P98
COMPARISON I 2024 BMW F 900 GS VS. KTM 890 ADVENTURE R
On the motor side, the KTM's
extra torque and the fact that
its peak number is achieved sig-
nificantly lower in the rev range
make it easier
to get the most
out of the BMW. The KTM's
throttle response is smooth off
the bottom and will pull from
low revs in higher gears with
less protesting than the BMW,
making it better in slow-speed,
rocky uphill sections.
On the other hand, the BMW
was a real surprise package.
The 850 GS felt like a bit of a
toy compared to the 900, which
is now a true alternative to the
KTM. But it's not perfect.
The motor delivers much
peakier torque than the KTM.
Whether this is due to emissions
or not (BMW has a modern his
-
tory of flat spots thanks to the
U.S.
emissions laws it has to
contend with), it's still a blight on
the GS's copybook.
However, there's still plenty of
performance on offer from BMW's
parallel-twin. Get it spinning with
the revs higher and it's a brilliant
motor to experience, matched to
a velvety smooth throttle delivery
in Enduro Pro mode.
However, for me, the real
clincher in going for the BMW
was two-fold: the enormous dif
-
ference in suspension comfort
and the roomier
rider triangle. In
creating the 900, the footpegs
that are 0.79 inches lower than
on the 850, the handlebar is 0.5
inches higher, and the revamped
seat that is 34.3 inches high
(a lower 32.9-inch seat is also
available). For lanky bastards like
me, that makes music to the ADV
ears, especially when standing
up. For Jesse, the higher bars
and reworked pegs were a no-go,
but I'm not buying a 900 GS to
go on-roading. There are plenty
of bikes in BMW's lineup that do
that way better than a 900 GS,
so my bike will be predominantly
off-road, which is where those
ergonomics shine.
Finally, even though the
forks are 3mm smaller than
the beefy KTM's, they provide a
much more pleasant ride for 99
percent of the riding I personally
would do. Unless I were ripping
up in the Baja 1000, the 45mm
It's hard to beat the BMW's comfort
on the pavement. The KTM couldn't.
