2023 KTM 890 Adventure | First trip review

news7g01/24/2023

10 8 minutes read

To stay up to date with the latest technology and stay ahead of the competition, KTM has gone through a two-year development cycle with its mid-tier Adventure platform. KTM 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R were launched for 2019, then they evolved into KTM 890 Adventure and 890 Adventure R for 2021, and now we have updated versions for 2023.

KTM unveiled the 2023 version of the more terrain-oriented 890 Adventure R at the Adventure Rider Rally in Idaho last September, and the KTM 890 Adventure 2023 was announced two months later. The standard and R models are mostly the same, differing only in suspension, tires, seats, windshield, and colors/graphics.

When the platform launched in 2019, KTM said the 790 Adventure was designed to be the most all-terrain capable touring vehicle, and the 790 Adventure R was designed to be the most capable off-road vehicle. highest breathtaking. They outperformed anything else in the category and they shared Motorcycle of the year 2019 voted by Rider Magazine reward.

KTM has continued its two-pronged approach. To handle more extreme duty, the 890 Adventure R is equipped with a higher spec WP XLPOR suspension, which largely results in a higher price tag ($15,199 versus $13,949 for the standard model tested here. ). It also has Mitas Enduro Trail+ tires, a single seat 34.6 inches off the ground, a short windscreen, and race-inspired graphics.

At the press launch of the 890 Adventure in Obidos, Portugal, a KTM representative said many customers end up buying the R instead of the standard model because they think the higher priced model is better of the two. But it really depends on where and how someone rides a horse. If they spend most of their time on the road and occasionally on dirt roads, if their off-road driving style is more exploratory than aggressive, and if they travel with passengers, then the base model will more suitable overall.

Following that trend, KTM has made the 890 Adventure more capable off-road without sacrificing street style or on-road comfort. New damping settings for the WP APEX suspension are less sporty, geared more towards comfort when traveling with or without passengers and compliance on rough terrain. The fully adjustable 43mm upside-down fork features an open-cartridge design with compression in the left foot, pop-out on the right foot, and a new finger swing adjuster on the fork cap. The Progressive Damping System rear shock is adjustable for bounce and preload, with an adjustment knob for the rear shock on the left side of the seat. And like the R, the 890 Adventure has 7.9-inch front and rear suspension, 9.2-inch ground clearance, 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels.

On the tech front, there’s a new ABS unit that works in conjunction with the 6-axis IMU, and as before, there are two ABS modes: Road (full front and rear intervention, tilt-sensitive) and Offroad ( less intervention in the front, no intervention in the back, and no tilt compensation). Also unchanged are the three standard ride modes (Street, Rain and Offroad) and an optional Rally mode, all of which adjust throttle response, power, and MTC (Motorcycle Traction Control).

Previously, the driver had to select the ABS mode and the driving mode separately. Many times on previous models, I’ve switched to off-road mode, headed down a trail, and only then realized I was still in Road ABS mode. Now, when Offroad or Rally mode is selected, Offroad ABS is automatically selected, while Road ABS is the default for Street and Rain modes.

Take off:

A new feature on some 2023 KTM models is the Demo mode, which allows new owners to use and evaluate optional electronic upgrades for 1,500 km (932 miles) before paying for them. Once the distance limit has been reached and the bike lock is turned off, the options will be disabled. The owner then has the option to return to the dealer to pay to have them reactivated. On the 890 Adventure, those options include Rally mode, Engine Slip Regulation (MSR), Quickshifter+, and cruise control, which can be purchased individually or all together as part of the Technology Package ($549). .99).

There’s also an upgraded 5-inch TFT display with new graphics, a more intuitive menu system and the bike’s color-coded pictograms – when the rear-wheel ABS is off, for example. change from blue to red. With the optional Rally mode, there is a minimalist, high-contrast Rally display that shows the sliding adjustment setting, which can be changed quickly via the up/down arrows on the switchgear. An optional connector allows the bike to be paired with the KTMconnect app via Bluetooth, which enables Turn-by-Turn+ navigation as well as music and calling functions when connected to the intercom on the helmet. A new call-out function allows drivers to create a favorite list of 10 phone numbers for quick access.

See all horsemanKTM’s coverage is here.

To emphasize the new terrain value of 890 Adventure, at the press launch, KTM organized a challenging track near the coast of Portugal. It was a cold, foggy and wet winter day. Our tour guide was Giacomo Zappoli, KTM Offroad & Travel Product Marketing Manager, a young, energetic Italian who has competed in extreme road and enduro races. After just a few miles on the wet pavement, we turned onto a rough gravel road filled with tree roots, tire tracks, and puddles of water, and before I could even get my “smeared feet” we were already throttle through the deep sand. Alright, game continues.

Throughout the day, we frequently switch between paved and unpaved surfaces. The asphalt stretches from wet to dry, flat to curved, from rural to urban, along with some sketchy roundabouts. The terrain includes a single humus road winding through the trees, winding farm roads with ancient stone walls, gravel strewn over a 6th gear ramp dotted with wind turbines and even wind turbines. even a shortcut between the paved roads gave us a break. The road passed a small garbage dump. The variety offers the perfect opportunity to repeatedly test every riding mode in the intended environment, and automatic selection of the appropriate ABS mode means one less thing to worry about. .

The 890’s softer suspension settings are suitable for changing terrain and the new Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, which have an on/off-road ratio of about 70/30 compared to the ADV 90/10 tires on the previous model. appreciate. Loads of rock bounced off the sturdier aluminum engine guard, which also covered the front and sides of the lower fuel tank above the horseshoe-shaped fuel tank. The design of the fuel tank, introduced on the 790, brings most of the fuel down near the rider’s feet, reducing the bike’s center of gravity for better handling.

While unchanged for 2023, KTM’s LC8c 889cc tandem engine is still a compact, well-balanced and lively engine. When we put a 2021 890 Adventure R on Jett Tuning’s engine, it produced 90 hp at 8,200 rpm and 62 lb-ft of torque at 6,200 rpm at the rear wheels. The riding modes allow the engine’s characteristic to be adjusted to the conditions, and the Twin’s agility, responsiveness and auditory rumble are well suited for an adventure bike to be assured. Take on different roles and bring enough excitement to make things interesting.

Inspired by the KTM 450 Rally – which took two top spots at Dakar 2023 to Kevin Benavides and Toby Price – the new bodywork on the 890 Adventure features a more integrated front fender that includes a larger fuel tank and side panels. beside. The connection between the bib and frame now uses two forged aluminum components, providing additional durability as well as greater load capacity for large GPS devices (with USB and 12V sockets on the panel). The new windshield is taller, steeper, and includes a vertical ledge at the top, as well as a central opening that helps reduce vibration at high speeds. Windbreak and airflow are noticeably improved, and the taller display doesn’t interfere with terrain reading in difficult terrain.

Comfort is further enhanced with an extra 0.4 inch of foam on the seat, which increases the height of the seat in the dual position to the same 33.1/33.9 inches. To compensate for the extra height, the saddle has been made narrower at the front to make the effective standing height roughly the same. Since I have a 34-inch inside diameter and my own generously restrained weight, I appreciate the extra support of the chair but don’t mind the extra height, even at the higher setting. with a slightly increased front-rear load. Lower seats and lowering kits are available as accessories.

Our test ride on the 890 Adventure certainly lives up to the bike’s name. I used a lot of the brakes when adapting to rapidly changing conditions – both the front lever and rear pedal are easy to adjust – and the ABS intervention did its job. At the end of the day, when the hide-and-seek sun had dried the sidewalks and we were doing our best to keep up with Zappoli on a particularly twisty stretch of road, I sped the gas out of a corner and felt the rear step out. . Before I could think “Oh, damn…!” TC light flashed and the moment passed.

Back at the hotel, my North American friends and I went straight to the bar; we didn’t pass Go and we didn’t raise $200. We ordered tall beers, toasted each other, and recounted the highlights of the day. We got into the elements, challenged ourselves, explored a new area, and had fun. That’s what adventure is all about.