KTM 890 Adventure review

[Hawkman]

So I managed to sneak off early from work this week and test ride an 890 Adventure, while the dealer took a look and a poke around my 990 Super Duke with a view to part ex if I was interested.

With a gap of 13years of tech between my 07 SD and the 21 890, I was hoping that I didn't need an electro-mechanical engineering degree to ride the thing. I was pleasantly surprised - normal key turn on and hit the button, same with the filler cap. Cycling through the menu was straight forward. The demo I rode had ABS, and the traction control activated and left on street mode. The dealers are apparently in the process of installing the tech pack, which will include Rally mode, Quickshifter and Cruise Control. Not sure about heated grips. The 890 doesn't get adpative cruise control - only the 1290.

Snick it into 1st and left the dealer. It felt very smooth, and you can tell its a parrallel twin. Light clutch action. At about 4.5k revs and a bit of right wrist it "makes progress".

Onto dual carriageway A road and NSL. Happily gets into 6th gear quickly without too much fuss. Street mode and TC make it behave when I dip the clutch from 2nd and 3rd. TFT is easy to read, and the bike is roomy. The low slung fuel tanks and fairing give feet and lower legs some protection. A would have liked to have the screen a bit higher up as I get a bit of buffeting and noise (just needs a allen key to adjust). I'm average height - around 5'9. I use the room on the bike to shift foward and backwards to play around with seating position and comfort. The saddle is firm and by the end of the ride (just over an hour) I can feel it.

For those who know Norfolk I took a loop around Norwich - A47 to Wymondham, and back roads past Barnham Broom, Mattishall, Weston Longville before heading back to the dealer via the NDR. So I had a good mix of fast dual carriageway and sweeping roundabouts and bumpy backroads. I didn't fiddle with the suspension because it worked well - and by that I mean I didn't notice it working, which is a good thing. On hard braking I could feel a tiny bit of looseness - maybe floating disc, throttle grip play? Not sure, but nothing to shout about. The Avon tyres did a great job - obviously didn't cane it, but the bike felt planted and I cornered with the resulting confidence.

I topped up the fuel just before returning to the dealer and the trip computer said I'd averaged around 56mpg.

Overall it's a thumbs up. Dealer has offered a discount on the Tech pack as a bit of carrot, but still not sure if I'd wait and couple of months to see if KTM discount the model, or buy one in later when someone else has paid for the gizmos. 1st time I've ridden a "modern" bike with all the tech - I can see the attraction, it does make it easier to ride, thought not quite "riding itself". I tried out the TC on some gravel and it certainly intervened, although not in a very obvious way which again, is a good thing I suppose. Getting back on the Super Duke felt a bit weird, as it always does after swapping bikes back to back. Certainly more rigid, foward leaning and focussed, and heavier? That said it feels more raw and I feel more connected to it - yes I can ride it sedately-ish, but it feels more alive when cracking the throttle, blipping and generally hooning about. The 890 made me think of a test ride I did on a 990 SMT when they first came out - except it's more refined, as in passed adolescence and found a sensible job.

Next up test rides on Ducati Multistrada and a Yamaha Tracer.

[weeksy]

Nice write up.

I could still easily buy an 890R but not the Adv version

[Supermofo]

The 790 Adv Jim Aim gave me made a right racket from the screen. Lots of buffeting which made it sound louder than my 690 with a tiny fly screen. Hopefully an aftermarket would sort it