Road test of KTM990 SM Supermoto 2008 Banana machine!

on this cold July morning, I join my companions for our Sunday ride.
fred and Golden discover that, once again, I've come to ride a new 2-wheeler. Golden wonders about the "youthful" decoration on my cross helmet (yes, my son kindly lent it to me), while Fred is more interested in my sculptural Austrian.
underneath its S.M. exterior, this new KTM 990 is a real ... banana machine!

by Oli the Belgian - Motoplanete Exclusive

forerunner of the maxi S.M. trend, this model was first released in 950 carburetor. This year sees the appearance of a new, somewhat reworked version, with displacement increased to 999 cm³ and, above all, fuel injection. The chassis, already very accomplished on the 9 ½, hasn't changed much.
i'm delighted to find again the eye-catching tires (Pirelli Scorpion) with 120/70-17s at the front and 180/55-17s at the rear, an uncommon size on an S.M..
the driving position hasn't changed either, apart from the dashboard, which is more complete and well integrated into the headlight plate (so much so that when it rains, the wind blows away the raindrops clinging to the dials). What's more, it's topped by a "visor" that deflects the wind by at least 5 centimetres.

supermoto has always held a special place in my biker heart. is it because the concept is harder to defend to other bikers? No !

i simply think that the Katoche remains, for me, the perfect balance between fun and reason.
more than enough power, an engine architecture that already offers plenty of peachiness at low revs, a riding position that allows you to attack as well as keep an optimal view of the road (with your chest upright), and last but not least, more than minimal protection that doesn't push you to high speeds.
the price of the 990 (11,690 Euro) puts it in competition with some 600 and even 1000 roadsters!
as is often the case, this ride alternated between a bit of fun and, er, a bit of fun. The bike's handling allowed me to enjoy myself and keep up with the two roadsters, which were almost 30 hp/din faster than me! For the public along our circuit - no, our road - the Katoche has a more spectacular style! With the front wheel struggling to stay on the ground under every acceleration, and the rear wheel unable to decide between drifting and lifting under every braking action, the term "attack" takes on its full meaning when you're going fast in a 990.
so, the rather unique look is either an advantage or a disadvantage. All the more so as, on such a playful machine, consumables quickly take up the lion's share of the budget.
as for the rest, the bike proves to be a perfectly feasible daily companion: comfortable, supple, with ground clearance allowing plenty of freedom of action in town, even the protection proves acceptable!
i tried a little speeding at the end of the day (not very smart with a cross helmet), my neck gave out at around 217 km/h, but the naughty girl still wanted more (the bike, not the neck, of course!).
as I write these lines, KTM is announcing the release of a "touring" version (a word that sounds very different in Austria!) of the 990: the civilized SM-T.
in addition to a windshield and luggage attachment, the new model features a two-stage seat (allowing its height to be lowered by 20 mm), and thanks to the shorter suspension travel, the rider's comfort is enhanced.and thanks to shorter suspension travel, the savings for the hard-core rider will come in the form of slightly less grippy, but longer-lasting tires.
the 990 SM-T will be available for test and sale from next March, and will retail for 12,390 Euros.
in 2009, KTM will once again be spoiling the biker who wants to ride differently.
as the S.M. range continues to expand, we're beginning to speak of a large Supermoto family.

see you soon for a test of the 690 SMC

oli le Belge - Photo credits: Sliderman