KTM’s full-beef 1290 Super Adventure S & 1290 Super Adventure R duo are finally headed to the Americas – and this year’s updates in electronics have given both machines a bit of extra independence.
The report from Ultimate Motorcycling states that both machines are set to arrive in the US by 2022, with this model season adjustments made to nearly every department.
Let’s dig into the specs.
Source: CycleWorld
Body
Ultimate Motorcycling tells us that we’ve gotten a redesigned swingarm (longer, for straight-line stability) and a new Chromoly trellis frame, with more mass placed over the front wheel. The steering head is pulled back 0.6 inches, and the side fuel tanks have also been tweaked to sit lower, allowing the center of gravity to be as close to the ground as possible (for a tall bike in the almost-500-lb range, it makes a heck of a difference).
Source: CycleWorld
Engine
KTM has kept the 1301cc V-twin LC8, which powers these two beasties through a clean 160hp and 138 Nm of yank. An article from TopSpeed also tells us that this year’s models “[have] been re-engineered, however, to cut 3.5lb from the mass. Almost every element has been improved: lubrication, exhaust, transmission, clutch, airbox and cooling system, which now features twin radiators.”
Oh, and we’re told the airbox will now be a heck of a lot easier to get to. Ultimate Motorcycling also says that there’s “a new filter that allows dirt and dust to drop to the bottom of the airbox, rather than clog the filter.”
Source: CycleWorld
Suspension
We’ve got a rear suspension set that apparently will take more life lessons before it bottoms out – thanks, KTM.
“There are three presets—Sport, Street, and Comfort—and hydraulic spring-preload adjustment for the shock, offering ten settings spread over three-quarters of an inch,” says a fast-facts report from Ultimate Motorcycling.
“If that’s not enough, there are three optional modes (Offroad, Auto, and Advanced) as well as three automatic leveling settings (High, Standard, Low). Also, the semi-active suspension adjusts more quickly to conditions. Travel is a hair under eight inches for both wheels.”
(Keep in mind, if it’s less to your liking, the whole kit and kaboodle are adjustable anyways.)
Source: KTM
Electronics
Here’s where the bread and butter are at.
For this year, KTM’s outfitted the Super Adventure S & R with a brand-new six-axis IMU, complete with three ride modes—Street, Sport, and Offroad. Should life pass you by in the fast lane, KTM has also included the optional ‘Rally Mode’ with nine traction control levels to tempt the more rough and rugged types.
Lean-sensitive traction control and ABS are present and can be turned off for the back wheel (insert the soundtrack from “Initial D”), with the Super Adventure R benefitting from keyless ignition, which includes a ‘Race On Remote’ system (“relay attack protection to make it harder for someone to clone your fob”).
As if that weren’t enough bang for the buck, KTM has three optional tech packs available, with Ultimate Motorcycling telling us that “Rally Pack adds the Rally riding mode, traction control adjustability, and customizable throttle response. Suspension Pro adds Offroad, Auto, and Advanced presets, allows you to adjust the fork and shock independently, provides automatic spring preload adjustment and an anti-dive setting. Step up to the Tech Pack, and you get the Rally Pack and Suspension Pro features, plus a quick-shifter, engine compression braking adjustment, and hill-hold.”
On to the neat stuff.
Source: KTM
“The Super Adventure…gets Bosch radar-assisted cruise control,” adds Top Speed.
“It’s the same system as found on various Ducatis and BMWs and, lately, the Kawasaki H2 SX, although in all bar the Kawasaki, it is forward-facing only. The rider can set the following distance to the vehicle in front to one of five pre-set distances.”
“In use, it is uncanny and takes a bit of getting used to,” admits the report.
“Accelerating with the vehicle in front is one thing, but it is something else again when the bike brakes for itself when it detects the vehicle in front doing the same thing.”
We’re still waiting on the pricing to be announced, but with last year’s models featuring an MSRP of $18,599, we’re expecting the pricepoint to hop a bit higher to something like $19,500.
Let us know what you think by dropping a comment below – we love hearing from you. Be sure also to check out other news that has been recently added to our archives, and as always – stay safe on the twisties.