KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo
Discussion
Next in line to get the 1390 Treatment
https://www.ktm.com/en-gb/models/travel/2025-ktm-1...
Sounds like a technological tour-de-Force
Not sure how I feel about touch screen dash or automatic transmission but would be very interested to try them out!
https://www.ktm.com/en-gb/models/travel/2025-ktm-1...
Sounds like a technological tour-de-Force
Not sure how I feel about touch screen dash or automatic transmission but would be very interested to try them out!
Biker9090 said:
I'm still seeing people having problems with the previous gen of dash.....
Well then, there's a ready pool of owners who should be looking to upgrade 
Unfortunately, and I curse myself for this every day, my 2018 1290 GT is still not failing, it's never let me down, doesn't leak, the dash still works and it even still feels quite fresh, so I won't have a reason to sell it soon
It all looks very technically impressive but I don't want one. I could barely use half of that power, the tech doesn't help me and it's still fugly.
I do wonder if this sort of thing is why Pierer Mobility are having the financial problems they are. The development costs of all that technology must be huge and the market for an enormous, complex, expensive and colossally powerful motorcycle which looks like an orange plastic toy must be very small.
I do wonder if this sort of thing is why Pierer Mobility are having the financial problems they are. The development costs of all that technology must be huge and the market for an enormous, complex, expensive and colossally powerful motorcycle which looks like an orange plastic toy must be very small.
I'm not into adventure bikes and the KTMs seem to be the ones that would win the "ugly" award if there was one but the fact that they're still developing the sorts of engines that the likes of Yamaha appear to be running scared of is great.
The touch screen dash sounds like a good thing although it'll be interesting to see how it handles gloved hands, and how robust it is after 3 or 4 years of prodding the screen. Bike sat nav screens tend to get scratched over time and I suspect they'll get prodded less than the dash on a bike.
Who has been asking for automatic transmission on bikes? It seems to be the route a number of manufacturers are going but I don't know if they're really is a demand for it. I, for one, definitely have no interest in it, even on the likes of my BMW RT.
The touch screen dash sounds like a good thing although it'll be interesting to see how it handles gloved hands, and how robust it is after 3 or 4 years of prodding the screen. Bike sat nav screens tend to get scratched over time and I suspect they'll get prodded less than the dash on a bike.
Who has been asking for automatic transmission on bikes? It seems to be the route a number of manufacturers are going but I don't know if they're really is a demand for it. I, for one, definitely have no interest in it, even on the likes of my BMW RT.
SteveKTMer said:
Well then, there's a ready pool of owners who should be looking to upgrade
Unfortunately, and I curse myself for this every day, my 2018 1290 GT is still not failing, it's never let me down, doesn't leak, the dash still works and it even still feels quite fresh, so I won't have a reason to sell it soon
Oh come on Steve. I't can't be that hard to justify a new bike after 6 years. Unfortunately, and I curse myself for this every day, my 2018 1290 GT is still not failing, it's never let me down, doesn't leak, the dash still works and it even still feels quite fresh, so I won't have a reason to sell it soon
Agreed with the poster above, my 2017 Superduke GT hasn't let me down and does everything I need it to. I'm not in love with how it looks but I don't really see much of it when I ride it.
With regards to the power - I couldn't imagine ever using full throttle when I first bought my 1290. I'm now more than comfortable with it and can understand why people upgrade them for more power. Having MCT switched off introduces wheelies to the mix which I'm still terrified of though.
If I was on a big old brute like a Goldwing or something I'd go for an Auto. Probably not a nice grunty V-Twin KTM though.
With regards to the power - I couldn't imagine ever using full throttle when I first bought my 1290. I'm now more than comfortable with it and can understand why people upgrade them for more power. Having MCT switched off introduces wheelies to the mix which I'm still terrified of though.
If I was on a big old brute like a Goldwing or something I'd go for an Auto. Probably not a nice grunty V-Twin KTM though.
Discendo Discimus said:
.......I'm not in love with how it looks but I don't really see much of it when I ride it.
With regards to the power - I couldn't imagine ever using full throttle when I first bought my 1290. I'm now more than comfortable with it and can understand why people upgrade them for more power. Having MCT switched off introduces wheelies to the mix which I'm still terrified of though.
If I was on a big old brute like a Goldwing or something I'd go for an Auto. Probably not a nice grunty V-Twin KTM though.
Words of wisdom there! With regards to the power - I couldn't imagine ever using full throttle when I first bought my 1290. I'm now more than comfortable with it and can understand why people upgrade them for more power. Having MCT switched off introduces wheelies to the mix which I'm still terrified of though.
If I was on a big old brute like a Goldwing or something I'd go for an Auto. Probably not a nice grunty V-Twin KTM though.
I also think the market for auto boxes will be small. I just can't see the advantage outside getting round an injury. Each to their own but how many of us want a monster of and engine and an automatic transmission?
yellowstreak said:
Discendo Discimus said:
.......I'm not in love with how it looks but I don't really see much of it when I ride it.
With regards to the power - I couldn't imagine ever using full throttle when I first bought my 1290. I'm now more than comfortable with it and can understand why people upgrade them for more power. Having MCT switched off introduces wheelies to the mix which I'm still terrified of though.
If I was on a big old brute like a Goldwing or something I'd go for an Auto. Probably not a nice grunty V-Twin KTM though.
Words of wisdom there! With regards to the power - I couldn't imagine ever using full throttle when I first bought my 1290. I'm now more than comfortable with it and can understand why people upgrade them for more power. Having MCT switched off introduces wheelies to the mix which I'm still terrified of though.
If I was on a big old brute like a Goldwing or something I'd go for an Auto. Probably not a nice grunty V-Twin KTM though.
I also think the market for auto boxes will be small. I just can't see the advantage outside getting round an injury. Each to their own but how many of us want a monster of and engine and an automatic transmission?
It still has a shifter, you just don’t need to a clutch.
Sounds an awful lot like having a quick shifter, you just don’t have a clutch for the slow stuff.
But one of the key aspects of having good bike control is knowing how to use the clutch properly. It's possibly the most important control to master.
Taking it away for me is removing one of my primary satisfaction in having good control.
I just don't understand how you can properly control any real bike without a clutch... and as such it just takes away from the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment.
But I'm old so wtf do I know
Taking it away for me is removing one of my primary satisfaction in having good control.
I just don't understand how you can properly control any real bike without a clutch... and as such it just takes away from the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment.
But I'm old so wtf do I know
Steve Bass said:
But one of the key aspects of having good bike control is knowing how to use the clutch properly. It's possibly the most important control to master.
Taking it away for me is removing one of my primary satisfaction in having good control.
I just don't understand how you can properly control any real bike without a clutch... and as such it just takes away from the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment.
But I'm old so wtf do I know
I completely agree/agreed with everything you say, but I’m becoming a little curious to the idea, there are already a few clutchless bikes out there now and all the reviewers said similar to our thoughts, until they ride them and then they say they actually make sense and feel very natural. Now I know most of these reviewers need to say positive things about new products but there’s a few exceptions to that rule that also agree, they’re actually pretty good. Taking it away for me is removing one of my primary satisfaction in having good control.
I just don't understand how you can properly control any real bike without a clutch... and as such it just takes away from the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment.
But I'm old so wtf do I know
Something else that I hadn’t thought of until now, is I’ve ridden the Stark Varg (EV off road bike) this was a bike I said would never work for enduro/hard enduro as it lacked a clutch and you need a clutch for technical off-road, after only a few minutes on the bike I was shocked at how quickly I had adapted, and that it might even be better than a manual.
I still feel I wouldn’t want to own one as I like the old mechanics of riding but I do wonder if this is the shape of things to come and it is here to stay, who knows
Lambo FirstBlood said:
“Regular” version now announced. Looks to have the same fancy TFT and trick suspension but still has a clutch pedal.
This is generation is updated enough to justify upgrading my 2019 2nd generation SAS but I'm not paying full price for one straight off the bat. I'll wait until this time next year when KTM suddenly drop £xk off the value. Looking forward to riding one.
44T rode the auto MT09 and Fagan said he wouldn't have one. BVG rode the BMW GS 1300 with automatic and absolutely loved it and rekons that is what he'd spec for that type of bike...
Does make me more interested in trying it.
For the 1390 SAS I really want to like it more but my mate has a 1290 SAS and it's too big for me I think.
Does make me more interested in trying it.
For the 1390 SAS I really want to like it more but my mate has a 1290 SAS and it's too big for me I think.
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