KTM 990 Adventure R vs KTM 790 Adventure R – the battle for dirt supremacy

[Dwerg]

Another thing left out is fuel consumption. 790 will go at least 100kms further on a tank given the same speed. It’s also a lot less labour intensive to service. The battery and air filter are very easily accessible. I could go on...

I get the 990 clearance and travel but I don’t know many people who would be able to use the 790 suspension to the full extent anyway

[Rossdog]

I saw a Rallye prepped 790 with a different fairing - I accidentally deleted the pic. It makes the 790 look muuuuuch better.

[dirtWarp]

Another thing left out is fuel consumption. 790 will go at least 100kms further on a tank given the same speed. It’s also a lot less labour intensive to service. The battery and air filter are very easily accessible. I could go on...

I get the 990 clearance and travel but I don’t know many people who would be able to use the 790 suspension to the full extent anyway

Consumption is a valid point but hardly a deal breaker in my book.
990 needs rotweiler air filter anyway.
I yet have to access the battery..

Regarding labor intensive services, it's a race-bred rally bike, it goes with the territory.
If ease of service is your main concern, get a CRF110

[Brink]

@Rossdog - this one?

[Noneking]

Looks growing on me.....
Most capable bigger adv bike I’ve ridden....

[BuRP]

The next test for the 790 R would be to pit it against the raining champion.
The 310GS

Unfair Omni, completely unfair to pitch the mighty brute against the measly-in-comparison 790.
As I'm the sissy type I went for the 790, baby steps...

[Dwerg]

Another thing left out is fuel consumption. 790 will go at least 100kms further on a tank given the same speed. It’s also a lot less labour intensive to service. The battery and air filter are very easily accessible. I could go on...

I get the 990 clearance and travel but I don’t know many people who would be able to use the 790 suspension to the full extent anyway

Consumption is a valid point but hardly a deal breaker in my book.
990 needs rotweiler air filter anyway.
I yet have to access the battery..

Regarding labor intensive services, it's a race-bred rally bike, it goes with the territory.
If ease of service is your main concern, get a CRF110

You seem to be missing the point. Go race your rally bike then. I’ll be over here admiring progress

[CUZZY]

Noneking, just as a matter of interest, have you scraped or got stuck in any deep ruts due to the width of those tanks? That rally version looks the business!

[Noneking]

Noneking, just as a matter of interest, have you scraped or got stuck in any deep ruts due to the width of those tanks? That rally version looks the business!

I have not....... and neither did any of the 790 s at LDBA which was proper gnarly with plenty of deep ruts

[WildWood]

Right now the 990 is the only option, simply because there are no 790's available fo a couple of months .

Pretty much proof of how big an impact the 790 has had.

I was at KTM Cape Town Saturday and the punters were lining up for test rides.

When I wrote a tongue in cheek 'panning the 790' post on my WildWood Facebook page I got a reply from KTM CT owner Ashley Baud that I'll live to regret my post and I guess he was right. An awful amount of egg on my face. A broad spectrum of riders , not only KTM fan boys but have without fail raved about the 790 and I guess if KTM had the stock the likes of Honda and BM would be thin on the mid sector adventure bike sales.

KTM dealers in Europe, USA and Aus are all out of stock and taking orders for 2020. So I guess the world agrees KTM have something special this time around.

[Rossdog]

@Rossdog - this one?

Yes, this is the one. I much prefer the fairing set up, but looks are subjective.

[Noneking]

Just returned from a 600km trip on my 790 R . I have ridden it enough to know that it is something special offroad, but this trip was even better! It’s a revelation on tar and had so much fun pushing throught the twisties between Graskop and Sabie! Today was first proper ride after 1000km service, decat an Akra. Hammered it over some pretty gnarly terrain and it behaved immaculately. Really is in a class of it’s own. The decat and Akra with open throat makes a noise that makes me tingle inside.

I think I’ve settled on electronic settings that work for my riding style. Rally mode, slip set at 5 and throttle response on Rally. If going gets very technical and slow, I switch throttle response to Offroad

[2StrokeDan]

Right now the 990 is the only option, simply because there are no 790's available fo a couple of months .

Pretty much proof of how big an impact the 790 has had.

I was at KTM Cape Town Saturday and the punters were lining up for test rides.

When I wrote a tongue in cheek 'panning the 790' post on my WildWood Facebook page I got a reply from KTM CT owner Ashley Baud that I'll live to regret my post and I guess he was right. An awful amount of egg on my face. A broad spectrum of riders , not only KTM fan boys but have without fail raved about the 790 and I guess if KTM had the stock the likes of Honda and BM would be thin on the mid sector adventure bike sales.

KTM dealers in Europe, USA and Aus are all out of stock and taking orders for 2020. So I guess the world agrees KTM have something special this time around.

More proof of how pathetic factory output is.

Personally, as far as 4stroke non-singles go, I'd take a parallel twin over the vee's every day.

This is an interesting 'test", but like the modern 450 vs KX/CR500, it will never be concluded. Us old ballies have strong opinions.

[KarooKid]

Right now the 990 is the only option, simply because there are no 790's available fo a couple of months .

Pretty much proof of how big an impact the 790 has had.

I was at KTM Cape Town Saturday and the punters were lining up for test rides.

When I wrote a tongue in cheek 'panning the 790' post on my WildWood Facebook page I got a reply from KTM CT owner Ashley Baud that I'll live to regret my post and I guess he was right. An awful amount of egg on my face. A broad spectrum of riders , not only KTM fan boys but have without fail raved about the 790 and I guess if KTM had the stock the likes of Honda and BM would be thin on the mid sector adventure bike sales.

KTM dealers in Europe, USA and Aus are all out of stock and taking orders for 2020. So I guess the world agrees KTM have something special this time around.

They even gave me a coffee.......

Still waiting on your objective review.

[2StrokeDan]

Another thing left out is fuel consumption. 790 will go at least 100kms further on a tank given the same speed. It’s also a lot less labour intensive to service. The battery and air filter are very easily accessible. I could go on...

I get the 990 clearance and travel but I don’t know many people who would be able to use the 790 suspension to the full extent anyway

It's more about suspension internals than outright travel often.

Some of the 80's MX bikes had as much travel as todays bikes, but nowhere near the quality of suspension.

[Roadhawg]

More proof of how pathetic factory output is.

Not really.  KTM sold more bikes than BMW (including the BMW Scooters) and Harley last year. https://www.advpulse.com/adv-news/ktm-sales-beat-bmw-harley/?fbclid=IwAR3c2mtNoVEbAOnoKg-_6MAIqKV3PxSqfMmL8BOx0EJMIRR1TvwLdXgIcWo

More a sign of the demand for this bike.  The people have spoken, and they say it is good, apparently!

[dirtWarp]

Another thing left out is fuel consumption. 790 will go at least 100kms further on a tank given the same speed. It’s also a lot less labour intensive to service. The battery and air filter are very easily accessible. I could go on...

I get the 990 clearance and travel but I don’t know many people who would be able to use the 790 suspension to the full extent anyway

It's more about suspension internals than outright travel often.

Some of the 80's MX bikes had as much travel as todays bikes, but nowhere near the quality of suspension.

I will choose 300mm xplor forks over 240mm, everytime.

I'm no expert but I think it's easier to upgrade internals than to add stroke?

Sent from my FIG-LX1 using Tapatalk

[Noneking]

Another thing left out is fuel consumption. 790 will go at least 100kms further on a tank given the same speed. It’s also a lot less labour intensive to service. The battery and air filter are very easily accessible. I could go on...

I get the 990 clearance and travel but I don’t know many people who would be able to use the 790 suspension to the full extent anyway

It's more about suspension internals than outright travel often.

Some of the 80's MX bikes had as much travel as todays bikes, but nowhere near the quality of suspension.

I've often said that, but usually get taken out on here as SUSPENSION TRAVEL IS EVERYTHING! 

[blauth]

Another thing left out is fuel consumption. 790 will go at least 100kms further on a tank given the same speed. It’s also a lot less labour intensive to service. The battery and air filter are very easily accessible. I could go on...

I get the 990 clearance and travel but I don’t know many people who would be able to use the 790 suspension to the full extent anyway

It's more about suspension internals than outright travel often.

Some of the 80's MX bikes had as much travel as todays bikes, but nowhere near the quality of suspension.

I will choose 300mm xplor forks over 240mm, everytime.

I'm no expert but I think it's easier to upgrade internals than to add stroke?

Sent from my FIG-LX1 using Tapatalk

I think you're describing a dirt bike.....which this is not.

I haven't riddena 790 yet but I spent quite  a bit of time on a 990R in jeep track and single track conditions and I can't say I was a huge fan. The description in the article of the heavy front end of the 990 concurs with my experience.

Realistically, people rave about this bike both offroad and onroad in the twisties. Personally, I think a well suspended 240mm is ample for a big adventure bike. 300mm just makes it taller (you need space under the belly to take up that travel) and more unweildy on the road with brake dive to contend with. The longer travel means the entire bike then carries it's weight higher up making for a heavier ride overall and when the going gets tough, the nimbleness offered by the low centre of gravity means a whole lot more than the added suspension travel. All this not to mention to poor bastards with stubby pins (short inseam), another issue when riding gets tough on tall bikes.

As for the engine note on a parallel twin 270 degree, the bike sounds just as sweet as a V-Twin. As I understand it the 990 was a bit of a bugger to service. I service my own bikes when out of warrantly and this does matter, I'd prefer to be riding than swinging spanners.
 
Sounds to me like KTM have hit a home run.

[2StrokeDan]

No, the 990 is actually very easy to service, once you've spent the 3 hours removing the fairing panels.

Like a road superbike.