It’s a 2006 KTM 950 Adventure. I’ve been looking for quite a while. I’ve been searching most anywhere from the Rockie’s westward. My friend Tomm suggested I run an ad in Craigslist so I did.
A very nice guy named Rick texted me that he was thinking of selling his as he had bought a newer 1290 Adventure.
I told him I was interested in it and would like to come see it. It took a while but yesterday we were finally able to connect.
If you know the 950, it didn’t come from the factory ‘perfect’. They are great bikes but there’s a few items that have plagued the reliability of the machine. Rick’s short description hit every one of the known issues (fuel pump, water pump, slave cylinder, canister, cooling). Additionally, the other mods that Rick has done were for the better (suspension, high fender, filter, cruise, kickstand, headlights).
The bike had 19,551 miles when I picked it up. That’s all. I have all the service records plus all the manuals, and so much more.
All over the bike you’ll see little notes written in black sharpie. These are things that Rick wrote like suspension settings. This is the sign of someone who really cares for a bike.
The bike came with with Hepco Becker Gobi boxes, grey for the sides and black for the top. The side case were brand new, still wrapped in plastic!
The Wing Exhaust is loud but not too loud. It has a nice deep sound to it.
I also LOVE the high fender! If it didn’t have one I would have added it. I think it really makes the bike look strong.
The Bad:
Nothing is perfect – right? Technically this isn’t a big negative as every 950 has the same issue. The stickers on the tank naturally bubble. I’ve heard it has something to do with the gas we have and the plastic tanks. Either way, this bike has bubbles.
I might have a friend remove them and then do a Dakar emblem in it’s place.
You know, THIS logo?
It’s common to see the logo on Blue Adventures but I haven’t seen any in Orange versions.
So picture that done in black on my orange tanks. What do you think? Sound good? (I’m not sure yet)
A few other items:
I’ll need new brake pads and rotors. That’s an easy one.The pegs on the bike are also quite narrow. Not sure which I’ll get but wider pegs are definitely needed.Skid Plate – the Black Dog version is the right oneRam mount for the bars. I was amazed at how well it held my cell phone on the last trip.Electrical connections. I’ll need to add the connections for charging the cell phone, or GoPro, or running an electric vest. I’ll also want to be able to keep the bike on a battery tender.- Auxiliary Lighting. I want to add two bright lights to the front. It really helps cars and others see you better. It’s all about breaking up the pattern of light they usually see. A triangle of light instantly alerts them.
That’s about all. I couldn’t be more excited!
PS: Thank you Tom for helping to make this all happen. You rock!
He's an avid hockey fan, rides a mountain bike, sometimes rides a road bike, has a few motorcycles (he had a really fast one, had a big cool orange one, rode a really slow one, and is currently building a perfect "BDR Weapon"). If that isn't enough, he makes cheese and sourdough bread, loves strong beer and good red wine, and poorly plays the Mandolin.
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