Mpumalanga is a beautiful province: rolling hills, dense plantations and spectacular views over the escarpment. Unfortunately my concentration was rather on the ribbon of tar snaking through the hills while the KTM Adventure was showing very naughty numbers on the speedo. Not even the odd pothole, logging truck or wood littering the road could detract from the motorcycling nirvana the area offers. It was fitting then for KTM to expose us to the latest, extended Adventure range of V-twin bikes in the litre-plus class.
The business case
KTM offers a variety of small-capacity, single-cylinder machines predominantly for the off-road market which is responsible for a large volume of its sales. At the other end of the spectrum, the KTM 1190 was launched two years ago as a high performance, enduro machine that truly offers race-inspired performance. As great a technical achievement the 1190 is, it tends to appeal to a limited rider profile only. The business plan was to expand the range at the top end to cater for the hyper enduro touring market in the form of the 1290 Super Adventure and a softer, more user-friendly version in the 1050 Adventure with a financial saving to boot. The frame is shared between the 1050, 1190 and 1290 Adventure and although the engine capacities and internal components slightly differ, they all employ the same basic blueprint code named LC8.
KTM 1290 Adventure
It was interesting that KTM gave us the opportunity to ride the monster 1290 Super Adventure first (maybe leaving the best till last? Read the 1050 impression below). Even walking up to the bike was intimidating as it is a rather large and tall motorcycle – the shy or vertically challenged need not apply. Styling wise it looks the part with the white body work of our test units appearing especially classy. The wide tank and tall screen dominate proceedings. Both the rider and pillion seat is wide and sports a new foam compound to extent the time to a numb bum in the saddle. Climbing aboard one’s legs are forced apart by the wide tank and the view of the road is slightly obstructed by a screen with a complex design to improve aerodynamics and comfort.
The tech
With the 1290 Super Adventure, KTM allowed their engineers to pack the bike with technology from the ground up. The WP suspension is semi-active and can adapt the damping rates in real time to optimise chassis control for every driving style and situation. This is electronically achieved and relies on the stroke and acceleration data received by the suspension control unit.
The 1 301 cm³ engine features twin spark plugs per cylinder for efficient combustion, forged pistons and drives the rear wheel via chain drive through a slipper clutch. Maximum torque delivery is 140 N.m but the impressive statistic is that at only 2 500 r/min the engine is already developing 108 N.m. The rider controls the torque demand through a drive-by-wire throttle that is also linked to the latest Bosch safety systems to prevent the loss of traction or dangerous wheelies.
Other safety systems include ABS with cornering ABS ability, Motor Slip control that prevents rear wheel lock-up due to engine braking (in combination with the slipper clutch) and even a hill-hold function. The driver can also ride with confidence knowing that a tyre-pressure monitor is always active.
How does it go?
The engine debuted on the fire-breathing 1290 Super Duke R street bike although it is slightly detuned for the Adventure application. 118 kW is still serious power and it demands respect. Pressing the start button sparked the motor into life with a subdued bark and it settled into a steady idle. The exhaust note is muted under acceleration and I am sure many owners will fit an aftermarket exhaust to unleash that true V-twin thrum.
I took my time in getting comfortable on the big bike before an opportunity presented itself to unleash those horses. And unleash in a hurry they do. Even from low engine speeds there is plenty of drive but revving it to the 10 000 plus r/min redline endows the bike with superbike-like acceleration while the electronics keep everything under control. The downside is that the engine is quite a vibey unit at higher revs and it could be felt through the handlebars and seat. The 1290 felt supremely planted at speed and the fairing/screen combination does a good job of protecting the rider from the windblast. So much so that I had a big fright when I looked down at the speedo and saw a totally illegal number without even realising how fast I was going… Maybe it is best to rather set the standard cruise control to prevent jail time. At least the impressive Brembo brakes are more than up to the job to slow you down.
The ride
As mentioned in the tech section the 1290 comes with state-of-the-art electronically controlled dampers front and rear. The rider is offered four riding modes including Comfort, Street, Sport and Offroad. I found the ride to be a bit on the firm side, even in comfort mode, if your intention is to glide over any road imperfections while covering long distances. The upside however is cornering stability when pushing on.
Summary
KTM delivered the ultimate super enduro bike to cover vast distances at break-neck speed. It may not be quite as comfortable or easy-going as the main opposition (read BMW R 1200 GS) but R219 000 buys you the latest safety technology and the most fire-power in the adventure market.
Fast Facts: KTM 1290 Super Adventure
Engine: V-twin, four-stroke, liquid-cooled
Displacement (cm3): 1 301
Power (kW/r/min): 118/8 750
Torque (N.m/min): 140/6 750
Transmission: six-speed
Tyre sizes: f;r: 120/70/19; 170/60/17
Frame: chromium-molybdenum steel
Seat height (mm): 860
Fuel tank capacity (L): 30
Mass (kg): 229
Warranty: 2-years
Service intervals (km): 15 000
Price: R219 999
KTM 1050 Adventure
The main reasons KTM created the 1050 is to allow potential enduro customers a softer entry in the KTM brand than the 1190 Adventure at a more competitive price. The way this was achieved was firstly to curb power to 70 kW (although the torque curve almost mimics that of the 1190 up to 6 000 r/min), fit non-adjustable suspension and cast aluminium wheels to name a few. Although the KTM PR assured us that this was a proper bike you could not help but think that some of the KTM spirit must have been lost in the downscaling and cost-cutting exercises. That was until I jumped on the bike for a ride though
How does it go?
Sitting on the bike after the 1290 it felt decidedly dainty and light in comparison. It is definitely not a small bike and actually looks very similar to the 1190. Riding it was a revelation. It was flickable and fun without being scary. Although the peak power is only 70 kW (a lot only a few years ago before the power race started) it is a torquey unit that accelerated the 1050 effortlessly to license-losing speeds. The fact that full throttle could be employed for longer periods than on the 1290 actually added to the experience. Yes, it does not have the top-end rush (or rev range) of the 1190 or 1290 but it is by no means a slow bike. A skilled rider will embarrass quite a few “sportier” bikes on the roads.
The loop around God’s window included an opportunity for a quick gravel assessment although it is by no means the forte of the bike. Experienced riders like Dave Petersen however proved that it is indeed capable in the right hands. If only KTM would offer spoke wheels and a 21-inch front wheel as an option…
The suspension is more basic but still very capable in absorbing bumps and providing a well-damped ride. It is slightly softer than the other two brothers in the range and the downside is that it is not quite as stable in the high-speed corners. The best part of the 1050 is that it is a fun bike to ride, A quick poll between the journos on the day revealed that most would chose the 1050 to the 1290 if they had to spend their own money. At R139 000 it is probably one of the best value-for-money bikes in the segment.
Fast Facts: KTM 1050 Adventure
Engine: V-twin, four-stroke, liquid-cooled
Displacement (cm3): 1 050
Power (kW/r/min): 70/6 200
Torque (N.m/min): 107/5 750
Transmission: six-speed
Tyre sizes: f;r: 110/80/19; 150/70/17
Frame: chromium-molybdenum steel
Seat height (mm): 850
Fuel tank capacity (L): 23
Mass (kg): 212
Warranty: 2-years
Service Intervals (km): 15 000
Price: R139 999
