Canadian riders have even more choice in the hoon department, or in the adventure bike department. The 890 SMT is now confirmed for 2024, and the 790 Adventure will return next year as well.
KTM 890 SMT
This is a familiar face, sort of. It’s a supermoto, sort of a mashup of ideas taken from the 890 Adventure and 890 Duke models. It has long-travel WP Apex suspension (adjustable, of course!), but lacks the bulbous low-slung gas tank of the Adventure models. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard, instead of the 21-18 wheelset of the Adventure models. Instead of knobbies, the 890 SMT has Michelin PowerGP tires.
The engine itself is the familiar LC8c, with 105 hp and 74 lb-ft of torque. Lots of fun, and even more fun if you have a quickshifter enabled (that’s an optional extra). KTM does say it’s re-worked for touring, so don’t expect the exact same tune as you get with other 890 models.
Of course this machine also has the IMU-governed traction control and ABS systems that the rest of the 890 series has, along with SPORT, RAIN and ROAD riding modes. The optional TRACK mode allows you to adjust engine output and traction control in real time, just like RALLY mode does on the Adventure models. Otherwise, those settings are baked-in to the riding modes.
Fuel capacity is 15.8 liters. Keep your throttle hand to sensible mode, and you’ll be fine for touring—and KTM does say this machine is for touring. However, we guess that most buyers aren’t really planning this purchase for sensible reasons.
KTM doesn’t say much about the brakes in the PR, but we know dual 320 mm discs are standard, with four-piston calipers. And the PR also says the frame has been tweaked for supermoto riding, but not much more than that, so we’d expect the steel trellis arrangement to have a tighter steering angle.
This new bike will be in Canada in December of 2024. Ask your dealer for pricing, because KTM didn’t give us an MSRP… but we’d expect it in the same range as the 890 Adventure. Say fifteen grand, next year.
KTM 790 Adventure
The 790 Adventure is also a familiar face, as this bike was sold here before the 890 came to market. Why bring back the 790? Because it’s now made in China, but KTM partner CFMoto, and that lets KTM keep the price down… although KTM, again, doesn’t give us the 2024 MSRP just yet.
The bike isn’t exactly the same as the machine that Zac rode back in 2019 (see his review here). The LC8c engine is updated, with more rotating mass (which is supposed to improve cornering stability), new throttle bodies, a reconfigured quickshifter (still an optional add-on) and refined emissions system. It still has 15,000-km service intervals.
There’s also a new airbox, a new slip/assist clutch, and a new 6-axius IMU that powers cornering-sensitive traction control, ABS and more. As the PR puts it, “In terms of features, the KTM 790 ADVENTURE holds very similar billing to its larger sibling: the KTM 890 ADVENTURE R.”
KTM gave the bike new bodywork, including the windscreen, and the 5-inch TFT screen has a redesigned menu system. There’s also a new set of Pirelli Scorpion STR tires, with big tread blocks for off-road usage.
Want more info? Again, contact KTM’s local dealer if you want the price tag.
