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/1542726
P102 RIDE REVIEW I 2027 KTM 1390 SUPER ADVENTURE S EVO to. This might say more about humans' fear of losing control, but there is a bit of a disconnect, nonetheless. I Clutch Performance First, let's talk about the clutch. KTM's new AMT-equipped bikes feature a centrifugal clutch to eliminate stalling and the need for a clutch lever. There is no "pulling in the clutch" on this bike. Instead, the centrifugal clutch engages automatically as revs climb, and the transmission receives drive force at around 1900 rpm. Below that, the clutch absorbs the drive, the engine spins freely relative to the final drive, and the transmission spins freely relative to the engine drive, regardless of gear selection during deceleration. As such, the gear order is rearranged from standard. Now, the six-speed right? It might not be as odd as you think. KTM developed the AMT to give the feeling of a standard transmission, even for expe- rienced riders. Through two modes (Auto and Manual), riders can pick whether they let the Su- per Adventure brain do the shift- ing or if their foot or fingers work their magic on demand. The core structure of the AMT is a stan- dard transmission with a stan- dard gearbox and shift drum, but it also features some ingenious mechanical upgrades and exten- sive computer programming to make it work. In total, the AMT system adds about 2.2 pounds to the transmission and is about 10mm wider at the clutch cover due to the new clutch. Is AMT perfect? No. It does shift how it wants to, after all. And that might not be the rpm you want to shift the aggressive pace sessions: the bike does not wallow, nor is it slow to react; it's ready to cut in and hold the line you choose, and it does so without delay. Sharp and agile out of 500+ pounds? Yes. I Shifting Focus You'd think 170 horsepower would have been the main talking point at a new bike launch. It was barely mentioned by the press milling around after our test ride through the twisties of Tenerife. Most of the conversations cen- tered around KTM's Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) and other electronics. And it sort of makes sense since shifting is such an integral part of the riding experience, and AMT is a valid disruption in the shifting space. Still, an auto transmission on a performance bike? Seems weird, (Right) The eight-inch vertical TFT dash screen is a fine command center for the numerous modes and settings inside. Its glove-friendly touchscreen makes navigating menus a breeze, and its responsive layout allows you to give more view area to different data. (Below) WP's SAT suspension is a joy to ride with. We went from stiff and aggressive to soft and comfy instantly. We also used the Suspension Pro function to fine-tune preload and damping on the fly.