KTM 1290 Super Adventure S
KTM polish a few rough edges and spice up the features list of the new S version
‘The Austrian firm has given the S model a revamp that retains the big V-twin powerplant’s output of 160 hp (while getting through Euro 5) and manages to make the bike feel substantially more agile and manageable while also polishing a few rough edges and adding some refinements, including radar-activated cruise control.’ Roland Brown registers his first impression following a longish ride
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT the 1290 Super Adventure S is an adventure bike, right? The proof is in the name, for one thing, and in its many adventure-class features, from the basics — slim fairing, adjustable screen, big fuel-tank, and long-travel suspension — to details including hand-guards, luggage rack, and centre-stand. Except that with this latest member of KTM’s longlegged family, being confined to that traditional category does not make sense at all. I have just stepped off the orange bike after a morning of throttle abuse on the roads of the English Midlands. My adrenaline levels are high, my driving licence is twitching, the tyres’ edges are hot. My first impression is that this thrillingly rapid and improbably sweet-handling 1290 is undoubtedly Super but only nominally an Adventure. In character it is not so much a typical dual-purpose bike as a crazy cross between sports-tourer and sit-up-and-beg V-twin superbike.
To a degree, that has always been true of the Super Adventure. I can still vividly remember getting off the original 1290 at its launch on Gran Canaria in 2015, turning to look back at it, and thinking that the big, bulbous white V-twin that had just demolished the Spanish island’s backroads with astounding pace and efficiency was quite possibly the most impressive all-round motorcycle I had ever ridden. Three years later, KTM raised the bar still higher by splitting the format with road-biased S and off-road focused R models.
And now the Austrian firm has given the S model a revamp that retains the big V-twin powerplant’s output of 160 hp (while getting through Euro 5) and manages to make the bike feel substantially more agile and manageable while also polishing a few rough edges and adding some refinements, including radar-activated cruise control. It adds up to a 1290 Super Adventure S that feels almost ridiculously light, manageable and riderfriendly — and even less like a traditional adventure bike than ever.
There is little change in the 1,301-cc DOHC V-twin engine; just a few tweaks to reduce friction and weight sufficiently to pass the tighter emission regulations while maintaining power and torque outputs. Thinner engine cases and a minor oil channel mod save some grams but not enough to prevent overall dry weight rising by five kilograms to 220 kilos, presumably due mainly to the complex new exhaust system. The gearbox design is also revised and the air-filter can now be more quickly removed for cleaning.
Most of KTM’s development effort went into the chassis, with aims of increased rideability and sharper handling. The 1290 follows the 790 Adventure’s lead by using pannier tanks to lower the centre of gravity. There are actually three tanks, including a central one, in a combination that manages to retain the previous model’s 23-litre capacity without suffering the smaller twin’s pear-shaped look. A re-design incorporating fairing vents and twin radiators gives the rider’s legs some wind protection while also diverting engine heat away — welcome in many situations, if unnecessary on a typical northern European spring day.
The chrome-molybdenum tubular steel frame has been reworked with the steering head 15 millimetres further back, steeper steering geometry (rake 24.7° and trail 109.2 mm, from 26°/120 mm), and the engine rotated forward by a couple of degrees. This allows a longer swing-arm, improving traction despite the wheelbase shrinking by three mm to 1,570 mm. More importantly for many riders, the re-design lowers the two-way adjustable seat’s height by 11 mm (to 849/869 mm) without reducing the thickness of the two-piece saddle which also gets new foam. The new rear subframe, made from aluminium rather than steel, is also lower.
Suspension is also updated, with new WP forks and rear shock hardware plus a revised semi-active system featuring additional adjustability. The electronics overhaul incorporates a new TFT display, an updated six-axis IMU (which also controls the traction control and cornering ABS), and re-designed switchgear. There is also a new keyless ignition system with innovative anti-theft security built in and the introduction of adaptive cruise control (see sidebar), which is fitted as standard.
If pace, versatility, and exceptional road-going handling are key requirements, this latest 1290 Super Adventure S really shines
That is a lot of information to absorb and adjustability to understand, but the good news is that you do not need to concentrate on any of that if you do not want to. The KTM is superbly simple to ride — starting before you set off, thanks to its lower seat and centre of gravity. For a fairly heavy motorbike, the Super Adventure was very easy to push about and its seat, at least at its lower position, was close enough to the ground that most riders should be able to climb aboard and put a foot down with confidence.
The new TFT screen and switchgear enhance the rider-friendly feel. The screen coveys much of its information with diagrams and the switchgear is a more intuitive version of the familiar KTM system, still operated mostly via buttons on the left handlebar. Toggling between riding modes (as before, Street, Sport, Rain, and Off-Road, plus an optional Rally that allows quick adjustment of traction control) is simple — and rarely necessary. “Street” was fine for everyday use, but the slightly sharper “Sport” was more fun and gave such sweet throttle response that I rarely bothered changing back, even in traffic.
Straight-line performance was basically unchanged, which was fine because the Super Adventure has always had plenty of ability to stretch its rider’s arms and get the adrenaline flowing as well as to devour distance with effortless efficiency. Peak power arrives at 9,000 revolutions per minute (rpm), which is 250 rpm later than before, but that made no discernible difference to the way the orange machine tore forward every time I opened the tap, its exhaust note a heavily muted murmur.
The 75-degree V-twin stayed smooth when revving hard, with a minimal buzz through seat and foot-rests, but even so I generally found myself changing up well before the red-line because the mid-range grunt was so addictively strong and the quickshift-enabled gearbox such a pleasure to use. I was surprised to learn that a couple of riders were unimpressed by the shifter, perhaps partly because they were using it at very low revs. I subconsciously used the clutch below about 4,000 rpm and had no complaints other than, perhaps, that the shifter is not standard fitment on
a bike at this level. But that is a marketing issue, not an engineering one.
The other main factor that contributed to making the S-model so fast and enjoyable was its outstanding level of wind protection. I do not find the Super Adventure’s insect-like face especially attractive, especially now that the new radar has given it a prominent mouth at the bottom of the uprated headlight. (An alternative to the traditional orange or black would be nice, too.) But the relatively narrow fairing did a fine job of diverting the wind in conjunction with hand-guards and a screen that is taller and easily adjustable through 55 mm.
For tall me (at 193 centimetres) the adjustment did not make much difference to either wind protection or noise level, but that was absolutely fine because the screen kept off the breeze with minimal turbulence wherever it was set, to a degree that very few bikes even approach. The adjustment is so sufficient that most riders should be equally satisfied, although I was surprised to find that one shorter rider reported some buffeting. For me, the Austrian bike’s protection was slightly better even than that of its well-known boxer-engine adversary.
And if the Super Adventure S has an edge over both its predecessor and its closest rivals, that is surely in the way that its already excellent handling has been made even sharper and more responsive, seemingly without any loss of the stability and comfort that are equally important to this type of bike. Between them, the steeper geometry and lower centre of gravity, along with the S-model’s retained 19-inch front wheel diameter (the rear remains 17-inch, with a 170-section tyre), give the impression of a lighter bike rather than one that has actually gained a few kilos.
It would be an exaggeration to say that the S-bike could be thrown down a twisty country road like a super-naked. But it definitely had that blend of light steering, generous feedback and taut feel — despite an unchanged and definitely adventure bikelike 200 mm of travel at each end — that made my spirits rise every time I approached another bend or, better still, a twisty section of road. No doubt a sportier bike such as KTM’s own 1290 Super Duke GT (which is 11 kilos lighter and has 125/156 mm of travel) would have seemed sharper still and given even more accurate feedback, but the
Super Adventure felt like a brilliant compromise.
It certainly slowed hard in response to a squeeze on its front-brake blend of 320-mm discs and four-piston Brembo radial calipers. And I did not have any issues with the road-biased Mitas Terra Force-R tyres which coped well with the frequently gritty roads. But the key chassis feature was the updated semi-active suspension. Much of the time I left the WP system in the new Automatic mode which constantly changes damping to suit the road surface and the way the bike is being ridden.
Like several rival systems, the KTM’s now also incorporates automatic shock preload adjustment, so it adapts itself to keep a constant attitude with the addition of a pillion or luggage. Or at least it does if you pay extra for the Suspension Pro upgrade which is required for both auto functions. “Pro” also includes the ability to adjust both front and rear suspension damping independently, through 10 electronically activated settings, and to switch among three auto-levelling modes which raise or lower the rear of the bike to fine-tune its handling. You also gain a switchable anti-dive function that firms the front end slightly under braking.
As you would expect, raising the rear quickened the steering still further without seeming to compromise stability, but at the expense of a little ride quality on bumpy roads. In general, the KTM soaked up bumps as well as I had hoped, given its generous suspension travel, and I found the re-designed seat comfortable on a 325-kilometre-long route that included several stops. Seat comfort was not a highlight of the previous model and I would need a longer ride to be sure about whether this one is better or whether I would be tempted by one of the numerous accessory seats that include lower and heated options. Fuel consumption averaged about six litres/100 km despite an enthusiastic pace, giving a genuine range of 300 km or more.
Minor irritants included the indicator switch, which was difficult to cancel manually; thankfully, there is a self-cancelling function anyway. The tank-top storage compartment would be very useful were it padded and big enough for a decent sized phone, so shame it is not. One rider reported the seat slipping from its higher to lower position mid-ride, suggesting a design glitch (mine stayed in place). And that big, colourful TFT display would be ideal for Apple CarPlay and similar map-displaying connectivity, rather than just the basic turn-by-turn directions that it can provide in conjunction with KTM’s app.
That limited functionality is surely a missed opportunity, but, overall, KTM have made a significant step with this 1290 Super Adventure S. The previous model was fast, fine-handling, and versatile. This one keeps the speed, adds some useful refinement, and, most of all, elevates the chassis performance from excellent to something truly remarkable for a big, tall... well, yes, I suppose the S-model is still just about an adventure bike, in spirit as well as name. (Although its R-model sibling is obviously a much more dirt-ready option, the S, too, would be very capable off-road if fitted with knobbly tyres and crash protection.)
The KTM also looks very competitively priced — it is far from a cheap motorcycle, but is significantly less expensive than its comparably kitted rivals from Germany and Italy. As usual with the Austrians, you have to pay extra for full electronic functionality, including the heated grips and quickshifter that should arguably be included. But they are easily added and major features, including the semi-active suspension and even the radarcontrolled cruise control, are included as standard.
Whether the price seems good value is likely to depend largely on your view of what exactly a large-capacity adventure bike should provide. Some obvious rivals would score higher for style, a relaxed character, and low-maintenance touring ability, for example. But if pace, versatility, and exceptional road-going handling are key requirements, this latest 1290 Super Adventure S really shines. If I had to choose just one bike to ride for ever more, KTM’s category-busting V-twin would make the briefest of short lists.