Yes indeed, what about ME? I’m not talking about my pompous self either; instead I’m poking fingers at the ‘forgotten’ KTM 1090 Adventure. I say forgotten because we all know about the huge success that KTM’s Adventure bike range enjoys throughout South Africa, besides, sadly, this particular one.
There are five big capacity KTM Adventure bikes currently available; the revised (and huge) 1290T, 1290 Adventure R, 1290 S, 1090 Adventure R and this 1090 Adventure. The 1290 models all sell consistently, as does the most off-road focussed 1090 Adventure R, which incidentally won MCN UK 2017 Adventure bike of the Year award, and not the 1290 R that won in South Africa. But sales of this 1090 Adventure are low to say the least here in SA and I for one just can’t understand why?
When I went on the launch of these models last year I actually preferred this 1090 to the others, but my off-road ability is about the same as a Dakar winner’s grandmother’s, so that could be one of the reasons. But not just that because I enjoyed the way it rode, pulled wheelies and the most important thing of all – it’s so much fun.
In 2016 KTM launched the 95hp 1050 Adventure, which was primarily a platform for Euro shite ‘learners’ bikes that are clipped and crippled to 50hp, for some ridiculous and pathetic reason, or reasons. The new 1090 can also have its lungs blocked to help new riders crash less, presumably, but none of the 1290s can have this done, thankfully. Can you imagine buying a Ferrari and having to have it restricted to 100hp instead of 500 because of your age and ‘inability’ to handle such a machine? Me neither and whoever came up with that should have their reproductive organs restricted in a similar fashion, or worse! Anyway the 1050 had 95hp and now the 1090 has 30hp horsepower more with a claimed 125hp, obviously South Africa has the full power option, hurrah!
So the motor is still 1,050cc even though it says 1090 on the label but what a difference 30hp can make and 125hp is the same as a BMW R1200 GS. Coincidence? Probably not! Some say the 1090 Adventure is an entry-level/commuter bike, which is a load of bollocks and I’ll tell you why later. But the price is far less than its relatives and it basically does the same thing, so why is this bike a hard sell?
It still has loads of electronic gadgets in the form of multi-function traction control, ABS (including KTM’s off-road mode/feature), and three power modes, being sport, street and rain. All of these can be set up from the left hand switch and seen on the ‘old-style’ clocks from the 1050, when the 1290R and S has the new full- colour TFT screen that people in SA seem to desire. Me, I prefer a big analogue rev-counter any time of the day. A big needle is always easier to see than some digital thing buzzing around, right?
A couple of other things missing from the 1290s are the Bosch cornering ABS system and the quick-shifter. To be honest I never once thought the 1090 needed a quick-shifter or I missed it having one, so you can draw your own conclusions regarding that issue.
One benefit of the smaller 75-degree, 1,050cc, V-twin engine though is the claim of much better fuel consumption than the bigger 1,301cc engine. KTM say the 1090 will provide 5 litres +/- per 100km, which is rather good for a big V-twin. So with a quick bit of math you can admire how far the 23-litre fuel tank will take you. If you decide to embark on a long journey you can also have fun moving the handlebar, footrest and clock position around to suit your preferred riding stance before you set off. The newly shaped screen is also multi-adjustable by a simple lever system, which can be done whilst on the move. All of this makes for an ideal touring machine with the usual KTM off-road ability, if the dirt pulls you that way.
A few things do stand out when you compare this 1090 to their 1290 bikes; it’s lower and lighter, by 10 to12kg, and it can be felt immediately if you get off one onto the other. The rear tyre is thinner as well (150 section), which makes the 1090 more fun to tip into corners. In fact I liked the way the 1090 attacked the bends more than the 1290 for the reasons stated above. I also revelled in the revvy nature of the smaller unit. It’s quite punchy off the line to start with, then there’s a little dip but, after 5,000 rpm, the 1090 wakes up properly, which is where the newfound 30hp says ‘hello I’m here’. Does one really need more power? I’m not so sure and if you decided to go into ‘mental’ mode the 2017 1090 Adventure will be a hard motorcycle to catch down any road.
On any road the WP suspension is a perfect compromise, even though the forks are not adjustable but the rear can be fiddled with for a passenger and luggage, all manual and not electronic like the 1290S has. But less fancy bits means less can go wrong, right? Did I also mention superb Brembo brakes as well? Well, I have now! So you can see the 1090 is riddled with top quality components and most certainly not entry-level bits.
The price of the 1090 Adventure is now R173,000 but there are a few left around KTM SA dealers from the launch, like this one from www.radmoto.co.za, for only R155,000 with low mileage. Any 1290 R or S with extra bits will easily surpass R220,000, so it’s quite a large saving don’t you think?
I said earlier though, the 1090 is said to be an entry-level/commuter type Adventure bike, which is still a load of bollocks in my mind. It’s actually a fast, agile, Adventure-Sports motorbike with much more to offer than you’d first think compared to its more expensive stable mates. Go ride one if you don’t believe me…
Go to www.ktm.com to locate your closest dealer.
Pics by: Gareth Davidson 
