captainscarlet

Well it's been 12 months and I am still delighted with my choice. The 1290 is a brilliant bike and is just right for what I want from a bike at the moment. Much like the Tracer the engine is absolutely intoxicating although in a different way. This is my first twin and I must say I'm impressed. The torque and power seem simply endless. Since I posted the picture at the start of this thread I have made some minor additions/changes. I have fitted a black Arrow silencer; the looks and sound are so much better than the original. I've also fitted KTM original crash bars, an Outback Motortek bashplate and a Givi adapter plate for my topbox. The only other change currently on my to-do list is the screen which, like the Tracer's, is crap generating a lot of noise and turbulence. I find the suspension excellent and it is great being able to change settings on the fly. In fact the whole dashboard is really good with lots of info and easy to navigate. I have the bike paired to my phone and Cardo headset. Calls are displayed on the dashboard and can be controlled from the left hand grip. It also displays turn by turn navigation from my phone on the dash. The standard seat is fine for me although, much like this forum, the KTM forums I now frequent are littered with posts complaining about how uncomfortable the standard seat is. KTM do a comfort seat (with or without heating) which is supposed to be excellent. Fuel range is great, depending on riding style and I have seen just short of 400km before needing to fill up. Should be a great touring bike. No complaints or niggles so far. The only thing I don't like compared to the Tracer is the extra weight when moving it around the driveway. It's not that much heavier than the Tracer, but the extra weight is noticeable. CS

Yes, I bought a new seat. They had a special deal where it came with a free 1290 Super Adventure. Bloody expensive seat! 😋 CS

Ah ok, no the Dark Side was more a reference to this... ...as there is more than a passing resemblance.

Well after 5 1/2 years and a somewhat paltry 20000km I am parting ways with the Tracer and joining the ranks of General Grievous droid army. On Wednesday of this week this will be delivered into my garage: It's a 2019 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S that was only registered and put on the road by the dealer in July of this year, so essentially a new bike (there are no differences between 19 and 20 models). It will come with KTM's hard luggage and heated grips. For the first time ever I traded the Tracer in, I usually always sell privately. However I got a very good deal, including 3 years interest free credit....free money baby! I can't wait! Anyway I will miss the Tracer, it has been and still is a brilliant bike. Mine has been absolutely flawless; I have not had to do anything to it apart from routine servicing. Just wanted to sign off by saying it has been a privilege to share this little bit of cyberspace with you guys. The forum has been an invaluable source of knowledge for me and I hope I've also been able to give a little back. Compared to many my Tracer has been only mildly breathed on. I have changed suspension front and back, new slip-on, remap, windscreen and hand-guards, plus a few other minor bits and pieces. If I was to do it all again I would absolutely do the suspension first. In my opinion it is the single biggest improvement you can make to the bike. Well it's been a blast. CS

Have you considered a Tracer 700? They are 20 kilos lighter than the 900. Supposed to be a great bike too. CS

Sounds like the right plan. The new springs will get the suspension nicely in the operating range for your weight. Bike will be nicely balanced. CS

Ok so the Streetbox includes a new shock, new fork springs and fork oil. I'm guessing/hoping that the price you've been quoted includes fitting otherwise there are better/cheaper options. Initially I changed to a K-tech Razor Lite rear shock and K-tech springs in the forks. This sorted the rear end and made some improvement in the front. Just getting springs for my weight made a noticeable difference . However the real problem with the Tracer's front end is the fork hydraulics. To improve those you either need a valve kit or you can swap out all the internals and fit a cartridge kit. This is what I did. I bought K-tech 20IDS cartridges and was able to use the K-tech springs I'd bought the year before. Fitting the rear shock is easy if a little fiddly; it's just a couple of nuts and bolts and can easily be completed with basic tools. Working on the forks on the other hand is more involved. The process is not that difficult but does require a couple of special tools. You also have to remove the forks from the bike. There are plenty of options out there to buy shocks with remote preload adjustment like you have on your Tracer. K-tech do the Razor Lite with a remote adjuster. Another good choice is Nitron. Hyperpro I'm sure are also good. I guess the big question is how much of the fitting you want/can perform yourself. CS

If you're getting front and rear done for 750 Euros that's not bad. Also the guy is right in that both ends of the bike need fixing. I went with K-tech cartridges up front and a K-tech shock in the rear. Prices I paid you can read about here... I fitted everything myself. What components are included in the quote you've been given? CS

I got mine from here: Smoke Motorcycle Adjustable Clip On Windshield Extension Spoiler Wind Deflector Small motorcycle windshields, motorcycles stuck in the windshield... But there are a raft of them on Ebay and I suspect they are all pretty much the same product. CS

I am awaiting delivery of a wind deflector, similar to the Puig item, ordered from Ebay. I realise this varies depending on the individual, but what position works well for reducing turbulence at speed? I'm just looking for some pointers for initial position that I might try. CS

Good info, I have sent them an email asking about that and enquiring as to whether the seat can be had with a one piece covering. CS

Well there appear to be quite a few positive posts for Bagster and some that suggest only a minor improvement. Many thanks to all those who have responded. My own research has led me here Comfort seats for Yamaha MT-09 Tracer ('15-'17) Custom comfort seats for Yamaha MT-09 Tracer, for more relaxed... MotoK seem to receive extremely favourable reviews. I'm considering sending my seat to them during the coming winter hiatus. CS

@roadrash83, @Fleng and @Kenny A. how do you find the Bagster compared to the standard seat? I understand there are a number of options/specifications for the Bagster seat, which did you go for? CS

Thanks for a very informative post, that was just the sort of feedback I was looking for. Bit disappointing however that the Sargent seat pan was so weak. I have started looking for seat makers in country here in Sweden. CS

No it's a 525 chain but the D.I.D ZVM-X chain I fitted is more substantial and wider than the original OEM D.I.D chain.

I have always thought the standard seat on my Tracer to be fine. Sure it's a bit firm, but I've done all day mileage on it and frankly have always got a bit of a tired behind on any motorbike I've owned after a days ride. However I've clearly been missing a recent reference point which I experienced yesterday when I sat on a mates CB1000R. My God it was heaven, much more comfortable! Obviously this creates an immediate problem for my wallet as I absolutely must now have a better seat! 😬 So having trawled the knowledge on this forum I find myself in a bit of a dilemma. There are just too many conflicting opinions on the various seat options. I had thought of just jumping straight in and getting a Bagster. Reviews on this forum seem generally favourable but wider reading reveals that they are not waterproof! There is simply no way, living in Northern Europe, that I can buy a seat that is not waterproof. The Yamaha comfort seat, based on available evidence, is simply not enough of an improvement over standard. Corbin, by all accounts, are very comfortable but I'm not fully onboard with the looks and buying one here in Europe seems ridiculously expensive at nearly a £1000! Sargent are currently my favoured option, but even here there is a mixed bag with regard to reviews. I've also seen the numerous posts about the various seat makers including Terry Adcox. I have no doubt these kinds of seats are comfortable but I can't get past the looks. So where am I going with all this rambling? Well I suppose I'd like some fresh input from the Panel and preferably some detailed experiences of those that have or had Sargent seats. CS

I'm re-opening this thread to provide some feedback on the Skidmarx hugger that I plumped for over the R&G on the basis that I thought it would provide better protection. The hugger went on towards the end of summer 2019 and has mostly done dry miles. It has been out in the wet a couple of times and did provide some improvement in protection. The shock stayed pretty clean but the back of the bike still gets pretty messy. Having recently fitted a new more heavy duty chain I have discovered a limitation with the Skidmarx hugger. It is in two parts with the main hugger forming the mud and chain guard at the rear of the swingarm. There is also a second piece which forms the front part of the chain guard. The two parts are joined by a screw and nut that is visible in the picture in the post above. Unfortunately the inside of this fitting is exactly in line with the chain run and my new wider chain catches on the fitting. The shiny gloss finish has also troubled me somewhat since the hugger went on so I've now removed it and refitted the original chain guard and hugger. I think the bike looks better for it.... So I'm now thinking the R&G will be the best option. It simply bolts on in place of the original hugger and the original chain guard stays. If anyone is interested in the Skidmarx hugger I'm happy to part with it, although I'm guessing postage from Sweden to just about anywhere else will make it an unattractive proposition. CS

Managed to get out on my first ride this Sunday since changing the chain and sprockets at the end of last week. I must say there was a noticeable difference, with less vibration and a more general feeling of smoothness. Also my quickshift, which is generally already smooth, was like butter. All in all I'm glad I changed the drive train. CS

So the new chain is now on. I must say it feels much more robust than the OEM item. The job was relatively straight forward and thankfully I was able to borrow a decent chain breaking and riveting tool from a friend. It will be interesting to see, feel and hear how the bike now feels. CS

That is EXACTLY what I have been seeing on my chain and like you in a number of locations. Also the mileage correlates very well. I've done around 20 000 km which is give or take 12 500 miles. My understanding from reading elsewhere is that the dust is rust from inside the chain. Which means the inside of the rollers/links where the rust is coming from are shot. I am currently in the middle (literally, I've just undone the front sprocket) of changing my chain. Like you I have been experiencing noise and I'm sure more vibration than normal. I would not use a clip link, it is much safer to use a rivit. Also the front sprocket is a 16 tooth not 17 if you want to keep it standard. CS

Indeed, according to D.I.D's own marketing blurb the VX and in particular the ZVM-X are supposed to last at least double the mileage. Time will tell.... CS

That is very interesting that more of us have had the same issue. The D.I.D fitted to our bikes from the factory is the V0 model which according to the following page is their base model o-ring chain for road bikes. D.I.D Chains | Motorcycle and ATV Chains | D.I.D. Racing Chains D.I.D motorcycle chains are among the best in the world. Check... Whilst trawling YouTube I also found the following D.I.D video and in it they recommend changing x-ring chains every 15 to 20 000 km. Which I think is crap! Looks like our standard chains have built in obsolescence! CS

I have just purchased a new chain and sprockets. I'm still on my original drive train and frankly hadn't expected to need to change it yet having only done 20 000 km / 12 000 miles. However after recent rides I have noticed som red staining around a number of links. I initially thought it was dust or soil picked up from the road. However after some research I've come to the conclusion that it is very fine powdered rust that is being pushed out from the rollers, presumably from inside links where the o-rings have given up the ghost. My sprockets are in great condition and look hardly worn, as does the chain itself but I think quite a few links have stiffened up. As I say I am somewhat surprised because I am very pedantic with my chain maintenance. I did however remember that at my annual service a couple of years ago the mechanic mentioned that he had steam cleaned the chain. At the time I didn't think much of it but now in hindsight I would think that blasting hot steam at o-rings is probably not good for them. Anyway having found my local online motorcycle parts dealer was having a sale I decided to splash out on a high quality D.I.D. 525 ZVMX X-ring chain and JT sprockets, damped at the front. The kit arrives tomorrow, so I'll be fitting it this weeked. CS

Interesting. Are the heat demons designed to work in parallel? I have Oxford grips which are designed to work in parallel and they barely warm up connecting to the factory connectors as the factory grips are designed to work in series. CS

I posed the same question to K-tech and received the following response, for those who are interested: Morning The Pin holes are 4mm. You can use an off the shelf pin punch to do this. https://www.tengtools.com/r/gb/en/Striking-Tools/4mm-Parallel-Pin-Punch-PP04 Best Regards