2017 KTM 1090 Adventure review: more is better !
The 1050 Adventure, launched in 2015, became 1090 Adventure two years later, with a power leap of 30 hp. Now assisted by a "Low Power" version for A2 licenses, this KTM trail family access bike multiplies the assets to seduce. Test.
KTM 1090 Adventure test page 2 – Dynamics: balance is a force
A few rare stretches of the Corsican secondary network allow us to assess the protection of the 1090 Adventure: correct at the level of the bust and the helmet, which are almost completely spared from turbulence. The arms and shoulders, on the other hand, are more exposed than behind the "veranda" of the tested the same day. Nothing illogical with regard to the more road positioning of the "mega-maxi-trail".
The handlebars of the 1090 Adventure, wide but not excessively, offer excellent control of the front axle in addition to accentuating the lever arm. This first quality is combined with a finely managed weight balance and narrow tires (110 and 150 mm) to quickly make you forget the 228 kg fully loaded. Low-speed maneuvers are made easier: compared to the 1290 Super Adventure on the same roads, the contrast is striking !
The "little" Adventure shows a maneuverability that can only dream its big "big" sister of 238 kg. Despite its 19-inch front wheel, the 1090 Adventure is extremely easy to position and reacts quickly to orders given to the handlebars and to the footrests. The 1090 Adventure makes you want to cut across fields when the opportunity arises, where the size of the 1290 makes you think twice. Even not to risk it at all !
Not adjustable, the fork: and then ?
The operating quality of the suspensions also plays a role in this versatile register, with phenomenal absorption capacities. The damping is flexible at the start of the race, which causes fairly marked mass transfers but favors comfort. And it is not a luxury considering the firmness of the saddle !
Then the sagging curve becomes less linear and gives way to a gradual reinforcement, able to thwart the worst shocks. The result is spectacular: the bike digests everything without having its rider tasted! All for the benefit of stability and traction, including on bumpy. Really stunning! MNC feared that the lack of settings on the fork was a problem: it is not !
Only an extremely high pace ends up revealing some weaknesses, such as the tendency of the front axle to stiffen on the angle when the brakes are kept. Braking, in fact, does not completely convince in the arson: if the power responds present, it needs to be energetically summoned via a fairly spongy right lever..
Actuating the rear pedal, for its part, results in a very precise and safe slowing down. Too bad the Bosch ABS comes into action much too quickly … In view of the qualities of the chassis and the mechanical response, a radial master cylinder and coupled braking would be welcome.
A V-twin delivered
Because the 1050 cc engine breathes hard, very hard even! As on the entire Adventure range, the twin open at 75 ° delivers a dull click at idle and jolts under 2500 rpm. This relative roughness – common on such compressed twins – is accompanied by vibrations from 4500 rpm (the engine runs at 3500 rpm in 6th gear at 90 km / h), which become really annoying above 6500 rpm.
- MNC Live Smart Video : Listen to the V-twin of the 1090 Adventure
As on the 1290 Super Adventure, heat rises are also noticeable under the buttocks and along the thighs. Fortunately, thanks to an improvement in the evacuation of calories, this phenomenon is clearly less pronounced than on the old generation of LC8, as "warm" as a car parked with closed windows in the middle of summer. !
Other qualities allow you to quickly feel at ease with this engine, such as its progressive clutch and precise ride-by-wire accelerator, if not particularly smooth. The quick selection but a coarse coat is another indicator of its sporty nature, while the very short selector tip harks back to KTM’s TT roots.
The first power range lands between 3500 and 5000 rpm, where the revivals are strong enough to wind without downshifting in a winding course. Then the 1090 Adventure sends a second burst, as energetic as it is breathtaking between 6,500 rpm and 9,000 rpm. Playful, almost angry, this engine shines with its tone in the towers and its high draw for a twin. The thrust only calms down when the breaker approaches, at 10,000 rpm.
Faced with such mechanical energy, the very predictable and perfectly tuned action of the electronics is appreciated: the traction control finely regulates the arrival of power in the event of drift, but also when the front wheel leaves the ground. Something that happens frequently on the second report if we remain full throttle at the passage of 7000 rpm !
The gain of 30 hp is directly palpable in this two-sided revving, making you forget the more polished temperament of the old 1050 Adventure. In this, the new KTM is much more expressive than rivals like the or the, both more available and "round" but less playful in the laps..
Verdict KTM 1090 Adventure: attractive entry level
Less intimidating and more accessible than the (almost € 4,000 difference), the constitutes an excellent gateway to the KTM trail range. Well balanced and very well equipped, it advantageously replaces the 1050 Adventure thanks to the release of 30 hp from its twin, which makes it the mechanical responder traditionally associated with Mattighofen motorcycles..
Despite its few small flaws (firm saddle, vibrations and average braking in intensive use), the KTM 1090 Adventure 2017 stands out as one of the most attractive alternatives in its segment. Some of its rivals offer more general pleasure (especially in terms of comfort and availability at low revs), but are often more expensive and less playful….
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