Tires, Air Pressure; Checking Spoke Tension; Battery - KTM 950 ADVENTURE 2006 Owner's Manual

MAINTENANCE WORK ON CHASSIS AND ENGINE
TIRES – AIR PRESSURE
950 Adventure front
Road, driver only 2.4 bar (34psi) 2.6 bar (37psi)
Road, with passenger 2.4 bar (34psi) 2.8 bar (40psi)
maximum payload 2.4 bar (34psi) 2.8 bar (40psi)
32
1

Tires, air pressure

Tire type, tire condition, and how much air pressure the tires have in them
affect the way your motorcycle rides, and they must therefore be checked when-
ever you're getting ready to go anywhere on your motorcycle.
– IN ORDER TO ENSURE RIDING SAFETY AND OPTIMAL RIDING PERFORMANCE,
ONLY KTM-APPROVED TIRES MAY BE USED. OTHER TIRES CAN HAVE A NEG-
ATIVE EFFECT ON RIDING PERFORMANCE (E.G. VIBRATION AT HIGHER SPEEDS).
– DO NOT EXCEED THE RESPECTIVE MAXIMUM SPEED FOR TIRES DESIGNED
WITH A SPEED INDEX OF LESS THAN "V" (240 KPH, 150 MILES/H). A STICKER
SHOWING THE MAXIMUM SPEED MUST BE AFFIXED TO THE MOTORCYCLE
WITHIN THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VISION.
– Tire type and size can be found in the technical specifications and in the
homologation certificate
– Tire condition has to be checked every time you want to ride your motor-
cycle. Before leaving check for punctures and nails or other sharp objects
rear that might have become embedded in the tire.
– Refer to the specific regulations in your country for minimum tire tread
requirements. We recommend replacing tires at the latest when the tread
is down to 2 mm (0.08 in).
– Tire pressure should be checked regularly on a "cold" tire. Adapt the air
pressure to the motorcycle's total weight. Proper pressure ensures opti-
mum driving comfort and extends the life of your tires.
– DO NOT MOUNT TIRES WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED BY KTM. OTHER
TIRES COULD HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE WAY YOUR MOTORCYCLE
RIDES.
– USE TIRES OF THE SAME BRAND AND TYPE FOR THE FRONT AND REAR
WHEELS.
– FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY REPLACE DAMAGED TIRES IMMEDIATELY.
– WORN TIRES CAN HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON HOW YOUR MOTORCYCLE
PERFORMS, ESPECIALLY ON WET SURFACES
– IF AIR PRESSURE IS TOO LOW, ABNORMAL WEAR AND OVERHEATING OF THE
TIRE CAN RESULT
– NEW WHEELS HAVE A SMOOTH SURFACE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY MUST
BE RUN IN TO ACHIEVE FULL GRIP. FOR THIS PURPOSE, RIDE THE MOTOR-
CYCLE CAREFULLY AT MODERATE SPEED DURING THE FIRST 200 KILOMETERS
(125 MILES) WITH NEW TIRES, TILTING THE VEHICLE AT DIFFERENT ANGLES
SO THAT ALL SECTIONS ARE PROPERLY ROUGHENED. TIRES WILL NOT DIS-
PLAY THEIR FULL GRIP CHARACTERISTICS UNTIL THEY ARE PROPERLY RUN IN.
– FOR REASONS OF SAFETY, IT IS RECOMMENDED TO EXCHANGE THE VALVE
INSERT WHENEVER A NEW TIRE IS MOUNTED.

Checking spoke tension

The correct spoke tension is very important for the stability of the wheels and
thus for riding safety. A loose spoke causes the wheel to become unbalanced
and before long other spokes will have come loose. Check spoke tension, espe-
cially on a new motorcycle, in regular intervals. For checking, tap on each
spoke with the blade of a screw driver (see illustration). A clear tone must be
the result. Dull tones indicate loose spokes. If necessary, have the spokes retight-
ened and the wheel centered by a KTM dealer.
– IF YOU CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITH LOOSE SPOKES, THE SPOKES CAN TEAR
AND LEAD TO AN INSTABLE HANDLING PERFORMANCE. TORN SPOKES CAN
DAMAGE THE AIR HOSE. THE LOSS OF AIR CAN EASILY CAUSE THE MOTOR-
CYCLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL.
– EXCESSIVELY TENSIONED SPOKES MAY RUPTURE DUE TO LOCAL OVERLOAD-
ING. THE SPOKES MUST BE TENSIONED TO 5 NM ± 1 NM.

Battery

The battery is located in the underride protection in front of the engine and
is maintenance-free. It is not necessary to check the electrolyte level or to
refill water. Simply keep the battery poles clean and slightly grease them with
an acid-free grease if necessary. The charge condition and type of charge are
very important for the battery's service life.
NEVER OPERATE THE MOTORCYCLE WITH A RUN-DOWN BATTERY OR WITHOUT THE
BATTERY. THIS CAN DAMAGE THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS OR SAFETY EQUIP-
MENT IN EITHER CASEAND THE MOTORCYCLE WILL NO LONGER BE ROADWORTHY.
NEVER REMOVE THE CLOSING COVER [1] OTHERWISE THE BATTERY WILL BE DAMAGED.
»