Every few years, a motorcycle manufacturer builds a two-wheeled marvel, one that rides up the Stairway to Heaven and joins the elites of the motorcycle world. The KTM 950 Adventure was one of those machines, a carburetted 100 hp 75-degree V-Twin brute that could do speeds over 215 km/h, a bike that quickly changed the Dakar Rally rule book. Not only did it change the Dakar, but it redefined the definition of adventure motorcycles. Yes, what started as a Frankenstein concept in 2002, built to go racing, eventually made its way to the street, almost identical to the race bike, may I add, which immediately earned the 950 Adventure legend status, seeing every other manufacturer and adventure rider pay their respects.
Since the production model touched the tar in 2003, a lot has changed in the adventure market, big bikes have once again become glorified touring motorcycles, and the middle-weight category has become the new playground for those who love hard adventure. But in all fairness, I think KTM are closer to their 2003 recipe than ever before. KTM’s latest “Super Adventure” is a 1390 cc motorcycle, which is 440 cc more than the 950, that’s almost a full 450 EXC. So, how are KTM closer to 2003 then? Well, let’s talk about the KTM 890 Adventure R…
The 890 Adventure R is no 75-degree V-Twin, and it hasn’t competed in a Dakar, but compared to the 950, the new kid on the block is 5 hp up at 105 hp, 6 kg lighter at 200 kg dry and 10 Nm up at 100 Nm. So, why are we comparing the 890 to a 22-year-old legend? It’s simple, and if we have to be honest, nothing comes close to the KTM 890 Adventure R when it comes to pure off-road thrills, much like nothing came close to the 950 Adventure 22 years ago, and some will still say even today. Some bikes are more practical, others are better all-rounders, and there are even better lightweight dirt bike options out there, but none of them combine all in a firecracker of a package like the 890 Adventure R.
It’s fair to say that the 890 Adventure R is no new bike; it’s been around since 2021 and had a massive refresh in late 2023 going into 2024, but one thing is for sure: all the excitement that was there still is. We were massive fans of the 790 Adventure R. Dave rode it in envy at the global launch in Morocco, and I spent much peg time slowly falling for its dirt charm on this side of the border. 2021 saw the 790 get bumped up to an 890 cc with minimal changes. However, the 790/890 Adventure R to me was that really cool tomboy girl in school who got along with the guys, listened to really good music and knew how to have fun. The only problem was, she wasn’t a looker, but all that had changed on the latest update of the 890 Adventure R.
KTM’s design team sharpened out the 890 with a sexier fairing design, seeing the tank plastics connect to the headlight, where before there was a massive gaper between the two, and it was ugly—a simple design fix, with a more traditional rally bike look. Nonetheless, the looks have come to the party, and with it, we see an overall more dynamic off-road ergonomic focus.
The key standard features that have made this middleweight adventure a modern-day legend have also made it an overall balanced, performance-driven adventure package. We are talking about top-shelf WP Xplore suspension, mass centralisation thanks to the low-slung 20 L fuel tank with an integrated bash plate, the sportbike-esque engine performance, 265 mm of ground clearance, dirt-focused ergos, and electronic rider aids that can make any of us feel like a Temu version of Chris Birch.
This year sees KTM South Africa offer the 890 Adventure R with a R20,000 deal assist plus a FREE TECH PACK (normally an optional extra). So, what does the TECH PACK get you? Well, first things first, it doesn’t get you our test bikes Rally seat, which allows you to move around a bit more freely when up on the pegs, and it doesn’t get you a Remus slip-on for more bark, which in reality just teases you to open the throttle continuously. What it does get you, however, is an additional mode called Rally mode, which opens the bike to a host of unlocked rider aids and features.
Rally mode deactivates anti-wheelie mode, provides you with three different levels of throttle response, and slip control (fancy for lean-sensitive traction control) is also adjustable by 10 levels. Some will argue and say motorcycles with just over 100 hp don’t need all this technology, but 100 plus horsepower off-road where grip equals a direction is damn important and I’m all for it. Testing out all the different settings helped me set up the bike to a level that made me feel more confident and in control. I put the bike in its Off-Road mode for throttle response, which is less snatchy than Rally and put the slide control on its least intrusive (1 out of 10).
This made for a smooth bike on the throttle and slide control on 1 gave me maximum angle of spin before things get out of hand, and when it does, the throttle closes smoothly and the bike straightens out. It sounds like something a good rider should be able to do on their own, but if you feel like letting your guard down or you are on a new trail or even if you are a rider that hasn’t ridden in a while and want to improve your skills safely, then I must say the KTM 890 Adventure R is the perfect package to do so on. It’s not only safer because of the software, but because it’s got seriously good hardware to match.
In all honesty, once the bike is dialled in to how you like it, then all one can play around with is slide control, easily adjustable on the left switchgear whilst on the fly as the terrain changes. On 1 and 2, I could slide the bike through a long 100-plus-meter corner over ruts without having the TC cut the power at all, almost flat tracking with total control, but with peace of mind that the electronics have got you waxed. For deep sand, it’s only obvious that the slide control needs to be on 0, but again, some riders use slide 1 to help build traction without needing to manually feed the throttle. It’s something worth testing out if you get the chance to demo or test ride any of the latest beasts from KTM/Husqvarna.
In KTM’s lineup of twins, the 890 Adventure R is the true successor to the legendary 950 Adventure. The 890 barks back to the 950 hard adventure era, where brands were chasing numbers, status and racing up Erzberg to show everyone what is possible on a “super adventure”. What the 890 Adventure R does is it chases fun and any obstacle that gets thrown your way. It’s not a perfect bike, but KTM and Husqvarna have different versions of the 790, 890, 1290 and soon to be 1390 that tick those other boxes, but the 890 Adventure R is for those who want to ride hard and who want the ultimate dirt weapon package that is built around what is a magnificent powerplant.
Yes, there are safety nets and couch potato features for the long open road on the 890 that the 950 didn’t have, but that’s just called progress, and if you seriously want to, you can turn it all off and have the “big elephant” Dakar bike experience. Even for a lightweight rider at 80 kg fully kitted and at an average height of 175 cm, I felt like the R model still fitted me well, the screen, although little, sends the wind over the visor, and even with the Rally seat, I could put both boots down. For taller riders, the R is a perfect office to get all your dirty work done, with both standard and Rally seats being relatively comfortable for longer stints of tar riding.
The best part is, if you are worried about longevity, KTM has got you covered with their “Premium Manufacturer’s Warranty”, basically just stick to the regular servicing schedules and KTM has got your back for the next 4 years (For more information, visit the KTM warranty page).
If you’re someone who likes to get down and dirty and is in the market for a dirt weapon, pay a local KTM dealer a visit while stocks last.
KTM 890 Adventure R
For more information on the bike featured in this article, click on the link below…
