KTM 790 Adventure: the ultimate long-distance conqueror

At the end of 2018, the public was finally shown the long-awaited KTM 790 Adventure 2019 , the middle model in the line of black and orange touring enduros originally from Austria. And we must admit that the new product at least deserves attention - it all looks very impressive and promising. While maintaining a recognizable style, the tandem of designers and constructors presented one of the most interesting tourenduros of 2022. Technology, reliability, comfort - what else is needed to call a motorcycle good? Probably it should have a KTM emblem on it.

Interestingly, the KTM 790 Adventure R was created under the close supervision of experienced riders, and in its development the company relied on 16 years of experience in the Paris-Dakar rally . Therefore, this bike, which is a kind of lightweight version of the flagship Adventure, was de facto developed from scratch, and its task is to become the best in its class. A very powerful engine , energy-intensive suspensions, a modest dry weight by the standards of the class and a spacious gas tank - this is all the KTM 790 Adventure. Such a motorcycle, which, by the way, is very expensive, is unlikely to be bought by beginners, but experienced motorcycle travelers will appreciate it. And the motorcycle looks very stylish, and it will undoubtedly be followed on the street with interested glances.

KTM 790 Adventure Specifications

The Austrian new product was based on a steel frame , into which an in-line “two” , borrowed from the KTM 790 road motorcycle. The engine was retuned, losing 10 hp, but receiving in return a more balanced torque at medium speeds . New figures relevant for the KTM 790 Adventure - 94 hp. and 88 Nm of torque . Judging by a close acquaintance with this engine, one can expect the absence of “lower end” and “higher end”, but the traction in the rest of the range promises to be simply excellent. Thanks to a well-thought-out design, the dry weight of the motorcycle does not exceed 189 kg , and the gas tank holds as much as 20 liters of fuel . The gearbox is, of course, a 6-speed , also familiar from the KTM 790.

This motorcycle was created for bad roads, so it received spoked wheels, shod with toothy rubber (21 and 18 inches front and rear, respectively) and long travel (200 mm for the front and rear suspension on the KTM 790 Adventure 2022, and 240 mm for the R version ) pendants, fully customizable. The standard version of the motorcycle also received a classic seat, but the KTM 790 Adventure R, clearly aimed at tougher off-road conditions, has a rather specific rally seat. Among other features of the motorcycle, we can mention the corner ABS system , traction control, supermoto mode , TFT instrumentation, different engine operating modes and a quickshifter . In general, we can safely say that the KTM 790 Adventure is armed to the teeth and is ready to storm any direction.

2022 KTM 790 ADVENTURE R Review

At the end of June, as part of one of the stages of the annual KTM Adventure Rally, taking place in Sardinia, representatives of the Austrian brand suddenly showed the public the very motorcycle that was talked about only in a whisper! The KTM 790 Adventure R 2022 is ready for mass production, and the guru of the enduro discipline, Chris Birch, rode it throughout the entire stage.

“To be honest, I was amazed by the new adventure! You all know that I have extensive experience riding both lightweight enduros and large touring enduros, and I can confidently say that the KTM 790 Adventure R is an almost perfect combination of the best qualities of two radically different classes,” said Chris.

The KTM 790 Adventure R 2022 is built on the basis of the KTM 790 Duke already on sale in Russia. The model is powered by the same new-to-KTM 799cc inline-twin LC8c engine, but with a different tuning that focuses on a fat mid-range and low-end for better off-road performance.

The motorcycle was officially presented on November 6, 2022 at the Milan EICMA exhibition.

The KTM Adventure 790 was equipped with a strong swingarm, 21”/18” spoke wheels, crankcase protection, hand protection panels, and “evil” tires. A low-mounted fuel tank is responsible for the center of gravity, the reserve of which should be enough for 400-450 km of travel. The equipment of the new model is not inferior to that of the Duke 790. It also features LED headlights, a TFT screen with the KTM MY RIDE program, corner ABS function, Supermoto mode, lean angle sensitive traction control, quick shifter, various riding modes and electric drive system. All-way adjustable WP suspension with high vertical travel and PDS shock absorber—typical design for KTM motorcycles

Official KTM 790 Adventure Specifications (Standard and R):

(c) in-moto.ru.ru

Pros and cons of the KTM 790 Adventure

Advantages

• Excellent technical equipment . This motorcycle has everything you need to ride safely in a wide variety of conditions.
• The KTM 790 Adventure R is capable of driving even where a well-prepared SUV might get stuck.
• Low dry weight . The seat height is, of course, quite high, but it’s still physically noticeably easier to handle this bike than the flagship 1290 cc Adventure. The low center of gravity for a tourenduro also contributes to this.
• Great LED headlight . Both the direction of the light flux and the intensity are excellent.
• Very good suspensions , capable of a lot, especially on the R version.
• Impressive acceleration dynamics and equally impressive brakes.
• Solid power reserve . Consumption on the road during quiet driving is within 5 liters, although off-road it can increase sharply - it all depends on the driving style.

Flaws

• Demanding on fuel quality . Bad gasoline can lead to breakdowns, and many Russian gas stations, especially small ones, are by no means famous for the quality of their fuel.
• High cost of both purchase and maintenance. However, this is expected - after all, this is KTM.
• Inability to carry out most service operations on our own . It is advisable to contact an authorized dealer.
• Some consumables for the KTM 790 Adventure are unique and do not have affordable and normal quality analogues from third-party manufacturers.

Today I would like to present to your attention a partial review of the KTM 790 Adventure motorcycle.

The motorcycle was bought new at a dealership, and in a month and a half I managed to ride it more than 8,000 km on the roads of Russia. There were trips both to the south to Crimea and to the north to Karelia, the temperature range of use was from +7 to +32 Celsius. The main mileage was on expressways with a surface close to ideal, as well as on minor asphalt roads with good pavement condition. Several hundred kilometers run on good quality dirt roads, as well as on various roadsides, including those filled with crushed stone. A couple of hundred kilometers of driving passed along horrific quality asphalt and dirt roads with sand powder.

At the beginning, I should probably mention that this is both my first post and review. I don’t really have anything to compare the 790 with, since the previous motorcycle was in a completely different class - an entry-level road bike of the same brand, the 390 Duke.

What attracted me and why did I choose this particular motorcycle? I chose from a large number of competing models. BMW, Ducati and Triumph eventually dropped out due to cost. The rest seemed not so interesting in terms of characteristics and set of functions. It seemed to me that by purchasing the 790, I would get more motorcycle and drive for the money they were asking for it. I also found the 790 to be small enough to be easily handled in any conditions. The promised excellent taxiing and dynamics compensated for the unusual, seemingly vulnerable location of the forked gas tank, parts of which must take the first blow when falling.

Additional protective arches became one of the first elements of tuning. And, of course, three cases with the necessary set of fasteners were purchased. All attachments are from SW Motech. An interesting thing is that the official dealer did not have any additional parts from KTM Powerparts in stock on the day of writing this review, and some parts, for example, the center stand, were announced by the manufacturer, but have not yet gone on sale. Therefore, many thanks to the German manufacturer and Russian distributor for ensuring the production, delivery and availability in Russia of additional and much-needed goodies for an essentially new motorcycle model very close to the official start date of its sales.

The riding position on the bike is level, but the knees are bent slightly at an acute angle, which is a compromise and allows you to sit differently depending on the current riding conditions. When driving aggressively, the landing automatically turns out like on a street with a slight tilt of the body to the steering wheel, but when driving more calmly, you can easily straighten up or even move back in the seat and lean so that your back takes a flat position. I believe that the footpegs are not shifted back or forward, but are in just such a position that you can normally stand up and ride in it. In general, this motorcycle is about compromise and versatility, this will probably run like a red thread through my story. The length of the seat is quite long, so you can move along the driver’s side of the seat from the tank back until you almost completely straighten your arms and bend your lower back with the wheel, which was part of my set of gymnastics performed on the go, along with straightening the legs and other exercises.

The seat is fairly snug and didn't feel too hard or ridged, as some reviewers have noted. The first day trip Moscow-Yaroslavl-Moscow made me squirm around in my seat after a couple of hundred kilometers in an attempt to find a more comfortable position, because... aching sensations appeared in the seat, but in general I would not call the sensations painful and they soon disappeared. I’m not sure that with longer trips, including multi-day ones, my impressions would not have changed, but I didn’t have the chance to try for the reasons described in the next paragraph.

The prospect of putting several thousand kilometers on a wheel in a short period of time and the reviews of some other reviewers made me think about buying an improved seat, despite the fact that at that time I did not have the opportunity to verify the direct need for such a step. However, since the motorcycle is a new model, factory upgraded seats were not available or even planned. As a result of a little market research before the trip to Crimea, a SW-Motech pillow was purchased. Therefore, I only drove the first thousand kilometers on the stock seat. The SW-Motech pillow required the standard settings specified in the instructions for several days, after which I forgot about it. Long day trips in the region of 1000 km naturally force you to diversify the landing, but the rear asked me to inform the respectable public that this was my most important and useful motorcycle tuning)

The knees caused more problems. Given my height of 180 cm, on long trips the stock saddle must be placed in the highest position of the two possible. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to this right away, because on city trips you don’t feel much tension in your knees and you need to control the bike at low speeds and in traffic jams, that is, you need to be able to confidently put both feet on the asphalt. But on long trips with articulated knee pads, the seating requirements changed and the knees began to ache. Placing the seat in the up position partially solved this problem. At the same time, I reach the surface with both legs, but not with my full feet. I also have plans to buy wide and lower footrests compared to stock, which should gain another centimeter and a half and, thereby, change the angle of bend of the leg at the knees.

I didn't find riding in a stand-up position particularly comfortable, since at my height I have to bend over the handlebars a little more than I would like. Perhaps spacers on the steering wheel and lowered footpegs will solve this issue for me. The grip of the motorcycle with your legs is quite comfortable due to the shape of the tank. In general, it is a pleasure to ride in a stand-up position on the ground.

The ergonomics of the controls are excellent, at least in most respects better than on the 390 Duke. There is one drawback that other users have also noted - you can forget about pressing the buttons on the left remote control, which are responsible for the motorcycle menu and selecting riding modes, without taking your eyes off the road, especially when wearing thick waterproof gloves. You have to take your eyes off the road. Otherwise, everything is in its place and familiar. As usual, no emergency lights)

The quickshifter (which can be activated additionally for additional money) is a really handy thing for long-distance driving. It works quite clearly both up and down, which allows you not to remove your hand from the left grip and keep your entire hand on it. I would also be happy to buy the cruise control function, but for this it is necessary to change the left remote control, and the dealer has not been able to tell me the cost of this device for more than a month. They only say that he will come to me for at least 1.5 months.

It turns out writing reviews isn't easy. Therefore, I’ll stop there for now and, as they say, to be continued. I plan to write about the sensations from dynamics, handling, wind protection, consumption in various conditions, and also describe the factory jambs of my particular copy. If you have any specific questions, I will try to answer.

Thank you for your attention!

Reviews from KTM 790 Adventure owners

I bought the bike from a dealer, new, and was pleasantly surprised by its lightness; the point of no return when tilting is only reached when the bike is about to lie on its side. There are no vibrations at any speed, the landing is super. In general, the whole motorcycle is super, there’s nothing to complain about. Anatoly, Moscow, KTM 790 Adventure '2019.

The motorcycle is very angry, it easily leaves 600 sports and liter tourendours behind at traffic lights, I generally keep quiet about the chrome ones. The dynamics are frantic, but for overtaking it is advisable to drop a couple of gears down in order to quickly shoot forward and return to your lane. The bike was purchased new, + catalog body kit - higher glass and a set of panniers. The mileage is still relatively small, but in the plans for a tour of Central Asia, I think Adventure will not let you down, there is not even a hint of any breakdowns. Nikolay, Vladikavkaz, KTM 790 Adventure R '2019.

IMHO the optimal turanda for those who find a liter too heavy or high. Personally, I regretted that I didn’t immediately take 1290; next season, perhaps, I’ll change it, but we’ll see - they don’t change horses at the crossing. It suits everyone, it’s just that 1290 looks better, that’s why it’s the eldest in the line. Sergey, Tyumen, KTM 790 Adventure '2019.

KTM

Hi all! Thanks to the author for the interesting review! I was impressed and decided to write a few words about my KTM. It’s a pity I didn’t include the trick in the commentary. I smiled at the presence of a damper not in all the photos, but only in those where the mot is in the sand. I haven’t felt the need yet, but I don’t want to add weight. I also own an F800GSA and a CRF 450X.

I consciously bought the KTM790 Adv S rather than the 690/701. The 790 comes with a normal subframe and a durable engine. You can carry a tent, stew and wife with you on long enduro trips, rather than riding around the car. I converted my KTM to “rally”, changing the suspension to 270mm with the correct springs, wheels assembled with towbars and 4mm cameras, clutch and clutch drive to adequate ones, steering wheel, chain to sealless and sprockets, battery to lithium. Akrapovich came from the previous owner. Plans for the winter include removing the second brake caliper at the front to improve rebound, a catalytic converter to reduce weight and heat, and carbon fender liners. I didn’t consider an SC Proj type exhaust, because I’m sure I’ll damage the outer pipe. All this is expensive and time-consuming, but cheaper than a new large goose. You won’t find a single medium-sized bike with such suspension and such ground clearance.

A motorcycle for off-roading and specifically for off-roading, but not just any kind! This is not hardenduro, just as hardenduro is not trial. Just like a cross-country car will not climb through the bushes, but a soft enduro suspension will break through the waves. Such a machine is driven by the need, as it were, of experience in owning other motorcycles. For me it was a level up from motocross, applied to long rides. Buying a bike simply after watching a commercial is an extremely bad idea. The only thing that awaits you here is disappointment due to the heavy weight and the fact that the purchase does not make you a rally racer. The rubber that allows the motorcycle to reveal its potential will simply disappear on the track. I think that this bike is exactly a rally platform, which requires open spaces and good speed to function properly. Then this motorcycle goes everywhere. Look what Uncle Zhora does on it on YouTube - 140 on the sand in the forest and in the back.

Initially, the model offers a short wheelbase and the correct geometry/weight distribution like motocross motorcycles. On it you can transfer weight forward like on no other tourenduro (maybe even on the T7)! This is very important for proper weight distribution when overcoming obstacles. A 2-cylinder engine is built into this frame. It turns out to be a fairly light double-barreled bike - that’s all that the KTM 790 offers. And also soft, poor-looking and unbreakable plastic, like on all dirt bikes. Everything else needs to be sawed/finished for use.

A kind of constructor that takes a lot of time. Some for maintenance and some for operation. For example, according to the passport, the rally suspension must be rebuilt every 20 training hours.

Of course, the engine doesn’t pull at all at low end. But it was not designed for low-level driving. We need to give him some oats so he can go. Personally, I reduced the gear ratio a little to increase “utility” - I dropped a tooth in front.

Regarding the clutch, you need to install a reinforced one. EBC Brakes offers the DRC320 version with roughened steel discs and reinforced springs. On the F800GS I have a carbon version of this clutch and, in fact, it's like adding a second throttle. And when there are no shocks from releasing the clutch, then the basket will be intact even if it is poisoned in the sand and on inclines.

I'm surprised no one has complained about the shape of the steering wheel. This is just terrible) It’s bent inward, just like on a cruiser. Perhaps the first thing that repels me from this motorcycle... It also infuriates me that the motorcycle does not brake with its engine on the descent as you would expect from such a cubic capacity.

Buying a KTM 790 for asphalt tourism is fundamentally not the right idea. My format is that I take it by car, so I drive it 1600 km in 14 days through the mountains and bushes with overnight stays in a tent. You can drive an unloaded motorbike around the bivouac or hotel. For a light long-range tourenduro, the Tiger or the medium GS are much better suited - both more pleasant, more comfortable and more reliable. The Rally Pro Tiger has a great low-end engine and the same 240mm stroke as the R, “Rides right out of the box.” T7 is too childish with a 200mm suspension... That's all. Negative reviews are associated only with the desire of people to force the equipment to drive in places where it was not foreseen during the design.

Total

There are not so many mid-sized touring enduros on the market, and motorcycles of this class with liter+ engines are often really very heavy and cumbersome. Austrian designers managed to create the KTM 790 Adventure, a truly unique bike that combines the advantages of both its older and younger comrades. From the former, he took a powerful engine and first-class technical equipment, and from the latter, a modest weight and ease of operation. If finances allow it, and you want to get a motorcycle that can comfortably take you to the very ends of the world, then the KTM 790 Adventure is created just for you.

Video Review

Specifications