Cycle News

VOL. 53 ISSUE 44 NOVEMBER 8, 2016 P75 THE VITALS KTM 1190 ADVENTURE R Engine and gearbox: 1195cc, V-Twin, six-speed Chassis, suspension and brakes: Tubular steel trellis frame, WP electronically adjusted 48mm inverted fork and single shock absorber, Brembo four-piston radially- mounted front brake calipers and 320mm disc, Brembo twin-piston rear brake caliper and 267mm disc, ABS Seat height: 33.8 in. Fuel capacity: 6 gal. Weight: 518 lbs. (wet, claimed) Electronics: Four-stage riding modes, traction control, ABS Power: 148 hp @ 9500 rpm (claimed) Torque: 92 lb-ft @ 7500 rpm (claimed) MSRP: $16,999 (base, no accessories) Kit Palmer: "For real adventure riding the KTM is very hard to beat. It was built with performance in mind—that is obvious. It has a 'racy' edge about it. It's light (for what it is), feels narrow between your legs (like a motocross bike) and I'm good with that, since adventure riding for me is more about the dirt than the street, though both are very important. The engine pumps out huge power. Yes, there is lots of it, but the amazing part is that it's so easy to manipulate—no matter what engine mode you're in—on both the dirt (though Sport mode does deserve some respect) and pavement. The suspension is very good on the dirt, too. It's hard to say which is best between it and the Honda. It doesn't take a whole lot to get any of these bikes to bottom out, but when the KTM runs out of shock, it's not a painful experience. Nothing really jumps out at me when it comes to any real dislikes; I even think the electronics are fairly simple to adjust. It's a great bike but pricey." (Above) The KTM is the least comfortable on road of the bikes here but has one of the best motors for the job. Sean Finley: "I own a KTM 1190 Adventure R. I love the motor. It's incredibly smooth but at the same time, shockingly fast, especially on the Sport map. The KTM motor is versatile enough to tackle even technical, rocky terrain with no issues when you change the map to the Off-Road setting. The ergonomics and seating position on the KTM are comfortable although some riders will find the seat height is a bit tall. The dash and controls are excellent and allow for customiza- tion that I find useful. The KTM radiates a lot of heat off the motor that can be extremely uncomfortable as the heat radiates up to the backside of the rider's legs. Although the KTM comes with the best off-road footpegs of the bunch, they still feel narrow when riding in the standing position off-road." Jesse Ziegler: "On the street, this KTM suffers from some of the same old KTM com- plaints—it's hot in the seat, there isn't as much wind protection as others, it's seating and peg position isn't great for big miles, it's hard to touch the ground at stoplights, and the like. But maybe that's not what KTM cares about, because it's an awesome off-road bike. I think the focus on making this bike better on the street (the geometry and suspension setup) seem to hinder it off-road a bit. The rear end rides high and the forks are softer than others in off-road conditions. Also, the wheels are soft, even though they look like the real deal, so riding this bike as advertised will nearly always have you purchasing some new parts, changing flats and searching for suspension settings to make it become the off-road package it feels and looks like it can be. Even though it's not as good out-of-the-box as it can be off-road, it's still arguably the best off-road ADV bike (at least the most exciting, fun and aggressive) in this test."

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