Idk, you got by far the most offroad focused adv and complained about it being offroad focused. If you bought the bike with the intention of going offroad many of these complaints would be just natural compromises that you necessarily have to make to have the offroad performance of this bike.... so if they are major sticking points this just isn't the bike for you.
I wonder what makes a motorcycle receive a title of the most offroad focused one. The second thing is a difference between defining something a complaint and an observation. If the suspension is hard as a rock, is expressing that a complaint? To me it's just too hard. It may be perfect for a Ferrari owner who is used to that and that's what they're looking for in a motorcycle too. And surely, KTM 890 Adventure R turned out to be not exactly my cup of tea while I'm a huge fan of 890 Adventure. I believe it should be useful to share it especially with those interested in both on paper, but with preferences like mine.
No other bike in this category beats its suspension off road. That’s what makes it the most focused one! You complain about (or in your words “observe”) that the suspension is not smooth, too stiff. But it is fully adjustable, front and rear, so that is your mistake. About the factory fitted tyres, (Mitas E07) yes they are a compromise but still on the road you can rip them on mountain curves, even ridden on lower pressure. My luggage cases have dragged the road many times. Off road, as long as it’s dry the E07 will get you up anywhere ridden at 1,8bar. So can not complain about them. (Fyi the tyre is tubeless) The high foot pegs are all about ground clearance, e.g. you have probably never ridden deep guts before. Tip when standing up: hang your heels behind the pegs, more relaxing, gives you more traction and wins you quit some cm’s. On road it comes short at higher speeds (above 140km/h or 85mph) But that is not what is made for! This bike is an off road BEAST. You can not judge it without even ridden in rally mode. (Street mode and off road mode are for beginner riders or good for riding when it rains or when tired) In rally mode this machine rips, it wheelies, it is ready to race ;)
@@VToldsMotoShow For sure there are valid complaints you can make about the bike on the road, it just seemed to me a bit like being unhappy an enduro isn't ideal on the autobahn or that an r6 is bad for touring. Yeah it's not as good as a GS but the bike is designed for a very specific use case, being an obese 100hp dirtbike that can haul ass offroad. I get this isn't what most adv riders are doing but it's hard to fault the bike when these compromises are necessary for the bike to do what it does. Too soft suspension and it'd bottom out and be unsupportive, too much wind protection and the screen will knock your teeth out offroad. Anyways maybe I'm biased cuz I'll be picking up mine tomorrow :P
Everything you explained about the 890 Adventure R is what I noticed as well and that is why I purchased the 2023 890 Adventure non R model several months ago. Excellent review V-Told!
No other bike in this category beats its suspension off road. That’s what makes it the most focused one! You complain about (or in your words “observe”) that the suspension is not smooth, too stiff. But it is fully adjustable, front and rear, so that is your mistake. About the factory fitted tyres, (Mitas E07) yes they are a compromise but still on the road you can rip them on mountain curves, even ridden on lower pressure. My luggage cases have dragged the road many times. Off road, as long as it’s dry the E07 will get you up anywhere ridden at 1,8bar. So can not complain about them. (Fyi the tyre is tubeless) The high foot pegs are all about ground clearance, e.g. you have probably never ridden deep guts before. Tip when standing up: hang your heels behind the pegs, more relaxing, gives you more traction and wins you quit some cm’s. On road it comes short at higher speeds (above 140km/h or 85mph) But that is not what is made for! This bike is an off road BEAST. You can not judge it without even ridden in rally mode. (Street mode and off road mode are for beginner riders or good for riding when it rains or when tired) In rally mode this machine rips, it wheelies, it is ready to race ;)
Thanks for the input and presenting your perspective. I understand that it's very emotional. Perhaps it's mentioned in the video or maybe not but I specifically asked the dealer to set the suspension exactly to factory settings as they're to suit the most riders the best - at least according to every manufacturer and what they believe is the most suitable. Yeah, you can stop before riding on a different stretch of road every time and take the tools out and twist the knobs to adjust it the way you believe will be better but in practice... not many do it unless they're switching from on to off-road situations and perhaps if they want it to differ extremely. I still doubt that it's what midsize adventure motorcycle owners do, including KTM 890 Adventure R, Tuareg, Tenere, DesertX, V-strom 800DE and others. One would rather find the setting they accept and just leave it that way. That's what I would usually do. Now, what is it that makes KTM's suspension the best when off-roading? Is it stiffness? Then Aprilia Tuareg 660 would beat it I feel. It's not that simple and certain level of stiffness is there to prevent it from bottoming our or losing contact with the ground in certain type of riding. I wouldn't want to get too far and sound too emotional myself but I find it challenging to imagine the majority of us riding in 30-40 cm ruts so narrow that we'd need those foot pegs 2-3 higher. I do agree that this might be a valid reason in the first place but if I were to ride KTM 890 Adventure R daily, this would still be bothering me no matter the real reasons. Tuareg with stiffer suspension has it sorted better for my height and inseam, and I feel that I should be sharing it openly as it may matter - such an "observation". I'm a great fan of KTM's engine and style while the point of an honest review is to tell you all straightforward what I feel when riding it. It's the exactly same discussion as with BMW R 1250 GS Adventure which is as far from being a dirt bike as most motorcycles on the road while having it lifted by default, then with knobby tires etc. is more of a lifestyle thing than an actual offroad necessity. I see all adventure motorcycles as on-road focused and that comes as priority to me. Offroad capabilities are a nice addition that I find tempting too but in the end of the day I myself live in the city... :) Thanks again for reasonable points and cool tips! It's great if some riders are willing to use these motorcycles in hardcore situations and enjoy them there. Cheers!
It's fine for the bike to be supplied with those tyres - they're okay for off-road and perfectly adequate for when you're running the bike in. They won't last long, so you can choose the tyre that best suits your usage after a short while.
Comfort-wise that's one of the key areas to consider but as far as I know, the difference between the pegs and the seat isn't there. The seats seem to be the same but I'd like to make double sure checking them visually.
I have 170cm (5"7) height and I took some adventure bikes on test rides (Tenere/Tenere World Raid/Africa Twin 1100/KTM890R) in one day. As I`m a short rider i can say that this bike is waaay higher than tenere 700 world raid and power on this bike is crazy, even compared to Africa twin 1100. At the end of day, i think i would take tenere over these bike if lack of power isn`t big problem for someone, but if i would need more power then 890 S is great bike. One more minus for KTM compared to Yamaha is how engine is working.... I mean... It`s like you riding on a bucket with bunch of loose bolts in it xD That sound is just remarkable :D
If you mean how Yamaha is sounding, then yeah, it's pretty interesting. I personally really like it ;). Thanks for sharing your observation from the perspective of 170 cm! Cheers!
It’s hard to give an honest review about this bike when everything starts to fall apart after a few thousand km and a couple of ‘raindrops’ 😁 As always you do point out unique issues that most overlook 👍 Thanks 🙏
KTMs do have more than their fair share of problems - people have been telling me that for over twenty years, but my 220k km 950A has proved them wrong. I am concerned about the reliability of my 890AR, but once ridden, it's impossible to find another that's so capable and sooo much fun. The old faithful 950 is always sitting in the garage ready to race!
These are indeed problematic thoughts that accompany me when on KTM too. We can't do anything more than just hope that we'd be ones of the lucky ones with trouble-free bikes. I'd always be wishing for it regardless of a brand and model :)
@@VToldsMotoShow you have to try really hard for things to fail on you systematically when you’re on a V Strom, Africa Twin, Tenere, Versys… but on the European bikes you must go to church every Sunday and prey real hard…😝😝😝
@@BlazinBlades You're probably right about having to go to church regularly, which won't be a worry for the Polish guy doing the review, because he probably does that anyway! 😬😂
They're from different segments, so it depends on what you want from the bike. GSA is more of a "fat" tourer while these 890 Adventure KTMs are more of a small crazy bike to push around to their limits and enjoy the performance.
If you ask this question you probably don’t ride off road a lot, maybe just some easy gravel. If you are more road biased and have the money by the GSA. If you wanne go hard core off road go for the 890R!
This bike is meant for off-road. If you wanna ride on the road, get the S model or superduke GT. We are standing most of the time Offroad anyway. I bet this bikes feels better on the road compared to my Ktm 300exc though lol 😅
Great video, thank you 😊 I’m currently really thinking about changing my 2017 Africa twin to a lighter bike but don’t want to decrease performance or power so the 890 seems like a great and fun alternative 👍🏻
Thanks, I appreciate it. The direction that you have in mind may be very, very right considering what you’re looking for. KTM will add some extra excitement to that too. Based on that limited information I think you’re heading the right way.
@@VToldsMotoShow thanks for replying 😊 Can also add I like to make longer distances sometimes. Like around Scandinavia 😁 do you think the 890 is good enough for long hauls?
I agree that the suspension is (too) hard. Although I ride off-road (mainly gravel roads) I have had to change the suspension for TracTive front and rear.
@@habibi750 €3000. It's a lot, I know, but at least it can be tailored to my requirements no matter what. They have a full range of springs and will help with shims to tune damping.
@@RedRupert64 It is a lot, but as someone who is new to adventure riding, I understand how a good suspension setup can make all the difference. What year is your bike?
@@habibi750 It's a 2021. I purchased it just as the 2023 with the extra bodywork had been announced, so the price was decent. I saved near €3k by buying the old model, so having to pay for better suspension isn't the end of the world.
Idk, you got by far the most offroad focused adv and complained about it being offroad focused. If you bought the bike with the intention of going offroad many of these complaints would be just natural compromises that you necessarily have to make to have the offroad performance of this bike.... so if they are major sticking points this just isn't the bike for you.
I wonder what makes a motorcycle receive a title of the most offroad focused one. The second thing is a difference between defining something a complaint and an observation. If the suspension is hard as a rock, is expressing that a complaint? To me it's just too hard. It may be perfect for a Ferrari owner who is used to that and that's what they're looking for in a motorcycle too. And surely, KTM 890 Adventure R turned out to be not exactly my cup of tea while I'm a huge fan of 890 Adventure. I believe it should be useful to share it especially with those interested in both on paper, but with preferences like mine.
No other bike in this category beats its suspension off road. That’s what makes it the most focused one! You complain about (or in your words “observe”) that the suspension is not smooth, too stiff. But it is fully adjustable, front and rear, so that is your mistake. About the factory fitted tyres, (Mitas E07) yes they are a compromise but still on the road you can rip them on mountain curves, even ridden on lower pressure. My luggage cases have dragged the road many times. Off road, as long as it’s dry the E07 will get you up anywhere ridden at 1,8bar. So can not complain about them. (Fyi the tyre is tubeless) The high foot pegs are all about ground clearance, e.g. you have probably never ridden deep guts before. Tip when standing up: hang your heels behind the pegs, more relaxing, gives you more traction and wins you quit some cm’s. On road it comes short at higher speeds (above 140km/h or 85mph) But that is not what is made for! This bike is an off road BEAST. You can not judge it without even ridden in rally mode. (Street mode and off road mode are for beginner riders or good for riding when it rains or when tired) In rally mode this machine rips, it wheelies, it is ready to race ;)
@@VToldsMotoShow For sure there are valid complaints you can make about the bike on the road, it just seemed to me a bit like being unhappy an enduro isn't ideal on the autobahn or that an r6 is bad for touring. Yeah it's not as good as a GS but the bike is designed for a very specific use case, being an obese 100hp dirtbike that can haul ass offroad. I get this isn't what most adv riders are doing but it's hard to fault the bike when these compromises are necessary for the bike to do what it does. Too soft suspension and it'd bottom out and be unsupportive, too much wind protection and the screen will knock your teeth out offroad. Anyways maybe I'm biased cuz I'll be picking up mine tomorrow :P
@@arcadegamesify exactly. It was literally designed to do hard enduro stuff. Not simple weekend off-roading just to get some mud on your tyres
Always a review i enjoy, trust and appreciate.
I'm very happy to serve. Thanks!
Everything you explained about the 890 Adventure R is what I noticed as well and that is why I purchased the 2023 890 Adventure non R model several months ago. Excellent review V-Told!
Now that's also my #1 pick in the segment. I'm glad you're enjoying the non-R version! Cheers!
No other bike in this category beats its suspension off road. That’s what makes it the most focused one! You complain about (or in your words “observe”) that the suspension is not smooth, too stiff. But it is fully adjustable, front and rear, so that is your mistake. About the factory fitted tyres, (Mitas E07) yes they are a compromise but still on the road you can rip them on mountain curves, even ridden on lower pressure. My luggage cases have dragged the road many times. Off road, as long as it’s dry the E07 will get you up anywhere ridden at 1,8bar. So can not complain about them. (Fyi the tyre is tubeless) The high foot pegs are all about ground clearance, e.g. you have probably never ridden deep guts before. Tip when standing up: hang your heels behind the pegs, more relaxing, gives you more traction and wins you quit some cm’s. On road it comes short at higher speeds (above 140km/h or 85mph) But that is not what is made for! This bike is an off road BEAST. You can not judge it without even ridden in rally mode. (Street mode and off road mode are for beginner riders or good for riding when it rains or when tired) In rally mode this machine rips, it wheelies, it is ready to race ;)
Thanks for the input and presenting your perspective. I understand that it's very emotional. Perhaps it's mentioned in the video or maybe not but I specifically asked the dealer to set the suspension exactly to factory settings as they're to suit the most riders the best - at least according to every manufacturer and what they believe is the most suitable. Yeah, you can stop before riding on a different stretch of road every time and take the tools out and twist the knobs to adjust it the way you believe will be better but in practice... not many do it unless they're switching from on to off-road situations and perhaps if they want it to differ extremely. I still doubt that it's what midsize adventure motorcycle owners do, including KTM 890 Adventure R, Tuareg, Tenere, DesertX, V-strom 800DE and others. One would rather find the setting they accept and just leave it that way. That's what I would usually do.
Now, what is it that makes KTM's suspension the best when off-roading? Is it stiffness? Then Aprilia Tuareg 660 would beat it I feel. It's not that simple and certain level of stiffness is there to prevent it from bottoming our or losing contact with the ground in certain type of riding. I wouldn't want to get too far and sound too emotional myself but I find it challenging to imagine the majority of us riding in 30-40 cm ruts so narrow that we'd need those foot pegs 2-3 higher. I do agree that this might be a valid reason in the first place but if I were to ride KTM 890 Adventure R daily, this would still be bothering me no matter the real reasons. Tuareg with stiffer suspension has it sorted better for my height and inseam, and I feel that I should be sharing it openly as it may matter - such an "observation". I'm a great fan of KTM's engine and style while the point of an honest review is to tell you all straightforward what I feel when riding it. It's the exactly same discussion as with BMW R 1250 GS Adventure which is as far from being a dirt bike as most motorcycles on the road while having it lifted by default, then with knobby tires etc. is more of a lifestyle thing than an actual offroad necessity. I see all adventure motorcycles as on-road focused and that comes as priority to me. Offroad capabilities are a nice addition that I find tempting too but in the end of the day I myself live in the city... :) Thanks again for reasonable points and cool tips! It's great if some riders are willing to use these motorcycles in hardcore situations and enjoy them there. Cheers!
It's fine for the bike to be supplied with those tyres - they're okay for off-road and perfectly adequate for when you're running the bike in. They won't last long, so you can choose the tyre that best suits your usage after a short while.
Comfort-wise that's one of the key areas to consider but as far as I know, the difference between the pegs and the seat isn't there. The seats seem to be the same but I'd like to make double sure checking them visually.
How tall are you ? Im 1.96 and im scare that will not fit in the 890 s so i dont know what to do
I have 170cm (5"7) height and I took some adventure bikes on test rides (Tenere/Tenere World Raid/Africa Twin 1100/KTM890R) in one day. As I`m a short rider i can say that this bike is waaay higher than tenere 700 world raid and power on this bike is crazy, even compared to Africa twin 1100. At the end of day, i think i would take tenere over these bike if lack of power isn`t big problem for someone, but if i would need more power then 890 S is great bike. One more minus for KTM compared to Yamaha is how engine is working.... I mean... It`s like you riding on a bucket with bunch of loose bolts in it xD That sound is just remarkable :D
If you mean how Yamaha is sounding, then yeah, it's pretty interesting. I personally really like it ;). Thanks for sharing your observation from the perspective of 170 cm! Cheers!
Would you be willing to touch on 790/890 cam failure?
I’ve been contacted regarding this matter but my technical knowledge isn’t on a useful level. This seems to be more of a case for lawyers I believe.
It’s hard to give an honest review about this bike when everything starts to fall apart after a few thousand km and a couple of ‘raindrops’ 😁
As always you do point out unique issues that most overlook 👍
Thanks 🙏
KTMs do have more than their fair share of problems - people have been telling me that for over twenty years, but my 220k km 950A has proved them wrong. I am concerned about the reliability of my 890AR, but once ridden, it's impossible to find another that's so capable and sooo much fun. The old faithful 950 is always sitting in the garage ready to race!
@@RedRupert64 Amazing!
A few “lucky bastards” like yourself do exist 🍻🍻
These are indeed problematic thoughts that accompany me when on KTM too. We can't do anything more than just hope that we'd be ones of the lucky ones with trouble-free bikes. I'd always be wishing for it regardless of a brand and model :)
@@VToldsMotoShow you have to try really hard for things to fail on you systematically when you’re on a V Strom, Africa Twin, Tenere, Versys…
but on the European bikes you must go to church every Sunday and prey real hard…😝😝😝
@@BlazinBlades You're probably right about having to go to church regularly, which won't be a worry for the Polish guy doing the review, because he probably does that anyway! 😬😂
It does look like those foot pegs need to be lowered on that 890 R for sure
It's a taller bike so I would bet that it would be possible. Then it could serve also as a better tourer.
Excellent, as always 🤷
Got the R, and im. Not. Too tall, But it was the model availiable, I hope I love it sinceI have't pincked itUP yet
Compared to the 1250gsa. Wich is the better bike
Apples to oranges, the question itself tells me you need to go back to the drawing board and ask yourself, why? Why are you asking that question?
The “need” of change 😂
They're from different segments, so it depends on what you want from the bike. GSA is more of a "fat" tourer while these 890 Adventure KTMs are more of a small crazy bike to push around to their limits and enjoy the performance.
If you ask this question you probably don’t ride off road a lot, maybe just some easy gravel. If you are more road biased and have the money by the GSA. If you wanne go hard core off road go for the 890R!
@@delakantus i have already a gsa. Just want another bike. (More offroad)
Hi, how tall are you?
I’m 6 feet or 183 cm tall.
@@VToldsMotoShow Like me😁
Im 5'5" and i have the lower seat and its fine for me. But im also coming fromn BMW GSA...
Oh dear, this is quite impressive. Or there are some supermodel-like legs ;)
@@VToldsMotoShow 😁😁
This bike is meant for off-road. If you wanna ride on the road, get the S model or superduke GT. We are standing most of the time Offroad anyway. I bet this bikes feels better on the road compared to my Ktm 300exc though lol 😅
Sorry but I still would like to ride it on the road. Suppose there’s a reason it’s primarily sold on street tires ;)
@@VToldsMotoShow that have that. The KTM 890 SMT
Great video, thank you 😊
I’m currently really thinking about changing my 2017 Africa twin to a lighter bike but don’t want to decrease performance or power so the 890 seems like a great and fun alternative 👍🏻
Thanks, I appreciate it. The direction that you have in mind may be very, very right considering what you’re looking for. KTM will add some extra excitement to that too. Based on that limited information I think you’re heading the right way.
@@VToldsMotoShow thanks for replying 😊
Can also add I like to make longer distances sometimes. Like around Scandinavia 😁 do you think the 890 is good enough for long hauls?
My 790 cams are trash after 9000 miles. Plenty of reports of the same on the internet.
I agree that the suspension is (too) hard. Although I ride off-road (mainly gravel roads) I have had to change the suspension for TracTive front and rear.
Thanks for sharing and it may be useful as a hint for others. Cheers!
How much did you pay for the suspension?
@@habibi750 €3000. It's a lot, I know, but at least it can be tailored to my requirements no matter what. They have a full range of springs and will help with shims to tune damping.
@@RedRupert64 It is a lot, but as someone who is new to adventure riding, I understand how a good suspension setup can make all the difference. What year is your bike?
@@habibi750 It's a 2021. I purchased it just as the 2023 with the extra bodywork had been announced, so the price was decent. I saved near €3k by buying the old model, so having to pay for better suspension isn't the end of the world.
Having the cat between your feet doesn't help with the heat.
It appears that way indeed.
2:17😂
what's the city?
It's Warsaw, the capital city of Poland.
@@VToldsMotoShow nice, I've been there in 2022
Need to sort there, standard cruise control first! Rubbish!