For KTM to launch its mid-size adventure bike at a venue where the Merzouga Rally is held speaks volumes for their confidence in their new product.
The bike market seems to be following the car industry in the way that new niches get designed and fabricated...and then all of a sudden we users of said products wonder how we coped before? What I mean by that is, if you look at how the car market has changed over the years, moving away from sedans to hatches, to SUVs and then light SUVs...and then up to mid-size SUVs, the new names just keep on coming and new niches get found.
Now, look at the adventure bike market. If I had to find a name for this bike it would have to fall within the ‘light sport utility vehicle’ segment. Years ago within the KTM fold you had the 640 (which had a production run of more than 10 years), then the 950, which became the 990 and then bigger and better came along in the form of the 1190, which grew to the 1290 and then finally ended up with the big mothership, the 1290 Super Adventure.
I still think there’s a space for a bike like that. But I digress. With this upward and onward move KTM was - in my opinion -moving away a little from its original ethos and away from some of its more endearing customers...from what was this ultimate ‘adventure’ bike made for the true enthusiast, the rider of the 990R.
Yes, I’ve been quoted as saying the 1090R is the actual replacement for the original 990R, but that was all before I rode this 790R. The creation of the compact LC8c 799cc parallel twin-cylinder engine has offered KTM engineers a blank canvas to create an all-new chapter in KTM adventure history, beginning in 2019.03.19
If you’re looking for the ultimate ‘sporty’ dual sport adventure bike look no further, KTM has hit the nail on the head! "It's the closest production bike you can buy off the shelf to my rally bike," said Dakar hero Ross Branch, who rode with us for the day. And, riding the bike in sections where the Merzouga Rally is hosted (which includes heavy dunes and very thick sandy sections), I feel I need to agree.
So, let’s start with the engine. Both bikes come out with the identical 799cc parallel twin cylinder engine that comes from the Duke 790, but has been specifically adapted for the adventure platform. The engine now makes 95 Hp and 89 Nm of torque, but it's how it makes it that makes all the difference.
Have a look at the dyno graph later on in the story, the bike has incredible useable power everywhere. It has four different rider modes, but one of the most amazing things with the bike is the riding mode setting ‘Rally’, which it gives you on the fly nine levels of slip settings (what they mean by that is at level 9 it’s like a rain mode).
The bike's TC is fully engaged and the tyre does not slip at all before it cuts the power very gently...in dirt the bike just feels a little lame, like it's got no power. But as you start moving down and down you can alter your stance on the bike...and I had the balls to hold it flat out at level 3 in a long arch, but by then it was way out sideways. You need to alter your weight on the outside foot peg. I'd love this bike on a dirt oval to see how far you could actually push yourself?
I found that this bike actually flatters your riding ability, it makes you ride at a higher level, that’s for sure! Electronics have come a long way.
Staying on electronics, ABS brakes on an adventure bike, if you still asking that question you not well informed. Yes you can switch it all off but why would you? Even in Rally mode you can set the throttle response up to your liking and you can do the same for the ABS as well, I actually found "off road" ABS the best setting for me, it allows the back to be locked up while the front can be squeezed a hard as you like and it will not lock up, even on loose sand, the theory goes you can do that in a bend as well but I'm just a little chicken for that, I'll take their word for it but in truth, I was trying to see where the cut in line was but nowadays the line between rider skill and bike electronic know how is so blurred. For us older racers, the saying might ring true, the older I get the faster I was. The hardware in the braking department is twin 320mm discs gripped by twin radially mounted caliper 4 piston calipers up front and a single disc 260mm at the rear. 
On both bikes we rode, the optional Quickshifter + was fitted for clutch-less up-and-down shifting. Now, I easily can live without it, but when riding briskly in off-road terrain standing it's a fantastic feeling of control just being able to push the gear-lever up and down, so you'd have to tick that box on the options list.
Then another option you have to take is the R750 dongle that allows you to keep the bike in the setting you selected. It stays in the same riding mode, but it switches back to default setting. It was quite frustrating, really, when I stalled the bike in deep sand. The bike then rebooted to TC ‘on’ setting, that I then had to scroll through the menu to select TC ‘off’, hold it for 3 seconds and then go. It’s just something I don't understand about KTM, so buy the dongle and you won't have to try and understand them. The bike will start up as you left it and that is what we want.
Staying on electronics, ABS brakes on an adventure bike?...if you’re still asking that question you’re not well informed. Yes, you can switch it all off, but why would you? Even in ‘Rally’ mode you can set the throttle response up to your liking and you can do the same for the ABS as well.
I actually found ‘off road’ ABS the best setting for me, because it allows the back to be locked up while the front can be squeezed a hard as you like and it will not lock up, even on loose sand. The theory goes you can do that in a bend as well, but I'm just a little chicken for that. I'll take their word for it but, in truth, I was trying to see where the cut-in line was, but nowadays the line between rider skill and bike electronic know-how is so blurred.
For we older racers the saying might ring true: ‘The older I get, the faster I was!’ The hardware in the braking department is twin 320mm discs, gripped by twin radially-mounted caliper, 4-piston calipers up front and a single disc 260mm at the rear.
The design of the bike had the guys a little divided at first. It’s got a 20-litre tank that is designed in such a way as to keep the weight down low. The down side of that is that it protrudes quite widely at the bottom of the bike, but the only issue I ever see there is for single track riding in places like eSwatini...and places completely off-the-beaten track.
I mention this as a concern only because this bike feels like a heavy ‘plastic’ (complete off-road) bike as opposed to light adventure bike...there is a difference in that.
The weight feel of the bike while riding, for sure resembles closer to the 690R than up higher to the 1090R. The fuel consumption we were getting on the routes, which on the 790R only included heavy off-road riding. I managed (for the full day) to average 6.2 litres per 100kms, which translates into an easily achievable 300kms-plus range in heavy conditions...given that we did ride them like we stole them.
On the previous day I achieved 4.8 litres per 100 on the standard 790, which gives you a range of easily over 400kms and, again, that was used like a getaway vehicle, but not spinning in the sand all the time.
The upside to such a fat tank at the bottom is that all the weight is down low and the tank is really narrow at the top, which make for better handling while standing in technical areas, but also, shorter rides get to the ground easier.
The chassis is used as a stressed member and the one thing I noticed is that KTM is trying to make a bike for a big variety of different heights of riders. The standard bike is low at 850mm seat-height standards, but can be lowered still further by 20mm, which gives good access to shorter guys and lady riders. But the R standing a little taller at 880mm can also be ordered with a higher and lower seat, which gives the rider a lot of options.
On the standard Adventure 790 the WP APEX USD 43mm suspension offers 200mm of travel up front and at the WP rear suspension offers 200mm at the rear as well. This provides damping qualities perfectly suited for adventure riding; two-up touring on tar, dirt trails and bad roads for all day riding comfort, but with typical KTM dynamic performance attached.
Front is not adjustable and rear only with preload. But on the R it comes with Premium WP XPLOR 48 mm TSD suspension up front that has 240mm of travel. At the back it has WP fully-adjustable XPLOR suspension with PDS. This suspension is fully adjustable front and back.
Both bikes have spoked wheels in true off-road sizes - 21" front wheel with an 18" rear. The standard Adventure comes with Avon Trail rider tyres – and the R with Metzeler Karoo 3 off-road tyres.
Standard equipment is the TFT display. Easily readable in all riding conditions, the full colour 5" screen’s configuration is variable and automatically adapts to changes in environmental light.
On this model you can choose to ride it in it's blacked-out ‘night’ setting. The KTM MY RIDE system is integrated. This allows pairing with a smartphone for receiving (or rejecting) phone calls, listening to music and using the optional app, navigating with on screen turn-by-turn directions, along with audio prompts.
So, why two models? KTM says it listened to its customers and they found that in this segment people wanted two different bikes, really, so the main focus for the first lot of customers was:
MAIN HIGHLIGHTS AND TARGET GROUP for Adventure 790:
1.High-performing street motorcycle that tackles distance.
- Fully capable of taking on the roughest dirt trails
- The comfort of long-distance travel and fuel range.
- Boasting the convenience and safety of sophisticated electronics.
- Make adventure biking accesible to a wide variety of riders.
MAIN Highlights for Adventure R
- Be the sporty alternative to the Adventure R
- Be true to the ethos of the KTM DNA
- Have briliant off road prowess and have range.
- Be the benchmark leader in the medium adventure bike market.
So, how do you make two different bikes out of such a similar mould? It comes down to chassis dimensions and suspension, mainly.
The focus of the new KTM 790 Adventure R was to achieve class-leading off-road performance, while the KTM 790 Adventure needed to be more touring-oriented and practical.
Agility and stability form a pair of polar opposites that need to be aligned via the geometric layout. The engineers chose a steering head angle and trail that yields high agility on the street and off-road, while at the same time ensuring good stability at high speed. This is further supported by the fork offset and wheel offset. Both have been selected to achieve a neutral handling, agile but not nervous, despite having a 21-inch front wheel. The wheel offset in particular contributes towards the outstanding off-road stability.
The fundamental concept calls for a highly compact bike. A frame made of chrome-molybdenum-steel sections, with the engine as a stressed member, helps to reduce weight and overall size, allowing for a fairly short wheelbase (1,509 mm and 1,528 mm, respectively), while still having a long swing-arm that yields loads of traction. The shock absorber is angled to reduce the seat height, while the rider’s position relatively far forward makes for a great front wheel feel and grip.
The screen is also different on both, the standard bike having a higher clear screen and the R a smaller blacked-out one. Both are 40mm adjustable, but that only with a quick Allen key bolt.
So, who is going to buy which bike? For a rider like myself, the R is the only option, but at a few grand less the standard bike makes sense. Also, for riders not needing that special off-road suspension and agility, maybe the standard bike is the bike for you? Make mine a R!
Go to www.ktm.co.za for dealer details and 2019 model range
