Anyone have experience with KTM Duke II's? Opinions on sumo's?
03-01-2009, 04:30 PM
#1
Senior Member
SuperSport
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Bham, AL
Posts: 702
Anyone have experience with KTM Duke II's? Opinions on sumo's?
A guy is offering to trade me his 2002 Duke II for my Hawk that is for sale. The only KTM I've ever ridden was the Superduke 990 at Barber last year. I am looking to get into sumo bikes but I'm not real sure if I'd consider the Duke II a "real" sumo bike. It looks more ideal for the street than doing some dirt and street duty. Does anyone on here have experience with these bikes? How bad is the maint. upkeep on the LC4? Oil changes and valve checks as bad (read as: often) as a KTM SMR?
I'm pretty set on a DRZ400SM but I'm open to other reliable, sumo options if anyone has any. Yeah the DRZ will get smoked on the straights. Yeah it doesn't have the latest and trickiest components like the more exotic sumo's. Yeah its somewhat heavy for a sumo (steel frame). BUT, it's rock solid reliable, turn-key ignition, capable of some dirt, small kart tracks and decent commuter with great gas mileage. Not to mention most reviews rave the bike as putting "FUN!" back into riding. Don't get me wrong, the VTR is a ton of fun in itself but I want to get back into more of a dirt bike/sumo.
I'd love to get something like a Husky 610SM with the nice power and light weight but I just feel I will get annoyed with the constant oil changes and valve checks, no matter how easy they are. So I feel like the DRZ fits me more based on that and me not really caring if I have ***** out power or not on a sumo. As long as it wheelies, can handle some light trail duty, and is fun, that's all I'm really after.
Anyone have personal experience with the DRZ, I'd love to hear your thoughts as well.
BTW here are the pics of the Duke II he sent me. It looks pretty clean but I'm not sure if I'm liking the styling of the bike. Very unique that's for sure. I can't think of ever seeing one on the roads around here.
I'm pretty set on a DRZ400SM but I'm open to other reliable, sumo options if anyone has any. Yeah the DRZ will get smoked on the straights. Yeah it doesn't have the latest and trickiest components like the more exotic sumo's. Yeah its somewhat heavy for a sumo (steel frame). BUT, it's rock solid reliable, turn-key ignition, capable of some dirt, small kart tracks and decent commuter with great gas mileage. Not to mention most reviews rave the bike as putting "FUN!" back into riding. Don't get me wrong, the VTR is a ton of fun in itself but I want to get back into more of a dirt bike/sumo.
I'd love to get something like a Husky 610SM with the nice power and light weight but I just feel I will get annoyed with the constant oil changes and valve checks, no matter how easy they are. So I feel like the DRZ fits me more based on that and me not really caring if I have ***** out power or not on a sumo. As long as it wheelies, can handle some light trail duty, and is fun, that's all I'm really after.
Anyone have personal experience with the DRZ, I'd love to hear your thoughts as well.
BTW here are the pics of the Duke II he sent me. It looks pretty clean but I'm not sure if I'm liking the styling of the bike. Very unique that's for sure. I can't think of ever seeing one on the roads around here.
03-03-2009, 12:45 PM
#3
geezer
SuperSport
SuperSport
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 556
03-03-2009, 05:13 PM
#4
Senior Member
SuperSport
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Bham, AL
Posts: 702
690 is nice....but out of the budget lol.
After some thought I just don't think I could live with the styling. I'm currently looking at a potential trade with this though...
Thoughts?
2001 KTM 640 SM
Bike is extremely clean and has been maintained meticulously.
5k miles.
Full Titanium Akrapovic with Carbon can.
Full White Power suspension,
Forks have been rebuilt/revalved with .50 Race Tech springs.
Custom built sliders to accept spooled stands.
BST carb mods made.
Renthal Fat bars with Enduro Tech bark busters.
Extra set of Pirelli Rains included.
Less than 250 miles on fresh set of Avon Distanzia's w/ a few other spares to be included.
[/QUOTE]
After some thought I just don't think I could live with the styling. I'm currently looking at a potential trade with this though...
Thoughts?
2001 KTM 640 SM
Bike is extremely clean and has been maintained meticulously.
5k miles.
Full Titanium Akrapovic with Carbon can.
Full White Power suspension,
Forks have been rebuilt/revalved with .50 Race Tech springs.
Custom built sliders to accept spooled stands.
BST carb mods made.
Renthal Fat bars with Enduro Tech bark busters.
Extra set of Pirelli Rains included.
Less than 250 miles on fresh set of Avon Distanzia's w/ a few other spares to be included.
[/QUOTE]
03-03-2009, 08:04 PM
#6
Senior Member
SuperSport
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 524
I briefly owned the original Duke and it carburated poorly, that was 12 years ago though.
Currently I own this, parts are easy to find as are plated bikes.
I've put 8000 miles on mine since I bought it, don't know how many it had before I got it.
The only drawback is kick start only but it usually starts first or second kick.
I got it geared for the moon and it'll cruise at 80-90 all day long........and get 45mpg to boot.
Out of the three bikes I own it's the slowest.............and the most fun on the right road.
If I could only own one bike this might be it.......
Best of all it's a Honda.........
Kai Ju
Currently I own this, parts are easy to find as are plated bikes.
I've put 8000 miles on mine since I bought it, don't know how many it had before I got it.
The only drawback is kick start only but it usually starts first or second kick.
I got it geared for the moon and it'll cruise at 80-90 all day long........and get 45mpg to boot.
Out of the three bikes I own it's the slowest.............and the most fun on the right road.
If I could only own one bike this might be it.......
Best of all it's a Honda.........
Kai Ju
Last edited by kai ju; 03-03-2009 at 09:18 PM.
03-04-2009, 03:34 AM
#7
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Warren, NH
Posts: 284
Hank- Check out this forum www.supermotojunkie.com I hear a lot of guys at the track that run motards talk about it.
03-04-2009, 02:28 PM
#10
Junior Member
Squid
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 19
Watch out those lc4 motors will last forever but vibrate real bad. If it has an e-start I think they have a better balanced motor but less power. I owned 2 lc4 bikes a 1998 super-competition dirtbike and a 2005 625 smc. I would not own another one as they have more down sides than up for the type of riding I do. Keep in mind they don't have a very high top speed, 100 at the max on my stock 625smc and I would want a steering damper for average speeds around 75 because the front end is light. Also keep in mind you will want an aftermarket seat unless your just tooling around town.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
PappySmears
Everything Else
31
01-21-2012 06:20 AM
