Up Close and Personal with KTM's New 790 Adventure R

The new KTM 790 Adventure R could very well be the best dual sport motorcycle ever brought to market. To say that we here at KTM Twins are a little bit excited for its release would be a gross understatement! We recently got the chance to see the production model (European Spec) 790 in person at the Vancouver Motorcycle Show, and we wanted to share our impressions.

What we already knew:

-The heart and soul of this beast is going to be a powerful parallel twin 4-stroke, 799 cc DOHC engine with fuel injection, dual balancer shafts, PASC slipper clutch and ride by wire for a smoother and more refined response.

-Ultralight tubular Chromium Molybdenum steel frame with the engine as a stressed member to reduce weight and overall size.

-Equipped with fully adjustable WP XPLOR 48 mm forks and WP XPLOR PDS rear shock, claimed to be the best suspension currently offered on any adventure bike.

-Slim platform with low slung fuel tank to promote a lower center of gravity.

-Twin 320 mm front brake disks with 4 piston radially mounted calipers, Cornering ABS and Offroad ABS allow for an ideal mix of control and stopping power.

-Rider aids include Street, Offroad, Rain and Rally ride modes, Motorcycle traction control (MTC), motor slip regulation (MSR), KTM MY RIDE to connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and the optional Quickshifter for clutchless up and downshifts. Heated grips, heated seat and cruise control are also options.

-LED headlight and taillight for great illumination and visibility.

-Multifunctional dashboard with full-color TFT display is bright and clear. The display's configuration is variable and automatically adapts to variations in environmental light.

-Steering damper fitted as standard.

-Tapered aluminum handlebar can be mounted in 6 positions on the triple clamp resulting in 30 mm of adjustability.

Crucial details that might make or break the 790 Adventure R:

-9.4 inches of suspension travel front and rear.

-34.6-inch seat height.

-5.3-gallon fuel capacity with a potential 280-mile range.

-416.7-pound dry weight.

-95 horsepower produced along with 64.9 ft-lbs of torque.

 What we learned:

-The one-piece seat gives you the feeling of sitting on this motorcycle opposed to sitting in it; much like the 690 Enduro and opposite the 1090 Adventure.

-Narrow profile between the knees in a standing position leads us to believe it will be easy to "flick" and much more agile than it's bigger siblings.

-Long service intervals of nearly 10,000 miles (9,320 to be exact) will be necessary judging by the hassle of accessing the engine.

-Air filter location below the seat is brilliant!

-Kickstand mounting location is NOT on the engine block as some have speculated; it is attached to the frame just aft of the case.

-Fuel tank seems to be stout along with the hard plastic covers that protect the lower "ears."

-Very little in the way of wind protection.

What we were left wondering:

-When will they be available?

-What will the MSRP be?

-In what quantities will they arrive?

All and all we walked away from our first encounter with the new 790 Adventure R just as stoked as we were, to begin with. If anything it left us even more anxious to get it out in the dirt and see how it performs in real life. We will be updating our #RoadToDirt blog with info as it comes our way so be sure to check back here. 

To get a feel for the new 790 platform take a look-see at the 790 Duke page in our store. A lot of the OEM parts should be direct carryovers, and you can start plotting all your upgrades while you wait patiently for your 790 unit to arrive at the dealership.