Mcfimeh Adventure Bike Rentals-2021 KTM 890 Adventure R | (Off) Road Test Review

Up, up and away! You may not want to jump your $14,749, 468-pound adventure bike, but if you do, the WP XPLOR suspension ensures a well-controlled landing. KTM brings its “ready to race” ethos to bear on the new-for-2021 890 Adventure R. Whatever you dish out, it can take it. (Photos by Kevin Wing)

There are motorcycles that make us better riders. Some strike such an ideal balance between fit, feel and poise that they become part of us. Riding them is easy and intuitive, as second nature as walking. Others possess a synergetic combination of engine and chassis characteristics that seem to give us superpowers. They trigger something deep within our limbic system that heightens awareness, perception and readiness.

And if we’re lucky, a motorcycle does both.

Then the magic happens. Confidence rises. Senses sharpen. Fear, doubt and distractions fade away. Time loses meaning. Welcome to the flow state, being “in the zone.”

Despite its 21-inch front wheel and Continental TKC80 knobbies, the KTM 890 Adventure R handles confidently on pavement.

Deep immersion in the riding experience — being out in the world, on a motorcycle, for the pure enjoyment of it — is what makes our shared pastime so addictive. It’s why racers race and tourers tour and Iron Butt riders go the distance (and then keep going). It’s why a Sunday morning ride is so restorative and members of our tribe joke that “you never see a motorcycle parked in front of a psychiatrist’s office.”

Which brings me to the KTM 890 Adventure R. Over the course of more than 1,400 miles, it taught this old dog some new tricks.

Off-road-ready, the 890 Adventure R has a short windscreen, a one-piece rally seat, cleated platform footpegs, Continental TKC80 knobbies and optional Rally mode.

Rewind to March 2019: I’m in Morocco for the global launch of the 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R. With a revised version of the 799cc LC8c parallel twin from the 790 Duke, a unique low-slung fuel tank design, a lowest-in-class wet weight and an impressive ensemble of engine, chassis and electronics, both bikes proved themselves remarkably capable on- and off-road. Further testing by the Rider staff on home soil garnered sufficient praise to earn the 790 Adventures our 2019 Motorcycle of the Year award.

Tucked behind the horseshoe-shaped fuel tank, which carries most of the 5.3 gallons of premium down low, is a revised version of the 889cc LC8c parallel-twin from the 890 Duke R.

Just two years later, KTM has updated the platform. Adapted from the 890 Duke R, the engine now has more displacement and a higher compression ratio. The intake and exhaust valves are larger, and a more aggressive camshaft profile has more lift. Lightened forged pistons and V-shaped connecting rods reduce reciprocating mass, while a 20% heavier crankshaft improves low-rpm throttle response and dual balancer shafts quell vibration. New horizontally split crankcases are made from a high-pressure aluminum cast, with weight-optimized wall thicknesses and fully integrated open-deck cylinders. And like the 890 Duke R, the Adventure R has better throttle-by-wire response, a beefed-up clutch and a shortened shift lever stroke and lighter shift-detent spring for faster shifting. Chassis updates include an aluminum head tube, a lighter swingarm, revised suspension settings and refinements to the braking system.

Up front is a 21-inch tubeless spoked wheel and dual 320mm discs with 4-piston calipers. Switchable, dual-mode cornering ABS is standard.

For years I’d read reviews about new-and-improved motorcycles and think to myself, “Why didn’t they design it that way in the first place?” But it’s not like manufacturers start out with a bag of tricks and dole out a few with each model update. Engineers are human; they’re always learning. They gather testing data and feedback, and they use it to find new ways to make improvements, shave off weight and add features. Hominids have been tinkering with motorcycles for well over a century, and through an iterative process of trial and error, they’ve gotten really freaking good.

A low-slung, horseshoe-shaped fuel tank, with sculpted pods on either side of the engine, helps the 890 Adventure R overcome the gyroscopic effect of its 21-inch front wheel.

So it wasn’t surprising when I pointed our 890 Adventure R test bike — with a mere 15 miles on its odometer — towards the nearest gnarly road and it displayed impressive performance right out of the gate. Sure, I’ve tested the full range of KTM’s Adventure line — the 1190, 1090, 1290 and 790, in various R, S and T configurations — and I drew upon that experience and familiarity. And I’ve tested competitors from BMW, Honda, Triumph and Yamaha as well. While some readers feel we have a bias towards adventure bikes here at Rider, the truth is that their inherent versatility and well-rounded capability make them hard to resist. Different types of motorcycles are like different flavors of ice cream; none are better than others (OK, rum raisin is pretty terrible), they’re just different.

Full-color TFT automatically adjusts background for ambient light, and it displays all the information you need to know. KTM’s menu system for changing modes and settings is intuitive.

On a single ride I breezed up the freeway; I attacked corner after corner on smoothly paved, wonderfully wandering back roads; and I played in the dirt, steering with the rear out of corners and jumping water bars with a big grin on my face. By pushing several buttons on the left switchgear, I altered the throttle response, traction control and ABS. Our test bike is equipped with the optional Tech Pack, which includes cruise control, Rally mode (aggressive throttle response and on-the-fly TC adjustments), Quickshifter+ (clutchless up/down shifting) and Motor Slip Regulation (reduces engine drag torque during aggressive downshifts or throttle chopping).