2014 Ktm 1190 Adventure R

CW FIRST RIDE

2014 KTM 1190 Adventure R

THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE R

Blalce Conner

As the venture-touring market has matured, the bikes within the category have evolved into quasi sport-touring machines that can competently handle light off-road terrain. None, though, handle dirt anywhere near as impressively as KTM's big 950/990 Adventures.

The flip side of this? KTM's Adventures were seriously lacking in features, overall comfort, and on-road performance. But after riding the brand-new 1190 Adventure on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands earlier this year (April), I saw that KTM had begun addressing these issues. The engine, chassis, electronics, handling, and rider comfort had all improved dramatically. One big question, however, remained: Would the yet-to-be-released R version maintain its huge advantage over its competitors in off-road handling and composure?

Having spent two mostly off-highway days on the new R at its press launch in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, this past September, I can state unequivocally that the off-road-oriented bike lives up to the reputation earned by its predecessors.

KTM's Adventure has always defied physics; it feels far more lithe in the dirt than any 500-pound machine has a right to. One of the key attributes is a chassis that instills confidence in the rider, which means it's easier to ride at an aggressive pace.

For riders who stick to the asphalt most of the time, the single most noticeable improvement will be the engine. But for those who spend a larger chunk of time on the dirt, it's the ABS. KTM's Bosch 9ME combined ABS is the perfect complement to a great chassis. Unlike BMW's R1200GS, which requires a little plug-in dongle to access Enduro Pro mode, the KTM (when stopped) allows you to quickly scroll through the menus on the info screen and switch ABS to Enduro mode. In this mode, the rear wheel is allowed to lock, and the front is tuned to bite more.

KTM 1190 ADVENTURE R

On the 1190 R, gone are the days of grabbing the front brake off-road and discovering a bike that almost freewheels and causes panic with dramatically longer stopping distances. Get into an off-camber downhill corner a little hot on the 1190 R and you can brake aggressively—even trail brake—without fear of locking and tucking the front. Further experimentation with panic braking on dirt revealed that I could grab a huge, four-finger handful of front brake and still stop quickly and safely without any drama. The Continental TKC 80 knobby front tire grabbed and released as the ABS cycled quickly, the steering remaining light and controllable the whole way.

The R's WP suspension has a little more than an inch of extra travel front and rear (8.7 inches of travel versus 7.5 for the standard 1190). At 35 inches, the fixed seat is higher than the standard 1190's, which is adjustable from 33.8 to 34.5. The fully adjustable fork felt soft when landing from water bars, even with compression damping almost maxed out. KTM says the US-spec models for 2014 will be firmer and have other updates not present on the Eurospec 2013 models we rode.

For the sake of simplicity, EDS (electronically adjustable suspension) is not offered on the 1190 R, but there is an easily accessible remote preloadadjustment knob that allows quick tuning of the shock. Tubeless, wire-spoke wheels (21-inch front/18-inch rear) allow the use of more aggressive knobbies such as the Continental TKC 80s mounted on our testbikes (Conti Trail Attack 2 tires are standard). At 62.2 inches, the wheelbase of the R is 0.8 inch longer than a standard 1190's. Although a steering-head angle of 26 degrees is shared by both bikes, the R has a bit more trail—5.1 inches versus 4.7.

The abundant off-highway riding around Steamboat offered everything from graded dirt roads to OHV double track littered with rocks, mud holes, and ruts.

In this environment, I quickly developed confidence in the 1190 R. Whether broadsliding the bike along gravel roads or flicking it from berm to berm in the tighter stuff, the R felt positively lively, as if it weighed 100 pounds less than KTM's claimed wet weight of 518 pounds. Without a doubt, the 2014 KTM 1190 Adventure R is the most confidence-inspiring ADV bike I've ever ridden off-road, much of that attributed to how much easier it is to get the bike stopped with the Enduro ABS.

With four different ride modes (Sport, Street, Rain, and Enduro), the 1190 R tackles any type of road or trail condition. The first two modes allow the 1495CC V-twin's full claimed 150 hp to be tapped, while the latter pair are limited to 100 hp. Sport mode has the most aggressive power delivery and least TC intervention, while Street provides a bit more of a safety net. In Rain mode, rear-wheel slip is virtually eliminated, while Enduro allows the rear wheel to spin at twice the rate of the front for beautifully controlled slides. After sampling the Enduro mode, I soon discovered that the twin's power delivery is so smooth (and its fueling so well mapped) that TC could be shut off completely in Street or Sport mode. Traction stayed readily available in the dirt.

Rider comfort has been significantly improved compared to the 990 Adventure. The 1190 R's seating position is great for long stints in the saddle (though the seat could be a bit cushier), while the handlebar and footpegs offer a small range of adjustment for optimization. Wind protection provided by the adjustable screen is excellent, with buffet-free airflow. The high seat will definitely be a challenge for riders less than 6 feet tall, but that extra travel is well worth the compromise. Moreover, the rider will find the multi-functional cockpit to be well laid out, with menus that are easy to browse (and set) and electronics that are simple to navigate. My only complaint: You can't turn off TC on the fly.

The 1190 Adventure R is a lot of motorcycle for $16,799. BMW's standard 2014 R1200GS starts at $16,100, but that's a base model most dealers don't even order. And we're still waiting to see what premium BMW puts on its upcoming Adventure version. As for the rest of the ADV pack, the KTM undercuts both the Triumph Explorer XC and Ducati Multistrada and is only $2,000 more than Yamaha's more streetoriented Super Ténéré.

KTM's 1190 Adventure is a huge step for the company, a bike that's in contention to win any ADV shooutout. But when it comes to off-highway play, the new 1190 Adventure R is in a class of its own.

2014

KTM

1190 ADVENTURE R

ENGINE TYPE

V-twin

DISPLACEMENT

1,195cc

SEAT HEIGHT

35 in.

FUEL CAPACITY

6 gal.

CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT

478 lbs.

PRICE

$16,799