KTM 1190 Adventure R

KTM 1190 Adventure R

The 1190 Adventure R has the heart and soul of the original KTM Adventure - puristic, raw, sportily challenging for rider and machine. This is the "non plus ultra" for sporty offroad traveling. Alpine gravel passes, desert pistes mixed with dunes, bad roads at the end of the world - This is the perfect bike. In 2014 it was the first bike, serially equipped with Bosch's MSC: Motorcycle Stability Control. MSC enhances the existing package consisting of lean-sensitive traction control and ABS featuring a combined braking function with a world first: the first ever lean-sensitive cornering ABS. Together with its sister model, the 1190 Adventure R has been turned into what is currently the world's safest motorcycle - yet still with undiluted riding pleasure. Hence, the Adventure R is aimed at all those who take the term "adventure" even more literally. The 1190 Adventure R is without doubt the twin-cylinder enduro with the greatest offroad ability. Full stop.

Adventure bikes offer many things to their owners, but most of all they provide possibilities. While a large majority may never see the other side of the horizon or hardcore trails, they are capable of bringing true adventure to those willing to get out there and push the limits. Big-bore adventure motorcycles are the top of the ADV food chain and the BMW R1200 GS and KTM 1190 Adventure are the two baddest gorillas in the jungle. Yet there are even more extreme versions available from each marque – the R1200 GS Adventure and 1190 Adventure R – both of which are specially outfitted for serious travel off the beaten path. As soon as the GSA and Adventure R were announced debates raged online, and in the MotoUSA office, about which would be the ultimate mount for finding the end of the trail

BMW has offered an Adventure model of the GS for years, but fans had to wait a year for the water Boxer version. For 2014 BMW outfitted the R1200 GS Adventure with all of the updates on the new-for-2013 R1200 GS. The new water-cooled Boxer Twin, along with a host of electronic rider aids, ups the capability and usability of the GSA. On top of the new mill and tech updates, the GSA gets a massive 7.9-gallon fuel tank, more suspension travel and off-road friendly hardware such as handguards, crashbars and burly footpegs. Equipped with the premium package, olive green paint and aluminum panniers our test unit rings in at an MSRP of $23,463.

KTM took a huge leap forward in the big-bore ADV bike word when it introduced the 1190 Adventure. In our first ride review we said it was the best streetbike KTM has produced to date. But with the 1190 Adventure R the Austrian company is looking to dominate every area of the segment. Replacing the ever popular but sparsely appointed 990, the 1190 brings a massive power increase, sophisticated electronic rider aids and more comfort. Changes from the standard 1190 Adventure to the R model are crashbars, more suspension travel, increased ground clearance and a 21/18-inch wheel and tire set-up. The KTM 1190 Adventure R as equipped for our test with KTM Power Parts aluminum panniers and mounting hardware will cost you $18, 091.

As these are the most extreme examples of the biggest ADVmachines, we decided it would only be proper to scout out some legitimate off-road adventure, rather than just hitting the road from hotel to hotel and diner to diner. So instead we loaded up the bags with tents, sleeping bags, food, water and, of course, camera gear, and headed for the hills above Santa Barbara, California to find out what living with these two bikes on a real road trip would be like. Afterward, we spent two days in the mountains of Southern Utah for some additional seat time. Most of our miles were on dirt roads of varying quality, but we also hit the street and even pounded out a few hundred on the highway.

We also recorded some objective data with hard numbers such as curb weight, horsepower, torque and 0-60 acceleration. Subjective evaluations such as engine feel, suspension action and comfort carry equal weight on our scoresheet. We retained our standard comparison scoring, with a win in any category earning ten points and second-place getting eight. At the end we tally up the scores to declare a winner. And while the scoring helps suss out a ranking, this test was close almost too close to call. Both bikes excel in different ways, and depending on what is or isn’t important to you, readers may find removing a category will swing the results in either bikes favor. With that let’s get into the meat of this comparison.

The BMW R1200GS is the yardstick by which all other large ADV motorcycles have been measured. Several brands that have come close to toppling the GS giant, but BMW has always won out in the end. While various rivals have individually trumped the Beemer on power, handling and styling, none have been able put it all together in a comprehensive package. And that is were the GS Adventure’s strength lies. It’s the king of all-rounders and epitome of the large-displacement ADV segment. And judging by the sales figures, buyers would agree, as the GSA is second only to the standard GS in global sales for BMW (with Adventure sales even with or slightly exceeding the standard GS in the U.S. market).

One look at the GSA and it’sobvious this bike is built to travel to faraway lands, and takea beating doing it. Crash bars, a massive front windshield andspoked wheels beg for rough terrain. It’s not a particularlygood-looking motorcycle in the traditional sense, but morehandsome like a bulldog – tough and rugged. Our test rider crewranked it just below the KTM in looks, but beauty contests arenot what the GSA is about. It’s about function. And function iswhat the GSA does. Its Flat Twin engine is a one of the bestpowerplants ever put in an ADV bike. The low-end torque pullsnicely on the street out of corners and chugs along on technicaldirt roads. Your right wrist feels connected right to thecrankshaft and power is easy to meter out. Up top the power isless impressive when compared to the 1190 Adventure R. While thepower has increased from its oil/air-cooled predecessor, thewater Boxer gets left in the dust by the upstart orange machine.On the MotoUSA dyno the BMW produced 105.07 peak horsepower,significantly less than the KTM (14 to be exact). However, theGSA just edged out the KTM in torque production with 76.25 lb-ft(a 0.93 lb-ft difference).

Those 105 rear-wheel poniesare more than enough to spin up the rear tire with less thanperfect traction, but BMW’s five riding modes (Road, Dynamic,Rain, Enduro and Enduro Pro) keep things in control in justabout any situation you can get yourself into. Ride mode adjuststraction control as well as ABS settings. On the street Road andDynamic are all you need and work even with the factory optionalTKC Continentals. In the dirt your two options of Enduro andEnduro Pro are a must. Enduro, which is calibrated fornon-knobby tires, mellows out the power delivery and adjuststraction control to allow more wheelspin. Our default mode whenwe hit the dirt was Enduro Pro, which is tuned for knobby tires.The Enduro Pro throttle response is snappier, with the rear tirespinning up nicely. The rear ABS is also disabled in Pro, givinga dirt-savvy rider the utmost control available from the ridermodes. The ABS works well in both settings and slows the GSAwith control and authority. The traction control has a hardercutoff when it kicks in compared the KTM, and this put it justbehind when riding full-tilt. Brakes on the BMW are strong andthe ABS is excellent. Every ABS setting fits the riding modeperfectly, and not once did we feel the need to disable itcompletely. We appreciate the Enduro Pro setting, which allowsthe rear tire to lock up and slide when needed. Lever feel isconsistent no matter the surface and has a connected feel withboth street or dirt. So the brakes are excellent, but so arethose on the KTM, and we ranked them even in the scoring.

On the street the GSA is theking of the corners. Its smaller diameter 19-inch front wheeloffers more road confidence. With a more road-friendly tireprofile (even with knobbies) the front turns into the bends witha linear feel. Combined with a lower center of gravity and morecomfortable riding position the BMW’s handling had us playingrock-paper-scissor for who would get the GSA key on the street.When the dirt started it was the same game, but for who wouldnot be on the BMW. In the dirt the heavier GSA proved lessnimble and could only hope to hold onto the KTM’s dust.Suspension action was less plush and settled when the bumpsappeared in any setting. On the BMW you just couldn’t push ashard on the trails as the KTM. The GSA could still go anywherewe wanted in the dirt, but it was more work and took longer. TheKTM is better suited for aggressive off-road riders. Spending atotal of five days in the saddle brings rider comfort to theforefront and the GS Adventure excels in this regard. A wide,flat seat offers plenty of support for pounding out the mileswhile the larger, more easily-adjusted windscreen better shieldsthe rider from the elements. The GSA’s large footpegs are a hugeupgrade over the standard units and the seat-to-peg distance isrelaxed, making transition from sitting to standing easy. Injust comfort alone the BMW is unrivaled in this comparison, butadding on the creature comforts like heated grips and cruisecontrol puts it over the top.

If you have aspirations of500-plus mile days, the BMW is the clear choice. Another big ADVplus for the GSA is fuel capacity and range. Throughout out testwe recorded an average of 37 mpg. That is a quite a bit lessthan BMW claims of 55 mpg at 56 mph, but we didn’t always gothat slow… We were very aggressive with the throttle, both on-and off-road, but with a 7.9-gallon fuel tank, the BMW stillsports a range of nearly 300 miles (435 miles by BMW’sconservative speed estimate). The KTM’s 200-mile range isn’teven close. After tabulating the scoresheet, the 2014 BMW R1200GS Adventure came up two points short of the KTM in thiscomparison. While it’s an official second-place, this is farfrom total defeat for the BMW. The GSA is the most comfortabletouring platform and king on the asphalt. Depending or youradventure-touring needs, the GSA might be the clear winner. Thiscomparison is almost too close to call.

KTM’s “ready to race” credomight not fit the ADV segment or the KTM 1190 Adventure R in theliteral sense, but there’s no doubt the 1190 is one of the moreextreme examples of an adventure-touring motorcycle. While youwon’t be hitting the race course, you can feel and see theracing DNA in this hardcore ADV mount. The R model builds on thestandard 1190 Adventure with more suspension travel, increasedground clearance and dirt focused wheel/tire combination. The Ralso sources crashbars and a smaller windscreen. Aggression isAdventure R’s game; a very different take on the segmentcompared to the BMW GSA.

Throw a leg over the1190 Adventure R and the cockpit feels sparse in comparison tothe GS Adventure. Creature comforts such as heated grips andcruise control are absent, and the windshield is minisculecompared to the BMW. Additionally the seat is thinner,resembling a large dirt bike unit. As the miles rolled on duringour interstate blasts the decreased wind protection and lesscomfortable seat made it the less desirable of the two. Grantedits nearly $5000 lower sticker price leaves plenty of leftovercash for farkles and comfort additions. But stock for stock, theGSA trounces the Adventure R in the ergonomics and comfort game.While it may not be the bee’s knees while pounding out themiles, twist the throttle and all is forgiven. While the GSA’sBoxer is stout, the 1190’s V-Twin is a monster. On the dyno theKTM blasted out 119.07 rear-wheel horsepower, 14 more than theGS. Just a tick behind the GS in the torque department, the 1190put forth 75.31 ft-lb of torque. Get on the gas and theAdventure R rockets away from the BMW, with more horsepower andless weight, especially on the roll on. In our 0-60 test the KTMreached the mark one tenth of a second ahead at 3.1 seconds.

And the 1190 Adventure R putsthe power to the ground well, on- or off-road. KTM’s tractioncontrol (MTC) is one of the most seamless we’ve ever tested andis the absolute best here. Four modes (Sport. Street, Rain andOff-road) meter the ride-by-wire throttle butterflies to temperthe power dependent on wheel slip and lean angle. Sport modelets the rear wheel spin up on the street before cutting thepower back without any perceptible cut. Street mode keeps thingsin line while still allowing full power. Rain reduces thehorsepower to a maximum of 100 at the crank and intervenesearly. In the dirt the Off-road mode also reduces the power to100 hp, but allows for plenty of wheelspin. Once the rear wheelspeed doubles the front the MTC controls the power, but even sothe effect is much less abrupt and noticeable in comparison tothe BMW. You can just whack the throttle to the stop, let therear end step out and drift like a champ. While you don’t haveto shift much on the BMW, the KTM works better rowing throughthe gears to find the optimum ratio. This isn’t a problem as theratios are spot on and shifts are solid, just not as solid asthe BMW. The KTM’s clutch feel and engagement is much better,however, and this proved the difference in the transmission,clutch and gearing category.

The KTM’s suspension andhandling off-road allow you to capitalize on the 1190’sexcellent Off-road MTC settings. While the front and rear travelis nearly identical to the BMW, the more conventionalupside-down forks have more feel and control over the GSA’stelelever frontend. There is much less hucking and bucking fromthe 1190 when the going gets rough. For dirt usage, the KTM isthe boss in this contest. On the street, things aren’t as rosy.With a 21-inch front wheel, the front-end feel is lesssurefooted and confident, more like a dirt bike. As lean anglesincrease on curvey roads, the further the BMW pulls ahead. Ifyou are a dirt junky and road work is just to get from trailheadto trailhead, the 1190 Adventure R is the best choice. One areathe KTM does miss the mark as an ADV bike is the fuel range.During our testing the 1190 averaged 33 mpg. We were usuallyhard on the gas when we were anywhere but on the superslabthanks to the KTM’s awesome motor. We just wanted to feel therush all the time; in return the fuel economy was well below theBeemer. With a smaller 6.1-gallon tank, the range is limited tojust 201 miles. That falls well short of the rival BMW.

Braking power from theABS-equipped Brembos is excellent with exceptional feel. One upthe KTM has on the BMW in the braking department is the leansensitive ABS, which does work well; the system is magic. If theR was equipped with a 19-inch front wheel it would destroy itsGerman competition, but the 21-inch wheel with knobs doesn’tstop as hard or with as much feel on the front as the BMW. Abetter ABS system but less power, has us calling a draw in thiscontest. At the end of the test the KTM 1190 Adventure Rsqueaked out a win against the BMW R1200 GS Adventure. And thatis a huge accomplishment. The BMW has been the gold standard forso long and even being on the same level is a win for any ADVmachine. As we said before, this contest is almost too close tocall, but the pure performance of the 1190 puts it over the top.If the adventure begins when the road ends, the KTM is ourclear-cut winner.

SourceMotorcycle USA

BMW R1200GS Adventure vs. KTM 1190 Adventure R- LONG-TERM

Well, you can’t have an adventure if you don’tventure off the beaten path, right? Dudek and Allen managed toget way off the grid near Huntington Lake, California,riding down a dead end trail that only pro-level tester and Baja1000 first-in-class finisher Dudek could eventually ride backup. Allen said that without Dudek there to save the day and ridethe GSA out for him, it would have required a hike for him and ahelicopter ride for the BMW. The lesson? Mortals canget in too deep!

Well into testing, our1190 Adventure became very hard starting and we discovered ourbike’s engine had ingested a significant amount of dirt and dustthat completely bypassed the air filter. A bit of research andcontact with 1190 owners showed we were not alone in thisphenomenon.KTM confirmed there was a flaw in theairbox/filter design (see Trip Notes), andwarranty repairs for this issue took the 1190 out of circulationfor the better part of a month, while the BMW marched on.

Once the KTM returned,we had to break in the new top end and get it back to the dealerfor an oil/filter change before prepping the bike for a journeydown the Baja California peninsula to celebrate New Year’s Evein Mexico. Another set of Continental TKC80s (its third) weremounted on the KTM, while we finally got a set of Conti’sbrand-new TKC70s ($415) to try on the BMW (seeTrip Notes).

Although the plannedroute was originally supposed to take Allen, Dudek, andDirt Rider Art Director JoeMcKimmy to Cabo San Lucas primarily on asphalt, the trip, aswith most of our journeys, included some detours thatencompassed significantly more dirt than was originallyintended. So the boys only made it as far as Loreto, about 700miles south of Tecate on the east coast, and 300 miles short ofCabo.

On the return journey,it was once again the BMW’s turn for some drama. First, the GSAwas tipped over in a concrete stream crossing, which was madeslicker than ice by the unseen green slime under the surface. Itgot another QuikSteel patch on a cracked cylinder head cover(despite the stock crashbars). Next, its ESA rear shock blew outafter hitting a washout at speed, forcing Allen to endure anundamped pogo-stick ride back to the US. Once home, the bikereturned to Irv Seaver Motorcycles in Orange, California, forrepairs. They discovered the front shock was also leaking, soboth damping units were replaced under warranty. Further, theclutch finally called it a day and had to be replaced. At leastwith the newest boxer design, the clutch is mounted at engine’sfront, no longer necessitating transmission removal as onprevious versions. But parts cost was $1,458.46!

As for the KTM Adventure R, a few keyaftermarket additions made the bike more comfortable off roadand better able to endure the floggings we administered. FasstCompany’s Flexx Handlebars ($359.99;fasstco.com) and Simple SolutionHandguards ($135.99) not only improve ergonomics while standingoff road but also absorb harsh hits and reduce vibration to thehands, while the full-wrap guards offer maximum protection. Keyto defending the KTM’s underbelly was AltRider’s skid plate($394.97;altrider.com). This laser-cut,heavy-duty aluminum unit is incredibly sturdy and mounts to theKTM’s massive M10 engine bolts at the rear for extreme rigidity.Despite the plate’s burly nature, Dudek still managed to bendit, but it clearly saved the KTM from another calamity.

In regard to wear andtear, we smoked through a set of rear brake pads on eachmachine, largely due to our extensive off-road riding. Stockpads set us back $120.69 for the GS and $85.95 for the KTM.Other repairs that seemed pricey were the $65 brake lever forthe KTM and a $400 horn button for the BMW. Yes, you read thatright: After the Colorado crash, the GS’s little red horn buttonwas dislodged from its housing. When in for service, arepresentative from Irv Seaver called to ask if I wanted them toreplace the button. I said yes, but the button replacemententailed fitting a new left-side handlebar pod, which, withlabor, tallied a totally ridiculous $448.10.

Nevertheless, of all the long-term bikes we’vehad over the past few years, none have proven as versatile,comfortable, and capable as these two. There are very fewmachines that can survive the constant abuse that these twoendured, while still being able to hop on the freeway andcomfortably knock out 1,000 miles as we did on our return fromColorado. In our time with them, we unearthed some of eachmachine’s faults, discovered many of their limits, and testedsome of the best aftermarket products available.

Conclusions on this long-term comparison? Forstarters, both of these bikes were expensive as delivered, whilemaintenance and repairs proved high due to the amount of timespent off-highway. Maybe the average owner wouldn’t ride their$20,000 ADVs as hard as we did, but we’re here to push thelimits. In that light, if off-road chops and raw performance areyour most important purchasing decisions, the KTM is clearly thebike. It’s sportbike-fast on road and far better in technicaldirt sections than any bike this big should be, all while beingblessed with Bosch’s amazing lean-sensing ABS and tractioncontrol (seeTECH ANALYSIS: Motorcycle Stability Control, Explained).But if total versatility and long-haul comfort are moreimportant to you, then the BMW is hard to fault. It offerssupreme on-road manners, went everywhere the KTM did (though wasmuch more challenging in the hard stuff), and has more availableconvenience and creature-comfort features. Every tester calledit incredibly close, and the choice really came down to theprojected use. Bottom line? Modern big-bike adventure isn’tcheap (and we’re sure glad there are good warranties), but it’ssure worth it.

BMW R1200GS Adventure

KTM 1190 Adventure R

TOTAL MILES

11,064

11,837

NEXT SERVICE

18,000

18,600

MAINTENANCE COSTS

$1,858.98

$1,641.95

REPAIR COSTS

$3,173.87

$230

AVERAGE FUEL MILEAGE

39 mpg

40 mpg

PRICE AS TESTED (2014)

$21,671

$18,134

CURRENT BLUE BOOK VALUE

$17,395

$13,600

FROM DUST TOGORY

There has been a lot of buzz about the KTM1190/1190 R’s airbox ingesting dust and dirt during extensiveoff-road riding. The fact that the KTM’s second scheduledservice interval wasn’t until 9,300 miles—and that access to theair filter requires laboriously removing the fuel tank—kept usfrom catching the issue any earlier.

While on our Adventure Rally in California lastSeptember, Ryan Dudek began experiencing hard starting (due totight valves), which led him to remove the tank and airbox coverto discover that the throttle body mouths were coated in dustand grime. With 8,020 miles on the clock, the KTM was taken toOrange County KTM to diagnose the issue. Despite a completelyclean air filter, enough dirt, sand, and dust had been ingestedto destroy our R’s top end.

This is clearly a flaw in the airbox’s design,and KTM repaired our 1190’s engine under warranty.

A complete top-end rebuild included: cylinders,pistons/rings, valve kit, base gasket, head gasket, valvecollets, spark plugs, valve cover gasket, and headbolts/washers. To prevent future damage in similar ridingconditions the dealer installed KTM’s Dust Protection Kit (part#60306922000, $64.79), consisting of a pair offairing-intake-snorkel inserts that have a mesh fabric stretchedover them as a first defense. Also, a better-sealing,high-performance DNA air filter (DNA part #P-KT12E13-01, KTMpart #603 06 115 000, $124.99) was installed.

The lesson here: If youride either version of the 1190 off-road in dusty conditions ona regular basis, upgrade to these better lines of defense andcheck your air filter frequently. If you let it vacuum up halfof the Baja 1000 course as we did and have experienced issues,get it into your KTM dealer for repairs before your warrantyexpires.

TIRES, TIRES,AND MORE TIRES

Big adventure bikes have an insatiable appetitefor rubber. Each machine is on its fifth set of tires (includingthe stock sets). Due to the significant number of off-roadmiles, knobbies have won the day. After trying out Kenda’s (kendatire.com)Big Blocks (which were great in the dirt but not so grippy onroad), we returned to our favorite ADV tire, Continental’s (conti-online.com)TKC80. Not only do these tires bring out the very best in thesebikes off highway—clawing for traction in Mexican silt, climbingup slickrock faces in Utah, plowing through boulder gardens inColorado, and hopping over tree roots in the Sierras­—but theywork well on asphalt too. They are easily the single bestperformance modification you can make to a big ADV machine. Theshortest life we recorded on a set of TKC80s was less than 1,000miles, while our best was almost 3,000. For the New Year’sjourney into Baja, we mounted up Conti TKC70s on the GSA. JeffAllen was impressed with their overall performance but felt aknobby front was well warranted for the peninsula’s ample sandand silt (we will definitely be trying a TKC70/80 cocktailsoon). But for now we’re curious to see how many miles we canget on the 70s before our bike gets repo’d.

FROM THE LOGBOOK

Blake Conner: The single most memorablemoment for me with these two bikes was when Dudek and I rode theSlickrock Trail in Moab, Utah. At the time, I fully understoodthat we were doing something that few others would attempt onsuch big machines, especially with such major consequences for amistake (250- to 500-foot cliffs!), and, stupidly, we had thebags attached. But we survived. It wasn’t until I went back on aKTM Freeride 250 R and rode the trail again that I fully graspedhow insane we (at least me) were to ride ADVs there.

Jeff Allen: Just the sight of either ofthese bikes gets the road-trip part of my brain firing. Baja,ADV Rally, Yosemite, Baja again, 1,000-mile three-day weekend?No problem. A 2,500-mile weeklong ride? Even better. I wish thebikes would stay around a lot longer; I still have plansswirling around in my head. At around 600 pounds each, bothbikes demand respect off-road. At the same time, they work sowell in the dirt it’s easy to forget they’re not dirt bikes. Insand or when trying to get them stopped in the dirt, you arequickly reminded of their size. Give them the respect theydeserve. That stated, these are great tourers with good windprotection and rugged luggage. Highway 1 to Oregon anyone? Thewife will worry you’re never going to come home. It’s a realpossibility.

Joe McKimmy: I prefer the seat height onthe Beemer for my short, stumpy legs. With a 600-poundmotorcycle, it’s nice to know you have more than a toe touchingto keep your balance in awkward spots. For me, the KTM is muchmore comfortable off road, able to plow through square-edgedchop and big bumps with ease. I think the 21-inch front wheelmakes a big difference on the rough stuff. But I am really quitesurprised how well the BMW handles over loose rock sections. Thewide tires allow the bike to be really stable.

Source cycleworld.com

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