The Truth About Owning A KTM 890 No One Talks About

In today's video, I ride the KTM 890 Adventure R down some beautiful roads, we talk about money and the expenses of owning one, plus, I've made a serious decision when it comes to keeping this adventure bike or not.

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[MitchellR]

I purchased a 2020 KTM 790 adventure R brand new in 2020. It included quick shift, and cruise control. I’m 54 years old and I’ve been riding motorcycles since 1975. I’m pretty sure I ride a lot more off-road terrain than you could ever imagine.

[mtb_prodigy]

We need this man to collab with a famous hard enduro rider and he can have a whole training series where he learns some tricks and skills 🔥💯

[craighoffman]

Beautiful countryside! For the stuff you are riding no doubt the 890 works well, they sure have a fat load of power. It is irritating that KTM lets buyers "sample" the electronic goodies and then pull the rug out. The bike is carrying the software and it is a well known and much discussed customer irritant that they do this on an already premium expensive bike.

If riding those kind of two lane roads and a little tougher but not dirt bike tough off road is on the menu, KTM will be happy to sell you one of their 690 platform bikes. I have a '23 Husky 701 Enduro and live in Colorado. It is the perfect bike for true 50/50 Colorado based dual sport use, which is admittedly different than "adventure" use here in the US. My Husky encourages me to explore like no bike I've owned. The problem with the 701 is it eggs me on, leads me to believe that ya, it's a dirt bike, and I've gone down some pretty inadvisable hard core steep loose and rocky trails with it. The last one would have my full attention on my 300, much less the heavy 701. I made it though, and it was an "adventure" of sorts!

Speaking of adventure, the harder core ADV riders in America love to strap luggage and 150 pounds of camping shit onto the back of their BMW GS class large ADV bikes, ride graded dirt roads and if they dare venture off those, seriously struggle in mild off road. Then they sleep out in the sticks in a tent, covered in dirt and their own sweat. All that seems ridiculous to me, I don't understand the fascination. 😆

Back to the 690 bikes, they can do reasonably limited highway fine, with the limit set more by rider comfort than the bike itself, and they are pretty decent for riding off road. Being more of a 50/50 bike, the 690 platform isn't a great street bike and it isn't a dirt bike - it basically sucks equally wherever you go! The beauty of that is the 690 may be cumbersome compared to a real dirt bike, but it can do harder single track trails that I would never take a T7, 890 or bigger ADV bike on, and it is still a far better street bike than the smaller dual sports. An added stupid attraction is the big thumper does long hanging 2nd gear power wheelies. Oh ya...

Of course being a KTM product, my 701 was expensive to buy, and then I had to drop even more money on it with Rottweiler Performance in the form of a O2 sensor eliminator fueling dongle and mapped Power Commander to richen up the stupid lean fueling, and of course put a proper exhaust can on it. For whatever reason, the 690 platform is choked up badly from the factory, perhaps the big single has a harder time meeting current sound and emissions regulations. When freed from such constraints the Kraken is truly released.

After the performance mods it runs so much better, especially off idle and through the midrange, that the stock gearing felt too short. I geared it up from 15/46 to 16/45, now it cruises at 70-75 MPH (115ish KPH for our more enlightened Metric system friends) very easily. It would be happy to go much faster, but even with a small Puig screen on it, the wind gets to be a little much above 75 MPH. Off road the geared up bike still works much better than a stock bike with stock gearing, there is that much more off idle XR650R like thumping power, so it is fine in other words. I sent the seat out to Renazco Racing to be redone as it was fine for off road, but it was a weapon of ass destruction on extended street rides.

I spent an irrationally stupid amount of money buying and modifying my 701, but I plan to keep it for a long time. I always hang onto my bikes for years after I set them up to my liking. It is very cool to be able to ride on the highway, slay the two lanes and go trail riding all on one bike and have it do it all reasonably well.

Blessed to have a 300 XC for real dirt and a clean used, tuned and lightly accessorized '14 Super Tenere for long distance pavement work. The large and heavy ADV bike with it's big fuel tank and longer travel suspension is great for comfortable distance riding in the US, as our ill maintained roads and slabby concrete freeways tend to suck. I do love that I can stand up on the ADV bike for awhile when my knees and butt get tired or my crotch simply needs airing out. There is nothing like riding along on the open road at 80 MPH with the pants zipper down to air out the boys...

Enjoy that sweet 890 and always remember, if one can swing it, more bikes are always > less!

[DXRAZOR]

I sold my Africa Twin and came to enduro because of the videos you do and the fun I can have.

[Rossi]

Interesting video. I’m one of those old guys (64). I like the adventure bikes mainly for the tall riding position and presence. My GSA was great but very BIG. In some ways why I liked it but it’s drawback in the real world of town riding (a necessary evil for me). Next an Africa Twin full fat DCT. I found it top heavy and just didn’t gel. I tried an 890 Adventure (non S) and loved it. I bought a heavily discounted pre-registered new 2022 bike a year ago and it’s great. But then I rode an “adventurised” 690 Enduro. Light, skinny, powerful enough to have a power to weight ratio that is on a par with the other big bikes but genuinely off-road capable. Sure, some work needed to the ergonomics but great bike so much so that I have a 701 Husky Enduro under development! Crap time to sell the 890 and time to see if my “unicorn” is the 701. Cheers, Ian

[concernedcitizen]

I had a 790r and now have a 22 890r. I’ve done 11000 k’s on the 890 and just love it. I have 2 sets of wheels. One set with sticky Avons mounted and Excel rims with Ral Z’s mounted. It is very good on the tarmac and exceptional in the dirt. I’ve had zero problems with both bikes. I rate myself pretty handy both dirt and road. I used to have a new Ninja 1000 for the road and sold it because I wasn’t riding it. Now I have the best of both worlds for half the price. It’s all about choices.

[perkuleez]

I have an 890R, same year. Absolutely love it. I had a 450 and a road bike but sold both and rolled into the 890. I have one bike, no choice. So I use it as intended. I don't live near enduro type terrain but have loads of lanes on my doorstep and it's amazing. As you say I can ride the roads and then ride the trails.

Big point to note. I swapped out the wheels to the heavy duty power parts ones and can run tubes and way more aggresive tyres. Huge difference. Sad you're selling, I don't feel like you scratched the surface of this bikes potential...that said if you have enduro terrain on your doorstep, I get it!

[danarussell]

Old man here that has been riding 50 years and is retired. I have a KTM 350 EXC-F for offroad, a Honda XR650L for easy dual sports or back road rides and a BMW R1200GSA for back road rides/longer rides (I will go gravel/dirt roads but nothing crazy). The one bike that keeps calling my name is the Gas Gas ES700. I’d have to part ways with the XR which is so easy to adjust valves on.

[NZCycletherapy]

Er, a lot of ‘Old Guys’ as you put it are retired enduro or mx racers that still love to ‘have fun’ as you put it and are by no means slow or timid on big bikes, just sayin 😉

[pjconey]

I'm surprised that nobody has hacked KTMs systems and made a nice few quid switching the packages on.

[lukefish]

Got the Norden 901 Expedition and couldn’t be happier with it. Doing more off road and getting Pirelli rally tires soon to aid in more serious stuff.
Enjoy! Always great video!

[wfodavid]

Spot On review! Have 890, 500, 300, 250 and trials because one bike cant do it all! Solid Review!

[lewsdirtbikedays]

I disagree dude, we've spoken before on insta about taking you out round Wales, I sold my sherco 300 for the T7 so I didn't have to ferry it around in a van, and for me personally was the best decision ever, and I've no interest in road riding, I'm on the most aggressive offroad bias tyres you can, basically enduro tyres, which are suprisingly good on road, yeah I'm not getting 3000 miles out of a set but they're so good offorad I don't care, plus it's the offroad that kills them, not the road. These big bikes can do all the shit on the trails the enduro bikes can you just need to have the confidence to apply it. You can't sell it yet mate, let me take you out at least once before you put a nail in it. Me and Rob are planning on getting out at some point in September on the big bikes, come with us before you decide anything concrete.

[RobRoyAdventures]

The 890 is the perfect bike for riding in the SW USA & Northern Mexico, where we have thousands of paved and unpaved roads and literally millions of mountain, desert and off road riding. When KTM originally tested the 790 I believe this was a key market and area they focused on when developing the bike. I ride the Mitas Enduro XT Plus Dakar tire and it is amazing on the highway and is considered a 90/10 offroad/road tire so great for those 3, 000 kilometer trips. I have a DRZ 400 and an 1200RT and ride them all, you need the right bike for the type of riding you plan to do.

[chukku]

Actually, it's 14k not 12.5 😂

ADV bikes make sense to people like me who only can / want to own one bike.
With my Tuareg660 I can ride some serious offroad trails but I can also do a 1000km+ road trip with my wife and some luggage on the back over a long weekend.
No other kind of bike offers that kind of versatility.

Here in Switzerland I always have ride several hundred km before I even get to a Trail. I really wouldn't want to do that on a proper dualsport.

[glennaltschwager]

I totally get where your coming from.
My enduro bike wins the battle every time i have to choose what to ride.
I love the idea of an adv bike, but really struggle sometimes to find the motivation to ride my Africa Twin.
Im contemplating a KTM 500 or similar and setting it up as a light weight adv bike, as what i seem to enjoy is the more snotty offroad riding.
Cheers for sharing mate 🍻

[redbear]

Exactly my point. I have supertenere 1200c.c for road and gravel and DRZ400S for dirt and to get to it
.

[JondavKTM]

I ride a 300 (22) and a 690 enduro R (20) and wow what a pair, I highly highly recommend bringing a 690 to your channel next you’ll be blown away!
I use my 300 for enduro, and the 690 for green laning and Tet and what machine it is you’d absolutely love it, so capable!

[marcotulioagudelo]

Ktm 890 adv r is the only adventure that givesa dirt bike feel, for enduro riders passing to adv this is the bike to have… all other adventure bikes are born on asphalt and do some offroading…890 R was born on the trails and can do asphalt if that makes sense

[gregneville]

haha. I'm in the same boat. I have an 890, a 690, a 500, a 250, and an electric bike. All pretty new ktms. But every weekend I walk into the garage and look at all of then I ride the 500.