BBB #7 KTM 1290 SA v S1000R v MT-10

[@cyndeeandstevelinde2810]

What a fantastic way to spend 20 minutes. Really enjoyed it, mates having a laugh and riding bikes, life doesn't get much better.

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Cyndee And Steve Linde Thanks! Really glad you enjoyed the nonsense.

[@mark3863]

Good to see you guys again, and yet another great video with honest down to earth opinions, thanks.

[@RacerJuan42]

Greetings from Canada...Thank you for the excellent reviews gents....fantastic scenery, and I really enjoy the candid approach you guys take to reviews. I just can't believe you don't have more subscribers!? keep up the great work, wishing you all safe travels!

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Yammieboy thanks for the comment! We don’t have more subscribers because we don’t chuck loads of content out there. We’re not bothered, we just do it for fun. It would be quite hilarious if we were to become “social media infleuncers” though!

[@RacerJuan42]

Andrew Tobin That's what riding and touring with friends is all about, having fun! Really enjoyable viewing for the rest of us, so thank you!

[@wilswood8137]

Brilliant and great viewing as always 👍🏻 please do more guys .

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Thanks! We'd love to. We've been talking about drones too.

[@shannoncrawford7212]

I had a KTM Super Duke GT for about a year (11k miles). Had a minor accident and the insurance company ended up totaling it. After living with the 1290 engine I was worried any other street bike would leave me wanting more. Picked up a very nicely modded MT10 for a whole lot less than another KTM and boy do I love this bike. Mods: -3500 miles -Cat delete and ECU flash. -Quick-shifter up and down. -Lowered handle bar clamps and R1 rear sets; more aggressive/sporty than stock, but I am still comfortable on it. -R1 rear shock. -Suspension was set up for track focus. -R1 front and rear master cylinders. -CRG bar end mirrors -Aftermarket levers and grips. -Tank pads. -Frame and axle sliders and engine guards. -Integrated tail lamp and fender eliminator. -Brand new tires, chain and sprockets. Granted with the mods it is probably 50-60 lbs lighter than the stock SDGT but seat of the pants: Below 5k rpms the MT10 pulls harder, 5k-8k the SDGT does but not by much, over 8k to redline they feel evenly matched. Handling is no comparison though. My MT10 can take the same corners as the SDGT at higher speeds with more ease, stability and confidence. I really liked the KTM V-twin sound with a slip on but that cross plane crank with no cat and the baffle removed from the muffler sounds wicked.

[@neilw4881]

Good, honest, normal (ish) guys! Great reviews, keep them coming👍👍

[@Na2gumiBlogspot]

Had a blast with my MT10 vs a 1290 SA guy. Really impressed how the big SA held its' ground. Unbelievable straight line performance. You could say that the weight of the bike + chassis suffered on corner entry but what an amazing bike.

[@MrAlphadeltabravo]

Great video again Tobers, sorry to have missed the trip. Looking forward to new destination next time and the right sat nav coordinates! 🤣

[@jojitsu56]

Another great video, thanks.

[@Bornie205]

Very good job. Thanks chaps. After riding the picos last year I just swapped my s1000r for a 1290 GT and share many of the bservations

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

I think you made the right call there Stephen. Torque, not ultimate power, is the key.

[@MrAlphadeltabravo]

1290GT was an excellent choice...hopefully you saw our previous review!

[@guiliobarresi1808]

great vid guys watched this about i year ago, tried a bmw1000r, a ktm gt , and lots more and bought a mt 10 best bike i have ever had and im old and had a lot over the years lol only bad part is the way it drinks fuel when you give it the gun but i bought it for smiles not miles lol

[@BIKERMETOO]

Another REAL LIFE video...ride safe !!!!

[@timgibson2540]

Nice review again Andrew

[@mickshere9642]

Love your annual video ;-) Nice to hear normal bikers giving real reviews guys, please keep up the vids. Have you considered doing a podcast?

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Thanks Mick. It's hard enough getting us all together once a year! We will do what we can to increase the production rate though (ie talk about it quite a bit but fail to do anything about it).

[@Banditmanuk]

Just found your channel, great vid. Got an MT10 myself, use the SW Motech Blaze panniers although they do rub the plastic on the edges of the seat. Nothing yet after two years that I would want to swap to. Err not sure I would 'waste' cash on carbon wheels, need all my money to keep filling the thing with petrol!

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Strange that the panniers would rub on the seat edge - I'll have to take a look at that with mine. Yes, the MT10 does drink a bit of juice but I'm averaging 40mpg with medium hoonage at the moment which isn't too bad.

[@Banditmanuk]

Andrew Tobin Me being 6ft 3" and 18st doesn't help with fuel consumption

[@richardmorton5650]

I have the same problem with the panniers...I am considering a ktm superduke gt to replace my mt10, and wondered from your previous posting how would you compare them both?? Nice vids by the way, you guys remind me our our little group...Banter is all!!!!

[@MRTPR]

Just became your 400 Subscriber. Great channel, lovely views, and bikes. Greetings from South Australia. I don't review other bikes because I am frightened I will like another bike better than mine. So I stick to reviewing accessories instead on my channel.

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Much appreciated. Thanks for subscribing - hopefully you are the patient kind!

[@adriantompson]

got mt10sp dont want to change such a good all round bike would love to have your carbon wheels. good reviews of the bikes its lucky we like different bikes . or every body would be riding the same thing.

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Quite right Adrian. The MT10 is obviously the best, but it would be dull if everyone had them. Plus the hedges and trees would be full of less talented riders.

[@butlersg1]

Really enjoyed the video - nice work. How did you find the range on the MT10 when touring? I’m interested in a bike that would do track days and the odd tour and this looks just the ticket. If in the highlands, alps or picos - do you have to carry fuel in the pannier? Is the consumption/tank size a problem? Thanks

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Thanks Stephen. I didn't carry any spare fuel with me. Before I went I made a small hole in the right hand side (as you sit on the bike) of the filler neck. This lets you get a bit more fuel in (I reckon another litre). We did give the bikes a good old spanking, but in the Picos most of the roads are relatively tight 2nd/3rd gear jobbies so in reality you don't end up nailing it non stop full time. So I was getting 110-120 miles before the light which is good enough for me. I did have one tight moment where I was up to 145 miles or more (some 6th gear pootling!) as I didn't take the chance to fill up. Ended up putting 18 litres in the 17 litre tank! Thanks to the filler neck hole that extra litre helped. Otherwise, it's brilliant as a tourer. We usually stop every 100 miles anyway, so range is not an issue. And it's such an immense bike it pays to ride it everywhere.

[@windyrun7979]

Was wondering what if anything came of the super duke gt?

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

It was sold in favour of the more two-up practicality of the 1290 Adv.

[@MrAlphadeltabravo]

Yes I sold it to one of our viewers. It was a reluctant sale but I had a garage shuffle and needed a two up tourer. Would buy another.

[@edvanloon]

Nice sign writing on the wheels

[@CharltonDaman27]

Great video! really like that KTM. How tall is the guy who owns it?

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

charlton bryan Not very tall actually. About 5’9” I guess. Doesn’t have a problem riding it though. It just the stopping... :-)

[@CharltonDaman27]

Andrew Tobin thanks for the reply. Yeah I'm 5'81/2" this is the bike I want to buy but it's really tall and I thought the seat was too hard.

[@mikepritchard4930]

Hi Charlton , Mick here the KTM owner... I'm 5'9" with short legs . Cant get my full foot on the floor but I can sit comfortably on the balls of my feet. I found the saddle hard and got the upgraded power parts seat, much better and very comfortable, although a tad higher than the stock seat again.

[@DakarBlues]

@@mikepritchard4930 right, I'm 6'3 I can flatfoot my 1290 SAS but it is still very high (and almost as comfortable as an airpad) with the PP seat

[@windyrun7979]

Nice review - really enjoyed it and appreciate your posting it. Never heard of s1000r being slow. What ride mode did you guys have it in?

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

It was in bonkers mode. It's not "slow" as such, it just needs the nuts revved off it to make it go, whereas the others dont. As a result, it doesn't "feel" as responsive and torquey when you're riding it normally. If you keep the revs very high it is, but that gets kind of annoying after a while.

[@StevenBroom]

Great video as always and I'm now going to try to get a test ride on an MT-10 tourer which I'd never really considered before. My only complaint is that in the 1st shot you're mixing adidas and nike. What were you thinking?

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

We are an equal opportunities crew when it comes to sports gear, just as we are with bikes. I sort-of made an MT-10 tourer. I don't like the Yamaha panniers - the SW-Motech ones seem much simpler and more versatile. I got the touring seat and screen though. And hunt for deals. I got my MT-10 brand new for £9999 from The Motorbike Shop in Farnborough. Amazing price.

[@supergixxers]

How's the fuel consumption on the mt10?I had the latest s1000r and was a bit thirsty!

[@hubert1142]

where's dem beards? my gf has a bigger beard. Joking aside, still happy with those carbon wheels on your MT10? Thinking about getting those for mine. much love

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

The carbon wheels are amazing - highly recommended. Unfortunately I haven’t had much chance to use the beast during lockdown. Soon though....

[@hubert1142]

@@beardedbaldbikers4634 roger, I will start browsing, thank you

[@robquince3076]

Good vid lads I thought you'd all died it's been that long🤣🤣🤣do you plan on doing any more soon?

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Rob Quince would love to but gathering this lot together just once a year is tough enough. Will see what we can do.

[@robquince3076]

Andrew Tobin if you could that would be great I like the banter you all have it makes it a great watch👍

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Rob Quince Actually one of our number did nearly die a few months ago, but that’s another story!

[@robquince3076]

Andrew Tobin that's not good hope all's ok. I'm a newbie it can get a bit close out there but I'm loving it

[@alireid5819]

Hi great vid' as I'm considering new bike but this is the first time I've ever heard anyone describing MT10 brakes as really good, all other reviews have claimed that they are lacking. Are they stock? Cheers.

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Yeah they aren't as good as the S1000R brakes, but I have put some different pads in the MT10. Can't remember which ones though - I think they are EBC HH Sintered. Big improvement.

[@markbutlerspoons]

A like just for the wheel art 😂

[@Neiljitsu]

Do you still have your mt10? I have had a s1000r and sold it after 18 months. I found it a bit cramped and a bit sterile feeling. I briefly had an tracer gt and thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately a kindly old lady killed it after just 2 months of ownership, so I'm now bike less and I have a hankering for a mt10 sp or tourer. I'm 6'1" and 16st and I'm wondering how much space you have on it? Great videos BTW.

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

Thanks for the compliment on the videos! Yes I still have the MT10. It's just totally superb - I love it. I reckon it's the best bike I've ever owned, and I've had quite a few. I use some soft panniers (SWMotch ones) which are excellent. I'm a bit taller than you by 2" and a couple of stone lighter, but have plenty of room. The leg space is more relaxed than the S1000R. And the MT10 engine is much more fun IMHO. Suggest you just get the standard MT10 and put some BST carbon wheels on with the saving from the SP version. Wowza the thing goes like a bat out of hell.

[@Neiljitsu]

@@beardedbaldbikers4634 I will have a look! I'm still drawn to the sp, I'm a bit of a tart..

[@MultiRod100]

Another great video, well done. I've got the MT10SP, ridden 17,500 miles in 14 months.....a great all round bike. IAM observing, track days, Alps & Dolomites last year and Picos in June. Due to high mileage/decreasing value, was starting to think about what's next, and the KTM Super Adventure S is top of my list. Previously had three GS's and Multistrada plus many others over 25 years. However the rumoured for 2019 VVT GS with 140bhp sounds interesting...….Instagram @Moto_Rod

[@MrAlphadeltabravo]

MultiRod100 Good call. I had the 1290GT (see previous vids) and only moved to the SA as was having a bike cull and needed pillion practicality. The GT is dynamically the better bike IMHO. Still trying to find a screen that works on the SA and currently have nothing on which kinda works!

[@beardedbaldbikers4634]

The 1290SA is a very cool piece of motorbike. Impressive. With 50% of the Bearded Bald Bikers having them you may be onto something. One thing we didn't cover is reliability - something Prichard and Bacon may comment on. Also, rather than selling the MT10SP, chuck some BST carbon wheels on it - should keep you excited for another couple of years. But then I'm biased - I love mine!

[@markbutlerspoons]

A like just for the wheel art 😂