The KTM 890 Adventure R Rally 2024 has been unveiled, along with a new rally experience in Morocco.

Just a few days after the launch of the production KTM 450 Rally Replica, KTM has now launched the 2024 version that pays homage to the sport of rallying with a road-going version.

The KTM 890 Adventure R Rally was originally launched in 2020 and, in many ways, the 2024 edition is an evolution of the original. The engine is the same 889 cc twin-cylinder unit, producing the same 106.4 hp and 100 Nm of torque as in 2020.

Likewise, the suspension is still from WP’s XPLOR line and the exhaust from Akrapovic’s Slip-On line. There are also carbon tank guards and a competition-derived rally seat.

But there are also some new features compared to three years ago. Some are the result of the evolution of the standard 890 Adventure R, and others are updates specific to the Rally edition.

Firstly, the suspension now features Cone Valve technology, the navigation is KTM’s Turn-By-Turn+ software, the ABS is linked to the riding modes, the footpegs are wider and the rear shock absorber has an aluminum guard. In addition, the connectivity kit is compatible with KTMconnect, there is a protective grille for the engine, a Supersprox Stealth rear sprocket, the fork guard offers additional protection for the front tire and the new Rally CTG has a two-tone fuel tank. In addition, the engine is certified according to the Euro5b standard.

The bike also comes with a “Tech Pack” that includes Engine Slip Regulation, Cruise Control, Quickshifter+ and Rally Mode.

Only 700 units of the 890 Adventure R Rally will be built by KTM. Reservations opened on September 20 on the official website and sold out on Friday, September 22, 2023.

O conteúdo KTM 890 Adventure R Rally 2024 launched with all 700 available units already sold out aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Two years after its launch, the 890 Adventure range has been improved. For now, we’ve ridden the base version, a very important motorcycle for the brand in commercial terms, which has received a number of improvements to make it more comfortable to use. Only the weather conditions didn’t help at all at this international presentation in Óbidos, which on the one hand gave even more value to the word “adventure” that KTM talked about so much at the presentation.

That’s right. Adventure and off-roading will always be linked to KTM, with the Austrian brand considering the 890 Adventure to be the motorcycle for travelers with the best off-road skills.

You only have to go to the brand’s website to see that KTM places its trail bikes in the Travel segment, which makes sense. Nowadays, it’s the bikes with the longest suspension travel and off-road capabilities that we see most on trips, even if sometimes they don’t even leave the tarmac. In the case of this brand, for all its glorious past in motocross, enduro and especially the Dakar, any trail model launched has excellent off-road capabilities. In fact, in this presentation we heard a lot about adventure, getting out of your comfort zone, setting off on a motorcycle with no destination – after all, what many people already do and many others haven’t yet found the courage to do.

As for this 890 Adventure, two years after its launch it has now received a facelift, along with a series of technical improvements that place it among the best in its segment. It should be noted that the more adventurous have an R version available, while a 790 Adventure version will be available in April, manufactured by CFMOTO, with a simpler front suspension and the possibility of A2 license approval.

IMPROVEMENTS

KTM motorcycles have always been considered quite radical and sometimes even a little uncomfortable, so this time the Austrian brand has opted for much more comfortable seats for driver and passenger, as well as a windshield with better aerodynamic protection. In aesthetic terms, the changes are clear to see. The bike is more modern, with lines that have been influenced by Rally bikes, and the new instrumentation, consisting of a 5-inch TFT, has also been modernized and is now much easier to read.

This is a bike equipped with an LC8c parallel twin-cylinder engine with 889 cubic centimeters and 105 hp of power for 100 Nm of torque, with 15,000 km service intervals and now with a different air filter box. Speaking of new features, it’s a much prettier bike due to the new fairings and windshield, and the connection to the fuel tank is now more rigid so that an instrument tower can be mounted, with GPS systems for example. In addition to the new seats, with the driver’s seat adjustable to two positions, there is a new engine guard and the 43 mm front WP fork has been revised, with new settings and adjustment of the compression and extension of the hydraulics in each of the sheaths. At the rear, the WP monoshock has adjustable spring extension and preload, and the tires are now Pirelli Rally STRs, mounted on 21-inch wheels at the front and 18-inch at the rear. As for the instrumentation, the 5-inch TFT has been greatly improved and is now much more functional, easily showing the driver the different levels of settings used. With an optional connectivity unit it will be possible to use the KTM connect app with Bluetooth to use turn-by-turn navigation, listen to music and receive calls.

As for the braking system, this KTM comes equipped with two discs on the front axle, with 4-piston radial calipers and Bosch cornering ABS for added safety. Among the 4 driving modes, when one of the two off-road modes, off-road or rally, is activated, the ABS is now immediately adapted to these conditions, i.e. deactivated on the rear wheel and reduced on the front.

One of the features that remains on this model is the placement of the 20-litre tank in a lower area, which ensures not only a lower center of gravity but also slimmer lines in the rider’s area. New to this model is Demo Mode, a service in which the driver can try out various options, such as quickshifter+ and cruise control, for the first 1,500 kilometers and then decide whether or not to buy them.

ROAD AND TT

During this day we drove 185 kilometers, in the beautiful central area around Óbidos, but always with rain and fog around us, so we never drove on dry asphalt, but we were able to see a lot. Above all, the driving position is very pleasant (we reached the ground well with the seat in the lowest position at 840 mm), we liked the aerodynamic protection and the seat, although still hard, didn’t make us tired. In any case, there are other seats in the optional range. We were often on and off the tarmac in the Serra de Aire e Candeeiros area, and there aren’t many bikes with such a good compromise between road and off-road. In any case, this is still a KTM, so it always has slightly stiffer suspensions than its Japanese rivals (they’d probably be at the top if we’d ridden dry on asphalt), and an engine that’s very strong in the mid-range and at high revs, seemingly always asking you to go fast. The gearbox is a little rough, but it doesn’t fail, and we used a quick shifter system that we liked. The feel of the levers is very good, the Pirelli tires are an excellent compromise for those who are constantly changing terrain, and even in the rain they’re good.

We really liked the instrumentation, which is now very easy to read, but the controls to manage it take some getting used to, and as for the driving modes, we always drove in Standard on the road and almost always in Off-road on the dirt, with which we felt quite safe and in which the traction control lets the wheel slip enough. As for Rally mode, it makes the 890 much more aggressive, and although you can adjust the traction control on the move, it’s definitely a mode for experienced TT riders. At the end of the day we averaged 4.9 liters at 100 and we didn’t even need to leave the center of the country to get plenty of adventure!

FINAL NOTES

This 890 Adventure showed off-road agility in the most winding areas, but it was on the medium-speed roads that we had the most fun and appreciated not only the engine’s characteristics but also all the cycling and electronic capabilities. And in the transition from medium to high revs, after 5,000 rpm, this engine is really exciting, even reminding me of the “old” 950 Adventure with which I had the opportunity to do many kilometers in the past. On a ride, we can go around 95/100 km/h in sixth gear – not so much before – because if this engine doesn’t even “knock” much, it’s still a two-cylinder that needs revs to show everything it’s worth.

This new KTM 890 Adventure will be available in our country in February, at a price we’ll announce later, in two different color combinations. Also available are many accessories from Powerparts, as usual with the Austrian house, as well as new equipment from Powerwear so that rider and passenger are always in tune with the model they have in the garage!

O conteúdo Review – KTM 890 Adventure – exciting but versatile aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.