KTM RC8

My advice would be if he's a good mate for each of you to keep hold of your own bikes but swap from time to time when you go out.
Best of both worlds then!
I'd better not let either of you have a go on my Bonnie or that would totally blow you away with its style, speed and handling. lol

 

He wants to swap..........
I wonder why that is then......

 

The RC8 is a very narrow purpose bike, extremely good at that narrow purpose. Speedy is good at everything. I use mine for commuting, touring and carving up the twisties etc. It's great at all of them. I love touring on it. No ideas at all of changing it. Tell him to keep his RC8

 

H, how could you even think of swapping :-(

 

KTM - would not consider from a servicing point of view. They use steel fasteners into aluminum cases. Recipe for a reassembly disaster. My friend's shop fixes many of these that were over torqued by owners.

 

So do all modern motorcycles!?

 

I am not sure Yorkshireman. You have to forgive me as most of my experience has been on Harleys where I never once stripped out a fastener. Harleys are farm tractors that you can fix by beating with a big rock and thus I never bothered with a torque wrench. Perhaps the modern bikes all do use steel into aluminum cases. I do know that certain metals will gall when tightened, some will cut into a softer metal and some will mate perfectly as designed when threaded. Certainly not an intended dig at KTM (the performance and technology is unquestionable), was rather an observation based on conversation with a dealer that sells them. I do note that I now have 3 different torque wrenches that I massage my Speedy with as I reassemble bits here and there.

CHEERS,

Chris

 

For what it's worth I've found Triumph fasteners way superior to the Ducati I had for a couple of years. No corrosion or seized so far (touch wood). I do use copper grease though (or thread-lock when appropriate).