After years of deliberation I parted with my well-travelled TT600 (1986 vintage) and bought a KTM LC4 in April 1999 from my local dealer. It is the special "Sixdays" edition in blue, which has several extras compared to the standard model (e.g. the Magura aluminium handlebar, knobby tyres). It was individually upgraded with the 28.5-litre tank from the "Adventure" model, the corresponding fuel pump, and three fuel taps; a downgrade from the Mikuni to a Dellorto carburettor with a fully open competition exhaust, 205-size jet, and opened airbox – it tears away brutally (not yet visible in the photos). Large hand guards, rally footpegs, GPS, Lowe GPS antenna under the headlight mask, phone, Sigma bicycle computer, etc. The engine modification was done by an Austrian dealer who himself races KTMs in Supermoto.
The intended use is, alongside occasional enduro riding in the local area (sporting with the small original tank), genuine enduro touring – for example in Piedmont, Romania, the Pyrenees, Africa, etc. For reasons of robustness I wanted no fairing, and no overlap in purpose with my HPN. Therefore the Adventure, also 20 kg heavier, was out of the question. The planned luggage is, if any at all, only a tank bag and an Ortlieb roll bag.
Current setup: as a tank bag I use Touratech's very robust model with the attached map holder (No. 055-0068) and the matching small tail bag (No. 055-0202). When I need a bit more space, I use the tail bag designed for the rear seat of the BMW GS with 20-litre volume (No. 055-0203) on the Adventure's original grid carrier (with an additional small base plate).
Experience so far: after 8,500 km of brisk riding the KTM has had no faults whatsoever (apart from the large fuel tank leaking at the cooler opening on the left – but I got a replacement under warranty). After the engine conversion the character changed considerably; the machine responds to small throttle movements much more spontaneously and up top it tears ferociously. In the dirt this is genuinely brutal; on the road it is of course most welcome. Power is probably around 58–60 bhp; the noise at full throttle is corresponding, which encourages restrained riding in populated areas. Fuel consumption has risen by about 1–2 litres/100 km, as the available power is normally used. Even at a relaxed pace the 5–5.5 l/100 km of the Mikuni with its 145 jet are no longer achievable.
To my other KTM pages:
The old KTM page – how the KTM never looked.
Details of my conversion are shown on a new page.
I also have a dedicated KTM photo page taken in the garden.
The base bike: KTM LC4 Sixdays 1999 (my HPN-BMW in the background).
GPS III (with map display), phone in charging cradle, 2 cycle computers, Casio altimeter watch.
Slim and light, razor-sharp chassis. I am delighted.
The Michelin T63 that comes standard on the Sixdays (the standard LC4 has the Metzeler Enduro 3)
is not only excellent off-road but also allows impressive lean angles on tarmac. Turn-in precision
is very good and at the limit it is very forgiving – quite different from, say, the Desert tyre,
which runs very uncomfortably and has poor grip.
Close-up of the cockpit – everything rubber-mounted to be vibration-proof.
The seat (rear from 1999 on the rally tank) is a custom item (KTM Mittermayer, Traunreuth).
Missing here is the modified luggage rack from the Adventure (the 1999 plastic item on the standard LC4 is fragile and ugly!).
The superb water-cooled, light, torquey yet very lively LC4 engine.
