Xplor shock fitted as standard,
whereas you need to trade up
those items on the BMW as part
of the Enduro Package Pro.
POST RIDE
THE EXPERT-
OFF-ROAD RIDER:
JESSE ZIEGLER
"I like the KTM vibe inside their
ADV machines. I always have,
and hopefully always will. I
like their DNA. And I really like
the current mid-size adventure
class family that houses the
890 Adventure R. With that
said, there is absolutely room
for improvement. And with a
bike that's getting as long in the
development tooth as KTM's
890 Adventure R is, I really
hope they make some improve
-
ments soon.
The only real beef I have
(and the same complaint that
surfaces from riders in compar-
isons) is this—the 890 ADV R is
wound too tightly. To fulfill KTM
ADV shoes of the past, it must
handle off-road terrain with
ease. It must outperform every
-
thing on the market and do it
easily. It must race. It must win.
It must not bend knees to dips,
rocks or ruts. The 890 Adven
-
ture R works well, very well, at
delivering on that promise. But
every impact up until you need
that ultimate off-road perfor-
mance is going to have you
longing for more comfort, front
and rear. Their WP componen-
try is tuned to the end of the
use case. And does not shine
in the beginning and middle.
When you ride the bike you
will feel more road expansion
joints, moderate potholes, and
all manner of bumps with more
aggression. It's harsh.
VOLUME ISSUE JULY , P93
More room to move about on
the bike made the BMW Rennie's
favorite. The plush suspension
was fine for his level of riding,
but more experienced ADV pilots
might want something stiffer.