KTM 890R- The Super Scalpel!

[Tomcat]

I had a 790 loaner bike for a week and I thought it was awesome in pretty much every way. My only complaint was that it was just so powerful and so willing it was a sure licence loser, and for that reason alone I don't think I'd buy the 890.

[Dodgy69]

There's plenty of license losers out there then. That's the risk of two wheel fun for many.

[Skub]

I used to own a 125 Innova which was a licence loser....oh wait maybe that was just me and what I got up to.

[stray cat]

When are you picking yours up (assuming you don't already have it ) - have you got a date yet?

Well, no date yet but hoping end of this month..... think I am #3 (iirc he has another 5 coming though as well).

[Tomcat]

I used to own a 125 Innova which was a licence loser....oh wait maybe that was just me and what I got up to.

Well yeah you can break speed limits on virtually anything. But there's points and there's jail time, yanno....

[Tricky]

When are you picking yours up (assuming you don't already have it ) - have you got a date yet?

Well, no date yet but hoping end of this month..... think I am #3 (iirc he has another 5 coming though as well).

Fingers crossed for you.
Not managed to get out on mine as much as I would have liked to so far, but great ride yesterday, it really is such a great package- when I took my brothers Z1000SX into the Kawasaki dealer a couple of weeks ago, I was kicking my heels for a fair while in the showroom and had a really good look over the Z-H2 (thought they looked a lot better in the metal than pictures) and chat with the salesman, and as a result, was almost wondering whether I should cancel the 890 order and get one of those- am so glad I didn't though as I am really loving being on a 'lightweight" (relative term) bike again, and it really is hard to want more go than the 890 has, on the road, at least.

I've put the screen and carbon front guard from my old 790 on it, along with some stand bobbins , and yesterday had an errand to run which involved picking up some gardening equipment, so the homemade rear rack and Ventura bag got pulled into service too



I've decided that the rear seat cover is definitely going to turn white but am still debating whether to put a tail-tidy on this one, the Wings can will definitely go on, but probably not until after the first service I think, and will definitely get it dyno-ed this time with both standard and Wings

[weeksy]

I'm really curious as to how this rides, esepcially comparing to both my old 790 and the Yamaha XSR

[Tricky]

I'm really curious as to how this rides, esepcially comparing to both my old 790 and the Yamaha XSR

All being well you'll find out tomorrow, but just think a slightly more urgent 790 with plusher suspension and better brakes as standard and that's pretty much much it- it really is just like riding a pepped up and well set up 790 IMO, with a slightly higher and harder seat.
I'll be interested to compare it to the XSR, its so long since I rode an MT09, but from my (admittedly very distant) memories of that engine, I reckon they're pretty similar in terms of power characteristics- very grunty and just encourage naughtiness

[Taipan]

I'm really curious as to how this rides, esepcially comparing to both my old 790 and the Yamaha XSR

I'm guessing better than both and you'll be after one soon! I'm sure the Yam is a great bike, but you love the orange, so no matter how capable the Yam is, it's going to be a bit nondescript, generic, bland etc by comparison. So 890 by the end of the month I reckon!

[weeksy]

I'm really curious as to how this rides, esepcially comparing to both my old 790 and the Yamaha XSR

I'm guessing better than both and you'll be after one soon! I'm sure the Yam is a great bike, but you love the orange, so no matter how capable the Yam is, it's going to be a bit nondescript, generic, bland etc by comparison. So 890 by the end of the month I reckon!

No chance, way too much cash for me. The xsr was only a grand or so more, this would be another £4000 on top..
It would have to be beyond amazing.

[Taipan]

I'm really curious as to how this rides, esepcially comparing to both my old 790 and the Yamaha XSR

I'm guessing better than both and you'll be after one soon! I'm sure the Yam is a great bike, but you love the orange, so no matter how capable the Yam is, it's going to be a bit nondescript, generic, bland etc by comparison. So 890 by the end of the month I reckon!

No chance, way too much cash for me. The xsr was only a grand or so more, this would be another £4000 on top..
It would have to be beyond amazing.

Ah well finances put an understandable block on things, but i still can't see you staying with that Yam...

[Tricky]

Weeksy and I were planning to meet up yesterday to do our own 890/XSR comparisons, but , not to put too fine a point on it, weather was a bit shit, and as it turned out other commitments took over a bit for me anyway so it didn't happen, but it will soon, sometime next week hopefully.

I love riding it and am also keen to get the first service out of the way as soon as I can, and definitely before our visit to Brands in a few weeks time so I still managed to get out on it for an hour or two later yesterday , and make it filthy dirty for the first time-It was still raining but I really wanted to get out on it, which TBH says something about a bike for me- still love it to bits in the pissing rain





And although I am not really a fan of how much the tailtidys shorten the back end on these, and TBH most bikes now, I'm not a fan of the standard no plate hanger on these so I've bought one- arrived this morning complete with new rear light and indicators, looks decent quality for not much money and no cutting of wires required, which was what persuaded me- I can just take it off again with minimal faffing if I decide I don't like it.
Have a lot of calls on my time over the next few days so earliest it is likely to get fitted (or the bike will be cleaned) is going to be Sunday, I'll do some before and after pics when I do, but in the meantime, this is what's going on

[Tricky]

Well I fitted the tailtidy today, nice quality and really is plug and play, comes with all the right connectors pre-made so no cutting of wires required.

Am in two minds about how it looks when on though, shortens the back end too much on my current thinking, and I'm probably going to re-fit the standard one- what do you reckon?

Before


After




I also offered up the Evotech rad guard from my 790- I didn't expect it to fit as in the 890 blurb they say its got a higher capacity rad, but the mesh piece looks spot on and fits exactly- sadly though, when you go to fit the side pieces that secure it, you discover that the rad on this is approx 10mm wider than the 790- arse!- so near and yet so far...

[weeksy]

It's hard to tell with that fucking monstrosity fitted !

That said, i never had an issue with the 790 one, was really nice IMO.

[Dodgy69]

Bet the rear view looks a lot better.

[Taipan]

I prefer the tail tidy. I hate those sticky out plate holders with a passion. They mess up every bikes lines.

[KungFooBob]

Might suit a plate hanger like the one on the late model MT-09.

[MingtheMerciless]

Is that some sort of gymnastics/stunt hoop fitted to the rear? I can't comment on the plate hanger/tail tidy as my eyes are drawn continually to that horror.

[Couchy]

Standard tail tidy looks better, the new one looks a bit chopped off

[IOU0]

Is it a 2T mista?
Cos that looks like a spanny!