Tag Archives: adventure bike

Travel test: KTM 890 Adventure

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Despite a preference for adventure bikes here at the editorial office, we hadn’t yet tested the KTM 890 Adventure. A change was in order, especially now that KTM has given this adventure bike an update for 2023. I took the 890 for a week-long journey to Trentino, specifically to the Dolomites and the region around Lake Garda.


The updates for 2023 may appear subtle at first glance, but they do make the 890 a better motorcycle. The most noticeable change is the new front end: it has been redesigned, including a peculiar hole in the middle of the screen, aimed at reducing turbulence. Thanks to the new side panels, the 890 looks sleeker than its predecessor and also directs the wind away from the rider more effectively. Additionally, the 5″ TFT dashboard stands out: modern graphics replace the previously modest design. Suspension has also been revamped for easier adjustment, and the redesigned seat offers improved comfort.

For this journey, KTM had equipped the 890 with panniers and the tank bag from the Powerparts catalog. The KTM branded Touratech panniers are incredibly spacious (45 + 31 L), and the top lid opens both forward and backward with the ignition key. The locking mechanism requires some force and practice, but once they are in place, the panniers are securely attached. Despite its 16-liter capacity and tall design, the tank bag never gets in the way, and attaching it with the Quick Lock ring takes just seconds.


My trip began with two days on the highway. With the cruise control on, eating up the miles is a breeze. From southern Germany to northern Italy, I was treated to hours of constant rain and heavy downpours. It wasn’t the most enjoyable experience, but it was perfect for testing the wind protection and comfort.

Highest position

With the seat in the lowest position, I quickly found Continue reading →

Travel test: Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer

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It’s a tough battle if you’re a heavyweight adventure bike and want to maintain your position in the market. The dominance of the Gelände/Straße seems unshakable while almost every other brand is battling for one of the positions below the German overlord. And if you don’t want to fall hopelessly behind, you have to bring some innovation to your models regularly.

The Triumph Tiger 1200 is perhaps the most direct competitor to King GS. With the disappearance of the Yamaha Super Ténéré and the Honda Crosstourer, it’s the only remaining rival with shaft drive. The Moto Guzzi V85 TT also features a shaft drive, but with its 850 cc, it belongs to the adventure middle class.


The heaviest adventure bike from the Triumph stable first came to life in 2012 as the Triumph Tiger Explorer. It underwent a major update in 2018 when it was renamed the Tiger 1200, and then reincarnated for a third time in 2022.

The team from Hinckley started from scratch for this resurrection and built a completely new model. They chose the 1,160 cc inline-triple engine from the Speed Triple as the base, making adjustments to the ignition sequence and crank pins. These modifications were intended to provide stronger low-end power while maintaining the power in the mid-range and at higher rpm’s.

The frame, driveshaft and design were also reevaluated, with the electrically adjustable windscreen being replaced by a manual one. Additionally, the single-sided swingarm was exchanged for a double-sided one. Overall, this resulted in Continue reading →

Travel test: Husqvarna Norden 901

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You don’t need a thermometer to see that the adventure segment is still the hottest around. Not because everyone has to plow through deserts or wants to ride from the North to the South Cape, but simply because these bikes are so comfortable. And because they look nice and cool of course. And at the same time they give you the feeling that you can just pack your bags and go on an adventure.


So it’s quite logical that Husqvarna came up with an adventure bike too. After all, they have plenty of experience in motocross and enduro, and since they’ve been partnering up with KTM, they don’t have to beg hard to borrow some parts.


The result: the Husqvarna Norden 901. Look at the engine, the frame, the swingarm, the tank, the buttons … Isn’t this just a KTM 890 Adventure turned into a Swedish design object? I took the Norden and my tent for an eight-day trip to Continue reading →

Review: KTM 1290 Super Adventure S

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In 2018 I tested the KTM 1290 Super Adventure S and during that test week I developed a profound love for the bike. So much so that the Super Adventure made it to the number 1 on my list of favorite test bikes that year.

That experience made me very curious about the new 1290 Super Adventure S, which got a big make-over for model year 2021. Even though an untrained eye perhaps wouldn’t notice much of that update.

The headlight is probably the biggest eye-catcher. It now contains the sensor for the (standard) adaptive cruisecontrol. Quite easy to spot as well: the new 23-litre tank hangs like two large cheeks along both sides of the also renewed frame. Furthermore, the LC8 V-twin has been thoroughly revised: it weighs 1.6 kg less now, received a Euro5 diploma and spits out 160 hp/138 Nm. The steering head was moved 15 mm rearwards for sharper handling, while the swingarm was extended by 15 mm for more stability and grip. And there’s more, but we’ll discuss that later.

When I hop on the bike, I immediately notice that the adjustable seat (849 / 869 mm) is lower and narrower at the front than on the previous model. At the same time, Continue reading →

Review: Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special

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The story of Harley-Davidson has been a soap opera in recent years. The fully electric Livewire that was revealed in 2014? Quite the plot twist for a brand that’s usually linked to classic choppers and rumbling exhausts. And if that wasn’t already hard enough to swallow for the average Harley rider, they had to stomach an adventure bike and a streetfighter a couple of years later. Or at least the announcement. Preproduction models of both bikes (the Pan America and the Bronx) were shown at the 2020 Brussels Motor Show. Shortly afterwards the storyline spiraled even further with a new CEO who immediately decided to ditch the Bronx. Just to quickly give you an idea of a few plot lines.

The announced adventure bike did appear in showrooms this year, so I took the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special on a little trip to Germany to discover how it rides.

The Special version of the Pan America differs from the standard version with a range of extras: semi-active suspension, tire pressure monitoring, crashbars, handguards, heated grips, steering damper, centerstand, bash plate, radiator guard, cornering lights and a brake pedal that can be easily adjusted to two different heights. Starting prices: $17,319 for the standard Pan, $19,999 for the Special. My version also had the optional spoked wheels and the adaptive seat height.

If you don’t like the design of the Pan America: it looks a lot better in real life than it does in the pictures. The striking front will probably be the pitfall for this model even though owners will think of it as ‘different’ or ‘original’. After one week, Continue reading →

Review: KTM 390 Adventure

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For years, KTM has been building the most offroad-worthy bikes. They make use of the knowledge they’ve gained in the rally world to build a production bike with – just like any brand nowadays – the pieces they have in stock.

This way they’ve constructed a full 1290 line-up: from The Beast all the way up to the Super Adventure. The engine of the 790 Duke was the base for one of the most praised adventure bikes of recent years, the KTM 790 Adventure. Recently they repeated the trick with the 890 Duke.

Downsizing is a popular trend in the motorcycling world as well, because not everyone can afford an expensive motorcycle. Especially European constructors want to get a piece of the cake that we know as ‘growth markets’. When you’re present in one of those BRIC-countries, you’ll want to have the bike built over there to reduce costs. So KTM took the engine and the frame of the Duke 390 platform to India where the Bajaj factories gave birth to the KTM 390 Adventure.

For the last test ride of this year, I went out for a ride on this smallest adventurer from Mattighofen. During a staycation I travelled from the Ardennes to the coast, wondering how much of an adventure one could experience on this Indian Austrian. After all it’s “but a four hundred”.

I’m pretty confused when I stand next to it for the first time: is this the 390 or the 790? The 390 isn’t at all as small as I expected. The standard seat height measures 855 mm, half a centimeter higher than the 790 Adventure. The bodywork looks just as Continue reading →

Review: Yamaha Ténéré 700

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It was the year 2016 and as the first pictures of the Yamaha T7 Concept came in, I couldn’t stop drooling over them. It was a long wait until the Ténéré 700 finally arrived in 2019 and an even longer wait until I could finally swing my leg over it mid-2020. Enough with the drooling, shall we go for a ride?

Before I turn over the key, let’s have a look at what I’m dealing with. A middleweight adventure bike. That’s a very crowded segment with all the usual suspects and mavericks. It’s not hard to find some ten competitors once you start listing them up. BMW F 850 GS, Triumph Tiger 900, KTM 790 Adventure, Suzuki V-Strom 650, Moto Guzzi V85 TT, Ducati Multistrada 950, Kawasaki Versys 650, Benelli TRK 502, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda CB500X … almost all brands have got one in their model range. What added value can Yamaha offer?

The looks and equipment clearly state which side the Ténéré 700 is choosing. Offroad? Yes, please! It turns its back on more road-focused adventure bikes, thereby shortening the list of competitors.

The high, slim figure, the rally-inspired face, the long suspension travel (8.3 inch front and 7.9 inch rear), block pattern Pirelli’s, aluminum engine guard: it all looks pretty tough. The seat matches the adventurous appearance: Continue reading →