m25jambuster wrote:Julian, links still appear to be u/s? Having said that I would welcome your comments about the 660 SMC as I am considering adding to my garage collection with one of these as I have the opportunity to get one at a good price and having recently test ridden one I came back smiling - it was alot of fun - which at the end of the day is what motorcycling is supposed to be about!?
Keith
The 660 is around 130Kg, mine has a full Akarapovic Titanium system and delivers just over 60rwhp. Wavy discs front and rear. Kick start only, no battery, but because of the flatside carb it starts first kick.
Throttle response is crisp with absolutely no fluffyness and it pulls like a train up to around 60MPH running out of useful puff around 80MPH with a top end of around 100MPH (you don't want to go there, or not for long

). Sprockets are currently 16T/42T.
Choice of tyre is important because they can start weaving over 70MPH if using race tyres with light-weight carcass (i.e. Goldspeeds). I've had a couple of instances of head shake landing a wheelie around 60MPH or getting hot on the gas coming out of a fast sweeper when the front is light. Not a problem when you know it's going to happen.
As one would expect, handling is sublime and the amount of lean/grip is phenomonal. I got the pegs down last week and that's a
long way over

Rear tyre life with road legal wets is around 500 miles (or 1500 miles with sticky road rubber).
Maximum power comes in higher up the rev range than the Duke and you could easily flip the bike off the throttle in second (around 30mph) being hamfisted with the throttle.
On my '02 version there's no oil in the frame so it holds only 1.5 lites of top grade synth. Oil changes are every 500 miles and oil+filters at 1000 miles.
Total tank capacity is 7.5 litres. Reserve has been reached after 35 miles.
As a town bike it is amazing and gets a huge amount of attention because of its looks, colour and noise (LOUD). It drives school kids crazy. Like you say, it is hilarious fun riding one at sensible speeds and that's what is great about them. Oh, and there's not much to clean and polish - which is nice!
p.s. I really appreciate my S after riding the KTMs
