KTM 1190 Adventure

This entry is part 7 of 320 in the series Adventure Rider Issue #1

Hold on Tight!

Does anyone need 150 horsepower in an adventure bike? Who cares! When it’s delivered in a package as sweet and beautifully designed as this one, the stonking great wodges of rear-wheel drive are almost a second thought.

With a long and justifiably proud history in world rallye and general adventure riding, KTM has carved out a name and reputation. The common perception is, the bikes are competition-bred, and if that gives them a hard edge here and there in performance and makes them a little more suited to hard chargers than some of the softer options, that’s okay.Whether or not that’s true makes for good campfire debate, but there’s no doubt the 990 is a bike for serious riders, and although the 690 might have less horsepower, it’s still clearly a dirt-ready race weapon.

But now there’s a bike in the KTM range that will not only kick arse and take names for the pro rallye demons, it’s incredibly comfortable and easy-to-ride. And it’s a powerhouse.

Bells and whistles

The 1190 is all-new to adventure riders. In fact, the motor is derived from the RC8 powerplant used in KTM’s superbike campaign and the fearsome 1190R RC8 road bike. That was the motor known for its sharpish power delivery – by “sharpish” we mean “freaking scary for the unprepared”.

However, since the mid-1990s KTM has been making its bikes rideable. Those with long memories will recall the change when the orange bikes arrived. KTMs went from being expert-only competition mounts to being very rider-friendly and easy-to-live-with, but still as light and as fast as ever. That philosophy has obviously been applied to the 119 Adventure, because for a motor with more muscle than a California governor, this thing is a complete sweetheart. It’s as smooth as silk and a real pleasure to use in all situations.

Along with the luxuriously usable V-twin donk go some other very tasty rider aids. Electronic suspension tops the list, adjustable by merely selecting a suitable option from a menu on an LCD screen. The same goes for variable traction control, several engine maps, and ABS with a couple of options for front, front/rear, or ‘ABS off’. The stock tank is a 23-litre unit that should give a comfortable range well over 300km in even the most demanding circumstances, and there’s an adjustable screen, ’bars

Main: KTM’s 1190 is an amazing mix of horsepower and technology, and the Austrian company has got the mix just right. Above: It’s a very tidy-looking package. The cockpit is open and comfortable and the riding position should suit most bronzed Aussies.Luggage and accessories, KTM and after-market, are becoming available fast.Below: The Adventure R model is a screamer. Crash bars and a 21-inch front wheel are the obvious differences, but there’s no electronic suspension adjustment either. Recommended retail is $21,995 + ORC.

and seat height, tubeless tyres front and rear, and the usual catalogue of specially designed luggage systems.Phwoar. A potential buyer could go crazy loading up the options on this puppy.

Basics

We’ve ridden the ‘standard’ 1190 here, but for the seasoned rider who wants to hit the dirt a little harder, the 1190 is available in an ‘R’ version.

What the riders say Greg Poole

I rode the new KTM from Killarney,just north of the Queensland/NSW border, down through Urbenville in NSW, and back. This area had it all:bitumen, gravel and single trail.

After admiring the bike from afar, the first thing that struck me was just how easy the 1190 was to push around, so I was keen to see how light it felt in action. It didn’t disappoint. Considering the specs and the horsepower this thing delivers, it felt really light and nimble.

Once we got into the nitty gritty of actual riding, I realised something I hadn’t in the past, and that was just

how much power my left thumb had! I could gain or lose 50 horsepower just by flexing my opposed digit.The ability to change the setting on the LCD menu to select the correct delivery of power, traction control and ABS was all new to me, and I was keen to learn more.

ABS and traction control on, and the bike handled very well. The 18-inch front wheel made the bike turn smoothly on the winding asphalt roads. After settling in, I decided to bite the bullet and take the ABS and traction control off and switched to Sport mode. I straight away noticed a huge difference in the power output.

On gravel roads with the ABS and traction control on, the bike tracked very true and straight. The ABS was a little unnerving on the gravel, but the traction control made coming out of a gravelly corner confidence-building. I went to Sport mode on the gravel roads and unleashed the beast, attacking them, curious to see how smooth the power delivery and handling was. I was surprised at the ease with which you could throw this bike around. And just a little bit scared. The responsiveness to the throttle was very quick.

Single-trail would have to be my favourite terrain, and the 1190’s agility combined with the power and suspension on this bike didn’t disappoint. The fluid motion through the small trails was awesome. Ground clearance, though, could be one shortfall I can find with this bike. It needed just a little more height to clear very rocky knobs and some erosion mounds comfortably. That said, there’s still a lot of fun to be had on the single tracks.My overall experience with the KTM 1190 Adventure was that I want to ride it again and again and again. It’s a
fantastic bike that’s very light and well-balanced on both bitumen and gravel roads, making it a versatile crossover mount for both terrains. Combine with that the ability to input your settings to suit your own particular riding style and it ticks a lot of boxes.

I preferred the ABS and traction control to be off; I like to throw the bike around a bit and feel a little restricted with the settings on, but the option is there if you want to use it.

The 1190 would suit any adventure ride, even considering the ground clearance. I’d love to load it up with gear for a trip and see how it performs, but I’m sure it would live up to my expectations.

Some experience would be necessary to use the full potential of this bike; it’s definitely not for the novice or faint-hearted. With all its capabilities and credentials, it’d be criminal to have a bike like this in the shed, not used to its full capacity.

So, can I have one, please?

The biggest difference between the 1190 and 1190R is the 21-inch front wheel on the R – as opposed to a 19-inch on the standard model – and the absence of the electronic suspension controls. The suspension on the R is also a little taller. So if you feel the technology may be making things a little too easy, there’s the hard-man option.

The power settings are there on both, and they’re a gift to those sensible enough to use them. In Sport mode the rider gets it all – 150hp, straight up the back passage. Real men only need apply. But then there are settings that intentionally drop the horsepower for given riding conditions, and they’re brilliant. ‘Street’, ‘Rain’ and ‘Off Road’ are there on the menu and ease the power delivery in steps down to a supposedly meek 100hp. Along with the variations available in ABS and traction control, it means the bike is just so incredibly easy to ride. Fast riders will find the 1190 blindingly quick and incredibly sure-footed. Less-then-expert riders will find they’re riding much faster for much longer than they ever have before, and doing it with considerably less effort.What could possibly be wrong with that?

Danny Wilkinson

“I dunno what all the fuss is about,” I thought. The new 1190 tracked straight and true as I lit the wick down a dusty gravel track. Sure it was comfortable and the suspension gave a high degree of confidence through the broken rock, but I was waiting for the unbridled surge of power that comes with a claimed 150hp. Curiosity is a dangerous thing, but I wanted to see exactly what that meant in the dirt. Don’t get me wrong, it was still meaty, big-bore power, but it was delivered in such a way that it was no more intimidating than other big-bore adventure tourers that boast considerably lower peak-power outputs. Perplexed, I flicked through the LCD menus to ensure that the Sport mode was selected. Amid the dust – and thoughts of looking after someone else’s shiny new bike – I only took a cursory glance, saw ‘Sport’ highlighted and twisted the throttle further to see what I was missing. Naturally the bike bolted forward, but the big-bang factor was somewhat subdued.We stopped to grab some pics and on the way back and I double checked the selection. Yes, the Sport mode was selected, but only for the electronic suspension. Power was in the more manageable Off-Road mode, limiting it to 100hp (I almost feel stupid writing this – ‘only 100hp’!).

Everything about the 1190 shows its KTM pedigree. There’s no bits sticking out to snag or hook up, ground clearance is good, and there’s smooth, usable horsepower to spare.

Select ‘Sport’ power.Twist throttle. Hang on! The rear tyre lit up, spun until it hit bedrock, and then the bike launched forward. I gripped with my knees to make sure I didn’t fly off the back and pretty soon that gravel track became a narrow tunnel through a blur of green paddocks. I reached the tar and in the interests of science twisted the throttle again. The front wheel hovered inches of the ground, the rear scrabbled for traction on the well-worn bitumen and I developed delusions of grandeur.

Truth be known, it’s the kind of power that could easily corrupt a person. The bike’s suspension and geometry combine to make it feel considerably lighter than the spec sheet would indicate, and before long you’re spinning the rear tyre out of tight bitumen corners and thinking it’s time to start wearing your undies on the outside, superhero style.

KTM has created something pretty special here. It’s a bike that handles well and goes like stink, yet with the touch of a button becomes perfectly agreeable. In typical KTM fashion there’s still a sense of rawness, reminding you that amid the new-found sophistication it’s still a bike to be treated with respect.

KTM 1190 Adventure
Web: www.ktm.com.au Rec retail $20,995+ORC.Adventure R $21,995+ORC.

Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, 75-dgree, V-twin four-stroke
Displacement: 1195cc
Bore / Stroke: 105mm x 69mm
Starter: Electric
Transmission: Six-speed, claw-shifted
Lubrication: Forced-oil lubrication with three rotor pumps
Primary Ratio: 40:76
Final Drive: 17:42
Clutch: PAS anti-hopping, hydraulically operated
Ignition: Contactless, controlled, fully electronic
Frame: Tubular space frame made from chrome molybdenum steel
Sub-Frame: Aluminium
Handlebar: Aluminium tapered
Front Suspension: WP Suspension upside-down
Rear Suspension: WP Suspension monoshock
Suspension Travel: 190mm/190mm
Front / Rear Brakes: Two Brembo, radially mounted,
four-piston calipers/Brembo fixed
Front / Rear Tyres: 120/70 ZR 19; 170/60 ZR 17
Chain: 5/8 x 5/16” X-Ring
Steering Head Angle: 64 degrees
Wheelbase: 1560mm
Ground clearance: 220mm
Seat height: 860 / 875mm
Tank capacity (approx): 23 litre
Weight without fuel: 212kg