � Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
