I’ve been on quite a few KTM launches recently and, no matter what model it’s for, one thing sticks in my mind and that is KTM’s slightly egotistical attack on whatever market their bike is aimed at. In short, they want to dominate that particular area of motorcycle and not necessarily to just release a new bike for that genre of two wheels entertainment.
Well let me tell you it’s working and I don’t just mean right here in SA. Last year KTM produced over 200,000 motorcycles worldwide – the highest ever production rate achieved by the Austrian Company, very impressive.
So not only do we have a new vast range of naked bikes for 2017, from the 125 Duke to the evil 1290 Super Duke, which are huge throughout Europe, we now have five, yes five, big Adventure bikes above 1,000c. No other manufacturer can brag about that.
You’ve probably already read about KTM’s new 2017 Adventure range but here’s my take, which I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for, maybe? They are, if you have Alzheimer’s, the 1090 Adventure, 1290 Super Adventure S, 1090 Adventure R and the 1290 Super Adventure R. The ‘old’ silver 1290 Super Adventure is now the Super Adventure T aimed more towards two-up touring me thinks in this classroom, but not new for 2017.
Now I’m about as useful as a Formula1 car in a sand dune regarding off-road ability, so I was a little ‘worried’ about 100km of off-road riding on huge bikes weighing more than 200kg, which they all do. Surprisingly I did complete the ‘owl-eyed’ experience and never fell off, much to my amazement and possibly due to KTM’s amazing new electronics packages to help me avoid a hospital bed and enjoy the sweet hotel in Cape Town afterwards.
Before we had a day without tarmac we had a whole splendid day with tarmac, tearing around the superb roads of Cape Town, or just outside to be more specific. The bikes for that day were the 1090 Adventure and 1290 Super Adventure S, now renamed by KTM as Sport Adventures.
Before we ride up that pleasant path let’s just clarify the engines. I don’t want to get into technical details because I find that side, in some cases, lazy journalism and it just eats words, so, simply click here www.ktm.com and fill yourself with specs until the pub opens, or they’ve just closed? However, both 1090s have 125hp and 109Nm and both 1290s have 160hp and 140Nm from identical 75-degree 4-valve, DOHC, V-twin configurations, if you’re as lazy and Donald Trump’s wife.
The first bike I rode was the R168,000 1090 Adventure with 19-inch (strange how wheel sizes still haven’t been converted into metric), cast front wheel with road tyres. Now I absolutely loved this bike because it was so easy to ride with a smooth punchy engine to lift the front wheel whenever the lust for such an antic arrived. We did do a bit off-road, which I’d preferred not to have done, but it is capable I suppose if that’s your thing. The winding road is really where this bike belongs though. It’s great for touring, immense fun and nice to look at, a perfect everyday machine on every count.
After a picturesque lunch I was directed and planted onto the R211,000 1290 S and I’m afraid it didn’t give me the same warm feeling in-between my aging thighs as the 1090. The S does have, and the only one out of the four here, WP semi-active suspension and I’m sorry but I’m still not a fan of this electronic type of set-up, not only from KTM but also from anyone that uses it. I much prefer ‘manual’ springy bits thank you – just like MotoGP for example. Anyway, the 1290 S has more power everywhere but it is not as smooth as the 1090. The 1090 option isn’t that much slower actually. Sure the 1290 has those fabulous new full-colour TFT clocks, now the best in the business by a mile, but when I got back onto the 1090 a little later, with its older clock layout, I felt more at home and returned to my wheelie-fest once again, and a massive cheeky grin, enough said.
After a night of merriment and bar lies it was time for the dreaded (to me), off-road (21-inch knobbly tyres) excursion. I decided to get straight onto the big R217,000 1290 R hoping that by the time the afternoon arrived the R182,000 1090 R would be more gentle on my predictably battered and dust covered body.
First thing I notice about the ‘Arrr’ was how good the new WP suspension is soaking up hard ripples on the dirt lanes like, well, a Dakar bike I suppose, seeing as KTM have a quite a lot of experience there already. However, climbing up a steep rocky hill made me instantly forget those refined WP parts as I clung on like a sheep half hanging off a cliff top after a misplaced hoof. A bit dramatic and pathetic in reality but I’m sure you catch my drift? The big 200kg+ 1290 R effortlessly pulled me to the top and I vomited profusely as I took off my helmet, not really but close. Still, it’s amazing what these big Adventure bikes can do in the wrong hands.
The rest of the time spent on the 1290 R wasn’t, thankfully, so scary. Instead wafting along sandy dirt lanes at over 170km/h, yes you read that right and I didn’t make that up to look hard, honest, was quite pleasurable. Those new clocks are fantastic though! No matter how viciously the daylight hits them they’ll automatically adapt and can be read perfectly, nice one KTM.
Another posh lunch ensued and then it was time to get onto the 1090 R, which I thought would be better for myself as I preferred the road version, wrong! The 1090 R is one mean mother’ of an off-road bike for the dude or dudess that likes hard-core ventures. It’s taller and this time not as smooth as the 1290 R (opposite to the road bike) and really deserves a better rider than myself, which isn’t hard for this planed type of terrain. Even though both Rs were ‘clipped’ to 100hp in off-road mode using the new electronics packages it was still more than enough horsepower in my hands. I much preferred to look at the 1290 R’s fancy new instruments though and I did feel the 1290 R’s suspension was a little plusher.
Eventually the hotel appeared after 100km of filthy/dusty riding and there was much merriment and bar lies once again, not necessarily from me this time. So what can I conclude after two days on four new big KTMs?
Firstly, the rest of the market now has a very hard time competing with the five-bike Adventure range to attract any rider’s style of riding. KTM’s 2017 Adventure Attack will most certainly cause imminent damage to the ‘others’, and we all know who they are. Fortunately I received no damage besides the one to my liver after consuming a matching five versions of alcohol after the ‘day in the dirt’ to calm my nerves. But seeing as we rode four new bikes I’d like to put them in my order of personal choice, which you’ll possibly disagree with.
Fourth is the 1290 S, rather have the R version for a little more cash. Third is the 1090 R, a bit too hard-core for myself. Second goes to the 1290 R, which is a brilliant machine I’m sure in the right hands, sometimes even in mine, but has the best instruments and looks the best. So in first place is the cheapest, highly entertaining and relatively simple 1090 Adventure – hurrah and a round of applause please. Right, job done then and I’m off for a little lie down on a deservedly soft bed.
If you disagree go to www.radmoto.co.za to book a test ride on any of these bikes in Jo’burg.
If you don’t live around there go to www.ktm.com to locate your closest dealer for the same treatment. 
