2023 KTM 890 Adventure R | 1,500 Mile Brutally Honest Review (& Modifications)

#motorcycle #ktm #ktm890adventure #advrider #adv #dualsport
⚡After 1500 miles with my 2023 KTM 890 Adventure R, it's time to really review it. Here's a summary of the video:
⚡Things I LOVE: Suspension, Power, Electronics, Low COG, Crash Worthiness, Fuel Range
⚡Things I HATE: Engine Heat, Wind Buffeting, Engine Rattles, Starting Issues, Reliability Problems
⚡⚡BIKE BUILD:⚡⚡
⚡Motoz Tires: pacificpowersp... USE CODE BRM2024
⚡Cyclops Lighting: tinyurl.com/2ka...
⚡Mosko Backcountry 25L Panniers V2.5: tinyurl.com/2s4...
⚡OutBack Motortek Racks: tinyurl.com/5n8...
⚡Mosko Backcountry Duffle: tinyurl.com/3up...
⚡Rigg Gear TailBag: imp.i104546.ne...
⚡Mosko Gnat Bar Bag: tinyurl.com/2ve...
⚡Mosko Backcountry Cinch Strap: tinyurl.com/bd...
⚡AXP Skid Plate: bit.ly/3UQspYF
⚡Tusk D-Flex Pro Handguards: bit.ly/3GCVkwb
⚡Faast Co. Flexx Bars: tinyurl.com/3x...
⚡Tusk Heated Grips: tinyurl.com/ye...
⚡Scott's Steering Damper: bit.ly/3FodGyt
⚡ProTaper Grips: tinyurl.com/9tf...
⚡Tusk Rear Rack: tinyurl.com/56m...
⚡Faast Impact ADV Footpegs: tinyurl.com/5c...
⚡Doubletake Mirrors: bit.ly/3xczavF
⚡Vanasche GPS Mount & Fuel Cap: vanaschemotors...
⚡Garmin Zumo XT: bit.ly/3EGY4Vi
⚡Puig Wind Visor: imp.i104546.ne...
⚡Quadlock Phone Mounts: imp.i104546.ne...
⚡Cool Covers Seat Cover: www.coolcovers...
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00:00 Pro: Suspension
02:53 Pro: Power
03:17 Pro: Electronics
04:50 Pro: Weight
05:50 Pro: Toughness
06:34 Pro: Range
07:12 Con: Heat
08:19 Con: Buffeting
10:06 Con: Rough Engine
10:40 Con: Starting Issue
11:33 Reliability Issues
14:07 Mods/Accessories
21:35 Final Thoughts

[@BigRockMoto]

Would you buy a KTM 890 Adventure despite some of the problems I've mentioned in this video? Sound off below. ⚡Things I LOVE: Suspension, Power, Electronics, Low COG, Crash Worthiness, Fuel Range ⚡Things I HATE: Engine Heat, Wind Buffeting, Engine Rattles, Starting Issues, Reliability Problems ⚡⚡BIKE BUILD:⚡⚡ ⚡Motoz Tires: pacificpowersports.com/ USE CODE BRM2024 ⚡Cyclops Lighting: tinyurl.com/2kaknpfn ⚡Mosko Backcountry 25L Panniers V2.5: tinyurl.com/2s433796 ⚡OutBack Motortek Racks: tinyurl.com/5n8we48e ⚡Mosko Backcountry Duffle: tinyurl.com/3upx78jf ⚡Rigg Gear TailBag: imp.i104546.net/VyQQdk ⚡Mosko Gnat Bar Bag: tinyurl.com/2veap7ss ⚡Mosko Backcountry Cinch Strap: tinyurl.com/bddnewz2 ⚡AXP Skid Plate: bit.ly/3UQspYF ⚡Tusk D-Flex Pro Handguards: bit.ly/3GCVkwb ⚡Faast Co. Flexx Bars: tinyurl.com/3xky3rnn ⚡Tusk Heated Grips: tinyurl.com/yea664se ⚡Scott's Steering Damper: bit.ly/3FodGyt ⚡ProTaper Grips: tinyurl.com/9tfv9xbb ⚡Tusk Rear Rack: tinyurl.com/56mzydvy ⚡Faast Impact ADV Footpegs: tinyurl.com/5cwz9tet ⚡Doubletake Mirrors: bit.ly/3xczavF ⚡Vanasche GPS Mount & Fuel Cap: vanaschemotorsports.com/ ⚡Garmin Zumo XT: bit.ly/3EGY4Vi ⚡Puig Wind Visor: imp.i104546.net/ORazYN ⚡Quadlock Phone Mounts: imp.i104546.net/m5zZEZ ⚡Cool Covers Seat Cover: www.coolcovers.co.uk/product/ktm-790-adventure-r-2020-current/

[@houjous5131]

Try out the Tusk skidplate. It's extremely quiet and it's 4mm aluminum. Mine has taken pretty big hits & have had no issues noise or damage.

[@GCTO239]

First of all, again a great and totally honest video. Way to go, mate! Now to your question: No, I would not buy this bike. No way! KTM should care less about marketing and finally solve the glaring issues they have. There is a reason why you get massive discounts on KTM bikes here in Germany. I remember your video on the standard AT 1100, which is a massively underrated bike imo. You criticised the soft suspension. For little money a suspension expert dialed in / tuned the standard suspension of my standard AT 1100. It is perfect now, an offroad beast, perfect damping with tons of reserve..You regularly mention suspension replacements, which is often not needed. After 40.000 hard kms I have a LOVE/LOVE relationship with my Africa Twin. I freaking love this bike! Great sound, great looks, a peach of an engine, no issues at all (not even a minor one), superb quality, unquestioned reliability, great onroad and offroad, a lot of positive emotions...Would I swap that for the tormenting KTM experience? No chance! I hope that you will test the standard 2024 Africa Twin next year. By the way: If you go on serious offroad trips here in Europe, there are two adv bikes you see the most when things get tough: Africa Twin and T7. Wonder why? 😉

[@THEelduderino]

As previous owner of 790 ADV R, you nailed pros & cons! Amazing off-road, adj TC on the fly helped me as off-road novice, surprising fast on road, runs hot(think due to tank design & way heat exits towards legs), hardest bike I’ve ever started, & while I had zero problems, I never trusted it. For me, pros heavily outweighed cons, but 790/890 r ugly, don’t need the R suspension for my level & want more road bias, which has me heavily considering Norden 901 w/ touring screen

[@davekguitars]

I have a 2022. Got it mid year 'used' with only 85 miles .. Full tech package, axp skid (love it), had a rekluse which I replaced with thr oem clutch, shorty levers, and cycra hand guards (meh.. I prefer HDB) .. Scott's stabilizer... paid 16K. I then put on rade wind screen, a seat concepts 2 stage seat like the S with the ktm cool cover on.. rally pegs, Rottweiler tail tidy , Rottweiler intake, quad lock phone mount wireless charging, the MOSKO MOTO GNOME tank bag is great.. Perun rear rack.. OURY road grips.. ibrun RALLZ rear and DV front.. I use Green Chile ADV strapping and run dry bags. I bought the flat side panels from Rottweiler to get rid of the bulged panels.. I didn't find the space in there to be an efficient enough. The PUIG touring screen sucked.. bike was better with NO screen.. but the RADE screen is sweet. I'm 5'10".. 32 inseam

[@davekguitars]

Oh. Put a block plate for the heat.. works great and I've heard keeps the shock from boiling

[@bogusfranz1503]

If KTM would focus more on reliability and product improvement rather than completely redesigning every couple of years, they would own the market.

[@NaMinesClarence]

You mean like they have been doing with the LC8 for the last 21 model years? The LC8c has been out for 5 model years in comparison ...

[@JamesSmith-pq2ks]

Ktm culture is super into alcohol… lots of euro dudes drinking at events… just sloppy culture

[@CoolioDaMan]

Not sure where this unreliability crap started from.. I ve owned 7 different KTMs from the RC8 to my latest 2023 300 XC.. all of them have been bullet proof including the 790 R... You Mopes should try preventitive maintenance..like changing the oil/filter ..

[@alanduncan3337]

A new bike should not have a flat tyre and a coolant leak.

[@BishBosh2010]

​@@CoolioDaManmy ktm 1190 on its third speedo, new discs all round due to cracks at 18K miles. Awful electrical gremlins. Expensive repairs and parts. Poor starting issues....5 batteries in 5 years. Lousy 1 year warranty on bikes and pointless 3 month warranty on parts. KTM....nah never again. A reliable Jap for me next time.

[@JehadAssaf]

As an owner of this bike with ~7000km I must say you said everything I would say in this review. You are 100% spot on and no bs. Thanks Ian for your fair and objective journalism!

[@jaybarron3186]

Every 890r review you do; first 15min I’m all onboard and ready to buy one today! Last 10mins, I don’t want any part of these problems. 🤪

[@alvarosanchez2426]

28k km with my 890 and not issues; great bike

[@danaECBC]

I agree with your assessment. But after 13,000+ miles with tons of off-road, BDR's, adventure rallies, Moto camping, commuting and 2 up riding I can't think of another bike I would rather have.

[@TheMadMonkey3]

Cant stress enough how thankful i am for the work you do Ian. In-depth, no BS, truthful and objective reviews. Thank you!

[@jimkonugres8454]

I ride a KTM790R and while the bikes are fundamentally diffferent (but similar in many ways) I agree with your assessments. They are spot-on.

[@Snowhite808]

After building our own first gen 790 and preping bikes for customers and getting them back for repairs and servicing - can agree 90% with Your thoughts. Our most gripe is with the engine quality and of course lack of RD on the first gen. The engines are total gamble. Some are so tight, the engine barely turns over - some are so loose, they klonk first day. As a ktm owner, builder, rider of more than a decade - we bought a Ducati now for personal use. So far - easyer on the eye, ear, body and budget. Similar performance, more "feeling".

[@skipperdabio]

Aren’t these motors the ones that are made in China?

[@Snowhite808]

@@skipperdabio CF moto factory line yes. And the little ones were in India. Pierer is making money - tons of it - but the brand is getting more into the "just colorful plastics" category every new bike at a time.

[@Angry-Lynx]

Chinese engines, there's no free lunch. For this one, customer is paying, as always. That's effect of economy where too many people have too much disposable cash. Producers sell so much they don't care about customers, because they don't have too. Sad reality. And people will still pay this ridiculous prices like 16kEuro for bike with Chinese engine. Why price isn't lower despite moving production to china? Never ending and always growing corporate greed, nothing more. And one year warranty to that?good joke. They really don't give a fuck and don't even try to hide it..

[@Coloradoadvguy]

@@skipperdabio No. 1st gen 790s and 890s are made in Austria, as Ian has previously noted

[@Graybeard_]

I have the Norden 901 Expedition. I think it has the best bash plate (stock) that I've seen on any adventure bike. I can't imagine there is an upgrade to this. In terms of mpg, my rides consist of a combination of gravel county roads, county paved roads, USFS roads, dirt private roads and skid trails (no highway). I get about 250 miles on a full tank, so I'm quite happy. Because I live at 4,000' on the US/CA border, I appreciate the leg heat. We only get a few weeks each year with temps in the 80s and that is only for about three hours in the middle of the day. I spend much of the "summer" with patches of snow to my left and right. The fairing/windshield on the Expedition is awesome. I'm 6'+ (6',3" in my boots), and I don't feel buffeted at all, but I also don't ride on the highway. Still I do hit 90+mph all the time. The engine does sound a bit rattily when it first starts. I now have 1,200 miles on my bike, and it has quieted down some as the engine has broken in. I have convinced myself that the trade off is a bike that jumps from 35 to 95 in the twisties at the flick of the wrist. The power is quite insane for an adventure bike. My two cons are the display being obscured anytime a notification is triggered (service engine, warranty schedule, low fuel, etc.) this is quite annoying, and we need a way to click out of it once we read it. Last, the seat while decent seems to cause me to slide down to where the seat meets the tank. Within a minute of scooting back, I find myself right back down there. I'm tall. I don't need to be down in the crotch, but it seems Norden wants me there. : / So far I love the Expedition and can't wait to get back out there. Currently, though, 12F with feet of snow means no.

[@leanit5756]

I dumped my 890 ADV-R after the cam chain tensioner failed and there were no replacements available from KTM. Traded it in "unsaleable". It also ran on 1 cylinder from a cold engine start for quite a while. The fuel petcock disassembled when gently turned by hand and spilled fuel all over the ground. The engine sounded like bolts in a Vitamix. The wind buffeting was really bad. The front tire was replaced under a factory recall. With both front tires the high speed stability (90+) was poor, even after truing the front wheel (which did need to be trued) and running through the rear preload adjustment range. I got a '24 T7, which I find I am really happy with. The only thing I miss about the 890 was the low/large/protective fuel tank design.

[@BigRockMoto]

Wow. I've had friends with similar experiences.

[@TheBikewanderer]

Interesting experience. When the recall came in for the front tire, I was already on my 6th set... I didn't know anyone who was still on the factory tire after that long time.

[@gillesgenete9598]

​@@TheBikewanderer my '21 came with Karoo3 which lasted 7.000km (on-road only) without any issue (apart of pressure drop when not in use for long time).

[@gillesgenete9598]

​@@BigRockMoto is it so that US models have more issues than EU ones ? Wandering if there are differences ?

[@mikearensdorf]

Recently purchased a Norden 901 Expedition, and am quite happy with it. It has the Adventure R's XPlor suspension, tuned a bit more for the road, but still quite good off road. It also has a windscreen that I'm pretty impressed with - good protection with just a little bit of buffeting at speeds over 70mph (for 5'11" me - not bothersome) - but is tall so may inhibit standing over rough terrain. The skid plate is beefy, the luggage not terrible (if you don't fill them with heavy items), heated seat actually gets too hot (even on the lowest setting), heated grips are just right. So, IMHO, those who might consider the Adventure R, but want a little more road comfort, should consider the 901 Expedition.

[@tarms1650]

Good review Ian. As a former 790 R owner (put 8K miles on) and current 2022 890 R owner (11,500 miles) I can see most of your points, and appreciate your perspective. At 5’8” I can’t complain about the buffeting being a huge gripe. In this instance, pays to be short! Regarding reliability, I guess it depends on the definition. In the ~20K miles between the 790/890 I’ve never been stranded and the only thing coming close was what you mentioned with a loose radiator hose clamp that I noticed with drops on the garage floor. Didn’t take it in, just tightened the clamp. To close, I’ve been riding for 40+ years (can’t believe I admitted that online) and ridden all but Ducati brands and none live up to their ethos, or even have an ethos, like KTM…Ready to Race. Their bikes want to GO and no other bike has put as big a smile on me.

[@randydewees7338]

There are some Ducati models that live up to their ethos, indeed.

[@muerdelavida]

I am a Norden 901 Expedition owner since middle March and 20.000 kms on her. No problems at all and I love the bike, such a fun beast. Main drawback is the engine heat is too much. I did a review about the Expedition in my channel

[@gillesgenete9598]

I ride a 2021 890R, 24.000km on-road, no issue at all. Even cold start is easy, 1 push on button and it starts. About the heat on leg, I fitted the Camel Adv product heat shield over the catalytic box, it seems to deflect heat downward. Yes wind buffeting is poor, even with Givi high windscreen. Yes oem seat is too hard for touring, I fitted a custom comfort seat. Lower pegs from SW Motech for long day ride. Givi Canyon soft luggage are really good. The KTM GPS mount is not that good as vibrations unscrew it. Michelin Anakee Adventure offer very long on-road mileage ( 14.000km, not worn out) but are noisy, and not sure about off-road use. I agree engine sound is not pleasing, but at least, it's quiet which I like for long day ride. The only one point I question is vibrations on long day ride. Other than that, it's a fantastic bike.

[@brianmartin4035]

I'm sure you've been told this many times but you really make excellent videos. I don't usually sit and watch 20 minute videos for anything, especially not for a motorcycle that I have no intention of buying! Great job!

[@larryvaughn7243]

I absolutely love my 890 Adventure. I do not jump ditches and need more suspension. Plus it is much better on the road.

[@F1since79]

Another great review. I have 12k miles on my ‘21 890R and love it. I have noticed the heat but it hasn’t been bothersome. The buffeting can be awful, however. One pro you left off is the ease of maintenance. I have found the bike to be very logical and easy to work on. Especially compared to some other bikes needing major surgery to change air filters. I have also been very lucky and had zero problems with mine.

[@BigRockMoto]

True about maintenance

[@kymcopyriot9776]

Great work as always! I’m afraid that for me, engine glitches and reliability issues are a deal breaker, though. Here in Australia where distances can be vast, the starting point in choosing an ADV bike must be rock-solid reliability. As othered here have intimated, KTM need to now settle on the 890 and spend a few years ironing out the bugs in order to sort this out. ‘Ready to Race’ is a bit of a poor joke on a bike that often refuses even to start reliably!

[@CR-rider-17]

Ready to repair

[@foxlake6750]

Give me a Honda or a Yamaha, more reliable and parts are much cheaper……ride faster, not a factor for me.

[@fcalin21]

KTM don't care.

[@barnygumbel5496]

I drove 15,000 km on my 890 adventure this year. It's pure fun to ride this bike. I have no regrets about my 1290 adv. The most important thing is a smart KTM Dealer. The Tires Pirelli STR Rally are Great ❤ for this Bike

[@pappydaddy7447]

Starting issue: In an older 990 adventure, the starter was disabled by the electronics until the fuel pump primed and that click is heard. So you couldn’t encounter the problem described in the video. Interesting.

[@adventureundone]

I had all the same positives/negatives with my base 23’ 890 adventure. 👍

[@raycollington4310]

This was very informative and useful for anyone considering this bike. Whenever I hear a KTM engine running, I think it's about to destruct itself and put a leg out of bed. I think this sounds worse than it is but why take a risk when you can buy a bike with a bullet proof engine. Reviewers always seem to need to avoid upsetting the OEM if they want to stay on the press bike list. Your channel is the most honest I have found and you're the only channel listen too when selecting a new bike. Thank you. Happy New Year from London, UK.

[@taekwondotkd2668]

I saw today a video from 4 guys (2x 790/ 2x890) they rode from australia to sweden. No big problems with the bikes

[@2wheels1guy25]

Thank you for curing my interest in a 790/890 adventure R, I’ll stay with my reliable Japanese (slow as a snail) workhorse.

[@GregLanz]

They appear to be great riding bikes and I'd love to try one out but the reliability concerns prevent me from ever considering buying one

[@blakeharrell5208]

Thought I would share: Puig 2.0 multi adjustable wind deflector can be positioned tall enough to give the affect of the non-r model windscreen, then immediately lowered when off-road. Removing the cat drops the average temp by about 15 degrees on my bike. I have around 4K miles through all types of terrain. Never noticed a starting issue after the cat was removed. Wind protection seems very comparable to my triumph tiger with a mad stad wind screen. No issues here.

[@rc51bigdaddy]

Nice review and very accurate. I never had any buffeting with my 2022 890r with the stock screen in the low position but apples and oranges. I loved both my older 790r and newer 890r but ultimately traded the 890r for a much lighter 690r due strictly to the weight of the 890r. I am an off road oriented adventure rider but now am 67 years old so needed something easier to pick up but still passable on the highway for day trips. Stock suspension on my 2023 690r is pretty good and not harsh. The only issues I had with my 890r were poor quick shifting which was resolved with a re-calibration and a failing ABS pressure switch which was causing the cruise control to no longer work. Replacing the switch fixed that. Otherwise no issues and no cold start problem like you had. Also I never had any issues with the heat but I am 6'2" so maybe my legs are positioned a bit different on the bike.

[@skyhoffert]

This video was a very helpful peace of mind for me. I've got 1200 miles on mine and I've had very similar concerns about engine noise, cold start, and hot legs. I totally agree, and at least now I know my concerns are valid and shared amongst other owners. Thanks! With that said, I'm really enjoying the bike! Looking forward to some more adventures with it for years to come. Very fun and capable!

[@kennymiller8973]

Have an Africa Twin, I find it soft, wobbly, short on passing power when touring, not good off road with the DCT. But complete confidence in its reliability. An 890R that's a hoot to ride with a cat delete for day or weekend rides. Agree with all the gotchas and fear motor failure.But it can be romped on and trail ridden fun on 2 lane roads. An R1250GSA that I use as a touring bike for long hauls, heavily loaded. Plenty of passing power and it gets me pretty far from pavement for campsites or forest roads. I call it the dirt wing. I go back and forth on keeping or selling the KTM before the music stops but hot crazy chicks are fun.

[@LARGO125]

When you discussed the pros, i really thought this made the T7 and Transalp seem lacking. When you discussed the cons tho... really make the T7 and TA seem viable. Price point confirms it, for me anyway. I don't think I'll ever use the extra off road ability of the 890, so it doesn't really justify the extra cost.

[@jn503351]

I can ditto on this, I ultimately bought my T7 for the reliability and price. Trust me, I'd love to have some dang cruise control (MC cruise is on my list of wants) but my train of thought was that for being my 1st ADV and to not invest a huge amount of cash the T7 is it. Also love the looks, imo.

[@SamiNami]

The T7 / Transalp is the better bike for most people.

[@nomading_in]

the electronics are far superior, for what it's worth. The 790/890 has excellent traction control and modes that are fully usable (and they stay on after you turn bike on and off). These other 2 have ...basically nothing other than an off switch.

[@tactical1224]

@@jn503351 I love the T7. I just wish that Yamaha would put tubeless wheels and a bolt on subframe on the bike...

[@madmac544]

I’m selling my T7 so I can buy this bike. I’ve had my T7 for almost 3 years and fully set it up for me. My neighbour on his 1090 can’t keep up in the corners compared to me on my T7. But I still want more power and CC. I use my bike for everything in the summer and more jam on the road would make it more enjoyable.

[@Truemann45]

890s (2021) has been trouble free, but yeah. There's some anxiety about a catastrophic fuckin brake failure or an engine failure. Especially since that bike is worth more than any car I've ever had. However, so far I've had zero issues. Aside from my crashing it last year and destroying the bars lmao. I will be checking it thoroughly before this next season just to be safe. I bought it based solely on your recommendation and praise of the platform. It's everything people said it would be and more.

[@ADV_CAM]

I have a 2021 890 Rally and yes, I would buy it again. The points you made about when you picked the bike up are not really anything I think KTM can be held responsible for. Why, well when the bike ships, there is setup that is required at the shop and there are checks that are required. All of the items you mentions should be a part of that. May want to take that up with the shop. I’m not sure about the cam issue as I’ve not had it but, I do wonder how those bikes were ridden during the break-in period. I just purchase a bike to add to my fleet 2024 Norden 901 Expedition and I’m comparing the two bike and can say for certain the 901 is much more so a bike that can be taken on long rides… with no issue and handles extremely well off-road too. The Rally is exactly what KTM claims “Ready to Race” the bike wants to go and it wants to be ridden hard off-road. Thanks for the content you continue to provide.

[@themosaito]

Ian, Love your reviews. I have a 690, which I love, but when it started to go wrong, it took me months to sort out. KTM are their own worst enemies. They need to get their reliability sorted out. I'm a n overlander, and I could never get an 890 cos of the reliability issues. Thanks

[@Mrenjoy92]

Thank you for creating and sharing this video. About the starting issue: The click you hear is described in the manual under chapter 10.2: starting the vehicle. It also says you should wait 15sec. between attempts.

[@mikeamphlett7913]

Thanks for the honesty Ian. That's why I watch your show.

[@ScrambledTiger]

I have an 1190 Adventure, have ridden a 890 and I agree with you on the strange, rattle sounding engine. So glad you mentioned that, as it bothers me but I couldn’t verbalize it.

[@0HARE]

Thanks for a thorough, honest review. I got a lot out of it. I currently have a CRF300 Rally, and a KLR650. Looking to buy a TransAlp soon. Many of your after market parts are of great interest to me. I will definitely buy using your links. Happy Trails!

[@DaytonaRider1]

TBF 1500 miles isn’t much of a slice to review “long term” from. I have ridden mine 4000 (currently sitting at around 8200 miles) miles across the country west to east and south to north… I never encountered a reliability issue, nor wind buffeting that concerned me (we are similar heights), and I would rate the comfort of the bike as pretty good. On road, off road and anywhere in between I would take my KTM 890r over my BMW GSA (albeit mine is a 2007 model with upgraded suspension) any day of the week. I’m not a fanboy of KTM… I just disagree with 1500 miles being an “exhaustive” review time. Love the videos Ian… keep it up.

[@ArmyOfZin]

I own a 2020 KTM Adv R. Most unreliable bike I’ve ever owned, but the best adventure bike I’ve ever ridden when it works.

[@Leinetal_Rider]

Very Nice and Like from Germany! The KTM 790/890 engines are complete scrap, I don't know of anyone in Germany and Austria who survives 30,000 km without engine damage.

[@blairknight7793]

Yep, 31,500km, bad cam wear on mine. So pi$$ed off with KTM

[@peterziegler8204]

...only 2500 km and my balance shaft went BOOOM. Total engine break down. 3 months of waiting for the repair. . Broke again after 500 km!!! Sold it. New owner had the same problems. Never again...

[@chamade166]

Wow…was considering it for long distance international travel…not anymore.

[@T3merity]

What service intervals were you following? If you were following the factory-specified oil change interval, that is probably why. The oil needs to be changed every 4 to 5 thousand miles (6.5 to 8 thousand kilometers)...maybe even more frequently.​@blairknight7793

[@gillesgenete9598]

24.000km on my '21, no issue so far. I'll see after 30.000 !?

[@vladfechete8563]

Everything is on point in this video! I went from a 1290 SAS that i enjoyed a lot to an 890 Adventure R which i love but ... When i picked it up from the dealer the bike: - needed three start attempts to get it going and it did on one cylinder for a minute. - front tyre was losing pressure. - steering stem was loose. - one of the two fuel petcocks was closed and after 60km on a rainy Sunday the bike died on me and i had to fidget behind the radiator to find it, burned some skin in the process. At the 1k service the chain was apparently unequally worn so the bike ran a bit jerky, the dealer refused to change it on the warranty, even though i really babied it until the first service. After 6k, i haven't had any issues with the bike and i absolutely love it, but there are things that bother me. One is the buffeting, the 1290 was bad but this is a whole new level of bad, i tried upgrading my helmet to the Neotec 3, ear plugs, windshield extender, Arrow mirrors, nothing works, it's bad,. The second is the heat, if you're running an AXP bash plate, i feel like going decat is a must as your right foot will be burning in slow traffic.

[@kostaachin4428]

I had a 2019 KTM 790 Standard which I always had serviced as required at a KTM dealer. There were various issues with the bike such as a thermastat-housing coolant leak which KTM repaired under warranty. I sold the bike at 16,000 miles. The person who purchased it from me made a trip to Mexico where the engine failed. A tear down showed excessive camshaft lobe wear and a total piston failure. Way to go KTM. Thanks for a quality product. : (

[@morley3810]

IMO reliability is an underrated criteria in an adventure bike. It's really more important than outright performance or bleeding edge electronic doo dads. When you're actually out on a back road or back country route you really don't want any nagging doubts, or even worse, actual failures. Bikes like the Tenere 700, or likely the TA750 or for big bikes the Super Tenere 1200 may not be cutting edge performance but I'd trust them over an Austrian bikes, or Aprilia, Ducati, or BMW, maybe even Triumph. Thanks for the honest review. Your content is always top drawer.

[@Anibalcm]

I have been watching reviews of this ktm platform for 4 years wishing KTM sort all the reliability problems in order to put my money in a 890R but the right time somehow does not seem to come. Meanwhile I live riding a T7 dreaming about these 890R i have ridden few times😍.

[@billclawson1729]

You really glossed over the cold starting issue this time, but on previous vids you really expressed frustration with it. I mean, a brand new bike that won't even start. That's a non-starter for me! Strangely enough, I had a similar issue with a 2015 Yamaha FJ-09 (now Tracer 900). Every once in a while, like maybe one time out of ten, it just wouldn't start. Cranked over but no response. Apparently I wasn't the only Yamaha owner that had a similar problem. Sold that bike for a Kawasaki Versys 1000 and have had 45,000 trouble free miles with that one. Great video as always!

[@Borderbill1962]

Sounds like a great bike. After returning to riding after a 30 year break, I had a 22 KLR adventure, which while fun after a year of remembering how to ride both on and off road, left me wanting more. I ended up with the Aprilia Tuareg and it really does everything I could want in an adventure bike. I now find as an older rider that what I want to add to my garage is a slightly more road oriented sport touring or a more road friendly semi adventure bike.

[@rostyslavv2006]

metric system tips are very useful, thanks

[@QuasiMotoUSA]

Another spot on assessment. I owned a '21 R as my only transport (well besides a hypermotard) for two years. Rain, snow, heat, it never let me down although I fully expected it to with random warning lights and Immobilizer failure alerts. Amazing on trails, gravel, BDRs or B roads. On highway I wanted to jump off it was so bad especially if I ran super aggressive knobby tires. You always knew you were on a dirt oriented machine which is a compromise you need to be ok with.

[@chrisslays7373]

How is it in the snow?

[@henryvaneyk3769]

Would have loved to get the Mosko, but here in South Africa the shipping and taxes alone is almost the same as the purchase price. I hate their direct marketing option for this reason. If they allowed a distributer, the distributer would be be able to bring them in using bulk shipping with the savings going with it. I thus decided to support a small local manufacturer called Turkana. Works out to 25% of the price of the Mosko panniers.

[@davidkendall1614]

Thanks Ian (again). Very comprehensive on the good, the bad and the ugly. Delivering the full information package to potential owners, which is a great service.

[@RandomGRK]

I was so close to getting one of these and the buffeting and engine heat were real dealbreakers. Instead I purchased a 2013 R1200GS and even that above 60f starts to get warm. I hate engine heat…

[@plasticbmw]

Its because they are making these bikes so fuel efficient and emissions compliant....they run too lean causing them to run hot. I had the same problem on my 21' 690 enduro...as soon as I added a fuel dongle and added a pipe it runs way cooler

[@BrakeMagazine]

Great video man. It's an interesting point about the reliability and some of your own experiences. It's so hard to judge from online platforms as most people shout loudest when it's worst and most 890 R owners are likely to abuse their bikes more than other models, but between yourself and Harden it's a pretty wild seal of disapproval. Also kinda made that with the reputation of Aprilia, they've made something so good and probably more reliable.

[@MrHamish54]

I traded up to an 2023 890R from an 2021 790S. As far as rideability it shines. What doesn't shine is it burning through 4 clutches in 12,000 miles just like Ian mentioning that Harden going through 5 clutches in 5000 miles as Baja racer and ex KTM employee. I constantly monitored the clutch free play. I used the clutch the same as my 790 and 1290R. This even includes upgrading to a Recluse Torque Drive manual clutch. Hats off to Recluse to replacing the clutch after it burned out after 2000 miles. Shame on KTM to have to carry a spare clutch pack as a spare tube. Bye bye 890 to a T7. My KTM 300 and 350 have been rock solid. Shame on KTM for their inconsistent quality control where some owners have no problems where others like me have problems from the start that they will not warranty.

[@superdukerandy]

I have had eleven KTM's since 2007. Superduke R, RC8R Race Spec, SMT, 450 and 500 EXC's 300 XCW's, 1090, 790 Rally and my '23 890 R. Any problems that I have had have been minor. None of them have left me stranded on a BDR, In OHV's, woods riding or on long distance ADV trips. They're good bikes but you have to keep them maintained well, change and clean the filters, oil changes etc. Take care of your bikes and they'll take care of you. They've been every bit as reliable as the Japanese bikes I've had. I'm actually considering a 1290R as a more comfortable bike for longer distance trips. The 890 can beat you up above 75mph or so.

[@stevenwescott1422]

I have a 1290 SAR with a full Rottweiler performance kit. Absolutely love it. Let’s face it all bikes have compromises. The bike can do it all. You might not be comfortable in all situations. On road and dirt roads and trails there is no other bike for me. Jmtc.

[@blairknight7793]

We did an online poll and 50% of owners that took part had their camshafts develop terrible wear by 32,000km...50% Madness.

[@superdukerandy]

@@blairknight7793 Meaningless poll. Everyone knows that people bitch online as opposed to those who don't have problems.

[@blairknight7793]

Yeah right, shame here one of KTM's service centres is privately owned, the foreman there backed up that opinion only a week ago. I quote " we've seen way more this than we would like to have"

[@blairknight7793]

@@superdukerandy if you trust Rottweiler performance email them and ask them about the cam issue, I did.

[@wfodavid]

The 890 is still the cream of the crop in the 700-900 cc category. Still an awfully big bike for serious off-road. I've read about all the issues and I must be very fortunate that the only thing I've encountered is the starting issue. For that I just give the bike a little throttle and it seems to work every time. I've model my bike quite a bit with full Ti pipe and cat delete which helps a little with the heat but it still an issue. Bars, steering stabilizer, Motoz, and WP Pro suspension. Excellent, Solid Review!

[@CurtisBrandt]

How much difference did the upgraded suspension make for you? I think the stock suspension is pretty good but I (literally) imagine how it might feel with a couple of improvements. Does the WP Pro stuff get you where you hoped? And in what sort of situations is it most improved?

[@wfodavid]

I didn't really ride the bike with stock suspension to know the difference but I have the WP Pro components on 4 of my bikes and the 890 is still the harshest of them all. They were all done by the same guy at the same shop.@@CurtisBrandt

[@CurtisBrandt]

@@wfodavid Thanks for letting me know. I may have to try some, sometime. Good suspension is nice. I'd like to get this 890 skimming whoops. ;-)

[@DiveBC]

A note on the windshield and buffeting. I have the 2023 base model and still found a lot of buffeting. I ended up putting 1 inch spacers on the top mounting bolts, 1/2 inch spacers on the middle mounting point. And made the windshield steeper. This drastically helped. I can get away with out an add on deflector on the highway if needed now. I would be curious if it also helps on the R windshield. I used a bit of aluminium pipe, washers and longer stainless Steel screws. I also needed to replace the screws on the bottom sides to get the clearance to move it forward. Anything more than 1 inch puts to much strain on the windshield and the bottom screws can't be installed.

[@toddmitchell43]

Thanks Ian, that was a great review. I have this same bike and now 2,000 miles. I had the same issue with the front tire. It was not the bead but the rubber rim liner gasket. There are two. It took the dealer 29 days to resolve the issue. After my increased complaints they ended up sourcing the parts from Rocky Mountain as KTM was indefinitely back ordered. Very frustrating. My other big complaints are that the electronics are locked down. I ordered and installed the KTM heated grips to find out there is no way to activate them in the head unit. I had to take them to the dealer and pay them $48 dollars to plug their computer into the bike and activate that feature so it would show up in the menu. I took the bike to the dealer for its first service, around 600 miles and they apparently put a very short service duration on the bike for an oil change, 1,000 miles and now I have a check engine light on the bike saying service is due. I cannot figure out how to reset this just absent of another $48 dollar trip to the dealer. These things aside, I love, love, love the bike. It has been an absolute blast. I do have the RallZ tires with about 400 miles on them now and I love them off-road but the front tire on road scares the crap out of me. I’m wondering if the tire is just not balanced properly. Thanks again!

[@bazza8947]

Extremely to find the procedure for resetting the service interval yourself 1) Make sure the correct date is set on the bike. 2) Scroll down to the Settings option (do not drill down to the Service option). Do not press the set button while Settings is highlighted, instead press and hold both the up and down arrow buttons until the service menu pops up (3-5 seconds). 3) Press the set button to increment up the miles until next service to the desired amount. Don't worry about the month setting, it is 12 months by default and cannot be changed. 4) Press and HOLD the set button until it pops you back out to the settings screen. (3-5 seconds).

[@toddmitchell43]

Thank you. Do you know if this procedure works for the 2023 models? From what I’ve found, like with the heated grips, it was possible to activate these things and reset the service light on all the prior year models. It’s was changed in 2023 from what the dealer told me.

[@bazza8947]

@@toddmitchell43 Yes , it should work but you can try it without resetting anything.

[@toddmitchell43]

I’ll give it a whirl. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Really appreciate it.

[@DoubleD-yk6vk]

Possibly your best video to date. Brutally honest (and appreciated).

[@OllieMoto]

Really good review man. Good work 👊🏻

[@robells6759]

Kudos for telling it like it is. Much appreciated Ian.

[@cliftonsr]

I ride my 2023 890 Adventure in colder climate and my Transalp XL750R all the other days for many more reasons as you had touched on a few times as well as Honda=RELIABILITY......

[@eriknash8783]

Rattling sound is the cam chain tensioner. $100 tensioner from Dirt Tricks solved this problem for me. But like you said, it's not a problem from a performance issue. Front tire leaking in mine was due to the mold release whiskers left on the bead sealing area of the tire. Deflated and trimmed those off and no more leaks. Also no leaks when I mounted Motoz tires. Every new motorcycle I've purchased has had steering head bearing break-in and once adjusted they were fine, just like this bike.

[@benniegerber9526]

Whow this road is crazy. Well done on keeping Alaska upright for almost the whole time.

[@houjous5131]

The running theory on the heat & the cold start issue is fixed by de-cating the bike. Lots of people on advrider found that approach the best. Personally, the issue mostly went away after the dealer reflashed the ecu. And now at 11000 miles, I haven't don't even think about the cold start issue.

[@DubuqueDude]

Decat on my 901 expedition did nothing for the heat or cold start. Just loud. I went back to the cat as I prefer it quiet. I'm just used to the little bit of heat on the legs now and I just blip the throttle on startup and it never has the 1 cylinder start then. I'll get the ecu update next time I have the time as the closest dealer us over 2 hours away.

[@houjous5131]

@DubuqueDude good to know about the decat. Cops are too pissy in my home town to decat. Ive been echoing the decat because the less backpressure helping a cold start makes sense.

[@marcochavanne]

I picked up a Norden 901 after watching your initial videos on it. Couldn't get over the funky look of the KTM 890 Adventure R headlight but loved the performance. Just rolled over 7,000 miles since I got it in June of 2023. Had my first failure yesterday. OEM battery pooped out. Lithium replacement is on the way. Would love to have the the Xplor or Xplor Pro suspension on it but I am satisfied with the stock Apex setup. If I am bombing trails hard enough to justify the pricey parts I need a different bike.

[@user-tq4ll5pz6x]

You sparked my interest when you mentioned the Rallz Motoz tires and having issue with grooved roads. I have a ‘21 890R and I put on Rallz tires set at beginning of last season. They seemed good while Inited noise and also wobble on grooved roads. The last draw for the front Rallz tire was major front slippage in mud conditions while others with me did not have issue. I finally changed out the front with an Anakee Wild tire. Wow, what a difference. A lot quieter, no movement or wobble whatsoever on grooved roads and I noted it to sit on rim much better than the Rallz. Have not had chance to try with slippery mud but I am confident. Might be worth to consider.

[@hobbyaddictnbroke7678]

Great video! Im really struggling to decide between a new T7 or 890 Adventure R...

[@DBGE001]

I love wrenching more then riding, so I bought a KTM! Thank you KTM for the lovely wrenching time in my cozy garage!

[@Jimo368]

Heat is a strange thing. The hottest bike by far I’ve owned is the Honda ST1300, it was like riding a wood stove even after trying several fixes, and yet some people had no problems with it. I had to sell it because of that. It was unridable for me unless it was winter.

[@MotorbikeCoach]

This review is spot on, I've had mine for 8 months now and love this bike. I am off road adventure focused so its perfect for me. I agree with every comment, except I like the engine note 🚀

[@gbner9991]

I had KTM 690 with Xplor suspension and I found it unrideably harsh, unless you were flogging it at rally speeds. I really like the rugged design, fuel tanks and features of this 890R but if it is as stiff as the 690 it's probably not for me. I now ride a T7 and I actually prefer the softer suspension for my amateur riding. Of course the T7 kind of lacks in other departments. Honestly the biggest thing other brands need to start doing is to make them crashable from the factory, like KTM is doing. They even protected that forward fairing tip with a plastic piece. On all other bikes you basically have to add another 5kg for ugly crashbars or you will probably do damage.

[@mxbadboy263]

I had a Husqvarna dual sport with the Xplor suspension. When I disassembled the fork I was shocked to see what a cheap basic fork it was. Could not believe KTM/Husqvarna put's such a low end fork on a premium priced motorcycle. WP forks have always been the number one thing I didn't like about all the KTM's I have owned. Don't even get me started on the cheapest of cheap Apex trash.

[@Angry-Lynx]

​@@mxbadboy263it would be fine, if it were at least tuned properly. But they always too hard or too soft springs, and usually too much damping. It just doesn't make sense. And not just WP, all adv suspension. Why you still even today have to transplant enduro forks to have decent suspension on adv bike is the biggest mystery to me😢

[@jpwerth8610]

Please do a follow up video highlighting the major camshaft failures and KTM not honoring warranty and goodwill warranty claims!

[@supergnorf]

As always, excellent review Ian! And may I quickly add, Happy New Year to you and yours! I've owned a 2023 890 standard version since March/April 2023. Chose that model because of its road bias. I've since debated with myself if I should have picked the R. Multiple times. When put into winter storage late fall 2023 I had done in excess of >19.000 kilometers or 11.800 miles on it. Coming from a 1290, which I did >55.000 kilometers on, it took some time to get adjusted. I've had very few issues with it. Engine conked out once while riding offroad (at around 10k kilometers). It started again right after it died. Motor failure symbol showed up, two starts later it was gone. Nearly 10k kilometers done since that, and the issue never resurfaced. I attribute the issue to software bugs. New firmware has since been released (latest fall/winter 2023). The instrument cluster (clutch side) has been replaced under warranty. Reason was that the cruise control stopped activating for ca 1hr after bike wash. Then came back. However, even with new cluster, problem is still there. I think it's related to a sensor and water penetrating somewhere. It has never happened while riding in rain, even torrential rain. For hours. I personally have never had any issues with engine heat. Been riding the bike in >30C but cannot say it has bothered me. I tend to ride it in lower RPMS and not push it very hard into upper/peak RPMs. That might explain why the difference. Also, I've put on Touratech EVO skid plate/tank protection. It has a pretty decent venting system in the front. This might work to help channel air better than OEM and this reduce engine heat (just a theory). Returning/remaining issue: stuttering/oscillating front break. Front fork bearing has been tightened twice, which has helped. But during winter it will be checked more thoroughly. Could be something else, though had a similar issue on my 1290 and I think it's something every KTM owner just needs to (have) checked regularly. Mileage: I've easily done 100km/3.8 liters with luggage Something which, as above, might indicate riding style (plus I live in Scandinavia, with low speed limits :). As for wear: well, I heard the same story on (my generation of) 1290. At 60.000 km that engine and cam shaft was checked. No sign of any wear of significance. My personal theory is that, for those engine where this happens, they have been ridding hard, and over time. That said, they should be able to tolerate that, equally to any other brand. KTM throws "Ready to Race" at every owner, so it's on them to make products that can take the beating. I am tall person and still struggles somewhat with the geometry. Had risers on, will put on the tallest KTM makes for coming season. All in all, I am satisfied, and have trouble finding anything on the market that comes even close. Given all criteria. So might decide to sit tight and wait for the 990 Adventure, which highly likely will be available Q42024/Q1 2025. Long winded comment from an older rider (>60). Who, despite any dislikes, probably will buy KTM again :) Cheers.

[@mxbadboy263]

I sat on one at my local dealer and found the low hung gas tanks ugly and bazar. I realized the advantages of the lower cg.

[@MrChrisOcean]

Thank you so much for your video. It was on my shortlist but no one in Korea told me this much transparent.

[@jjohnson6252]

That was a great video! Thanks, buddy. I'm a bit afraid of large engine heavyweight adv's, and KTM's in general. Expensive, high performance, high maintenance. I wasn't aware of reliability issues, but I never really bothered to look into buying a KTM anyway. I know there are alot of great bikes out there, but price & reliability wise I just stick with the Fab Four. I'll take the Beatles, any day.

[@Bikergramp57]

You are definitely one of, if not THE best reviewer on KZbin.

[@alcatrazrider]

11:13 but that start process is normal, yuou need certain fuel pressure in system. I always leave the fuel pump create the pressure and than I start the engine. I never start the engine like you first described cause is just the wrong way.

[@ShaftDrive]

Channel is rocking. Really stepping up the game. Have to say your my favorite top 5 bike review channels

[@tHaH4x0r]

In my opinion the reliability thing really is an obvious result of the trade-off they are going for. The 'HP wars' in the adventure market, where everyone tries to have the most 'rebellious' bike pushes the engines, which obviously causes reliability issues. The higher engine power (for given weight/CC) can only be achieved by higher compression*. That puts more wear and tear on engine components, higher mechanical stresses on the parts, and produces more heat output. Never mind that more power always generates more heat by itself (assuming similar efficiency) in a smaller package concentrates the heat more. The heat probably also causes the clutches to burn out earlier than expected. *This bike has a crazy high compression of 13.5:1 !! To put it into perspective, even an R1M has a lower compression of 13.0:1

[@danielm6507]

Well said. KTM pushes things to the max, so it is to be expected that longevity will suffer. I'd rather have less power and more reliability (which is why I prefer the 800DE)

[@Farmaci86]

Ian, first of all, great videos and content, I am huge fan!!! Now, I have to say, I truly loved my 2021 KTM 890R because it was unparalleled off-road (best motorcycle in the world). However, I decided to trade it for the new 23 BMW GSA 1250 for more comfort so I could go with my wife on long rides, and I am glad I did it for the following reason. Dealership I traded KTM in called me a few months later saying that engine blew out, I mean no saving it. I also heard these horror stories from other people and forums and now I am terrified to buy another one. I am taking a break from KTM until they figure some stuff out...

[@jondotcom8706]

Buffering is a huge issue for me. Hopefully they improve it on the rally. Took a while to sort out the airflow on my Africa Twin but finally got it dialed

[@Scoot7827]

Visor clip or new wind screen? Enjoy the rides! 🤜🤛

[@stiingya]

SWEET! Thank you for the update on the 890R!!! VERY informative... MUCH appreciated...

[@speedytoo]

Ian, love the channel glad to see you’re telling the hard truth that this platform has its flaws. To me and many other people there’s no way I’m going ADVing on a bike I’m not confident on. The simple items that you experienced on delivery of this bike speaks volumes. There are MUCH better options out there.

[@TerrySylvester-ip9on]

KTM group needs to step up their quality/reliability game period. My first Norden 901 with zero miles didn’t even make it out of the parking lot before the coolant dumped into the engine and made the oil look like eggnog. Dealership was great; paid for my motel (it was Saturday afternoon) and the owner picked up a new bike from the warehouse and had people come in to set it up on Monday, even though they are closed on Mondays. One month and 1888 miles later, before I had even made my first payment, the throttle body failed. It was a warranty repair and took less than two weeks, but also two 340 mile round trips. My Tenere 700 has almost 23,000 miles on it and I don’t think twice about setting out on it for days. This “but the KTM/Husqvarna is so much more exciting that it’s worth giving up some reliability” doesn’t hold water. I really like the Norden and will give it a chance but my T7 is super fun to ride and I trust it.

[@richardmccay8425]

I really fancied a 1290 super duke R last year but repeated reports of reliability and coolant leaks put me off. There just seemed to be inherent problems with the model. Just recently I’ve been entertaining a middle weight adventure bike with the 890 and the Desert x in mind. Yours was the first video that honestly reviewed and disclosed the reliability issues, and again we have coolant leaks. This is like the days of Lamborghini before Audi bought them and the same with Ducati. Lovely glare though ! I know they’re decisive, but I’m on board…..I just wish they’d personally hire someone to come down hard on their quality control. Then I’d be there like a shot. Nice review 👍

[@timothybroga1704]

Very accurate review. As an 890R owner myself 10,000 miles in the saddle The seat Even with seat concepts is less than adequate. The motor I have a d cat arrow pipe Rottweiler intake and power commander mapped for both street and off-road. Love the power this motor makes Yes it is a little rattly I can deal with that for the power. Definitely agree with the low center of gravity I have gotten myself in a few situations that I wish I had not but that low center of gravity made the bike much easier to get out of than I expected. Love the suspension. The bike was a little tall for me so I installed the hyperpro 30 mm lowering springs I purchased at Touratech. I found this did not affect the suspension performance it just added 30 mm of sag. Once again great review very accurate.

[@2482jamie]

that KTM is beautifuil. great vid as always

[@witofthestaircase1]

Steering head, tire pressure & hose clamp are all pre delivery inspection items. Says as much about the dealer as manufacturer.

[@FlatIronProject]

I the pro/con candor of this bike review. And the accessory recs! Is the soft luggage problematic on the highway? That would be my one concern. Obviously off-road, I can see the benefits. Regarding the cold start troubles: I test-rode this bike at my store and wrote that down as one of my concerns to ask them about when I got back to the store. they explained that because of the low slung fuel tank design, the fuel line empties out when you turn off the Bike. So it takes a few times when the bike is cold to get the fuel where you need it without any air pockets in the fuel line. You will notice that after you've been riding if you turn it off and back on again you don't have that problem. So it's annoying, And maybe it's a design flaw, but it's not quite a defect, so it's not something to stress over. I really hated how hot the engine got. That was a major deterrent for me. Apparently the 24 model has an O2 sensor or something that they added, that does help cool the engine a little. I don't know what other side effects it has. And I don't know how that works but I just thought I'd pass that on. I just purchased and am riding the KTM SMT 890. So far I love it. But I did just take it on its first longer ride and my hands were vibrating when it ended. It was also windy as hell so I was hanging on for dear life. That could have something to do with it. 😂

[@EGACIE-ji6zi]

Great revu, I have the "old" 790 adventure and to reduce heat I have done two things: arrow decat (the cat generates a lot of heat and toast the rear shock !) and mufler modification (you can open it and cut the last tube), great soune also !! another thing I have done was to change the front sproket from a 16 to a 15 teeth. It helps a lot at low speed. I also have the axp bashplate, because it is the best and ... it is french !

[@SenditATVSSLEDS]

For cooling my buddies old SXS had a rad that would get clogged and would overheat. We'd have to wash it out during the ride. He changed the coolant to stuff called ICE if I remember correctly. After that even when clogged it was fine. Just make sure it is ok to use in your engine. Has to be aluminum compatible I think.

[@chriswildt3101]

Appreciate the honest review. The engine heat is an important issue for me. I’ve had several bikes that just got you way too hot in the summer when you are wearing proper protective gear. It may not be a dealbreaker, but it is an important consideration for me.

[@MeerkatADV]

KTM performs when you ride the bike hard. I've never had a KTM that was happy picking its way through off-road, and I've never had a KTM that ran cool.

[@BigRockMoto]

Well said!

[@BERZERKERSV4]

Agreed…. We need to get Ian off the comfy dirt/fire roads and get him on single track…

[@scheun2]

In theory this is an almost perfect adv bike. And I would consider buying one for sure if not for al the reliability issues that I hear about from multiple sources. I live in South Africa and travel solo on long trips often to other African countries. I'm just not up for the risk of getting stranded. Such a shame.

[@onemileattatime2642]

Ian, great review. Because of your original review of the 890 Adventure (non R), I bought one mostly because I am only 5'7", and it has a lower seat height. Love the bike! Anyway, yes, my bike from factory had a loose & sloppy steering head bearing, front tire would always go flat in a few days with stock tire and worse with MOTOZ (I learned to live with it), the cold start issue (your trick does help!), my gas tank when really hot will **erupt** fuel out the fuel lid!! I had to buy an after market fuel filler assembly that would breathe better.

[@oliverallen5324]

Your accessory choices are the same brands I had. Glad to see MotoZ getting some love.

[@JBGeoscience]

Excellent coverage Ian. Having recently researched and purchased a mid size ADV bike all offerings were test ridden back to back over multiple weeks. The KTM 890 R was without question the most capable bike by a significant margin but was ultimately discounted due to low build quality (at the price point) and reliability concerns (mostly due to remote solo rides being the bikes application). In Australia, November 2023 it was also 18% more expensive on-road than the Desert X. KTM's dealer coverage and approach to owner maintenance is highly commendable. Thanks

[@FanOWater]

Another great and fair review Ian. I've got over 30k miles on my 2019 790R and so far they have been without issue(yes, I feel lucky). However, the fairing is marginal and the sound is not exciting. I wish all bikes sounded like my 93 750SS. One thing I can state emphatically is how freaking tough the 790R is. I've crash tested it offroad more times than I care to admit to. Just pick it up and keep riding. Best of luck to you and your channel in 2024. Cheers

[@brianglendenning1632]

There are some amazing deals on 890R and 1290R here in Australia at the moment, and both are bikes I have looked at very closely. The “but” issue of reliability is the main reason I will not go there - I can overlook the unattractive (in my opinion) design. Nothing more annoying than being stranded.