New motorcycle help


hmd7t8

New member
Hi everyone,

I finally decided to buy a motorcycle, but I don't know what to choose between three motorcycles KTM 690 SMCR, YAMAHA MT 07, and SUZUKI DRZ400SM.

My hight is 5.10 and my inseam is 3.2, I have back injury from car accident, heavy objects are problem for me.

It'll be my first bike, and I won't be using it for commuting, just for short rides early in the morning, few times a week, and I'm going to use it on the road only.


I live in Bahrain, it's 70 by 40 kilometres and it's very hot and humid in summer.

I sat on the KTM and loved it immediately, I was able to touch the ground, it was light and good quality, and the sales man told me that he was informed that maybe it'll be discontinued in 2018, but it's not available the waiting period is one month.

I sat on the YAMAHA it was lower but heavier and you have to lean little forward, it looks nice though.

I haven't sat on the SUZUKI because it's not available in the dealer but it's available in Saudi Arabia I think it has same seat hight as the KTM, I know that it has only five speeds and carburettor, but I think it's okay for what I need (short rids and few wheelies), and it's reliable, and easy to maintain (bonus for me to learn how to work on motorcycles as a hobby) and it's cheaper than the KTM.

I need your opinions.

Thank you very much

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Ralph

New member
The KTM looks to have better quality components but is likly to be hardest to live with, I have not ridden one but mates that have
had them loved them at first but did not keep them long.
Not a lot wrong with the Suzuki though single cylinders are more fussy to ride than twines and it is likely to use more fuel and have
quite a bit less power.
The 07 will be the easiest to ride, light and smoother than the others likely to give you less trouble, most power and use less fuel,
seats hard and rear suspension could do with a better shock,
If you have never ridden a bike before I would have a think about getting say a cheap 125 and learn on that first as any of the above
could get you into trouble if unwary.
 

nobull

New member
Having owned an MT07 and a KTM 390 and several Suzuki's, I have to say that if you want reliability, especially in hot climates, STAY AWAY FROM KTM!!! They overheat on a 8c ambient ride, mine breaks down repeatedly, 1500 miles and its been replaced (whole bike) by dealer, replacement new bike promptly "ran out of electricity" (duff alternator), wont start, needed valve clearance adjustment at 200 miles old, sprag clutch is on way out with 1500 miles, dash display is dodgy, has never run right....need I go on? MT07 built much better, although Yamaha UK are pretty rubbish. Suzuki are far better generally too. Obviously I would go MT07
 

prowler13

New member
Not to hijack the thread but I am in a similar predicament. First bike, but I have some experience with dirt 450's. Also looking at 690 smc, mt 07 and a dorpsduro 750. From what I have gathered the 07 seems to be the most novice friendly considering its weight and throttle response. The dorso also has a map switch with rain setting which is also good but that bike is really heavy compared to the other 2. All of the bikes Im looking at are used but the mt is about a year old and the other 2 about 5 years old. What also bothers me is the fact that the new 07 is coming out in the spring and the suspension ( which seems to be a main complaint) has been dealt with. So, is that bike worth the wait or not....and the money diff?

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bobh

Member
I can give an opinion on the MT-07 and the DRZ400, but not the KTM.

I found the 07 very easy to ride, flexible, light and a great little all-rounder. If it has a fault it's just that it's a weeny bit soulless (to me, anyway).

The Suzuki is even lighter and great fun to ride. It certainly is easy to work on - I've done most jobs now, including all chassis lubrication, with no need for special tools or outside help. I have to say I'm a fan, and I wish they'd updated it to meet emissions standards so it could still be sold in Europe.

I'd disagree about fuel consumption - the DRZ400S that I keep in France regularly does 200+Km before going onto reserve, when it only needs 7 litres to fill up. And that spends most of its time in the intermediate gears on mountain twisties and forest tracks. But then are fuel costs going to be an issue in the Gulf?

For prowler13 - I haven't had a Dorsoduro, but I have owned a couple of Shivers, which are similar. As you say, they are heavy lumps, particularly compared to the MT-07 but they do have a load of V-twin character. Personally I think Aprilia's build quality is as good as any Japanese manufacturer, though they can be tricky and possibly expensive to service. For the record, I traded in the last Shiver (together with the MT-07) for an MT-09, which has most of the advantages, and the character, of the other two in one handy package.
 

prowler13

New member
The mt 09 looks like a hoot, and that bike has come up also...but maybe a bit too much for a beginner. 115 bhp and a light bike doesnt sound like a smart idea. Tho dorso has a map switch which makes it easier to start with. I am not a kid and can control myself but for some nonintuitive riding techniques it just takes time and practice...and maybe when an emergency comes up the 09 might not be the best thing to help me get out of it. For now Im leaning for the 07 and the smc. The only thing not letting me pull the trigger is the '18 07 which seems to be an big improvement....is it worth the wait and the money is what bugs me. Im also aware until someone actually rides it and gives a real review that might not be answered.
As for the 390 duke I read that its assembled in India ( build quality issues) and the motor is prone to overhearing. None of those are issues on the 690...those 2 are not really comparable.

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prowler13

New member
Not sure what the op has decided but for me it has come down to 4 specific options:
1. Ktm smc 690 2011 - 8k on the clock and in good shape with some additions like a full ti exaust
2. Mt07 2016 - 1.5k on the clock full stock
3. Mt07 2016 abs - 7k on the clock full stock
4. Wait for the new 2018 mt08 but not sure of the diff in cost is well worth it. If its arround 7000 eur it will be about 1.5 -2000 more expensive than the above mantioned options.

Abs is my main concern....necessary or not? Also is the stock suspension on the smc that much better than an current mt07?


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bobh

Member
prowler13;18812 Abs is my main concern....necessary or not?? Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk[/QUOTE said:
A police accident investigator here in the UK, who I've spoken to frequently and trust, says that the single major factor that would save motorcyclists' lives would be ABS. He has many examples of riders who have grabbed the front brake in a panic situation, locked the front wheel, gone down and hit something very hard. I admit, I've done it myself, although at low speed with only broken bodywork to show for it.

Like anyone, I'm resistant to change, but now all my bikes, except the one I use on track, have ABS and I wouldn't want to go back.
`
The final decision is yours, of course. If you believe you're experienced enough to use progressive braking in an emergency situation, then maybe ABS is unnecessary.
 

prowler13

New member
The fact is that I know Im not experienced enough to modulate myself better than ABS in an emergency, like I said...Im somewhat of a novice. Im not clueless and have ridden a bit before but Rossi I aint ;). ...and thats whats ofc stopping me from taking the plunge with the smc. But still...thats such a great bike :(.
I guess the only viable options that remain are the used mt07 with abs and the new one... that alleged 7k for a new one seems not worth the upgrades at this point.

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nobull

New member
Not sure what the op has decided but for me it has come down to 4 specific options:
1. Ktm smc 690 2011
I now have a new R1 (abs), an MT07 (non abs) & KTM duke 390 (abs). I have locked the front (dry) briefly once on MT07 last summer (I'll admit I was being a bit of a tool and getting carried away at the time), but as feel is pretty good I got away with it (a car turned right on roundabout whilst indicating left, leaving me approaching roundabout too fast to stop comfortably, although I did manage it just). I've also locked the front racing & on the road in the wet, and never gone down for this reason. Would I have stopped on the R1 or KTM in the same situation at same speed? Absolutely not. I've had 2 near misses on KTM braking VERY gently from 20-30mph whilst filtering, when I've clipped a cats eye pulling in behind an even slower moving vehicle, on both occasions the brakes just cut out altogether, leaving me sailing towards the vehicle I was pulling in behind whilst not braking at all! The R1's brakes are just crap so far, completely devoid of feel & power, I'm considering spending £300 on abs delete hardware, and a load more on breaking components to make it old school.
Having said all of this, I don't doubt for a second that if I encountered an emergency situation in the rain on the road, personally I think abs would beat me hands down every time. But as most of my riding is in the dry, & if wet i'm very very cautious. For me the superior feel & dry weather safety of non abs (and I appreciate others may feel abs would be safer in dry), far outweighs the better wet weather safety of abs.
Everybody starts out inexperienced, but do a few trackdays & you will get a feel for just how hard you can use brakes - ultimate performance is dictated by stoppies with half decent tyres in the dry, assuming your brake application is progressive & the front is adequately loaded.
 

Ralph

New member
Only ridden a few bikes with abs and never owned one, I have had cars with abs, some I am sure
I could beat as they cut in very early, others were very good you have to reprogram your mind to
keep the brakes on hard once the system cuts in even though instinct tells you to back off and get
grip back, anyway my next bike will have it as it's not available without it so it will be interesting.
 


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