MCN Fleet: Small advantages pay off for KTM 890 Adventure R

It’s a pretty big claim, and it’s obviously subjective, but after eight months of ownership I think the KTM 890 Adventure R is the best adventure bike out there.

Yes, there are more powerful bikes, more comfortable and more plush ones, but none that can really deliver the on- and off-road balance of the 890R for a rider that genuinely wants to leave the tarmac behind and take on some off-road adventures.

The devil is in the detail

Having extensively ridden bikes in the middleweight adventure bike category – the Honda Africa Twin, KTM 790 Adventure R, Yamaha Ténéré 700, Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro – I thought I knew what I was going to get with the 890R, but I was wrong.

The extra 90cc, 9.4bhp and 8.8lb.ft more torque may not sound much over the 790R, but in reality it’s a game changer. Far more engaging on the road with that extra dollop of grunt to ensure effortless overtakes and fewer gear changes when fully loaded, or two-up. A claimed 105bhp never felt so good.

You get what you pay for

You can’t get away from the fact that the 890 is an expensive bike at £12,499 (2022 model), but it’s clear where the money has gone when you take into account the suspension and advanced electronics.

The 48mm WP XPLOR forks are a good example and are simply on another level to its rivals and I can remember one of my first off-road rides around the whoops of Thetford Forest where, having got a bit carried away, the big-travel perfectly-damped suspension saved my bacon.

Due to the repetition of the whoops it’s easy for things to get out of hand as the suspension does not have time to recover before the next compression. I’m not saying you couldn’t ride the same route on a Ténéré, Africa Twin or Triumph Explorer – but I don’t believe you’d be as fast or as confident.

Electric Dream

The engine maps and electronics on the KTM really are top notch, and – unlike plenty of other bikes on the market – the power options/settings make a tangible difference.

For the majority of my off-road adventures I used Continental’s TKC80 tyres which are a good compromise of acceptable road manners and off-road grip. By selecting the off-road engine response, it softens the power dramatically, especially at the bottom-end where it can be so easy to break traction – this is also helped by the heavier crank on the 890R compared to the 790R.

The softer map allows you to really understand what grip you have to play with, and it’s relatively easy to get the KTM hooked-up and driving forward. There’s also the Rally mode, which comes standard on the ‘R’ version of the 890 which allows you to dial in nine levels of traction control, whilst on the fly.

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Aero woes

If I have one gripe about the 890R it’s the aerodynamics, wind noise and buffeting produced by the standard screen. Over the last eight months I’ve tried numerous options in a bid to cure the problem. I’d be lying if I said I’d solved it, but I did eventually settle on the simple, but pricey for what it is, KTM Powerparts clip-on spoiler at £107.88.

It’s a relatively small add-on, and I was dubious whether it would work but it does just enough to take the edge off the buffeting. There is still plenty of wind noise, but the head rattling has all but gone and it can also be folded down when you tackle any serious off-road.

Misting up

Misting of the TFT dash is a common theme of complaint amongst 790/890 owners. Until December last year I hadn’t been affected despite all the wet weather.

At this stage it’s only very minimal in the corners and I’m sure the ongoing miserable weather and low temperatures have had something to do with it as on slight less damp/warmer days the problem goes away.

KTM are aware of the issue and their advice is to get in touch with your dealer where each case will be assessed and dealt with under warranty.

KTM 890 Adventure previous updates:

• Update one: Introducing the KTM 890 Adventure R
• Update two: Itching for an adventure
• Update three: Prepping for two up camping adventure
• Update four: KTM 890R delivers the adventure dream – whatever you throw at it
• Update five: KTM 890R it’s all about the screen
• Update six: Two new screen solutions put to the test
• Update seven: Prepping for a dirty weekend
• Update eight: KTM Adventure 890R gets muddy on local lanes
• Update nine: Small advantages in weight, power, torque and suspension pay off

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Update nine: Small advantages in weight, power, torque and suspension pay off

Published: 07.02.2022

After eight months of riding the KTM Adventure 890R, I’m still impressed every time I throw my leg over it. Over the last ten years I’ve spent a lot of my time on adventure bikes and while this type of riding, and especially the off-road element, floats by boat – these are generally big, heavy bikes. While they are spectacularly competent at what they do and where they can go – they’re not always the most fun bikes to ride on road.

I’m talking about the middle weight adventure bike category that has offerings from Honda, BMW, Triumph… All of which weigh in at over 200kg and have sub-100bhp meaning they can feel a little staid in comparison with lighter, more powerful naked bikes on the market.

The 890R with its extra 100cc over the original 790 tips that balance just enough to make it a truly engaging ride. It’s a little lighter than its rivals and with a 10bhp and 10lb.ft more torque, it gives a level of excitement the others struggle to replicate.

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Another element that I struggle to fault is the suspension. KTM’s suspension business, WP, knows a thing or two about what’s needed off road – their MX, Supercross, Enduro and Dakar successes are testament to that.

And for a stock set-up the XPlor forks and shock really are impressive. From tough technical off-road tracks through to fast flowing fire tracks they’ve soaked up everything I’ve thrown at them. And then the following weekend they’ve been pushed through some spirited on-road riding or a two up, camping mini break.

With a wide range of adjustment, including high and low speed compression damping, this is suspension where a click or two does actually make a difference.

On the flip side to the engaging motor and quality suspension, I’ve had my first issue with the bike with the TFT dash showing signs of damp/condensation within the actual display. It’s a problem I’ve been reading about on forums for a while, but up until a few weeks ago it wasn’t one that affected me.

At this stage, it’s only very minimal and confined to the corners and I’m sure the miserable weather and low temperatures have had something to do with it, as on slightly less damp/warmer days the problem goes away. KTM are aware of the issue and their advice is to get in touch with your dealer where each case will be assessed and dealt with under warranty.

KTM 890 Adventure previous updates:

• Update one: Introducing the KTM 890 Adventure R
• Update two: Itching for an adventure
• Update three: Prepping for two up camping adventure
• Update four: KTM 890R delivers the adventure dream – whatever you throw at it
• Update five: KTM 890R it’s all about the screen
• Update six: Two new screen solutions put to the test
• Update seven: Prepping for a dirty weekend
• Update eight: KTM Adventure 890R gets muddy on local lanes

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Update eight: KTM Adventure 890R gets muddy on local lanes

Published: 11.01.2022

The golden autumn leaves scatter all around me as they get kicked up by the Honda CRF250 Rally in front of me.

I’m grinning from ear to ear under my Arai helmet and as I accelerate out of one of the many twists and turns. The rear of the big KTM 890 Adventure R breaks loose before subtlety being brought back into line by the advanced multi-level traction control.

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The reason it feels so good to be out is that I’m riding new trails – trails that I didn’t know existed that are literally withing ten minutes of my house. I’ve lived in Hertfordshire most my life and I honestly had no idea that there were so many fully legal Byways within the county.

This new knowledge came after a chance meeting with Chris Roberts who runs a company called Herts Byway Tours (www.hertsbywaytours.co.uk). As an accomplished off roader, Chris now uses his intimate knowledge of the county to either take people out for the day on their own bikes or on one of his fleet of Kawasaki KLX250s which you can hire.

I usually get my off-road kicks by travelling much further afield – locations this year have been Wales, the Peak District and Northumberland. I’m not saying that Hertfordshire is in the same league as those off-road nirvanas, but when you find something so accessible and literally on your doorstep it feels like a big win.

As you might expect there are no big fast open fire tracks running through the veins of Hertfordshire, it’s all twisty trails, ruts and few hills. Being the end of the year it’s also fairly muddy which only adds to the experience. We also have to deal with a couple of water crossings with one of them being plenty deep enough to get your attention.

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During my day out on the trails I’m joined by three other clients – two of them have spent a day with Chris before and have subsequently been and bought their own bikes and this time they’re back and they’ve brought a friend who’s hired one of the KLX250’s.

With everyone else on single cylinder 250cc trail bikes I have to say I feel a bit over-biked on the 105bhp 890cc KTM, but I needn’t have worried. The engine maps and electronics on the KTM really are top notch and unlike plenty of other bikes on the market the power options/settings make a tangible difference.

Running Continental’s TKC80 tyres and selecting the off-road engine response, it softens the power dramatically, especially at the bottom end where it can be so easy to break traction. The softer map allows you to really understand what grip you have to play with and combined with decent throttle control it’s relatively easy to get the KTM hooked up and driving forward.

There’s also the Rally mode, which comes as standard on the ‘R’ version of the 890, which allows you to dial in nine levels of traction control on the fly. I spent the day on level four (nine is the max and one gives the least intervention) which means the rear spins freely if gassed hard enough, allowing you to slide off the corner, but before it gets to loose, the traction control reduces the power to bring it back in line.

But it isn’t a harsh cut of power that causes you to headbutt the screen, it’s subtle which means it doesn’t interfere with your ride.

With the night drawing in, we finish our ride just before 4pm. But unlike my usual off-road adventures I’m home within 15 minutes, muddy, fatigued and still with a smile on my face having had a full day of riding all within 20 miles of where I live!

KTM 890 Adventure previous updates:

• Update one: Introducing the KTM 890 Adventure R
• Update two: Itching for an adventure
• Update three: Prepping for two up camping adventure
• Update four: KTM 890R delivers the adventure dream – whatever you throw at it
• Update five: KTM 890R it’s all about the screen
• Update six: Two new screen solutions put to the test
• Update seven: Prepping for a dirty weekend

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Update seven: Prepping for a dirty weekend on the KTM 890 Adventure R

Published: 17.12.2021

Apart from a fantastic five day off-road adventure on the TET (www.transeurotrail.org) I’ve been seriously short of off-road action on the hugely capable KTM 890 Adventure R.

A few days here and there, but nothing to really do KTM flagship off-roader justice. But I have a plan to get out with the guys from Herts Byway tours next week so it’s time for a bit of prep.

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One of the main hurdles comes down to tyres. Ultimately most of my miles are done on the road and it’s nice to have road focussed tyres – they’re designed for the job so give more grip, better stability and improve overall safety.

There are plenty of cross over tyres on the market that do a pretty good job of road and off-road riding, but they are essentially a compromise.

Swapping tubeless tyres myself isn’t really an option due to my lack of technique (I like my rims unscratched) and equipment so I’ve been able to secure a spare set of wheels from KTM, which is obviously the perfect scenario albeit an expensive one at £1068.24.

My tyres of choice to go on the new rims are a set of Continental TKC80s. They are a tyre I’m very familiar with, and while part of me thinks I should try something else, they are very good and have never let me down.

They are an 80% off-road 20% road tyre. They last reasonably well and provide decent grip in everything apart from deep mud. On the road their performance is acceptable, but they do need to be treated with respect in cold, damp conditions. They also provide decent stability despite the heavily blocked tread pattern.

There are a plethora of advanced electronics on the 890R to help tame the 103bhp off-road with advanced nine stage traction control which can be changed on the fly. There’s also a super soft off-road map which really does take the edge off of the throttle response especially compared to the aggressive, race focussed Rally map.

The other adjustments to be made are on the suspension. I’ve been harping on about how good the 890 suspension is all year and I continue to be impressed. While some of the KTMs rivals have minimal adjustment options the 890 can be adjusted for compression, rebound and spring preload on the front forks while the rear gets preload, rebound and both low and high speed compression damping. There are details of suggested setting under the seat.

With that all dialled in, it’s time to go and get dirty!

KTM 890 Adventure previous updates:

• Update one: Introducing the KTM 890 Adventure R
• Update two: Itching for an adventure
• Update three: Prepping for two up camping adventure
• Update four: KTM 890R delivers the adventure dream – whatever you throw at it
• Update five: KTM 890R it’s all about the screen
• Update six: Two new screen solutions put to the test

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Update six: Two new screen solutions tested on the KTM 890 Adventure R

Published: 12.10.21

Those of you who have read anything about my life with the KTM 890 Adventure R will know that it’s pretty much everything I want from an adventure bike.

Incredibly capable off-road, whilst being fast and engaging on the tarmac. You may also know my single biggest gripe about the bike is its lack of wind protection, but more importantly the persistent, unpleasant buffeting you get at motorway speeds with the OE screen.

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So far I’ve tried the standard 890 (non R model) screen which is bigger and goes some way to improving the situation. I even tried removing the screen altogether which obviously upped the wind blast, especially on my body – but did reduce the buffeting.

As with any bike on the market, there are a plethora of aftermarket screen options, but to try to resolve the problem I ended up trying a renowned MRA Vario touring screen – from bike.hps.com – at a cost of £119.80.

It was relatively easy to fit, despite the vague instructions, but definitely more complicated that the standard screen which can be removed or fitted in seconds with a single torx bolt. But in reality, it’s not a big deal because once it’s on, you’ll never touch it again.

Heading out for my first ride I experienced a sense of relief as I accelerated out into the fast lane of the M1. Yes, there is still wind noise (it’s a middleweight adventure bike – not a Gold Wing) but the head-rattling buffeting was a thing of the past.

Job done then? Well, not quite. Although the aerodynamics are a marked improvement the screen is very tall, so much so that it sits at the awkward height where the top edge is right in my eyeline (I’m abut 5’10”).

Lowering the adjustable spoiler improves this a little bit, but I spent the entire ride craning my neck to look over it while trying to peer round it through corners to increase visibility.

Six footers would almost certainly get the same aero benefit and be able to see over it though. It also looks a bit odd on the 890R because, although it’s a good-looking screen, it doesn’t really fit with the aggressive Dakar look of the bike.

The second option I’ve tried is a far simpler spoiler that fastens to the standard screen, available from KTM priced at £107.88. A look at this set-up left me wondering how much difference this small (and pricey) add-on can make, but in the real world it’s more than I thought.

It’s not a match for the MRA screen, but it somehow manages to do just enough to take the edge off the buffeting. There is still plenty of wind noise, but the head rattling has all but gone. Other plusses are that it doesn’t compromise the look of the bike and you could happily ride off-road with it, without being worried you were going to put your head through it should you get it wrong on the dirt.

In summary if I had to ride to the South of France in the morning I’d use the MRA screen, but for everything else and if I had to ride to Wales and do some off-road when I got there I’d run with the KTM spoiler.

With the buffeting issues finally behind me I’m debating whether I can still squeeze in a mini camping adventure before the weather really turns. I had a date pencilled in, which happened to coincide with what was a beautiful sunny weekend (remember those) but a bout of Covid brought an abrupt end to that idea.

Hopefully an opportunity will present itself and I can get at least one night away for a final, piece of autumn bike bonding before winter sets in.

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KTM 890 Adventure previous updates:

• Update one: Introducing the KTM 890 Adventure R
• Update two: Itching for an adventure
• Update three: Prepping for two up camping adventure
• Update four: KTM 890R delivers the adventure dream – whatever you throw at it
• Update five: KTM 890R it’s all about the screen

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Update five: KTM 890R it’s all about the screen

Published: 07.10.2021

Just over four months into life with the KTM 890 Adventure R and I can safely say it’s the best adventure bike I’ve ever ridden. Seriously engaging on the road – especially in the aggressive ‘Rally’ mode where second gear wheelies become involuntary!

Its small enough to throw about and more precise than it has any right to be given its 21” front wheel thanks to its seriously high spec suspension, while it is the clear class leader in the dirt.

But the one area where it lets itself down is in the fairing/aero department where with the standard screen you have to endure excessive noise but even worse – unpleasant buffeting and turbulence at faster motorway speeds.

As a genre, adventure bikes have surprisingly poor aerodynamics – and this is definitely the Achilles heel of the 790 and 890R.

To start with I thought it was probably down to my helmet choice. My go to Arai QV Pro is probably the worst with a Shoei GT Air II the best – but to be honest only marginally better.

Two months ago I did 500 miles on the motorway to get to Northumberland and back for an off-road trip and used a peaked Arai adventure helmet. I was dreading the journey expecting the peak to make it horrendous and had plans to remove the peak, but bizarrely it wasn’t that bad, in fact it didn’t really seem to make a difference.

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The buffeting issue is a common topic on KTM Facebook forums and unsurprisingly there are plenty of opinions and thoughts out there which led to me doing a bit of my own research.

So far I’ve tried the bike with the standard screen in both the low and high positions – with the low position generating less wind protection but also slightly less buffeting. I then tried removing the screen altogether which reduces the wind protection dramatically with wind hitting your chest, but did seriously reduce the head rattling buffeting.

I subsequently fitted the larger standard 890 screen which is 13cm higher and 10cm wider at the top. There is no question that this is the best solution I’ve found, but it’s still far from perfect as there is still excessive noise and buffeting – albeit reduced.

The problem is that it doesn’t look right on the R version and is definitely too high and in the way for serious off-road use. I’ve kept it on as it’s better for the road, but it’s not really the solution I’m looking for.

My next step is to try a small spoiler to clip on top of the original screen – but if anyone out there has already found the solution – I’d love to hear from them!

Watch MCN’s standard KTM 890 Adventure video review here:

KTM 890 Adventure previous updates:

• Update one: Introducing the KTM 890 Adventure R
• Update two: Itching for an adventure
• Update three: Prepping for two up camping adventure
• Update four: KTM 890R delivers the adventure dream – whatever you throw at it

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Update four: KTM 890R delivers the adventure dream – whatever you throw at it

Published: 22.07.2021

I’m not sure about everyone else but it’s taken me a while to emerge from lockdown hibernation. I found myself thinking about all the things I wanted to do with the go anywhere KTM Adventure 890R, but my thoughts were devoid of any actual plan.

Well that finally all changed, kicked off by an epic multi day off road adventure ride through Northumberland and Cumbria. It was a trip literally made for the 890R. Coincidently it was 890 miles all in which included everything from big miles North on the M1 to some gnarly single track on the TET (Trans Euro Trail) route we followed.

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The KTM ate the boring motorway miles and seamed to get better the harder I pushed it off-road – it really is the most capable, big capacity adventure bike on the market thanks to the way it carries its weight so low, the fact that you have room to move and distribute your weight due to their being no big fuel tank on top of the bike to stop you along with the incredible Xplor WP forks and rear shock.

The do anything ethos of the 890 was born out less than a week after finishing my Northumberland trip as I loaded the cavernous KTM Touratech hard luggage on to the bike (I used Kreiga OS soft luggage when riding off-road) in preparation for a two up camping trip with my daughter in Wales. Two tents, two camping mats, two sleeping bags along with all the other paraphernalia needed when camping meant we were fully loaded.

I don’t particularly like riding with panniers or a pillion but it can teach you a lot about your bike and your own riding in terms of being smooth. The 890 holds its weight superbly and with over 100bhp on tap and 73ftlb of torque it soaked up the extra load with ease, remaining balanced without the need for constant down shifts when overtaking.

Not forgetting a flying visit to the @ABRmagazine festival last weekend. The @ContiMoto TKC80s have been brilliant, but def in need of a refresh. Any suggestions on what tyre I should try next welcome pic.twitter.com/rSOXlZqc8f

— Michael Guy (@michaelguy01) July 1, 2021

My two trips away only fuelled my desire to do more so when I got the opportunity to spend a day on the beautiful roads and trails in the Peak District I didn’t say no. It turned out to be a long day – in fact by far the biggest I’ve done on the 890.

A 10am leave, Peak District by 1pm, riding until 10pm before getting something to eat and bravely/foolishly deciding to ride home rather than find a B&B meant I rolled in to my drive at just after 2am. Apart from the buffeting and lack of wind protection from the low ‘R’ screen it was hard to fault even at the end of such an enduring day.

My strong run of riding culminated in a trip to the ABR (Adventure Bike Rider) Festival a couple of weeks ago. Due to MotoGP and work constraints as MCN’s Sports Editor – it was a flying visit, but I’d like to think I made the most of it completing two big fun laps of the off-road riding circuit, watching Graham Jarvis do his stuff on Saturday evening and meeting plenty of new people over a few beers while listening to the excellent live bands.

It was also another night in the tent amongst thousands of like minded riders all living out their own take on adventure – from fully loaded BMW GSA’s with big tents to Honda CRF 250L’s with bivvy bags and everything in between.

All-in-all I’ve clocked up over 2000 miles over the past seven weeks which means the excellent Continental TKC80’s are dead. 2000 miles may not sound much but for this type of tyre, but some spirited off road riding along with fully loaded motorway miles – I think they’ve done pretty well.

I’ve now got a set of very road focussed Continental Trail Attack 3s going on as I’m intrigued just how good the 890 will be on the tarmac with plenty of grip. I’ll keep you posted.

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KTM 890 Adventure previous updates:

• Update one: Introducing the KTM 890 Adventure R
• Update two: Itching for an adventure
• Update three: Prepping for two up camping adventure

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Update three: Prepping for two up camping on the KTM 890 Adventure R

Published: 01.07.2020

Having recently returned from a five day off-road trip around Northumberland where the KTM 890 Adventure R excelled, it’s on to the next mini adventure. But this time instead of some pretty tough rocky trails and minimal luggage – I’m going camping for a night and taking my 16 year old daughter with me – which some may say will be as equally demanding!

Destination; the Forest of Dean which will provide a great contrasting opportunity to see how the 890R performs as a do it all adventure bike.

In terms of prep there is a bit to do. First and foremost is the suspension. To meet the demands of riding on the Trans Euro Trail in the Bordelands, all the suspension was adjusted as per KTM’s recommendations – a list of which is conveniently listed under the seat.

With preload and compression damping on the forks, and preload and rebound on the rear along with high and low speed compression damping there is a plethora of adjustment available. And unlike suspension adjustment on some bikes, the WP set-up on the 890R really is top spec meaning each and every click or turn makes a real world difference. Having essentially softened the suspension for off-road duties it’s time to stiffen it up to account for the extra weight of luggage and a pillion.

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And on the subject of luggage, I’m still in the negotiation phase with my daughter about how much ‘stuff’ she can bring. It seems my desire and general ability to travel light has not yet transferred to my first born.

Luckily for us both the KTM has been fitted with the stealth looking KTM branded Touratech hard luggage. When I say stealth that is purely down to them being black, and definitely not their cavernous size.

With 36 litres capacity on the right and vast 49 litres on the left there is plenty of space available. The set-up also comes with a 36 litre top box but to enable us to carry her tent – mine fits in the small pannier – we need to utilise the rear rack. We don’t actually leave until next week and it’s only for a night, but we’ve been for a dummy run evening ride just to ensure everything fits. Early indications are that we’re good to go. Wish me luck!

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KTM 890 Adventure previous updates:

• Update one: Introducing the KTM 890 Adventure R
• Update two: Itching for an adventure

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Update two: Itching for an adventure with KTM’s 890R

Published: 10.06.2021

Having done close to 15,000 miles on a KTM 790 Adventure R long-term test bike in 2019, I thought I knew exactly what I was getting into with the all new KTM 890 Adventure R…wrong.

Yes I know that 90cc, 9.4 bhp and 8.8lb.ft more torque may not sound much but in reality it’s brought the already potent middleweight adventure bike to a whole new level. The revised graphics also look sharper but what hasn’t changed is the stiff, focussed chassis and aggressive power delivery when in Rally mode, which have all been enhanced on the 890.

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I’m only 900 or so miles into life with the KTM’s latest adventure offering in which time I’ve enjoyed a trip South to visit Durdle Door and headed East for an off-road lap of Thetford forest. My gut feeling tells me the next 900 are going to be every bit as good, if not better.

Off-road pedigree

So far I’ve only done just over 50 miles off-road in Thetford forest and while the riding there is relatively tame as it’s flat with not many corners it’s still a stiff test, especially for the suspension due to long stretches of random sized whoops.

I’ve ridden the same route on a state of the art Yamaha WR250F enduro bike so I knew what to expect, but I could never have expected just how well the 890R would deal with it. You can’t get away from the fact that the 890 is an expensive bike at £11,999, but after a day riding it’s clear where the money has gone.

The 48mm WP XPLOR forks are simply on another level to its rivals and there were occasions on the ride where the big travel, perfectly damped suspension saved my bacon.

Due to the repetition of the whoops it’s easy for things to get out of hand as the suspension does not have time to recover before the next compression. I’m not saying you couldn’t ride the route on a Yamaha Ténéré 700 or Triumph Tiger 1200 Explorer but there is no way you’d be as fast or as confident.

Real world fast

The extra bhp isn’t a big factor off-road, but it is on the tarmac especially if you’re loaded up with panniers or have a pillion onboard. All the sub 1000cc adventure bikes boast around the same 94bhp  (the Triumph Tiger 900, BMW F850GS, Honda Africa Twin and so on) and all of them lack that mid range grunt or urgency needed for A road overtakes unless you’re riding solo.

I honestly never expected an extra 10bhp to feel so good, but in reality it’s a 10% power increase, which genuinely transforms the bike. For the first time in years I’m searching for any excuse to just take it out for a ride.

Aero woes

If you spend anytime on KTM forums the most posted topic is about replacement wind shields on the 790. Bad aero, wind noise and buffeting are a common complaint which makes it even more disappointing that they haven’t been addressed with the latest 890R.

From what I can see it’s the exact same set-up and while I haven’t found the buffeting too bad even with a peaked Arai X4 helmet the level of wind noise is incredibly high. There’s talk that swapping mirrors can help or removing the lower fairing so I’ve got plenty of investigating to do because even though I’ll be doing less miles than I did on the 790R I’d like to improve the current set-up.

One simple fix is to fit the standard 890 screen which is significantly higher, but it takes away from the looks of the ‘R’ version and is arguably too big for off-road riding.

What’s next

Having had my adventure wings clipped for the last year, I’m keen to get out so have a four day trip planned this month where I get to ride the TET (www.transeurotrail.org) off-road route across Northumberland and Cumbria onboard the KTM Adventure 890R and a Yamaha Tenere 700.

Both bikes have been fitted with off-road focussed Continental TKC80s and I’m currently busy sorting luggage from Kreiga and setting up the satnav for navigation. It’s going to be a real test of the bike – a long road ride followed by long days off-road in what will almost certainly be wet conditions. We have a few technical sections to tackle but with the heavier crank on the 890R, dedicated off-road mode, multi level traction control and KTM off-road DNA – I’m expecting good things.

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Update one: I want to make 2021 my year of adventure with the KTM 890 Adventure R

Published: 21.04.2021

 

With more power and even more off-road capability the year ahead on the new KTM 890 Adventure R is definitely orange and most definitely bright. I want to make 2021 an adventure starting with a five-day off-road trip to Northumberland.

The rider Michael Guy, MCN Sports and Features Editor, 48, 5ft 9in. Riding 38 years. Ex-racer, now prefers off-road adventure. michael.guy@motorcyclenews.com

Bike specs 889cc | 104bhp | 196kg (dry) | 880mm seat height