KTM unveils new 890 Adventure
Almost as soon as it came into existence, the KTM 790 Adventure accrued quite a fan following, considering its USP of a lightweight, powerful ADV-tourer that didn’t fear getting its hands dirty. However, perhaps considering the gap between the mid-weight 790 and full-blown 1290 models, KTM increased the displacement by a minor 90cc, upping both useable performance as well as its chances against an equally stringent competition, giving us the 890 Adventure.
Speaking on the unveil of the 890 Adventure, Joachim Sauer, KTM Product Manager Travel, said, “With the development of the new KTM 890 Adventure we hit all our marks by offering an upgraded machine for both road and gravel riding. With the new engine we worked a lot on optimising the overall performance and feeling while out riding. The result is a big improvement in the bike’s rideability, better stability, less gear shifting and added comfort for the long days on the saddle. With the KTM 890 Adventure we wanted a KTM that sets the benchmark through its performance on the tarmac while being able to veer offroad and keep the same high standards. As a true KTM Adventure, this is a great machine to adventure everywhere.”
The new bits
As mentioned, the new, Euro5-compliant, 889cc is a significant step up from that on the 790, raising performance to 103.5bhp and 100Nm of torque, with the 20 per cent extra rotating mass of the crankshaft further improving the feeling at low revs while augmenting the centralised sensation and traction through corners, and a stronger clutch to cope with the boosted performance.
Next, a particular drawback of the 790 has been rectified, with the introduction of a new rebound damping adjuster and an additional hand adjuster for spring preload for the new WP Apex rear shock, leading to an even better balance between on- and off-road performance. Speaking of which, the 200mm of suspension travel, Dakar-inspired ergonomics, adjustable seat, anodised (instead of powder-coated) wheel hubs and adventure-spec tyres mean the 890 is Ready To Race on just about any terrain the rider would take it to.
The tech bits
Being that it is based upon the already high-tech 790, the 890 had a good platform to work upon, and hence packs a plethora of goodies like a full-size TFT dashboard, improvements to the Cornering ABS, Motorcycle Traction Control and Motor Slip Regulation (which provides additional assistance when it detects a difference between front- and rear-wheel speeds when decelerating on slippery surfaces) systems. There’s also the inclusion of smartphone connectivity for access to music and calls and the optional KTM My Ride app for turn-by-turn navigation.
And then there’s the KTM Powerparts upgrades, which feature Cruise Control (with the handlebar switch now provided as standard), a Quickshifter+ (with optimised settings), heated seat and grips, as well as a wide compliment of luggage.
The sad bits
Though the 890 Adventure was officially unveiled worldwide today, there is no word from KTM about the India launch of the 890 (or even the 790) Adventure anytime soon. The word on the street, though, says we might see the 250 Adventure hitting the showroom floors soon... and that’s it! If and when the 890 Adventure is launched here, though, it will go up against the Triumph Tiger 900.
