The Life Style really can provide moments of happiness: it spoils its riders with a comfortable, vibration-free ride and, depending on the stem and spacer variation, with a relaxed city or sporty touring position. The ergonomics are successful, and the long maturing period is noticeable. True to the motto "onroad and offroad", the KTM rolls safely with its wide, fast and light tyres, even if it is not necessarily lively - the focus is on a smooth straight-line ride.
Full Shimano XT gearing and disc brakes, very good lights and a well-made, nicely decorated frame with an integrated rack foot put the KTM far ahead in comparison. Under a heavy load (22 kg), the rack and rear triangle transmit noticeable fluctuations to the main frame; however, with a moderate load, the Life Style masters all the tasks that a universally equipped and usable touring bike has to face with confidence. Good handling, both in fast bends and on the cellar stairs, is due on the one hand to the significantly lowered top tube and on the other to the low total weight of less than 14 kilos.
Many details point to the great care taken by the makers: be it the elaborate dropouts with integrated rack and stand mounts, the optimum gear cable routing from the handlebars to the down tube, the skilfully clear look with internally routed cables and strutless rear mudguard, or the rattle-free chain guard. Sometimes luck is on the road.
Plus:
- Fast bike with great equipment;
- more everyday than travel-orientated
Minus:
- Only a few sizes;
- Fixed spring flap hinders pocket hooks
The history of the model:
A quarter of a century ago, the first Life Style impressed both specialist dealers and customers with its versatile "on and off-road concept": moving away from the purely asphalt-based "sports touring bike" of the time, the new KTM quickly took the lead in the new "trekking bike" trend with its eye-catching paintwork and robust appearance. This resulted in an extensive series with many variants, including one with a stainless steel frame. However, the Life Style has always remained the top model since 1991.
