Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1354648
2021 KTM 890 ADVENTURE R R I D E R E V I E W P110 mass at the crank (20% heavier, claimed). This smooths power delivery and makes traction, to put it bluntly. More power. More torque. More traction. I'm more sold. This motor is more than a near future- proof choice. It just feels better than a 790 with a power delivery harmonizing with the balance of the chassis better than ever. The 790 could get a little chunky down low as it looked for momentum between piston peaks. But the 890 churns through low-speed cor- ners with a healthy mass. Open it up and that mass turns into traction and grunty accelera- tion—the best feeling in the world. 890 Adventure R buyers will enjoy the up- graded engine and running changes like ad- ditional oil jets to cool pistons, new connect- ing rods and pins, a revised clutch assembly with new friction plates and more cooling to correct a rare weak spot in the 790's armor. KTM even addressed the 790's Achilles heel of rear-brake fade/overheating with an updated stainless brake hose, new iso- lated rear-brake pistons and isolation plates between pads and pistons–all in an effort to combat heat buildup out back. Does It Look Cool? Aesthetically polarizing, The KTM Adventure 890 family simultaneously hits and misses the rally-style marks for many, myself includ- ed. The tank and seat, shrouds, subframe and more look like more than a street bike turned ADV machine, but the headlight as- sembly needs some help to finish the road- book-inspired look and separate this bike from the Duke family of on-road rippers. Despite a few style point deductions for some, the KTM 890 Adventure R's badas- sery is not in question. You can't ride one of these and expect much more than KTM already boldly claims… unless you've ridden a long-travel Rally version. Then you'll want all that, too. CN 2021 KTM ADVENTURE R ($14,199) ENGINE Parallel Twin DISPLACEMENT 889cc BORE X STROKE 90.7 x 68.8mm VALVETRAIN DOHC, 8 valves HORSEPOWER (CLAIMED) 100 hp @ 8000 rpm TORQUE: (CLAIMED) 74 ft-lbs @ 6500 rpm FUELING EFI Dell'Orto w/46mm throttle body TRANSMISSION 6-speed CLUTCH PASC assist-and-slipper clutch FRAME Chromoly tubular steel w/stressed engine; chromoly trellis subframe HANDLEBARS Tapered aluminum FRONT SUSPENSION WP Xplor, coil sprint, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION WP Xplor, single shock, fully adjustable FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 9.4 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 9.4 in. FRONT BRAKE Radially mounted 4-piston calipers, dual 320mm discs w/ABS REAR BRAKE 2-piston floating caliper, 260mm disc FRONT WHEEL/TIRE Spoked, 90/90-21 in. C ontinental TKC 80 REAR WHEEL/TIRE Spoked, 150/70-18 in. Continental TKC 80 RAKE 26.3/26.2° WHEELBASE 60.2 in. SEAT HEIGHT 34.6 in. FUEL CAPACITY 5.3 gal. WEIGHT (DRY, CLAIMED) 432 lbs. SPECIFICATIONS