If you’ve just read my report on the mighty 1290 Super Adventure you’ll realise it left me with a bit of a frown, for many reasons. However, on the next day of KTM South Africa’s new 2015 Adventure bikes launch, we were thrown into the saddle of the new ‘baby’ Adventure option and my frown was instantly turned into a smile as wide as a hippo’s bottom.
You see I just adore simplicity on a motorbike, the way a ‘real’ bike should be, and the new 1050 is as refreshing as a large vodka and dry lemon in our overcomplicated electronic world of, er, electronics. And I will stand up and shout out right now that the new 1050 Adventure is the best of the four bikes in KTM’s range. How’s that?
The four are the 1290, 1190R, 1190 and now this cute 1050 option. And for some reason these 1050s are dwelling on shop floors longer than they should, mainly due, in my opinion, to ‘ego’ buying where the most expensive variants have to be better, which in this case is a load of bollocks. 
KTM call their 1050 an entry-level adventure bike but once you’ve owned a 1050 I’d be very surprised in you spat it out and moved onto the others. Basically it’s the same thing as the 1190 but much, much, more fun to ride and isn’t that what motorcycling is all about? The reason for my blatant mirth is the complete package the 1050 has to offer. It makes only 95hp, which is still substantial but quite a bit less than its three brothers, but it’s much lighter at 219kg (dry), chugs out 90Nm of torque around 2,500 rpm and peaks at 107Nm, which means if you like wheelies then you’ll love this, and a slipper clutch to stop the back wheel locking up whilst performing similar silly antics. And the superb WP suspension keeps everything under control even more so – very nice bike mister.
The 1050’s seemingly weak 95hp LC8 power output is designed for some Class-A2 license in Europe garbage and to attract riders in that group, which doesn’t concern us down in the south. But, believe me, you’ll find yourself tearing around like a stabbed rat on this funky-cool 210kmh ‘big baby’. For the entire day’s ride I never once became bored with the 1050 and was even a little disappointed when the day came to an end, say no more.
KTM has kindly fitted thinner tyres to their 1050 shod on cast ‘road’ wheels measuring 110 x 19 front and 150 x 17 rear, which works wonders and belies the capacity of the V-twin 1050cc engine because it feels more like a 600 adventure bike to throw around than a big ‘un. I even went off-road, for once, and quite enjoyed the experience - even with road tyres - spinning through the leaves which was certainly helped by a lower 850mm seat height, compared the other three. 
If you don’t like spinning wheels then the 1050 still offers a good bag of electronics to stop you ‘pooing yourself’. ABS is there, which can be disengaged, so is traction control that combines with the ABS system and three power modes are there to fiddle with; street, sport and rain. Obviously I never came out of sport mode, who would, unless you’re still scared of 1960’s horror films that is? But thankfully that’s your lot on the 1050 – hip, hip, HUURRRAAAAHHH!
KTM call their 1050 a Travel Enduro and with a 23-litre tank I see where they’re coming from. There’s also an optional luggage pack if you want to gobble up those 23-litres and change into a tuxedo afterwards. Either way this 1050 option is as versatile as a Swiss Army Knife with a thousand implements and probably as unbreakable too.
So the 1050 is my favourite choice of KTM’s Adventure range and I couldn’t recommend going for a test ride more. But I’ve left the best part until last and this certainly will make your jaw drop – it only costs R140,000 WTF! Looking for the best value for money motorbike on the market are we? Well you’ve read about it.
Go to www.ktm.com to locate your nearest dealer and book a test ride today.
