Launch: KTM 1190 Adventure R

KTM’s 1190 Adventure R has been designed to get you as far out into the unknown as possible, and what a blue riband bike to go wandering through the wilderness on. It’s superb.

A few months ago, we attended the launch of the standard 1190 Adventure in New Zealand, as KTM came out all guns blazing with its all-new fare – there’s practically nothing on the bike which owes its existence to the previous 990 Adventure. The bike impressed on so many levels, and if KTM had put a full stop on its new adventure ticket at that point there wouldn’t be too many problems in the world.

You can read the 1190 Adventure review here
, which will give you a solid understanding of what makes the bike tick, from the ride-by-wide engine to the chassis, anti-lock braking and traction control systems, cosmetics, tubeless spoked wheels, multi-function cockpit, electronic suspension adjustment and the excellent soft-as-a-pillow Magura slipper clutch.

But the deed wasn’t done yet, and KTM has now promptly followed suit with the harder-edged 1190 Adventure R, which we got to experience on a GPS-assisted – ie go at your own pace -- two-day return trek from Wisemans Ferry to Moonan Flat in NSW.

Both of the KTMs share the same chassis and engine, but to reduce weariness on the 1190 Adventure R – for the bike as well as the rider – it has been fortified with longer travel suspension (up from 190 to 220mm), larger wheels, and more ‘animated’ graphics. The first two are straightforward, no-surprise applications, which allow the 1190 Adventure R to operate at a more sustained high level of performance in really tough terrain and clutch situations – but with the implied understanding that a 217kg adventure bike (wet, no fuel) can’t devour downhill whoops, for example, with the same vigour as a 450ECX-F. If you follow that path, you’ll be disappointed.

The $21,995 (plus on-road costs) 1190 Adventure R also differs from the standard bike in that it doesn’t have the electronically assisted suspension, which KTM felt wasn’t necessary on the more hardened version. It’s still available in the Powerparts catalogue if you want it though. Rebound and compression damping are separated on the front end, with rebound in the right fork tube and compression in the left.

With its larger 21-inch front wheel, up from 19-inch on the 1190 Adventure, the 1190 Adventure R just beckons you to stand up on the pegs and enjoy the wide spread of torque from the 75-degree, 1195cc twin, which produces 150hp (110kW) at 9500rpm and 125Nm at 7500rpm. The rev limiter kicks in about 10,000rpm, but on the basis that the bike has been pushing hard from as low as 2000rpm it’s well and truly time to let go and shift up another cog. The spread of gear ratios is what you’d expect – quite short at the bottom for tough terrain, but then set at sensible intervals to take into account the bike’s strong torque. In sixth gear at 100km/h the bike is only ticking over at a fuel-conserving 3400rpm. The 1190 Adventure R, like its sibling, as the best power-to-weight ratio in its class.

Compared to the 990 Adventure, the 1190 Adventure R is much more comfortable both standing up and sitting down. When things get more willing, the 1190 Adventure R’s narrow mid-section allows the rider to tuck their knees into the tank and lower flank of the 23-litre tank, and on the 990 that wasn’t the case.

The handlebar positioning is also spot on for me, leaving just another bend in my elbows to remain comfortable when I was standing up – but with enough of a leverage-affording stance to really yank on the bars when the time came.

The 1190’s seat is also much more sculptured than the ‘slab’ seat of the 990, so massive distances can be covered  before you bum even remotely takes on a listless feel. A lack of seat height adjustment is at odds with the bike’s otherwise gold star rating for user-friendliness, but Powerparts is again the saviour on that front – where you will also find heated hand grips, which would have come in very handy during a cold start on day two. Should be standard fitment.

The Powerparts catalogue is a whopper, and also includes luggage, silencers, levers, covers, mounting kits, windshields, bash plates, etc.

The 1190 Adventure R’s cockpit is bursting with information. Outside of the analogue tacho, there are two rectangular LCD panels. The one on the left has general information such as voltage, ambient temperature, oil temperature, the date (you’d have to be an intrepid traveller to worry about that one...), two trip meter functions (fuel consumption, average speed, trip time, fuel range), a warning panel (I had an issue with an indicator) and the settings for anti-lock braking and traction control. The one on the right displays speed, gear selection, time, riding mode, engine temperature and fuel all the time. Not the sexiest dash, but extremely informative.

The 1190 Adventure R doesn’t only feel slim – it also looks it. It weighs about 30kg more than an 800cc adventure bike, but it would take the untrained eye a few takes to work out there’s a 400cc capacity differential between them.

The R’s LC8 engine – found in bikes like the RC8R but now with a twin-spark ignition system among a number of other refinements -- is just so smooth and almost equal to any task. Because the power delivery is just so predictable and muscular, and the throttle response beyond reproach, I could have ridden the bike in ‘Sport’ mode all day, such is the confidence I had in the bike from the get-go.

KTM promised an off-road launch and that’s what was delivered, with the route cobbled together by John Hudson, the man behind the popular APC Rally. John certainly likes churning out the kilometres: he allocated 458km on day one, and a further 322km on day two! Suffice to say, not all goes to plan on adventure rides and we had to pare back some of the distance.

I started the launch in ‘Sport’ mode, which has the full biscuit 150hp and reduced traction control intervention. But as dirt beckoned, I quickly toggled through ‘Road’ (still 150hp but more traction control) to ‘Rain’ (100hp and full traction control) before arriving at the steadying influence of ‘Off-Road’ (100hp and minimal traction control). And 100hp in the bush is probably still too much for most people...

Combined anti-lock braking (if the front brake is applied on its own, the system gives a bit of a hit to the rear) is also a part of the electronic mix, which like traction control can be turned off completely. Off-road experts may want to take this route, but for most journey men and women leaving ABS active on is perfectly fine, and you can always toggle across to the Off-Road setting which allows the rider to lock the back-end going into corners. It’s a great system, and the Brembo monobloc front brakes are potent, as you’d expect – but without being too aggressive on initial application.

The traction control in Off-Road riding mode is where the fun really begins, which came into play just minutes out from our departure point at Wisemans Ferry. KTM has delivered a system similar to BMW which allows the pilot to hang the back-end without the very real threat of being snapped over the bars. That’s a good feeling, especially when the pace is a little hotter than usual – and it also makes riding the 1190 Adventure R such an animated and involving experience. And because it’s such a stable bike (its wheelbase is 20mm longer than the 1190 Adventure, and trail is 16mm longer), your confidence just grows at a rapid rate.

Wisely, KTM fitted Pirelli Scorpion Rally tyres to the bikes (as well as tubes for an extra layer of insurance), replacing the OEM Continental Trail Attack 2 hoop found on both the 1190 Adventures. It was smart move, as some of the more precarious trails we traversed would have been too much for the standard tyres.

The 30mm increase in suspension travel takes a lot of the second guessing out of fire trail work, although I still managed to reach the bottom of the 220mm stroke on a few occasions. Perhaps it’s a function of the faster pace the 1190 Adventure R coaxes out of the rider – which also makes the hits heavier. Ground clearance is 250mm compared to 220mm for the 1190 Adventure.

The chassis is excellent, combining a chromium-molybdenum power-coated steel trellis frame with WP upside-down 48mm forks and a WP monoshock. With the larger front wheel, off-road is obviously the 1190 Adventure R’s strong suit, but even on the tar it still shows plenty of poise.

The 1190 Adventure R does the KTM badge proud. It’s an outstanding, rugged example of this go-anywhere genre which is all the rage at the moment. The bike has a mouth-watering mix of pizzazz (electronics), power and toughness, which is all wrapped into a sharp price tag. Why would you want to be a trail blazer on anything else?

>1190 Adventure R in Bike Showroom

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 150hp (110kW) at 9500rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 125Nm at 7500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Hydraulic slipper

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Steel trellis, aluminium subframe
Front suspension: Upside-down 48mm WP fork, fully adjustable
Rear suspension: WP monoshock, fully adjustable
Front brakes: Dual 320mm discs with Brembo four-piston radial calipers
Rear brake: 267mm disc with Brembo twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Spoked wheels with tubeless rims, front 2.5 x 21, rear 4.5 x 18
Tyres (as tested): Pirelli Scorpion Rally, front 90/90-21, rear 140/80-18

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: Not given
Trail: 136mm
Claimed wet weight (without fuel): 217kg
Seat height: 890mm
Wheelbase: 1580mm
Fuel capacity: 23 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $21,995
Colours: Orange/black/white
Test bike supplied by: KTM Australia, www.ktm.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres