2019 KTM 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R Review - Cycle News

[@moulin680]

Well done! Possibly the best review for 790 yet!!! 👍👍

[@cyclenews]

Cheers!

[@bimberiman]

Fully agree! :-)

[@jonelliott9627]

Definitely spend the extra grand for the R !!! Great review and you obviously cant stop smiling. That's what a motorcycle should do to a rider !!

[@cyclenews]

Thanks, Jon.

[@vedranmatanic3653]

Which one corners better?

[@jonelliott9627]

@@vedranmatanic3653 great question. Off road or on road? Smooth or bumpy corners? I would think the better quality suspension in the R would handle better overall.

[@vedranmatanic3653]

Jon Elliott on road smooth surface cornering, like mountain carving and that kind of stuff.

[@cyclenews]

@@vedranmatanic3653 Depends on the type of corners. Road or dirt?

[@ontrailadventures5577]

Some times you need the two thumbs up instead of one, this is one of those times, awesome review i cant wait for this bike

[@cyclenews]

Thanks very much!

[@cgmtv]

Best review of this bike, so far and by far! I really like the bike, but I opted by the 2019 690 enduro R. Nice details and feedback in the review, not only the typical stoke of riding "great, amazing, bla bla". Cheers

[@cyclenews]

Thanks, Cesar. A 690 R is a fine bike indeed. Congrats!

[@fozzy1717]

rode my R yesterday superb bike

[@beyond_i346]

Great Review , 790 Adventure R it is , loved it.

[@cyclenews]

Thanks!

[@fredtello]

I found the best setup is 2 bikes and a rv/trailer.... a real dirt bike 500xcw, 250xcw ect... then a nice touring adventure bike..1190r.... 1190r for street and fire roads.. dirt bike for the more nasty stuff.. (u will actually enjoy the dirt stuff and not get wore out)

[@FanOWater]

Great review with lots of useful comments. Thanks!

[@cyclenews]

Thanks!

[@nikos-giorgos]

Where can I find this "Great review" you're talking about? You're right about the comments though...

[@stevedeath8071]

Great review. I'm off to test ride the r model tomorrow now

[@LookattheBiggerPic]

Good review, lots of personal insight and commentary, great ride footage - the R is destined to be a member of my Harem!

[@stevebrinkert8339]

The best review I’ve seen on the bikes, now I just have to find some extra cash.

[@chrisredfield3240]

It's the perfect bike. Just wonder how many will bulk at the price. £150 more gets the 1090 adventure R. £11,999 vs £12,149

[@ronanrogers4127]

Personally I wouldn’t pay the extra for a 1090r as you’re getting a completely different bike that’s actually worse for offroad riding. The 1090r is great for trails, but would be far less capable on true offroad like dunes, and also single track. I take my 1290r on some pretty gnarly tracks and offroad, but it’s hard work because of the bulk and mass, whereas this would be so much less effort.

[@DiscoverLifeMedia]

Make sure you keep adding more videos like this!

[@roadnwater]

Great comments on the suspension and I have a question. I take it that the R model would absorb broken pavement and sharp bumps much better than the standard. For someone doing 90% road but on poor roads are there any situations in which the regular one would work better. I noticed your comment about the R being stiffer and that is of concern.

[@cyclenews]

You'll probably find the standard will work well for that. Average pavement is fine on the base 790 and it's pretty good at medium to high speed--if you're going to be looking for really chopped up pavement and dirt roads, then the R might be better. But then you'll have to look at fitting more road-focused tires.

[@Xavii1986]

I don't agree with the on road part :) This is almost a street fighter with a 21 inch front tire. So nimble and fast.

[@Xavii1986]

great interview btw otherwise ;)

[@mno-onespecial5972]

The one thing that annoys me is that the fuel gauge will only show you your fuel level when your under half a tank.

[@robertexdea]

Great review!!! I would like to know if you felt the R as cramped on the lower side as the Standard one or is it better for taller riders.

[@mogulin_da_skies7516]

Roberto De Angelis other way around

[@timogronroos4642]

You can select same saddles in both bikes. So if needed, you are able to get "street" version also quite high. And vice versa

[@senseipt]

I was only able to ride a 790 adventure and found the front suspension to be a bit rough on uneven pavement. Does the R-model feel smoother and softer?

[@1990-t1j]

Great bike, great review.

[@sarliish]

there are tkc80-s on the bike behind you!) did ktm change them for Marocco?)

[@bimberiman]

What a great little review! Well done!

[@georgechrysaphinis6761]

This or the 690 enduro where range is not an issue and where you do 50/50 street/off-road (no highways) ?

[@ShooterMedic1818]

Good info. What Ive been looking for, ty.

[@cyclenews]

Cheers!

[@michaelangeloramos5320]

How's the engine heat?

[@radobonk2817]

How do see its weight for dune riding? Could you tell, that due to a low position of the tank, the whole bike feels like having cca 10-15kg less of tis total weight? Could you feel that while riding? Great and very informative review indeed.

[@cyclenews]

Hi, Rado. Thanks for your comments. I can't compare to a full-size ADV bike because as I say in the video I haven't ridden big bikes in big dunes--all I can say is the bike is extremely nimble in the soft stuff and surprisingly easy to ride. The fuel location definitely helps this because as the fuel load comes down, the balance of the bike remains nice and neutral. Keeping the mass low definitely helps for this kind of riding -- Rennie

[@sephyraexotics6979]

Why would you hate to mention another manufacturer?

[@kennethhoffman4658]

I have to respectfully disagree with the 790 being a commuter bike. I am an intermediate ADV rider and would not be able to appreciate the upgrades of the R. What I need is a bike I can do lots of miles on and that I confidently plant my feet while traveling most roads.With the R I absolutely cannot. I wanted to love the R but it doesn’t fit my 32 in inseam. Of course, with different tires, I think the standard can fit many off road needs.

[@jasons44]

Probably with a seat as hard as a brick and a 2in windscreen

[@ichapp]

What's the spectacular location of the clifftop edge? Off there in a couple weeks (fourth time), maybe on a 790R. Would like to go there, I don't recognise it!

[@cyclenews]

It's in Erfoud, Morocco. But I don't know where in Erfoud. -- Rennie

[@ichapp]

@@cyclenews It's Gara Medouar. Been close to it a couple of times, but not up there. Will do sometime in the next month, when I'll be there :-) All I have to do now is decide if it'll be on my 1290 SA-R, or a new 790R. Rode the 790S yesterday, and a 790R today, and do miss the grunt, stability, and wind-protection. First-world problems! Did they take you through the fech-fech a bit farther south (Ramlia). That was hard work on a 1190! www.flickr.com/photos/ianchappel/46681444434/in/album-72157694251654865/

[@axellness]

Damn, I want this bike. Unless Honda makes a 700/800cc Africa Midget Twin.

[@cyclenews]

Yep, that'll be a hard decision. Word is Honda has one in the works, but not sure when it'll come.

[@damianrc5322]

Word is Yamaha has one in the works...but who knows when it'll actually be out. XD

[@nikos-giorgos]

@@cyclenews If Honda already have it in the works now, they'll probably release it right around 2028-2030...

[@nukezat]

Bases on the underwhelming Crf450 and poor price point I wouldn't put my chips with Honda. The Tenere 700 looks good but it needs to beat this bike on price point.

[@nikos-giorgos]

@Matthew Hoopes Yeah, I work fast, not like Honda...

[@TheIdlesurfer]

Good review. But do you need two cylinders for a middleweight adventure bike? But I reckon KTM may have nailed the all rounder. My Nomad 701 is a fine all rounder, but maybe 70/30 dirt biased. The 790 Adv looks like a 50/50 kinda bike. The pro riders were amazing. But for ordinary mortals, I prefer 40kg weight saving for a single.

[@dougiequick1]

In reality many (most) riding is biased highway miles ....EVEN for riders that imagine otherwise .... "adventures" in the western world? Let's be honest now .....90% PAVED ....no matter what we WISH was the case....hence the need for some POWER ....some long range durability with minimal maintenance! Some WIND protection ....lower vibration/quiet ride ....namely meaning? MULTI CYLINDER ....you armchair geniuses looking at spec sheets and ASSUMING that your mega thumper is the answer? I Seriously doubt you have honest experience in comparing the two vastly different approaches ....actually even three approaches if you count the WR250 crowd claiming THAT is the way to go....really one has no right to chime in with their expertise UNLESS they have actually tried the options ....

[@TheIdlesurfer]

@@dougiequick1 Probably true. I have done trips in Morocco,France and Spain which dirt probably shaded blacktop for time but not kilometres. But the 701 is pretty good on blacktop with the Nomad nose. Horrible on fast blacktop without it. I have to admit, if the 790 had been available 3 years ago, I would have been sorely tempted. I have seen one in the flesh, and despite the KTM guys trying to tempt me to ride it, I resisted because I fear I may have wanted it too much. But I have done 650km in a day in biblical rain on motorways on the Nomad 701 with a Seat Concepts seat and it was alright. But out of the box, that 790 looks brilliant. But I am not a thumper diehard. I have a 350 enduro, and I sure as hell am not taking it through the Nordic countries for 3000km of mostly gravel and forestry trails. I am really lucky. I have 3 bikes, so I am blessed by being able to have different bikes for different things. Just one bike? To get to work, to tour, to play in the dirt, to live with that 790 looks a lot less singular in purpose than the 701. A middleweight all rounder is a huge gap in the market and I reckon KTM have filled it.

[@mbal4052]

Dougie Quick are you always so angry?

[@bartdecroo5823]

Just stick with the 701, they are mighty machines. They do it all without hassle and you won't have to worry too much about issues with electronics in the long run. I have a set of sm wheels for the blacktop, now try to follow me in the twisties... :-)

[@st1100boy]

Insightful comments, Rennie!

[@Jimo368]

Great review 👍

[@brucekendall52]

Great assessment,thks.

[@AutomotiveAllStars]

Use the metric system!!

[@alieskandari3645]

Best Review. Thanks!

[@dansalmon2698]

amazing review dude

[@cyclenews]

Thanks, Dan!

[@Speedytrip]

Great review, thanks!

[@ulihanel7078]

Super talker you are the first one complaining about the 790 ADV. All the other testers were quite impressed and some of these guys actually ride african trails.... When have you been at a Paris-Dakar (rider not tourist..if at all)?

[@ronanrogers4127]

...maybe brush up on your comprehension. He speaks very highly of this bike, with his only criticism being the quickshifter and how easy it is to accidentally change gears

[@sandrotheuma4317]

Why no hydraulic clutch on this engine ???

[@stewartmcintyre4431]

5:30 goes on about the same chassis, they are very similar except the steering head angle is 64.1 degrees angle for the 790 adventure and 63.7 degrees angle for the 790 adventure R. So technically you cannot change the frame from one to the other and have the other model.

[@cyclenews]

Yes, there are subtle differences in the geometry. You are correct in that.

[@stewartmcintyre4431]

@@StaceySchroederCanada Touchy touchy, I did not think i was trolling, I have watched 4 of these reviews of the KTM 790 from Morocco and this is the only one that say the frames are the same! no need to get you knickers in a knot about it.

[@ontrailadventures5577]

There is always one

[@stephaneichenlaub]

The big question: Is the 790R an upgrade to my 950 SuperEnduro?

[@cyclenews]

The 950 is proper bad ass... But I'd have to say yes. The 790 is a proper weapon.

[@phillippayne8170]

what about protection for the tank it looks very venerable down there

[@cyclenews]

KTM has carbon guards for the tank, but there'll be lots of aftermarket options in due time.

[@vedranmatanic3653]

Which one corners better?

[@vd2597]

Awesome review

[@kloppskalli]

i like what he says at 12:00 ... i fuckin hate it when I go up a steep hill and traction breaks and i lose valuable 5km/h or 10km/h and then i dont make it up that fuckn hill because i had no chance to apply the throttle ever so gentle and not lose traction.. looking forward to ride a modern bike with some rider assists once relability of this thing is proven... hope my trusty ol 640 Adventure survives another 2-3 years :)

[@robertpolkamp]

Tubeless wheels?

[@terremoto..6809]

Thumpers rule off road with that low end!

[@ljanmi97]

Great 👍

[@brianharrigan8821]

Japanese over Chinese Any Day !!! Too bad we dont have an American manufacturer of quality bikes !! Cheers

[@ismailarslangiray]

Indian is coming with new models. I am hopeful

[@Clickmaster5k]

@@ismailarslangiray Indian is going to make a dirtbike?

[@ismailarslangiray]

@@Clickmaster5k Most likely not but there are some e-dirt bikes. Apparently they are very good.

[@DaemonViews]

Also dont have it for cars mate xd

[@stizzygrayson5541]

Prices in Australia please?

[@tjlovesrachel]

Stizzy Grayson google.... or..... call up your ktm dealer

[@alexmorgan3435]

How many times can you say commuter bike?

[@mp2140]

And why would a commuter bike have a 21" front wheel?

[@tumbleweed-life]

It would if your had MUD,SAND,ROCKS and Rocky hills to climb on your commute

[@ronanrogers4127]

Why’s an Aussie talking in pounds weight and ft/lbs of torque? Kilograms and Nm, please. I don’t even know why KTM would offer the standard Adventure, everyone should just pay the extra $1000 for the R version.

[@cyclenews]

Because I work for an American publication -- Rennie

[@Palcious]

This ad will move many to their closest KTM dealer.

[@cyclenews]

Not an ad. I actually like the bike. Shocking. -- Rennie

[@bighaasfly]

Seems like it's the equivalent to the original KTM 950, minus the electronics. Similar weight. Similar power. The 950-990-1090-1290 just kept getting bigger and fatter. It lost the reason it was made. Seems like the 790 fills the gap the 1290 left behind.

[@dougiequick1]

HUH??

[@rhonwyngilbert4102]

did anyone see the pigeon in the background at the 8:10 min mark?

[@cyclenews]

That damn pigeon. Just wanted to be in the video the whole time.

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

being an Magazine why did you give the weight in pounds and seat height in inches and miles and gallons ?

[@cyclenews]

We are an American based publication. Americans use the imperial system.

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

@@cyclenews you sound Australian

[@cyclenews]

@@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449 I am. -- Rennie

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

I am

[@UncleVoodoo]

Lol. Pay for unlockable content for your motorcycle! Did KTM team up with EA Games?

[@dougiequick1]

Who weighed this? KTM? Because I trust KTM NOT a bit...why? BECAUSE They have been swearing "189kg dry" Now add the fuel weight to 189kg? uhhh Is THAT 460llbs yeah....thus my point

[@X85283]

189kg is 416lbs. With fuel that's like 452lbs. Plus oil and coolant or whatever else isn't counted in dry... The math makes sense. That said KTM is known for essentially outright lying about weight.

[@the.communist]

10000$ good value for money?😶

[@ThisTall]

Im convinced like every KTM it’s fully off rd legit but it seriously looks like a purely on rd bike with a dirt bike front fender. The 1290 looks 100% more off rd in my opinion.

[@awakeadventurer9198]

How so?

[@awakeadventurer9198]

I'm about to buy the 1290SAR. The biggest difference between the 790r and 1290SAR is 70lbs and range! I can shave 30lbs off though.

[@tjlovesrachel]

500exc all day baby

[@awakeadventurer9198]

@mld I'm sure you've already told me this at some point in our off n on, year long chats in the comments but did u add a center stand to your 1090?

[@awakeadventurer9198]

@mld ok thanks. I've heard its rough not having the center stand n guys add it to the 1090. I might take it off the 1290 to drop wait n i hate the sound of it clacking when I land or bottom out. Should I leave it on?

[@Jakalwarrior]

Did they have to make it so ugly? :(

[@outdoors1248]

Made in China...no thanks!! KTM now chasing money more than quality. They were just starting to get better and now Made in China. Yamaha will have a hey day with this

[@DmenDuroRider]

Believe it or not all the Japanese companies use Chinese built engines. And tons of parts on Ford, Chevy, and Dodge are made in china nowadays. You can't get away from it.

[@ronanrogers4127]

From the second year it will be made in China, these first release are made in Mattighofen. I agree, it’s very disappointing to have a premium bike made in China, but you’ll find plenty of premium bikes use MIC components.

[@robsonenduro3316]

Traction control levels? LOL traction control you have in your left hand.

[@brentcameron4494]

Your left hand????

[@ronanrogers4127]

Sounds like you haven’t ridden a bike with proper offroad traction control. First, having TC doesn’t stop you from continuing to feather the clutch. Second, as Rennie says, TC properly set up effectively gives you low-range type gearing. I’ve set my TC offroad to get the rear wheel to spin twice as much as the front wheel, and I can still feather the clutch. It’s brilliant.

[@fredtello]

They are built in China... disappointing.....

[@galehess6676]

It is a CF moto, actually made in China! That will forever be a deal breaker. No wonder the engine cases are cracking like the crap they apparently are and a lot of other issues... I didn't want to see this, but it is what it is. Thanks, though.

[@solodad001]

I've been hearing, made in China?......for real?

[@outdoors1248]

For REAL...made in China???

[@SickBikeDude]

The first year it will be made in Austria then after the first year it will be made in China.

[@stizzygrayson5541]

Only buy first years production!

[@sleeka91]

First. !

[@galehess6676]

Made in China by CF Moto.

[@cyclenews]

Thank you