KTM have upgraded their 1290 Super Adventure S making it smarter, easier to ride and cheaper to boot.
The biggest tech jump for KTM is the addition of cruise control radar – so far the only brand to include it as standard. The radar has five distance settings as well as an overtake assist function that gives you a quick speed boost for lane changing and passing.
The suspension has benefitted from a jump in tech smarts. The WP set-up has had an update to the electronic brain, which means it can respond much faster to changes in the road surface.
There are three suspension modes as standard (comfort, street and sport) plus two optional ones (off-road and auto – which is a fully automatic damping option). The rear shock now has automatic preload (with a manual override) that has doubled the adjustment of the previous unit.
There’s also been an update to the electronic safety aids thanks to the switch to a new six-axis IMU. The general gist of how it operates is the same but it’s all been refined to help 'enrich your connection'. The whole lot is operated by brand new switchgear that appears a considerable improvement on the old stuff and is controlled through a new 7in TFT dash.
Changes aren’t just electronic though, with plenty of physical redesigns taking place. For a start the tank has changed with KTM moving to the twin low slung tanks like on the 890 Adventure, themselves styled to look like their Dakar rally machines. The new bodywork should also help shield riders from the wind, while the screen can now be raised 55mm higher.
There have been changes to the frame too, including pulling the steering head 15mm further back while extending the subframe by 15mm. The change people will feel most will be an 11mm lower seat height, as the previous model’s tallness was off-putting for some riders. It’s now pretty much the same as a BMW R1250GS.
The engine has undergone some small updates to help it pass Euro5 regulations but overall output and delivery remain virtually unchanged. There are also more optional extras now (far too many to list here) but you can get the lot in the 'Tech Pack' if you desire the fully loaded approach.
What is astonishing is the price. Order a Ducati V4 Multistrada S and by the time you’ve got radar onboard, you’re looking at a £20,345 bill. We don’t need to tell you all things you could do with £5000.