We’ve been waiting for the KTM 790 Adventure R for a while now, but last weekend, a bunch of lucky enthusiasts were given a chance to ride the machine during the weekend of the European Adventure Rally.
The 790 Adventure prototype was officially unveiled at EICMA last year, but we weren’t given an arrival date. KTM’s staff were making no promises. But since then, we’ve seen the machine pop up here and there at events around the globe, and after last weekend, it seems all but certain we’ll see the bike for sale next season, as KTM is now describing the machine as a 2019 model.
Over three days, KTM let 150 customers ride the new parallel twin-powered ADV machine during the rally on Sardinia, so they’re obviously feeling pretty confident the prototype is basically ready to go. While we haven’t seen a load of information on the new machine’s specs, KTM is saying the new bike has a low seat for easy riding, and a low-mounted fuel tank to keep weight more manageable. That fuel tank is said to have a 400-km range.
There was some suspicion the new bike would be budget-built to keep price down, but now KTM says it will have fully-adjustable WP forks and PDS shock. Of course, switchable ABS is standard; the brakes feature four-piston radial-mount front calipers. The bike will have LED lighting all around, and an onboard electronics safety system with driving modes and (if we deciphered the German press release properly) leaning ABS. The engine is the same 799 cc vertical twin that’s used in the 790 Duke.
KTM says the machine’s full details will be revealed at EICMA, and we’d expect to see it for sale next spring, although it might take longer for it to arrive in our market.
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