New / nearly new KTM 890 ADVENTURE R - crazy idea?

[TorqueDirty]

OK I'll try to keep this succinct - but will probably fail.

I have developed a serious hankering for a mid weight adventure bike.

Previous bikes:

1987 Kawasaki GT 750. First bike. Big, heavy, cumbersome but I loved it back in the day. Bit dull though.

Suzuki RF 600: Perfectly good but boring. No soul.

1996 CBR 900 RR: Rip snorting, heavily tuned - and heavily abused before I got it. I think it had been a track bike. It was engagingly edgy - which it turns out to be something I like in a bike (I think)

2000 Honda XR 650 R. Huge, light, simple, noisy off roader that a lot of fun to blat around on (often on the rear wheel). I should never have sold it.

2005 Speed Triple 1050: I really wanted to love it but I didn't. I think it was just the wrong bike for me. Pretty fast when wound up of course but it was more of a sledgehammer than a scalpel. It didn't feel very agile.

1999 Fireblade: Current bike bought last year. One owner from new and in fantastic condition. Great bike - fast, handles well, sounds good with the new exhaust I put on it. Can't fault it really BUT it is only really fun when pushing on. Plus I live down a 1/2 mile rutted dirt track so the poor old thing gets shaken to bits every time I take it out.

What I really want is a bike with real soul that isn't too heavy, handles pretty well but is also able to comfortably deal with the crap roads and dirt tracks that I ride on. The fun factor is really important. I'd happily sacrifice mad power and track handling for something that makes me grin every time I ride it at any speed.

I'm not going to do huge miles so I want the miles I do to be good fun without having to be in license losing territory.

The Yamaaha Tenere 700 looks epic and is on the list for sure. As is the Triumph Tiger XCA / XCX 800 (but I'm not sure I want another triple)

Then I started looking at the KTM 890 Adventure R and I'm very tempted. Considerably more powerful that the Yamaha and a bit more "naughty" whilst still providing a good balance of on / off road capability.

BUT the KTM 890 does not have the greatest reputation for reliability as far as I can see, and what with KTM going down the tubes would buying one be totally mad? I have found one with only a couple of thousand miles on it (a 2024 model) for the same price as a new Tenere 700.

Oh, and I am not the tallest rider out there at 5 ft 7, but I managed OK on the XR 650 which was way taller than the KTM or the Yamaha

Thoughts?

[robinh73]

Can't comment on the long term of the 890 but I have tried one for a full day when my 1290 Superduke was in for servicing. I loved it, great bike and very capable. Not too heavy which was nice and felt very much like a bike that could do it all. I would love to put one alongside my 1290 as a second bike. In terms of KTM and their current situation, it did make me nervous but I really can't see them going anywhere as a brand. They are too large and such a big player in the game. It wouldn't personally put me off.

[GreaseNipple]

I test rode a 890 adventure r and a standard model last year and the r was considerably worse on road than the standard model and because of the skinny 21 inch front wasn't fun to ride at all in my opinion. It's also very tall and was right at my limit for being acceptable at 5'11. The standard model was better but I was still disappointed in it. Probably unfairly I was expecting it to be more like an 890 duke but everything about it just felt flat. The screens were also the worst I've experienced, bordering on unacceptable because of the noise. I much preferred the desert x I rode.

[Bob_Defly]

My mate's 890R has cut out a few times, the dash sometimes doesn't work, and sometimes the indicators choose not to work. So no.

[TorqueDirty]

Leaving the KTM aside for the moment, the Tenere 700 Word Raid looks rather tasty and I have seem a good discount a new one.

I know I should really just get a tattered old 250 / 400 cc dirt bike to fanny about on but the desire for something a little more special is certainly strong.

[Biker9090]

The Tenere is VERY big for a 700. The rally one made rhe 1290SA next to it look small that I saw.

[KTMsm]

If you want a KTM with fun factor, there's a reason that many of us with 990 Adventures haven't upgraded to 790 / 890s

Obviously if you want the modern tech they won't be suitable but they're one hell of a bike and the V twin has so much more character IMO

Obviously you have to bin the standard exhaust and an airbox replacement adds to the noise but may not be ideal for a daily

With everything still in the air, I wouldn't be buying a new or nearly new KTM at the minute, wait until the end of February to see what's happening because your warranty might not be worth the paper it's written on

Edited by KTMsm on Sunday 16th February 16:32

[HairyMaclary]

I had an 890 Adventure for a couple of days when my 1290 Super Adventure was in for its valve service.

I loved it. It has more useable power (105bhp iirc) and was much lighter to hussle through central London traffic.

If I had a go on that before I got the SAS I so would have got one.

[gareth_r]

A KTM parallel twin - probably the 790 Adventure - was on my "next bike" list, but, in addition to being nervous about KTM's financial problems, I'm not entirely convinced that the camshaft problems have been fixed.

[KTMsm]

The last statement I saw about it KTM said they would cover the fix

But previously many have had to sort it out themselves and who knows what's going to happen at the end of the month

[Bob_Defly]

Biker9090 said:

The Tenere is VERY big for a 700. The rally one made rhe 1290SA next to it look small that I saw.

I sat on one at the bike show, was surprised how heavy it was. It didn't feel much lighter than the Tiger 900 RP.

[scorcher]

Try a 690. Cracking single with only 70 bhp but nice and light. If you’re not going to do many miles on it , it may suit.

[BlackG7R]

I've got the standard Tenere 700, and I love it. It does everything I want, a bit of light summer greenlaning, commuting, and touring. It may not be the most exciting, fire breathing competition machine, but it's got a lovely low down torque, and also spins up surprisingly well. I'm more than happy with the performance, bearing in mind the type of bike it is. But above all in the 3 yrs, and 15000 miles I've done on it, it's never missed a beat. Leave it in the garage for 4 months over winter, and it starts first press of the button. But I'm not gonna lie it's tall, and top heavy, and the World Raid, and Rally versions are taller still.

The KTM, will no doubt be more dynamic, but the only KTM I ever owned was nothing but trouble right from new, so once bitten twice shy for me.

Edited by BlackG7R on Monday 17th February 21:00

[TorqueDirty]

scorcher said:

Try a 690. Cracking single with only 70 bhp but nice and light. If you’re not going to do many miles on it , it may suit.

The 690 is really interesting. Looks like an absolute hoot to ride. In some ways it is a modern version of my XR 650 R it seems. Definitely food for thought.

The only issue is that I'm a bit of a short arse ( 5 ft 7) and a seat height of 910mm might be a bit much these days if I'm honest - now that I'm 55 rather than 35 when I had the XR! I saw a review by a guy who was 6 ft and he was on his tip toes.

Tempting though.

[carinaman]

TorqueDirty said:

The 690 is really interesting. Looks like an absolute hoot to ride. In some ways it is a modern version of my XR 650 R it seems. Definitely food for thought.

The only issue is that I'm a bit of a short arse ( 5 ft 7) and a seat height of 910mm might be a bit much these days if I'm honest - now that I'm 55 rather than 35 when I had the XR! I saw a review by a guy who was 6 ft and he was on his tip toes.

Tempting though.

I think the Husqvarna branded versions of the 690 for the road, the Vitpilen and Svartpilen are tall but 830-850mm tall.

I've ridden a Duke 690 and reaching for the ground gave me few hip twinges.

[Bob_Defly]

carinaman said:

TorqueDirty said:

The 690 is really interesting. Looks like an absolute hoot to ride. In some ways it is a modern version of my XR 650 R it seems. Definitely food for thought.

The only issue is that I'm a bit of a short arse ( 5 ft 7) and a seat height of 910mm might be a bit much these days if I'm honest - now that I'm 55 rather than 35 when I had the XR! I saw a review by a guy who was 6 ft and he was on his tip toes.

Tempting though.

I think the Husqvarna branded versions of the 690 for the road, the Vitpilen and Svartpilen are tall but 830-850mm tall.

I've ridden a Duke 690 and reaching for the ground gave me few hip twinges.

The Husky 690 is the 701 isn't it? Which has a seat height of 890mm, so 2cm lower.

[carinaman]

Bob_Defly said:

The Husky 690 is the 701 isn't it? Which has a seat height of 890mm, so 2cm lower.

The 690 engine was also available in the Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 and Svartpilen 701.

Same engine different bikes:

https://youtu.be/r-sC3v6vdj0?t=195

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWfLL6E5Y88

One of my favourite Fortnine videos (Vitpilen 701):

https://youtu.be/9Vf7uyYa0LU

Edited by carinaman on Tuesday 18th February 19:09

[Bob_Defly]

carinaman said:

Bob_Defly said:

The Husky 690 is the 701 isn't it? Which has a seat height of 890mm, so 2cm lower.

The 690 engine was also available in the Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 and Svartpilen 701.

Yeah I know, but OP wants a mid weight adv bike.

[carinaman]

Bob_Defly said:

Yeah I know, but OP wants a mid weight adv bike.

A discounted KTM 890 Adventure R has caught the OP's eye. The OP said he's 5' 7'' but coped on an XR650R. OP said they wanted fun without the licence losing velocities. The reliability of the KTM parallel twins was mentioned too.

The Husqvarna versions of the Duke 690 offer much fun at more sensible road speeds without the tall seat height.

MCN said the Svartpilen 701 could do light offroading and green laning:

MCN Svartpilen 701 review said:

Weighing just 158.5kg dry it’s BMX-light, has flawless low speed manners and acres of knee-friendly legroom, but get it out of town and it’ll display the kind of tough playfulness in the corners and mono-wheeled lunacy down the straights, that would make a supermoto proud.

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/husqva...

MCN reckons the seat height is 835mm. I thought they were taller than that.


I didn't see an adventure bike brief I saw a lightweight and fun on poor roads and tracks brief. I saw fun and that reads to me like KTM even if they can be an infuriating ownership experience sometimes.

Edited by carinaman on Tuesday 18th February 22:37

[carinaman]

I don't know what the Tenere 700 sells for or what the discounted 890 Adventure R was priced at but Michael Neeves of MCN seems impressed with the revised Transalp 750 which he said handles despite the 21 inch front wheel:

https://x.com/Neevesy33/status/1880711683355910278

Seems there's deals to be had on the old ones that won't have had the updates.