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/1488797
RIDE REVIEW I 2023 KTM 890 ADVENTURE P62 one. So, it's obvious why KTM wants to change the narrative and emphasize the R's shorter little brother. I'm case study number one because I was over the moon when I first learned that I would be attending the 890 press intro. After all, I'd be riding the new 890 R they introduced in Idaho. Not a week before I was supposed to travel, KTM started sending out teasers on its social channels about a "new" bike. Turns out, I'd be riding the "new" little brother. In talking to the other editors in attendance, they felt the same way: KTM tricked us into accepting their invitation by leading us to believe that we'd be riding the all-conquering 890 R. Did it work? Read on. Like most other editors, I didn't bring my moto gear, in- stead opting for my more street- oriented over-the-boot ADV gear. I figured, surely, we wouldn't be taking the base model bike on anything challenging. Again, it's not the R. After a presenta- tion by KTM's Giacomo Zappoli, Global Marketing Manager for Travel and Off-Road machines, we learned that Giacomo would be the ride leader for our group. The next morning, we hadn't gone a mile—on bikes we'd never ridden before—when we turned off the road, and Gia- como stopped to announce that we should all switch to Rally mode because the next section was what we could expect for the majority of the day's ride. Two minutes later, I was face down in knee-deep sand, think- ing to myself, "It's going to be a long day." After we emerged huffing and puffing from the deep section, the big Austrian boss (who's actually Italian) stood tall, with his hands on his hips, and announced that his base model bike could do more than we gave it credit for and off we went to see—and feel—the proof. Turns out, he wanted to make sure we got the message loud and clear. The first thing that stands out on the 2023 890 Adventure is the rally-inspired look of the new wraparound front fairing, which is more than just nail polish and lipstick. The structure that sup- ports the fairing has been beefed up so that the new five-inch multifunctional TFT display with its handy USB connector stays nice and stable behind the redesigned windscreen. The fairing sides Compared to the R model, the 890 Adventure's ergonomics make it more comfortable and a still capable bike for a greater variety of riders.