KTM 890R- The Super Scalpel!

[Supermofo]

The RS does have that bling, top of the range look about it. On track it'd be a hoot I would think.

[IOU0]

But is it an R an S or an RS.

I'm betting it's the RS

Theres a question.....
And is it from Thailand, Bavaria, or Italy?

Ftfy

[Tricky]

But is it an R an S or an RS.

I'm betting it's the RS

Theres a question.....
And is it from Thailand, Bavaria, or Italy?

Ftfy

Quite- if we're playing that game, to be completely accurate, I should probably have said "was it assembled in Thailand, Berlin, or Thailand ?"

[IOU0]

viewtopic.php?p=13092#p13092

Might be of interest to you.
Anyway we need a new thread re: the mystery machine

[Couchy]

I’ll be very interested if it’s the RS and what the old boy thinks of it, when they were released I watched the launch video and put a deposit down for one of the first ones. I rode my then 675 street R to the demo and rode it home with the deposit back in my pocket lol.

[weeksy]

I’ll be very interested if it’s the RS and what the old boy thinks of it, when they were released I watched the launch video and put a deposit down for one of the first ones. I rode my then 675 street R to the demo and rode it home with the deposit back in my pocket lol.

Oh you're full of cheery good news today.

[Couchy]

I’ll be very interested if it’s the RS and what the old boy thinks of it, when they were released I watched the launch video and put a deposit down for one of the first ones. I rode my then 675 street R to the demo and rode it home with the deposit back in my pocket lol.

Oh you're full of cheery good news today.

He’s more committed than me he’ll make his own mind up

[Tomcat]

Only just seen this, can understand why you're disappointed Dicky. I do think we should all be a bit careful about criticising an entire marque for a few faults. (not aimed at you)

On the 790 Adv FB page negativity abounds, it seems like some people just love to hate the bikes and shout a few faults from the rooftops, ignoring the many who ride on for miles without problems. To a certain extent it's human nature that more people will always tell more people about a bad experience than a good one, but it's depressing to hear all the over-generalisations being exhumed and waved about. I have to admit having seen old KTMs struggling to start at enduros I did have a few qualms about buying one, but then I figured KTM have been making road bikes for some years since those days as well as running a MotoGP team, so they should have some ideas on keeping them together by now. The 790 in particular was enduring many miles of road trials for 2-3 years before it ever reached the shops.

Maybe they have more quality-control-type dropoffs than some, I couldn't put the numbers behind it, but IME they have stood behind their warranty and having done 8,000 miles in my first year of ownership I feel reasonably confident about mine now. From what I can gather if anything is going to go wrong it'll happen in the early phase of ownership, which again suggests the reported faults are down to quality control rather than bad design.

[weeksy]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KTM-890-DUKE ... SwN3BgSlQL

Coming down in price Tricky.

[Tricky]

Naughty Weeksy !

(but yeah, I've noticed that too )

[weeksy]

Naughty Weeksy !

(but yeah, I've noticed that too )

I've never once said i'm a good influence

[Tricky]

Well, the 765RS is a great bike and although I did enjoy it, there was always a little something missing for me, and well, basically life is too short etc so it has now gone and has been replaced by this- 890R Duke No2!




It's brand spankers (2 miles showing on it when I picked it up ) and currently bog-standard,but with the optional and extra cost full electronics package, and cruise control (which is mega ) too on this one.

One thing that is different on them now from when I bought the first one 12 months ago, is that you now also get the pillion seat and pegs as well as single-seat cover and different bolts for when you remove the pillion pegs- a year ago, it was just a one-seater, with no rear seat supplied. In the pic above it has of course got the pillon pegs still on, but they are coming off as I can't see me ever taking a passenger on it, and the single-seat cover will go on.
I've got two of the single-seat cover things ( one that I'd previously bought for my old 790 ) and I think that part of it would look better painted white rather than the black they come in , so will spray or get that sprayed up so I have the option.

I've only managed to put 150ish miles on it so far, but every one of those has made me smile, and it's every bit as good as I remember it (and the 790 to be fair) being
It's getting an easy life until at least after the first service just in case, but it still is immense fun even when not straying into the upper reach of the rev range- instant shove anywhere and in any gear, and very similar to the Yam CP3 and CP4 motors in that respect and a major part of what makes all these engines so enjoyable for me.

I've still got the bolts-ons (carbon front guard, case protectors, screen, tail-tidy, Wings exhaust can, bar-end mirror etc etc) I took off my old 790 (and the first 890R), so one or two of those bits will probably find their way onto this one, but for the foreseeable future it'll just be the front guard and case protectors I think- it looks a lot better IMO without the screen, and the shape of the exhaust can has also grown on me a bit, and it makes a lovely noise, albeit I am tempted by one of the HP-Corse cans purely from a looks point of view, so we will see.
One thing I am pretty sure that will get changed is the seat though - it's 20mm or so higher than the standard 790 one and seems hard, not as all-day comfy as I remember my standard 790 one being so am currently weighing up options there.


It's going in for its first service end of next week where I think I'll also get them to stick the gen KTM integrated heated grips on too, so need to pull my finger out and get out on it a bit to get another 500 or so miles up by then, but that definitely won't be a chore, that's for sure- coming straight off the 765, the gearchange on the KTM seems a bit agricultural but I think that's mainly as the Triumph one is just so exceptionally good, but it's by no means bad and overall just such a great package .
Big Kev @twotwins has very kindly offered to assist with getting some miles on it over the next week or so too in case limits on my time mean I struggle so expect a view from him on it as well if that happens.

After that, it'll be off to Pembrey with its little brother and the rest of the TRC Pembrey gang the week after next for it's first trackday- more reports and pics to follow

[Skub]

Magic. Health to wear.

I hope this one stays together forya.

[Supermofo]

Hope this one is better than the last I still think the 790 would probably be ideal for me and certainly cheaper than the XSR but I think after 5.5 years of KTM ownership I want to be able to sleep at night without worrying about KTM stuff

[weeksy]

you know where to bring it to get help running in

[Tricky]

Cheers guys and yeah, am hoping the first one I had was just a one-off early issue sort of Friday afternoon special.
From what I can gather from the dealers' mine seems to have been a relatively isolated incident- the 790 before it was trouble-free, I had 7k trouble-free miles out of that- I know that's not a lot of miles, but a very good part of them were on track or wringing its neck on tours keeping up with / leading my mates on S1000R/MT10/GSXR1000, etc
Time will tell I guess!

[Numnut]

Happy new bike day!

I would hope the majority of issues have been sorted now! I did see on the 790/890 FB group that Dave Molyneux racing are using an 890 engine in their sidecar this year so it can't be that unreliable...

[Tricky]

Happy new bike day!

I would hope the majority of issues have been sorted now! I did see on the 790/890 FB group that Dave Molyneux racing are using an 890 engine in their sidecar this year so it can't be that unreliable...

Cheers- wasn't aware of that until you posted , but have just seen they won the first time out last weekend at Jurby, although don't know who else they were up against and the sidecars can have a massive difference in pace, but a win is a win eh

I Will be watching them with interest now- if nothing else, should be good for the development of the motor

[Slenver]

I'd really be tempted by one of these next I think, if only they offered other colours. I know it's entirely superficial, but I don't think it's a looker as it is, and with a single colour option that's clearly subjective, to say the least, I'm not keen. Make an all-black one and I'd be far closer to trading in my SD GT.

[weeksy]

I met up with @2xtwins today who was riding @Tricky 's 890R and i jumped on the 890R

Kev told me that he was only taking it to 7000rpm tops to run it in, which was fine with me. It was set in sport mode and road ABS.
I think we did about 15 miles on it to a local cafe, it's a lovely little place, although we did stop outside the toilets

the bike... well, i have to admit, it didn't really do it for me. Which is again surprising, but having ridden the 790 recently, not exactly a shock.

Handling wise it is lovely, really nice into and out of turns, over the bumpy bits it was great...

But i came away a little disappointed in the engine and also the QS/blipper. The lack of screen is a major no-no on this one, i was wearing my KTM jacket which is a fairly flappy jacket and on the XSR it was blowing a bit, but on the 890R it was a big old sail ! Obviously that can be fixed with the Power Parts sceen, so not a biggy.

Footpegs are still too high for me with a slightly dodgy knee.

I'm a little sad about this.. but on the plus side, i didn't buy one last week and i'm not £2500 poorer lol

2021-08-03_05-48-06 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr