VOL. 53 ISSUE 18 MAY 10, 2016 P111
F
or me, what started out
as a quick bike ride/
test on the KTM 1290
Super Adventure, quickly
evolved into a long-term
love affair, which really isn't
much different than how
many human relationships
start out. I had no idea
I'd be spending the next
several months living with
the 1290 Super Adventure
when I first saw it, but that's
exactly what happened.
And don't be surprised if
the same thing happens to
you when you ride the 1290
Super Adventure for the
first time, either. I bet it will
win you over instantly like it
did me. That's because the
KTM 1290 Super Adventure
is a magnificent motorcycle
in just about every way.
GOING BIG
The 1290 Super Adventure
came into being just last
year. It evolved from KTM's
1190R, the company's most
dirt-oriented Adventure bike
in its lineup, but KTM want-
ed to up the ante for those
looking for extreme adven-
ture riding without straying
too far off the beaten path,
who are more likely to seek
out far away places on
pavement rather than on
dirt. And there is certainly
nothing wrong with that.
And since street riders tend
to like—make that love—hav-
ing a ton of features and
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT PALMER
KTM's best-ever street bike.
