KTM 950 Super Enduro R - The Destroyer

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Bike Reviews

By Shannons - 11 January 2007

Words and pics: Barry Ashenhurst

Niche marketing is a strange thing and it comes in myriad forms. The latest niche to be marketed to us, or at least to some of us, is what is known as the "the big-bore bike for the big event" niche, populated by heavyweight contenders like BMW's HP2 and the KTM 950 Super Enduro R pictured here.

The KTM is powered by a V-twin of 942cc capacity. Fuel delivery is achieved via two 43mm Keihin carburettors and the grunter breathes through twin pipes exiting canon-style on either side of the seat.

There are similarities between this bike and thKTM 950 Super Enduro Re 950 Adventure, but they're insignificant. The wheelbase is the same at 1570mm, but the tiny 13L tank on the Super Enduro tells you a lot about why this bike is not an adventure bike. So if it's not an adventure bike, what is it?

Well, first up, it's big. And I don't mean big, I mean BIG! It's the biggest dirt bike I've ever ridden, and the most difficult to deal with at low speeds, where it's cumbersome and has the balance of a pear sitting on a pin.

Its seat height is 920mm but feels twice that, and it's heavy - "approximately 185kg", according to the specs sheet. In short it's difficult to manhandle, mainly because it manhandles you.

When I first saw this KTM I just didn't get it. KTM 950 Super Enduro RWas it a road bike with knobbies or a dirt bike like BMW's R1200 GS or HP2, or KTM's 950 Adventure? To clarify matters, I went for a ride - a 360km stretch on the bitumen from Newcastle to Sydney and back. And I hated it. It was uncomfortable as hell, and with no screen it had my neck and shoulders screaming for mercy.

To top things off the front was nervous, wanting to follow every crack in the pavement. So it wasn't like an Adventure or a big dual-purpose Beemer.

Then, I took it off-road - and a very strange transformation took place. On the dirt it turned well and it felt lighter - in fact it felt vastly better in just about every respect.

It still felt like a big lump, with enough muscle to pull the moon closer to earth, but what had been a clumsy brute the day before was now actually quite impressive, in an aircraft carrier kind of a way.

As Clever Dick said, this is a big-bore bike for big events. I think it's a big-bore bike for big blokes tackling big events. In the hands of a world class rider it would be extremely fast, in fact in Austria's Erzberg Rally it demonstrated a level of aggression most of us have only heard about. But you need a huge amount of natural talent to ride a bike like this well.

You don't need world class credentials mind you, but it does help if you're in the A-League. I'm in the minor leagues so I'll stick with something a little more manageable.

Specs: KTM 950 Super Enduro R

Engine: 942cc, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, eight-valve, 75-degree V-twin

Bore and stroke: 100 x 60mm

Compression: 11.5:1KTM 950 Super Enduro R

Fuel system: twin 43mm Keihin carburettors

Power: n/a

Torque: n/a

Transmission: six-speed

Frame: tubular chrome-moly space frame

Front brake: single 300mm disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper

Rear brake: single 240mm disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper

Front suspension: 48mm WP forks, fully adjustable