RIDE REVIEW I 2023 KTM 890 ADVENTURE
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are also built to withstand minor
get-offs, although in looking at a
couple of bikes that had already
suffered some crashes earlier in
the week (we were not the first
wave of editors to ride them), the
large low-slung protrusion of the
5.3-gallon fuel tank is the first
thing to contact the ground. But
it's been built to withstand that
punishment thanks to the new
larger aluminum skid plate that
protects the tank and keeps the
bike from getting completely over
on its side.
The new dash and fairing
combination certainly make a big
difference when riding on rough
terrain. There's no more shaky
windscreen, and now there's
plenty of room to mount a GPS
or phone. The wind protection is
also much better, even though
there's a hole in the middle
that KTM explained is there
to reduce buffeting at higher
speeds. We were up over 100
miles per hour a couple of times
on this ride, and I didn't feel
any buffeting on my helmet at
all, so maybe they're right. The
new fairing is a fixed unit now,
meaning that it doesn't turn with
the handlebars. If you've never
ridden a bike with a fixed fairing,
take comfort that you'll get used
to it after a few minutes, and
once you're focused on the road
or trail ahead, you won't even
notice it. New LED headlights
are much brighter, and the LED
turn indicators and taillight are
also a nice new addition.
Between the 890 Adventure's
lower height and design fea-
tures, the ergonomics make it a
comfortable and capable bike
for a greater variety of riders.
Since most of the big fuel tank
is down low on the chassis, the
bike is narrow where your knees
make contact, giving it the feel
of a small dirt bike when you're
standing up. The pegs are nice
and wide, offering plenty of trac-
tion for my boots to control the
bike's direction when standing.
They come with rubber inserts,
which can be and were removed
for our mostly off-road press
You don't need the "R" to
have fun on the standard
890 Adventure.
