Alaska Motorcycle Trip Bike Prep | KTM 890 and 1290

[@staudio]

Glad to hear the KT1290 is still going strong at 62,000 miles. My 2017 is about to turn 50,000.

[@2WR]

68,000+ now

[@jeman022004]

Great video! Glad to see you are pushing out some videos. My new bike came with the trailmax missions. They did great on a pavement trip to Nashville.

[@2WR]

I’ve had good luck with them.

[@larcoal2963]

Nice vid, nice review. Congrats on a successful trip to AK!

[@2WR]

Thanks!

[@rmoran113]

Great channel, just getting back on two wheels….bought a 23 gsa. Planning KW to deadhorse with stops in Yellowstone on way. Running same tires…looking forward to more vids from trip. I plan to hammock camp as much as possible. Would love a packing video

[@Robinson0424]

Very Impressive Mario, 6.5k trips are not so easy to accomplish. 👍

[@Robinson0424]

I meant 6.5k miles😂😂

[@AllMotoTireLLC]

I have had a 2015 1290 since new. We were SUPPOSED to go back to AK last year, but didn't (traveling companion's wire has cancer) and cancelled yet another trip this year for the same reason. I was going to take the 2015 back to 15:42 AK, but because the ECU connector put me to the side of the road twice on another shorter trip, I bought a '23 1290R for the '24 trip, which trip also didn't happen. Initially, I thought the 2015 ECU was going bad and found the apparent last one in the U.S. to the tune of $865, but as it turned out it apparently was a buggered up seal inside the connector that caused a poor connection. My local dealer advised packing the connector with dielectric grease and carrying on. Have you ever experienced a problem with the connector seal? Oh, and BTW... if anybody needs a brand new ECU for a '15 1290, I will make that person a great deal!

[@2WR]

I haven’t. But have discussed in multiple videos the importance of using dialectic grease on all connectors.

[@shawnhenry1331]

Thanks for the great content! What kind of range do you get out of the 8 gallon tank at highway speeds?

[@2WR]

300+ miles

[@pinkiewerewolf]

Another Excellent video Mario. You always show me things to check or remind me of things to check, like wheel spokes. Lactate on bolts, etc... Even though I don't have a KTM any longer I still enjoy your content. BTW, how tall are you and your sister? I'm 59 soon, only 5'8"ish with about a 30.5" inseam. I've ridden the taller bikes like the 1290 SA-R, Pan America, but when I test rode the 890 Adventure Standard model that lower stance was refreshing for a change. Now I'm on a taller bike again with the T7 and the Seat Concepts has be able to get the balls of both feet on the deck if I need to, which is rare. My only difficulties lie with with fatigue after long days in the saddle, especially in the cold & wet. I've gotten sloppy and dropped a bike or two on uneven terrain. How have you both fared? Do you take enough stops to limit the fatigue?

[@2WR]

She’s 5’8”. We had no issues/drops on the trip. We’re both gym rats and I do a lot of dirt bike racing so never really get fatigued on trips.

[@pinkiewerewolf]

@@2WR I’m retired now. Used to go in at 12:30 am, work a 12 hour shift breaking down pallets of produce, then make the 9 hour ride from Humboldt County to San Luis Obispo. Twice a month, year round. Fatigue definitely hit me at times.The things we do for the people we care about. Now that I can stop when I want, and don’t ride Iron Butt miles in a day, fatigue only hits me in extreme environments. Just under 1500 miles in 24 hours riding with Iron Butt competitor Helodoc was the most I’ve put in but as my Dad used to say, it’s Hell getting older. I don’t push those miles any longer. Stay at the gym and healthy life style. See ya in the next video. 👍

[@maccas44]

Awsome Video Thanks for posting. What sort of miles or Ks do you get out of a full tank of fuel in the 1290 I know it depends on how you ride but maybe an average. And did the electric suspension work well

[@2WR]

Usually ~300 miles out of a tank. Suspension works just fine

[@maccas44]

@@2WR thanks for taking the time to reply 👍

[@jameslee5428]

Dude great vid😎.. truly great to hear a successful ride on KTM’s…… Just about every thing I read or via KZbin is hating on the brand …( maybe they just got lemonade)…Looking forward to seeing more content 😎👍

[@alekfoy9362]

Awesome trip!! What do you do for work to be able to take off that much haha

[@2WR]

I've gotten that question the last 10 years and I've worked for different companies in different positions.

[@jackyrussell1]

Is this a new Alaska trip you are going to post ?

[@2WR]

July 2024

[@2WR]

Be tough to take a 2021 890 on my 2018 trip 😂

[@2WR]

kzbin.info/aero/PLhWwt3tFwX-5H6O3MsDpr1wNBb4lrsHIt&si=R7McFq2ev8tyBUlu

[@neilbpence]

I probably missed this on another video or podcast... Is the 890 yours or Angela's?

[@2WR]

Mine.

[@Adventurecruiser805]

Now that you’re probably over 70k-ish miles after your Alaska trip. Have contemplated what your next bike will be? Which one and why?

[@2WR]

Have the 890 ADV R and recently-returned to streel legal 500 EXC-F in the garage. No plans to replace the 1290 anytime soon. Gonna run it up to at least 100k miles.

[@Adventurecruiser805]

@ hard to replace such a fun bike. I love mine!! Only 15k miles, I’ve owned it for 11months. Many miles to go 😎

[@obrianmcc]

Your 1290 is from a bygone era as is my 19' 1090 ... I believe KTM has undergone cost cutting measures on recent and current ADV platforms including wheels, brakes, airboxes, loose coolant hose clamps, and uhmmm ... cough, cough ... cams? KTM would hands down be the best ADV product on the road if they would regroup and get their shit together. Installing that Rottweiler airbox was super smart. I don't believe for a second that a paper air filter would have survived that trip without ingest.

[@nick4506]

There is no fault on you oem ktm fork seals are just bad. a ton of stiction and leak easily. The SKF green ones are worthwhile. I have a nearly identical 1290 but the oil tank drains into the rest of the motor when parked and I'm not trusting it for a long trip till I know what's going on and fix it.

[@2WR]

I've run both the green and the oem on the race bikes and haven't seen any difference. Either are better than some of the cheaper alternative ones out there. While I went way to long before freshening them on the 1290 the first time, I got 50k miles out of the first set of seals.

[@nick4506]

@@2WR they seem to care a bit more on their dirtbikes with the mud scrapers and everything. the oem ones on my 1290 started leaking after less then 10k miles before even trying offroad. and what did you get 20 out of those replacements? for me this was my first European bike and the first I've ever had to reely think about fork seals. my 1999 Suzuki OEM seals made it to 61k before replacement and i haven't had to touch them on any other bikes. my Yamaha fz6 is on 56k on the OEM seals not even a grease line. eh what was annoying for me was the stiction. when new i could almost pick where i wanted the forks to stick made a wiered harshness to it on the hiway and coming off the breaks mid corner. those green skfs worked a treat added a plushness to the rumble and more predictable everywhere eltse.