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This is a brief report on our 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R test bike. We have only put 100 miles, or so, on the bike at this point. All of those miles have been on the street. Nevertheless, we have a few distinct first impressions we would like to relate to our readers before posting a full review.
You may recall that we have put several thousand miles on a KTM 790 Adventure that MD chose to modify as a project bike. You can find Part 3 of that project bike series here. Our familiarity with the 790 made contrasts with the 890 stand out.
Before we discuss our first impressions of the 890 Adventure R, here is KTM’s list of significant changes between this model and the older 790:
KTM 890 ADVENTURE R – MODEL HIGHLIGHTS
- New 889 cc engine with an added 90 cc of displacement
- Engine featuring 20% more rotating masses
- More power and torque
- Reinforced clutch
- Improved ABS and Traction Control
- Reworked shifting for faster gear changes
- Updated Quickshifter+ (optional)
- New handlebar switch for Cruise Control function
- Chassis upgrades with aluminum steering head tube and lighter subframe
- Reworked front and rear brakes
- New suspension settings
The biggest news, of course, is the larger displacement engine. A significant increase in low-end and mid-range power is very noticeable, although the 790 seems to rev out on top a bit better. The other thing that jumped out at us during our first ride was the performance of the new brakes.
The new front brake is much stronger than the one found on the 790. The difference was striking, and that additional power is combined with better feel at the brake lever. The rear brake is also noticeably stronger, but here it could be a slight negative as it seems to bite very hard, which could make the rear brake difficult to modulate, particularly in the dirt.
Since we are testing the 890 R rather than the standard model, the tires are knobbies with a decided focus on dirt riding. Nevertheless, these Continental TKC 80 tires held on reasonably well when asked to carve up some twisty tarmac. We did notice some slipping, of course, but the 890’s ABS and traction control stepped in to keep things safe … quite impressively, actually.
We will be doing a lot more testing of the 890 Adventure R, and will provide a more comprehensive report, which will include dirt riding impressions and action photos. Stay tuned.
