2021 KTM 890 Adventure full reveal

2021 KTM 890 Adventure

KTM introduced their new 890 Adventure R and Rally models earlier this month and overnight the Austrians took the covers off the regular 890 Adventure model.

While the previously announced Adventure R and Rally models have seat heights of 880 and 910 mm the base Adventure has a much more amenable adjustable 830/850 seat. 

The trade off is in less suspension travel but the Adventure still sports a healthy 200 mm of travel at both ends compared to the 240 of the R and massive 270 mm of the Rally variant.

Retaining a 21-inch rim up front matched to an 18-inch rear indicates that the base Adventure will still offer proper off-road chops via the confidence and stability that only a 21-inch front can provide. The hubs of the rims are now anodised rather than the powder-coated. A much lower front guard is fitted for better weather protection while touring. Ground clearance is still very much off-road capable at 233 mm.

Apex suspension by WP includes a brand- new rear shock with a hand wheel to alter preload whle the rebound damping response is also adjustable. The damping is valved for a more street based and general adventure touring role than the more off-road tuned set-up found on its R and Rally siblings. Less trail, a slightly steeper head angle and a reduced wheelbase also offers sharper road handling compared to the R and Rally models.

For 2021, the new 889cc displacement brings 10 hp more than the KTM 790 Adventure and a hike of 12 Nm on the torque graph.

A stronger new clutch comes as part of the compact Euro 5 ready engine package and KTM have added a bit more thump for the new year via a 20 per cent increase in rotational mass that will make low speed running more pleasant.

Joachim Sauer – KTM Product Manager Travel

“With the development of the new KTM 890 Adventure we hit all our marks by offering an upgraded machine for both road and gravel riding. With the new engine we worked a lot on optimising the overall performance and feeling while out riding. The result is a big improvement in the bike’s rideability, better stability, less gear shifting and added comfort for the long days on the saddle. With the KTM 890 Adventure we wanted a KTM that sets the benchmark through its performance on the tarmac while being able to veer off-road and keep the same high standards. As a true KTM Adventure, this is a great machine to adventure everywhere.”

The low under-slung 20-litre tank promises a range of up to 400 kilometres while keeping that weight down low and allowing for a slimmer seat profile which in-turn helps the rider more easily mount or dismount from the machine. 

While a switch is provided for cruise control it is an optional extra for the functionality to be enabled.

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KTM have further honed the precision and response of their lean angle sensitive ABS and traction control systems for the new model.  A ‘Rally’ mode with many more customisation options is an optional extra.

Different pistons in the brake calipers are claimed to offer improved stopping performance via better feel.

The new 890 Adventure will not arrive in Australia until April 2021.

My tip is we will also see KTM bring back the long discontinued SMT model at some stage with a bike based on the 890 Adventure platform but rolling on 17-inch rims and much sharper geometry.

KTM 890 Adventure at a glance

• New engine with 90 cc added displacement
• Improved performance with 105 hp & 100 Nm (Euro5)
• Better rideability thanks to 20% increased rotating mass
• Stronger clutch adapted to increased performance
• Engine knock control system (use of low Octane fuel)
• High-quality WP suspension components & new rear shock
• Reworked front & rear brakes for added control
• Improved ABS & MTC settings
• Anodised wheel hubs instead of powder coated
• Handlebar switch with Cruise Control button (software additional)
• Weight optimisation thanks to compact motor & fuel tank
• Slim profile, refined ergonomics & new graphics
• Travel-ready with two-part, adjustable seat & low fender
• Smartphone connectivity giving access to music, calls
• Optional KTM MY RIDE app for turn-by-turn navigation

KTM 890 Adventure in more detail

The KTM 890 Adventure produces 105 horsepower (77 kW) at 8,000 rpm (compared to the KTM 790 Adventure’s 70 kW) and 100 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm (a rise of 12 over the KTM 790 Adventure). The figures are driven out by 90.7 mm of bore and 68.8 mm of stroke with compression hiked to 13.5.1.

Additional changes include new forged box pistons with three rings and a shorter piston pin, and despite the larger bore, a 10 g weight reduction has been possible, with two oil jets compared to one per piston. Two new balancer shafts accompany the larger scale of engine performance; one is located towards the front of the crankshaft and the other in the cylinder head.

Higher valve spring rates and oval steel springs are part of the unit that delivers 20 per cent more rotating mass than the KTM 790 Adventure but without impacting the overall agility of the bike.

A new v-shape con-rod also contributes to less oscillating mass and the top end bearing contains a bronze conrod instead of one that is DLC coated, while new horizontally split crankcases are made from a high pressure aluminum cast. The weight has been optimised through wall thickness, and the surfaces of the material in order to fabricate the most efficient design. Open deck cylinders have been fully integrated.

Two Dell’Orto 46mm throttle bodies fitted with new sensors offer effective reading of the manifold pressures. Additionally, any interference between the cylinders at low or partial throttle opening has been eliminated by removal of the connection between the two intake tracts, and a knock sensor on the cylinder head improves the robust nature of the engine for the KTM 890 Adventure range. The sensor helps momentarily delay the ignition to combat knocking combustion and preserves engine life.

A Power Assist Slipper Clutch (PASC) is another upgrade over the 790 Adventure, using new friction plates; constructed for better durability and heat resistance. The architecture also guarantees sufficient oil separation, therefore making it easier to select neutral.

The new engine has also been given a larger oil cooler as part of the semi-dry sump system. A reduction of friction losses is generated by actively pumping oil out of the crankcase, clutch housing and gearbox. The updated gearbox has also been toughened with glass beading on the fourth, fifth and sixth gear cogs.

A new generation of Cornering Motorcycle Traction Control. The main difference is the combination of the independent controllers – one for wheel slip and another for pitch angle – that informs a wider range of traction control settings. Pitch control can be felt in straight line acceleration with a more constant flow as the power reduction is less abrupt and severe. Advanced riders can also deactivate traction control.

The optional Rally mode adjusts the degree of MTC intervention with up to nine selectable slip levels, tweaked to enable rider actions like front wheel lift on acceleration and rear wheel drifts.

KTM have also further refined the Cornering ABS software, tweaks have enhanced braking power while minimising the intrusion of the ABS. Off-road ABS means braking activation on the front wheel is reduced and the lean angle sensor is deactivated. Riders can then use the full locking potential of the rear wheel to steer the back end of the bike.

The KTM 890 Adventure adopt the same chassis found on the 790 Adventure, but with some notable differences, as weight has been saved while not compromising strength or rigidity. This has been reached through lighter steel profiles of the trellis sub-frame structure, and the steering stem has also been re-forged from high-strength aluminum to save more weight, while the triple clamps boast this new material.

The 890 Adventure also sports improved brakes. A stronger piston spring in the front brake’s master cylinder means a better and more sensitive feeling and feedback on the lever and ‘slim seal’ technology for the piston seal provides more accuracy with the pressure point. For the rear brake system new isolated pistons in the caliper work with isolation plates between the pads and piston for more heat stability. A stainless-steel rear brake hose fitting is another measure to keep heat in check.

As on the 790 Adventure brakes are four-piston radially mounted calipers with 320 mm discs on the front, and the revised two-piston rear caliper with 260 mm disc, both backed up by the Bosch 9.1 MP cornering ABS, including off-road mode, and being disengage-able.

Check out the 890 Adventure R and 890 Adventure Rally models here