KTM

A collection of 29 posts

Motorcycle Review

2024 KTM Duke Lineup

KTM is very good at staying on-brand. From the motorcycles coming out of the company’s factories to the lively events focused on the pure joy of riding, and even the culture oozing from every person donning that sweet racing jacket full of sponsor logos, there’s something electric in

News

2024 KTM SX-E 2

There’s that period in a young rider’s life when a balance bike becomes a toy but they’re not quite ready for a full-on motorcycle. Enter the 2024 KTM SX-E 2. This 64-pound battery-powered minibike slots in to fill that gap. Its electric motor produces 36.9 lb-ft

News

KTM Resurrects the SMT with New 2024 KTM 890 SMT

The KTM 990 SMT was a highly popular “supermoto tourer”—and then it disappeared in 2013. The developing ADV bike market, together with the Duke model line, ate up the SMT’s relevance and KTM eventually put the motorcycle to rest. For years, KTM enthusiasts have been scrambling to find

News

The Ultimate Hyper Naked: KTM 1290 Super Duke RR Returns

By the time you’re reading this, there’s a good chance the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke RR is already sold out. KTM has announced that it will produce only 500 units of the 2023 Super Duke RR, a follow-up to the popular 2021 model. The new model promises

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KTM SM-T: A New Generation of Touring Travel

In 2009, eager to stuff their LC8 V-twin into more motorcycles, KTM gave us the 990 Supermoto Travel or SM-T. It was more supermoto than traveler, but the upright riding position and perfect ergos meant you could absolutely crush the miles connecting twisty roads. The SM-T didn’t quite fit

Motorcycle Review

Review: 2023 KTM 890 Adventure

KTM chose Portugal as the place to show off the 2023 base model of the 890 Adventure. It couldn’t have been more suitable. The country’s winding paved roads, interlaced with various off-road sections, run the gamut from skittish hard-pack to lush loam, from deep sand to tree-lined rock-strewn

News

2023 KTM 390 Adventure: The Same Compact Adventurer

Despite its compactness and affordable price, KTM 390 Adventure is a fully capable race-derived machine with an impressive electronics package. For 2023, KTM has given the 390 Adventure a facelift and new tires—because it doesn’t need much else. The most striking update are the new graphics. The black-and-orange

Events

KTM Adventure Rally Heads to Norway

Adventure motorcycling enthusiasts had better start learning how to ride like a Viking. This year’s KTM Adventure Rally is heading north to the land of the fjords. The 2023 KTM Adventure Rally takes 150 intrepid KTM riders to Norway on July 24-28 to tackle the Scandinavian country’s spectacularly

News

KTM Introduces 2023 1290 Super Adventure R

Are you ready for Adventure 2: Adventure Harder? KTM sure hopes so, as the Austrian bike manufacturer has announced the 2023 1290 Super Adventure R. The second-generation 1290 Super Adventure R is designed for the hardcore off-road warriors who want to wherever they please, no matter the terrain. The 2023

News

KTM Introduces the Unique 2022 890 Duke GP

What’s black and orange and built for twisties? Why, it’s the 2022 KTM 890 Duke GP. This latest addition to KTM’s Duke lineup sets itself apart visually with its striking colorway, new passenger seat cover, and GP-derived livery. Still unmistakably a KTM, the bike has an aggressive

News

KTM and Brabus team up to make the Brabus 1300 R

Since 1977, the BRABUS name has been synonymous with luxury, handcrafted exclusivity, and performance. Known globally among enthusiasts for the creation of high-performance supercars and as automotive individualization experts for over four decades, BRABUS has since also established itself in the marine sector through its series of exclusive day boats.

Nov/Dec '21

Comparison: Yamaha Ténéré 700 vs KTM 990 Adventure

> There are varying approaches to designing a motorcycle, and naturally, there are people that prefer each approach. Some prefer sport bikes, while others prefer cruisers, but regardless of the flavor, it’s becoming common to see motorcycles equipped with more and more technology. Many are equipped with a slew

Jan/Feb '21

Review: 2020 KTM 890 Duke R

> The newest Duke is pointed up an enticingly twisty road, tugging at its leash. It begs to scamper and effortlessly lunges up the hill, its motor’s bark rising briskly before being interrupted momentarily with a pop from its quickshifter. A corner looms, and hitting hard on the brakes,

Jul/Aug '19

Review: 2019 KTM 790 Adventure/790 Adventure R

> We’ve heard about KTM’s plans for a midsize Adventure model from as early as 2013. In the meantime, we have seen the 1190, 1290, and 1090 introduced, and during this time the Austrian manufacturer has worked feverishly on the 790. Project managers and engineers attended KTM’s

Sep/Oct '18

Comparison: 2018 KTM 1090 Adventure R / 1290 Super Adventure S

> Both of these adventurers suffer from an enviable identity crisis. Either one can roam into the other’s terrain and feel quite at home. The crossover gap between the two machines widens in direct proportion to the difficulty of the terrain. The KTM 1090 Adventure R Wants to be

May/Jun '18

Comparison: 2017 Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L & 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT

Jim’s Riding Impressions 2017 Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L This Africa Twin had the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which allows either completely automatic gear shifting or pushbutton sequential shifting. The combination of a torquey two-cylinder, liter-sized engine and the DCT’s propensity for upshifting at relatively low RPMs, when in

Jul/Aug '17

Review: 2017 KTM 1090 Adventure R

> It’s the most off-road-capable model bearing the Adventure name. The 1190 is no longer, having been replaced by the 1290 Super Adventure R with an increase in displacement. Visually, the Super looks similar to the 1190. The lighter, more agile 1090 Adventure R is more enduro than travel

Jul/Aug '16

Review: 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT

> In German, there’s a word that describes an animal that lays eggs, has the meat of a pig, and provides milk and wool. In short: something that’s good for everything. Nature knows that this is difficult to achieve. That’s why she created such a wide variety

May/Jun '15

Review: 2015 KTM 1290

> Yes, it’s a KTM. No, it’s not an off-road motorcycle. Since the rise in popularity of large displacement dual sport bikes, many riders automatically assume that an upright seating position equals dirt riding, especially with these three letters on the tank. Not so. Even though “Adventure” is

Nov/Dec '14

Motorcycle of the Year: 2014 KTM 1190 Adventure

Last year we awarded the MOTY to a brand new model that changed the game dramatically (the Indian Chieftain). Under consideration again this year was an Indian motorcycle, namely the Scout, but also Harley-Davidson’s electric experiment Project LiveWire and BMW’s touring models (the RT and GTL). In the

Mar/Apr '14

Review: 2013 KTM 1190 Adventure R

What’s a Little Dirt and Mud? Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, or thankfully KTM for short, has replaced its 990 Adventure R model with the new 1190 Adventure R. Now that I’ve finally gotten the mud off my riding gear and it’s all dried out, let me tell you

Nov/Dec '13

Comparison: 2013 BMW R 1200 GS vs 2013 KTM 1190 Adventure R: Battle of the Giants

> With the allure of traveling around the world on two wheels ever increasing, the adventure-type motorcycles seem to be at their limits. “How much better can they get?” one might ask. Well, since they can already get to almost any place on earth, now they can do it fast,

May/Jun '13

Review: 2013 KTM 1190 Adventure

> The fact that KTM has been dominating the off-road circuit for years is evident by a sea of orange commonly seen along motocross tracks and trails across the country. With the all-new and versatile 1190 Adventure, the Austrian manufacturer brings the soul and character that defines its “Ready to

Mar/Apr '10

Review: 2010 KTM 990 SM T

> This past November, KTM invited the motorcycle press to sample their 2010 line of street machines in lovely Monterey, California. Plenty of hot (or in my case, lukewarm) laps were turned on the world famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca road course, aboard the impressive 1190 RC8 R superbike and

Nov/Dec '07

Review: 2007 KTM 950 Supermoto

> The burgeoning supermotard class of motorcycles offers a sizzling blend of motocross and road-racing designs that can be devastatingly quick on a twisty back road. If you've never experienced a 'motard, think of riding a big dirt bike on steroids, with lots of power, sticky street