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Driving report KTM 950 Adventure

attack!

KTM blows to attack: The two-cylinder rocket 950 Adventure is intended to open the gate to the street market for the previous off-road specialist. Here exclusive first driving impressions of the .

There are motorcycles with which you drive a kilometer or two, get off again, walk around the machine in disbelief and just think: Booooaaah, that’s it. Such moments are rarely granted to hardened professional testers. But the KTM 950 Adventure is one of those rare specimens for those rare moments. Even after the driving report of the rally version (MOTORRAD 10/2002), the author was already suspecting what could be rolling towards us from the Alpine republic. Because the mighty 950 Rally, Dakar winner under Fabrizio Meoni, was already based mainly on series material. This is especially true for the engine? apart from the ultra-loud roar of the desert racer. In rallies, the Austrians combined the pleasant, i.e. the sporting activity, with the useful, i.e. the series testing. Now MOTORRAD had the exclusive opportunity to ride one of the few pre-production models of the 950 Adventure. This is exactly how it should be at the dealer by the beginning of March at the latest.
So what makes the new V-Two stand out from the crowd? Exactly, the crowd. The KTM unit is extremely light, at 56 kilograms it easily undercuts common two-cylinder material from BMW to Ducati by 10, 15 kilograms. Of course, lightweight construction also means that weight had to be saved on all moving parts. And what turns makes not only heavy, but also sluggish. While other manufacturers consciously use weighty tranquillizers, KTM uses lightweight construction as a stimulant. The reduction of rotating masses brings a tremendous dynamic into play. Think of it as something like clamping two EXC-525 motors together. The Adventure engine certainly doesn’t have the relentless thump of the lowest tours like a V-Rod Harley, nor does it push in any area like a Ducati 999. But it exudes a hitherto unknown lightness, incessantly encourages a cheeky driving style – just a real KTM.
The reduced centrifugal mass is of course noticeable below 3000 revolutions. It chops, hits, the chain whips. But it runs smoothly with the LC8 engine, it moves steadily and firmly. Things get fun from 5000 to 6000 revolutions, the motor rushes through the belt in a flash, the Bregenz native often puts an abrupt end to brisk activity at 9500 revolutions. Caution is advised: common sense and points account for discipline, KTM should only entrust the two-cylinder adventure to mentally stable people.
The engine delivers 98 hp in the standard trim, so it is pretty much on par with the two-cylinder travel enduro competition. In terms of power alone, the Adventure does not drive the class competition into the ground, but the performance is, in absolute terms, impressive. In no time at all, the clock shows 180 km / h, even for a speed of 200 a mile-long run-up is not necessary. However, tall drivers will hardly be able to withstand this pace any longer, because the fairing creates strong turbulence in the head area. The wind protection is very good for contemporaries under 1.80 meters.
Due to the design, vibrations cannot be completely eliminated. The 75-degree V engine is compact, but not optimal in terms of mass balancing. The balancer shaft, which is actually conveniently placed between the cylinders, does not manage to completely eliminate the manifestations of life. The V2 becomes clearly noticeable in the handlebars from about 6000 revolutions, until then it runs quite smoothly. During the four-hour test drive, however, the vibrations in the handlebars never became a nuisance. What happens when you drive at high speeds on the motorway must be shown later on. The carburetor engine is robust, and yet cultivated, because it pleases with silky smooth transitions. Almost imperceptibly, he accelerates again at the apex of the corner. So, in principle, you could also trundle wonderfully through the landscape at 4000 revolutions? if you didn‘t always have this permanent greed in your neck.
The six-speed gearbox certainly also contributes to the sporty character. The connections always fit perfectly, the spread is rather narrow. The last gear is not overdrive, but a real driving gear. The gears lock precisely, with short distances, supported by a cleanly separating, smooth-running clutch. The chassis is also more geared towards jagged driving. However, not in the sense of hard, but of a tight basic set-up with excellent feedback. Very rarely does the blow of a manhole cover penetrate the arms a little rudely, only once on the test lap does the front slightly vibrate in an inclined position due to faults in the asphalt. However, criticism of the fork would really be whining at the highest level. The hindquarters are also pleasing thanks to their good response and progression, since nothing pumps even in alternating curves on undulating slopes.
The sitting position also supports the constant urge to set the speed bolt. The handlebars are bent like a thoroughbred sports enduro, the elbows fold up automatically, ready to attack. Apart from the powerful engine, you feel like you’re on a single-cylinder adventure. This feeling of astonishing maneuverability, unbelievable lightness only suddenly disappears when you have to maneuver the tanker off-road. As soon as the thing loses its speed, you only sway a little while standing, the additional kilos compared to a single cylinder and the high center of gravity are dramatically noticeable. This applies to 1.90-meter giants like the author, but even more so to little contemporaries who generally have problems with the high bench. But so that no wrong impression arises: the KTM is vastly superior to conventional two-cylinder enduros.
D.he brakes have a weight of 190 kilograms
(dry) on and offroad no problem at all. Two powerful 300 mm discs with the usual double-piston floating calipers stop at the front, which can be easily dosed even on slippery ground. The rear, rather biting pliers require getting used to, but are even more convincing afterwards. Even at higher speeds, beautiful braking drifts in the supermoto style are possible, so the area on the Alb is quickly marked as adventure terrain with black lines. The 950 Adventure undoubtedly sets new, sporty accents in the two-cylinder enduro segment. Only one question remains: What does the fun cost? The price has not yet been definitively calculated, but is likely to rise above the 12,000 euro mark. Some will call for retreat instead of attack.

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