KTM’S 950SM WILL BRIGHTEN UP ANYONE’S DAY.
KTM’s big supermoto is guaranteed to raise a smile (or three).
In the early 2000s supermotos were one of those crazes that threatened to explode but in the end never really took off, despite all the hype surrounding it. Much like we are currently seeing with scrambler models, every manufacturer decided that they needed to hop on the bandwagon, but most failed to do it with any degree of success. The likes of the terrible Honda FMX650 Funmoto, limp Suzuki DR-Z400 and forgettable Yamaha XT660R came and went with little more than a whimper, but some supermotos had genuine staying power. As it turned out, in the world of the road-going supermoto, bigger was most certainly better and leading the charge were KTM with their 950SM.
While it was labelled a big supermoto, the truth of the matter was that the SM was effectively KTM’s take on a sports tourer, and in this respect they were ahead of the game.
Trending
In the early 2000s the bikebuying public’s attention was starting to be attracted to adventure bikes instead of traditional sports-tourers, as their upright riding position was better suited for covering miles while their handling was dramatically improving. KTM spotted this trend and decided to offer a bike with all the benefits of their adventure model, but with improved road holding thanks to the fact it would be armed with matching fat 17in wheels rather than odd-sized
and skinny off-road ones. The result of this thinking was the 950SM – one of the most fun bikes ever built and now a brilliant used buy if you want to cover big miles but still arrive at your destination with a huge grin plastered all over your face.
When you sit on a 950SM the first thing that strikes you is the sheer size of the bike. With a seat height of 885mm it is certainly not best suited for those slightly short in the leg department and overall it is physically quite imposing, especially when you try and pull it off its stand and you feel its 191kg of weight come into play. It is certainly no lithe Ducati Hypermotard, but once you get it upright, and the soft suspension sinks to reduce the distance to the ground, it becomes a far friendlier place to be.
The SM’s seat is pleasingly squishy and far more padded than you would expect on a supermoto while the pegs are lovely and low, and the chunky bars nice and wide. It feels every part the adventure bike due to this stance and its bulbous tank, just with a bit more of a pushed forward riding position that places you more over the front end. And then you hit the starter and the fun really begins…
You have to hand it to KTM, their LC8 V-twin is one cracking motor. While the early 950 carbed model may not quite have the ultimate peak power of the later fuel-injected 990 versions, it is still an absolute beauty. Open the throttle and the pickup is instant yet not fierce thanks to the near perfect connection you get with carbs and once driving it continues to deliver wave after wave of smooth torque. Unlike Ducati’s V-twin, which can be a touch lumpy, the LC8 is quiet and refined and devoid of that lazy drive you get on a 90º twin.
As well as being happy to pull from low in the rev range, once you hit around 6,000rpm it surges forward and charges towards its 9,500rpm redline. When this happens you will be giggling like crazy, although the clunky gearbox that often likes to miss or not quite engage the cogs may dampen your mood slightly. As could the suspension…
Nutty by nature
Supermotos, and all adventure bikes for that matter, all come with long travel suspension and while this is great when it comes to absorbing bumps in the road, it’s not quite so good in bends. Hit the brakes on the SM and the fierce Brembo radial brakes combine to make the front end dive like a pro footballer before springing back like Zebedee when you release the pressure. And the same is true for the rear, which is also set on the soft size so that when you hit the power it tends to sag and sit down.
This overall softness has the effect of causing the SM to rock through corners like a ship on a rough sea, which in some ways is annoying and in others makes it even the more entertaining! Luckily you can adjust quite a lot of this spongy feeling out as KTM have fitted quality WP suspension with full adjustability at both ends, but it can never be totally eliminated. But is this really a bad thing? For most SM riders it only adds to the fun and is all part of this frankly hysterical bike’s appeal. That’s the key to 950SM ownership.
If you want a sensible bike but really don’t want a sensible ride – buy a KTM 950SM. You can arm it with panniers, take it through traffic and cover motorway miles at a decent pace that is only limited by its lack of wind protection. Then, at the weekend or if you fancy playing the fool, you can let the SM off its commuter leash and go wild, pulling wheelies, blasting through bends and generally have a laugh. It’s a great bike to own and one of the most endearing models KTM have yet built – and could be yours for less than £4,000. Don’t just think about it too much. Buy one, you won’t regret it.