Video: 2012 KTM 990 Adventure ridden

If this KTM Adventure 990 looks familiar then that’s entirely deliberate – but this is no limited edition ‘Dakar’ version, as debuted last Spring, nor the full-blown ‘R’ version – it’s the standard 2012 Adventure which, like its R brother, boasts a host of modifications and improvements for this year, before an all-new model is expected in 2014.

In a nutshell, both versions now have a power boost – producing 115bhp compared to the 2011 standard bike’s 108 – courtesy of a revised ECU.

The R model is more off-road orientated, with greater ground clearance, crash bars and sump guards, while the standard bike, in addition to the power boost, gets extra crash protection as per the R model and new colours, but the OTR price still remains under £10,000.

The angular Adventure has always stood out in a crowd but in its new blue and orange paintscheme, complete with new orange crash guards, it’s glaringly distinctive.