2017 KTM 1090 Adventure R First Ride Review

Dedicated enduro riders scoff at the idea of taking a 500-pound bike off road, and that's fine. If you're accustomed to a 450cc single then today's behemoth ADV motorcycles are absurd, but so is the idea of riding a 450 halfway across the country to spend a week exploring trails in Colorado. Melding touring comfort with genuine off-road capabilities is what today's XL adventure bikes are all about (in theory, anyway), and nobody takes the off-road part of the equation more seriously than KTM.

The 1190 Adventure R, the bike that this new 1090 Adventure R replaces, was already head and shoulders above the rest of the ADV herd in terms of how hard you could push it off road, as we discovered in our Down and Dirty test that included the BMW R1200GS Adventure, Triumph Explorer XC, and Yamaha Super Ténéré ES. Lighter (by about 60 pounds), more powerful, and with better suspension and handling than its counterparts, the 1190 R was simply more suited to the dirt than anything else in the class.

This 1090 furthers that aptitude with a retuned engine, upgraded suspension, and less weight. Riding the bike during two days of mostly off-road exploration in Southern California proved that this new 1090 is indeed more capable. The upgraded suspension—with stiffer fork springs and a new PDS shock—is the best in the category and totally at home on rough terrain. The new engine is smaller (more on that later) but the character and power delivery are more user friendly than the brutal behavior of the 1190 mill. Plus, 125 or so horsepower is still plenty. The 1090 is also lighter than the 1190 by a claimed 22 pounds—with 14 of those pounds coming off reciprocating and rotating parts in the engine—which leads to even better handling.

Finally, this new machine is $2,600 less expensive than the 1190. At $14,699 the 1090 R is actually at the more affordable end of the spectrum, undercut only by the $13,300 Honda Africa Twin. I rode Zack's long-term AT to and from the 1090 press event in Murrieta (and also all around South Africa during the bike's introduction, and there's really no comparison. The 1090 has a leg up everywhere except wind protection and on-road suspension compliance.

Part of the reason the 1090 is lighter and less expensive than the outgoing 1190 is because it has less stuff. There’s no center stand (look for a big rock or a stump if you get a flat on the trail) and simpler ABS and TC systems than on the 1190 or the new 1290, which means fewer onboard computers. The 1090 still has multiple ride modes (including a very functional Off Road mode) and ABS settings, but those systems aren’t lean-angle informed as on the other bikes. And if you’re looking for a slick TFT dash, cruise control, or all-LED headlights as on the 1290s, you won’t find them here, sorry.

The Off-Road ABS setting is pure genius. It allows you to lock the rear wheel but maintains lenient anti-lock function up front. It’s a lifesaver when you’re riding a big bike like this—especially on off-camber downhill dirt roads! Even better than the off-road ABS is the new suspension setup. It’s stiff—borderline harsh on the street on stock settings—but off road it begs to be beaten and does a better job of not bottoming than anything this side of the electronically enabled suspenders on BMW’s R1200GS Adventure. The chassis feels responsive and balanced and handling is direct and stable. Between the lower curb weight and dialed-in chassis, you won’t find a more composed bike off road.

Now about that engine. The new mill is 1,050cc compared to the 1190's 1,195cc by way of a 2mm smaller bore and 6mm shorter stroke. It has the same cylinder dimensions as the 1050 "A2" bike that KTM sold in Europe, but this motor is in a much higher state of tune and cranks out a claimed 125 hp and 80 lb.-ft. of torque. When I asked KTM why they downsized, they stated a desire to change the engine character as well as a need to design a motor to Euro-4 specs instead of compromising the existing 1190 engine to meet the new regulations. I imagine the marketing department had something to do with it, too. After all, having an 1190 and a 1290 in the lineup is slicing things pretty thin. As it stands, the 1290 Super Adventure R is KTM's flagship model, while the 1090 Adventure R is intended to appeal more to the hardcore off-road demographic.

The character of this 1090 motor is indeed quite different. It’s smoother down low and quite a bit more tractable. The 1190 hit hard when you cracked the throttle open, which made the 100-hp Off Road ride mode a necessity on loose terrain. With the 1090 I queued up full power and turned TC off altogether since the engine is so easy to manage. This motor is smoother at higher revs, too. At 70 mph in top gear (turning just 4,000 rpm), the bike quite literally throws off no vibration. You can barely tell it’s running until you roll the throttle open for a pass and that big twin shudders and growls and launches you forward. The 1090’s seat is excellent and the riding position is off-road aggressive but plenty comfortable. The only drawback is lackluster wind protection from the stubby (but easily adjustable) windscreen.

When I romped the 1290 Super Adventure R in Peru I barely got to ride on pavement, but we had ample opportunity to weave down fast back roads on the 1090. And what a road bike it is. Even on the stock Continental TKC 80 knobbies, the bike dives into corners and feels surefooted. For as good as the TKCs are off road, they sure are stellar on the street. They have been and continue to be our favorite dual-sport tires for these big bikes.

With all this praise for the new 1090 it seems high time for some complaints. I’ve got a few, but they hardly seem worth mentioning. For one the 35-inch seat height is a bit of a challenge (I’m 5-foot-10), and on more than one occasion I found myself teetering on my tiptoes at stops. The 1290 has the same seat height, but since I rode that bike almost exclusively in deep sand in Peru the tires were always partially submerged in the desert, essentially lowering the seat height a few inches. Finally, the return spring on the ride-by-wire throttle is a bit stiff, and several of us had fatigued wrists by the end of the second day of riding.

I suppose the 1090's price could be a point of contention, but if your intention for your ADV is to really go off road, there's no better bike to buy.