KTM’s Flagship ADV Is Here!

From a puny commuter to the homologation special monsters, there’s a lot of motorsport learning that trickles down to the bikes that we ride. And if we talk of rally-ready motorcycles, we just can’t keep KTM out of the conversation, can we? Within a month of pulling the wraps off the 2021 Super Adventure S, the Austrian brand has introduced the world to its trail-happy sibling, the 1290 Super Adventure R.

A 221kg ADV For The Trails?
Yes, KTM claims the second generation of its flagship ADV has been reworked to suit the trails. To achieve this, the engineers at KTM have moved the steering head back by 15mm, shortening the frame and making the open-lattice swingarm slightly longer. Also, replacing the conventional fuel tank is the new three-piece unit, sitting near the crankcase, with a capacity of 23 litres. This is similar to what we see on the rally raid motorcycles and even the KTM 890 Adventure. With the centre of gravity lowered, flicking the 221kg behemoth around corners shouldn’t feel daunting anymore.

Why Would You Play Around With A 162PS ADV?
Why wouldn’t you? With the 1301cc, liquid-cooled V-Twin belting out 162PS at 9,000rpm and 138Nm at 6,500rpm, it wouldn’t be hard. In fact, the new KTM 1290 Super Adventure R boasts the highest power-to-weight ratio in its class. The new LC8 engine is claimed to be 1.6kg less than that of its predecessor, thanks to the use of lighter internals. KTM has also revised the 6-speed transmission’s shifting mechanism to allow smoother and lighter shifts. And of course, there’s an optional quickshifter to make things easier.

Also Read: Kabira KM 4000 And KM 3000 Electric Motorcycles: First Ride Review

Can Things Be Easier With This Brute?
Of course, they can be, at least with all the electronic aids the 2021 KTM 1290 Super Adventure comes with. The Bosch-sourced 6-axis inertial measurement unit allows the bike to have lean-sensitive traction control, ABS, and dynamic engine braking. Yes, the adaptive cruise control seen on the Super Adventure S has been given a miss. But then again, KTM made up for that with impressive hardware.

The flagship ADV gets a 7-inch TFT display that comes with KTM’s new connectivity module. Once paired with your phone, the console helps with turn-by-turn navigation. Thanks to the new 6-way switch cube, toggling between ‘Rain’, ‘Street’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Off-Road’ modes is easy. And if you have been feeling a little too adventurous, there’s an optional ‘Rally’ mode on offer that allows you to customise throttle response and toggle through nine levels of wheel spin on the fly.

Built To Tread Anywhere
Things wouldn’t be half as fun without apt hardware, right? The trellis frame sits on a fully-adjustable 48mm WP XPlore fork and WP PDS shock, both offering 220mm of suspension travel. Dropping the anchor on this behemoth are Brembo calipers, clamped onto 320mm dual discs at the front and a 267mm disc at the back. The true-blue ADV that the 1290 Super Adventure R is, it comes with wire-spoked rims (sourced from Alpina) and runs on off-road-oriented tubeless tyres from Bridgestone. Taking the excitement up a notch is the 242mm ground clearance.

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The 2021 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R Looks The Part Too
The new Super Adventure takes its design cues, including the massive headlight, from the road-going sibling. But don’t let the butch looks fool you. KTM claims the bike is a lot narrower now. That, paired with the (comparatively) lower seat height of 880mm, should make it easy to plant both feet firmly on the ground. There’s a lot of adjustability on offer as well. For example, the stubby windshield, levers, handlebar, and footpegs are adjustable, adding to the comfort.

The new paint scheme, inspired by the 990 Adventure, sure adds to the menacing appearance of the bike. Moreover, the redesigned bodywork now accommodates shrouds aimed at deflecting the hot air (from the new split radiators) away from the rider.

The 2021 KTM 1290 Adventure R hits Europe’s showrooms in March this year. Of course, the bike won’t be coming to our shores, but what we might have soon is the 890 Adventure. But if dirt-slinging V-Twin ADVs are your thing, the India-bound Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 could be worth your time.