BIGGEST ADVENTURE, KTM 1290
Why does the world need a 1290? Adventure bikes have begun a shift to the smaller capacities of 1000cc and under, so why be the guys that produce the biggest engine of all the major manufacturers? This must have been a question raised in Mattighofen, just as it was in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, where we set of to fi nd a happy place on the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R. The Austrians clearly found an answer that a rmed their enthusiasm for the 1290 but would we fi nd it too? The 1290 is in the unenviable position of having replaced a favourite in the 1190 Adventure. The 1190 was a very good bike that didn’t leave us wishing it would be gifted another 100cc, so why mess with a brilliant recipe when everyone is happy? Well, we can sit and ponder this and other more vexing conundrums like, do all dogs bark in the same language, or we can twist the throttle and talk motorcycles. We may circle back to the barking question though, because it’s too hard to resist Googling it. KTM 1290
Ergonomics play a large role with any adventure bike. If you’re going to be in the saddle for five to eight hours or more then you want to be comfortable. But ergos aren’t just about comfort; there’s also a practical need for a sensible layout that facilitates ease of movement on the bike and, in the case of adventure, the ability to stand and shift weight when needed. A bike that stops at a comfortable seat won’t cut it when you come up on a section of sand or loose rock.
The 1290 feels like a KTM in its open feel and wide ’bars, which, as with the footpegs, are adjustable so you can configure the sitting profile quite specifically to get it just right and avoid those shoulder and leg aches from a poor setup. The seat is decent but where you sit is just about where you stay as there isn’t much space between the tank and the raised pillion seat. And while it’s not a shocker, it’s not the most comfortable seat in the class, with a fairly firm feel. The seat/tank profile is excellent though and you can really grip the bike or move about freely when standing, which is exactly how you should be riding the 1290 ofroad. The adjustable windscreen is a good one and our test bike had the optional Rally Replica extended footpegs, which we’d certainly fit if we were to buy the 1290.
The controls are all in easy reach, with almost everything electronic happening via a fourbutton control pad on the left side. The TFT screen is excellent and easy to read, even with the sun behind you. There are four ride modes, with the Of-road mode the one most relevant here and the one we’ll stick with so this doesn’t become a feature about pushing buttons and flashing lights like we’re taking R2D2 out for a ride. The electronics are pretty easy to navigate and you can fine-tune all manner of things, but we found the standard Of-road mode was pretty damn good for almost everything we did, and turning of the ABS to the rear was the only common change. However, we did use cruise control a heap. You don’t always know it till you’ve had it, but cruise control is a beautiful thing on a long stretch of highway, of which Australia has a hell of a lot.
WOLF IN SHEEP’S EXHAUST NOTE
The bike starts to a fairly understated engine note. It certainly doesn’t have the rumble of the Ducati Enduro Pro, which sounds like the thing that killed Gandalf. But the Kato is being modest…there’s 160 horsepower under that unassertive idle and it’s an engine that likes to be revved, so let the fun begin. That said, the 1290 makes much of its substantial torque low in the rev range (108Nm at just 2,500rpm) and this makes controlling the output easy in tricky conditions. This is backed up by surprisingly nimble handling (I was genuinely surprised to pull of a couple of bush-turns pretty easily), and together you get a bike that you can accurately steer through ruts or pick specifi c lines when all others are death traps. The 21/18-in wheel set plays a big part in this sure-footedness and in comparison to bikes with 19/17-in wheel pairings, you’re able to disregard a heap of track conditions that would have stopped you or at least been a cause for concern on such a big bike.
The 1290 carries its weight well (it is the lightest of the 1200 class), but although it has the most suspension travel in its class, it does have pretty easy-to-reach limits when it comes to jumping drainage humps where bottoming is frequent. The WP forks have separate compression and rebound adjustment and the rear the same, plus a preload adjuster so you can fi rm things up should the need arise. It’s a reminder, though, that this is a big bike and there are times when you need that reminder because it doesn’t behave as such most of the time and it almost begs you to push more. One of the great strengths of the 1290 is the way it gets power down. Some big bikes have a bit of a lag between throttle and rear wheel, particularly in an of road mode, but the 1290 responds immediately and revs up quickly, so getting those fast blips of the throttle to steer the rear wheel or lighten the front is no problem. This makes the bike not only easier to ride but fun as well as you throw the back out at will and even boost of a hump with buggerall run-up.
The Quickshift system is one that I dismissed early on as an unnecessary road bike crutch, but came to love both on and of the black top. Shifting up or down without the clutch helps keep a nice fl ow going on the trails. It’s particularly appreciated when you come into a corner way too hot and can just slam down on the gear lever at will while concentrating on keeping the rest of the bike rubber-side down. KTM has a heap of Touratech-built parts available, from panniers to phone holders, and you will soon be able to use GPS on the main screen via an app on your phone. Your phone can stay in the handy hard pouch to the right of the steering head, constantly being charged.
sources: Ultimate Adventure Bike Australia, June 2018
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