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KTM 790 Adventure R

In 2021, KTM made waves with the debut of the 890 Adventure and 890 Adventure R, effectively rendering the existing 790 Adventure lineup obsolete.

  • KTM and CFMoto teamed up to bring the up-spec KTM 790 Adventure R. 
  • The KTM 790 Adventure R to feature new chassis and styling.

However, the Austrian OEM has since revived the base model 790 Adventure in 2023 as a budget-conscious alternative to its big-bore cousin. Now, KTM and CFMoto are partnering on a project to bring back the up-spec 790 Adventure R.

According to type-approval documents filed in China, the KTM and CFMoto partnership plans to revive the 790 Adventure R with new chassis and styling accommodations. The prototype image included in the documents confirms that the off-road-biased variant will sport robust 48mm WP XPLOR suspension, a high-mounted front fender, and aggressive semi-knobby tires.

While the filings don’t indicate the model’s performance figures, we anticipate the R trim to retain the standard model’s 94 horsepower and 87Nm of torque. However, without its windshield and a KTMR2R sticker plastered to its front panel, the project looks very much in progress.

As such, KTM and CFMoto could still make changes before the 790 Adventure R returns to the market.

The 790 Adventure R is expected to set itself apart from the base model 790 Adventure and the 890 Adventure R with its off-road-biased features. Given previous iterations of the 790 Adventure R and the existing 890 Adventure R, adventure riders can expect a capable and rugged machine.

KTM’s decision to partner with CFMoto for production could also make the resurrected ADV more affordable for adventure riders. The Chinese manufacturer’s experience in production and cost-effective processes could help keep the price competitive.

Overall, the 790 Adventure R’s return is exciting news for adventure riders looking for a more budget-friendly, off-road-capable bike. While we await an official unveiling from KTM, the type-approval documents provide a tantalizing glimpse into what riders can expect from the revived model.

 

KTM 790 Adventure R

Filipina merupakan antara pasaran terbesar KTM sejak model Duke 390 dilancarkan beberapa tahun dahulu di negara itu.

Ini kerana, peminat motosikal negara itu menyifatkan KTM menawarkan motosikal berkuasa besar dengan harga mampu milik.

Memasuki 2017, KTM Filipina mewujudkan kilang berkelas dunia bagi pemasangan semua model 200 dan 390 bagi Duke/RC untuk dipasarkan ke pasaran tempatan dan antarabangsa.

KTM 790 Duke

Meskipun dunia dilanda pandemik Covid-19, KTM terus mengorak langkah di Filipina apabila kilang itu kini akan menghasilkan model 790 Duke, 790 Adventure dan 790 Adventure R.

Senario ini turut membawa kepada penurunan harga mendadak terhadap model yang sebelum ini diimport dari Austria.

KTM 790 yang dikilangkan di Austria dipasarkan di Filipina dengan harga PHP820,000 (RM69,793) namun model yang dihasilkan di Filipina dijual pada harga PHP599,000 (RM50,217).

Sementara, 790 Adventure kini ditawarkan pada harga PHP 699,000 (RM59,507) manakala 790 Adventure R, PHP749,000 (RM63,764). – Top Gear Philipines 

  • The CFMoto V.02-NK 1000cc streetfighter is nearing production.

  • It is powered by KTM’s 990cc LC8 platform.

  • It is also designed by KISKA, who have designed all KTMs.

CFMoto is on the roll since their tie up with KTM and now the CFMoto V.02-NK 1000cc streetfighter is rumoured to be close to production.

KTM and CFMoto first tied up in 2014 to produce the 125 Duke, 200 Duke and 390 Duke for the region.

KTM had contracted CFMoto to build the 799cc LC8c engine which powers the former’s 790 series of bikes including the 790 Duke, 790 Adventure, 790 Adventure R and limited production 790 Adventure R Rally. The Austrians were so impressed with the production capabilities of CFMoto that they’ve decided that they will shift worldwide production of LC8c engines to China from 2021. The factory in Hangzhou can produce up to 50,000 bikes a year.

Since then, KTM sold the 990 LC8 engine which powered the mad 990 Duke to CFMoto. It’s from this arrangement that CFMoto unveiled the V.02-NK concept in 2017. Who know? The Chinese manufacturer may even introduce the first 1000cc superbike in due time.

CFMoto’s range of motorcycles are also designed by KISKA, who also designs KTMs. Thus, the V.02-NK has some design cues from the KTM Duke R but isn’t a carbon copy. There are some innovative ideas here including underseat-mounted radiator and carbon-ceramic brake discs.

Production ought to begin next year and we shall see how the final design turns out.

  • An even more dirt-focused KTM 790 Adventure R Rally will be added to the model’s ranks.

  • It gets the best of KTM’s off-road parts including suspension.

  • Only 500 will be built for 2020.

The KTM 790 Adventure is touted as the company’s attempt to revolutionize the dual-purpose/adventure segment. Now, a third variant called the KTM 790 Adventure R Rally is added to the line-up.

Although all three variants are positioned deep in the adventure market, they were given distinctively different characteristics to suit riders of different disposition. The standard 790 Adventure is more road biased although it’s still very much an off-roader. The 790 Adventure R is the off-road biased variant for seasoned and skilled off-road riders. The 790 Adventure R Rally you see here is for the hardcore off-roader. Think of it as 18 SX, softcore and hardcore.

The Adventure R already has some of the best features for off-road riding, but the Adventure R Rally takes it even further.

Starting with the suspension, the Rally gets the WP XPLOR PRO 7548 forks with cone valve technology. The rear shock is a WP XPLOR PRO 6746 with a progressive damping system (PDS) setup. The change of suspension raises the seat height by another 30 mm over the Adventure R’s 880 mm to 910 mm. That’s dirt bike territory. The wheels are also narrower and uses inner tubes.

The package also includes KTM Quickshifter+ (for up- and downshifts), even flatter seat, rally footpegs and Akrapovic exhaust. There are also translucent deflectors beside the headlamp nacelle.

No price was provided, but KTM will build on 500 of these babies for the model year 2020.

  • Prices for the KTM 790 Adventure and and KTM 790 Adventure were released by KTM Malaysia recently.

  • KTM intends to revolutionize the dual-sport market with the new bike.

  • The 790 Adventure is priced from RM 78,800 while the 790 Adventure R is priced from RM 84,800.

Prices for the KTM 790 Adventure and and KTM 790 Adventure R were released by KTM Malaysia recently

KTM had listened to the wishes of adventure and dual-sport riders around the world in creating the new bikes. Consequently, both variants are “different” when compared to dual-sport motorcycles in its middleweight and of capacities, as well.

But it wasn’t a case of just building an adventure bike with two variants. The Austrian manufacturer wanted to “revolutionize the dual-sport market.”

The engine is shared with the 790 Duke naked sportbike, but tuned for smoothness and tractability, especially in the rough. The new LC8c parallel-Twin allows KTM engineers to place it in the frame for optimal weight distribution, hence easier handling characteristics. Another benefit is the lower seat height.

Next, the fuel tank is moved downwards to the sides of crankcase. Doing so moved the bike’s centre of gravity downwards. There are two benefits to this: 1) It makes the bike more stable and not top-heavy; 2) It allows the rider to move around easier when standing up in the rough.

790 Adventure (left) and 790 Adventure R (right)

The 790 Adventure (without the “R”) is more road-biased and intended for riders who tour and include some light off-road in their itinerary. The 790 Adventure R, on the other hand, is more off-road biased.

As such, the 790 Adventure R includes a Rally mode where the rider could choose the level of traction control and throttle response on-the-fly.

You can read about our impressions in the link below:

KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Adventure R Test & Review

The 2019 KTM 790 Adventure is priced from RM 78,800 while the 2019 KTM Adventure R is priced from RM 84,800. The prices are inclusive of SST but not on-the-road.

Please follow KTM Malaysia’s official Facebook page for more up-to-date information.

  • Kami telah berpeluang menunggang uji model KTM 790 Adventure dan KTM 790 Adventure R di Maghribi.
  • KTM telah menggelar kedua-dua buah motosikal ini sebagai motosikal dwi-sukan paling berkebolehan untuk penunggangan ‘off-road’.
  • Kami telah menunggang uji motosikal-motosikal ini di atas jalan raya dan juga di padang pasir.

(more…)

  • We tested the KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Adventure R in Morocco.

  • KTM calls both bikes are the most offroad capable dual-sport bikes.

  • We tested the bikes on the road and in the desert.

Thanks to KTM Malaysian and KTM AG, we flew into the North African nation of Morocco for the KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Adventure R International Media Launch.

The base of operations was set in the oasis town of Erfoud (known locally as “Arfoud”), near the Algerian border.

Introduction to the KTM 790 Adventure platform

The 790 Adventure family is touted as the “most-capable adventure bike in the market.” KTM are confident that it will revolutionize the adventure/dual-sport category, by moving away from the “traditional template” of dual-purpose motorcycles.

In developing the bikes, KTM says that they have been listening to customers from the casual offroad rider to the pro such as Chris Birch.

Their mission resulted in two distinctly different models based on one platform. The 790 Adventure (which is normally called the “S” model) is more road-biased, while the 790 Adventure R is more off-road biased.

Although they resemble the 690 Enduro R, they are actually based on the EX/C concept of compactness and lightness.

First and foremost, both bikes share:
  • 799cc, parallel-Twin, LC8c engine, with camshafts and ECU tuning for more low-down and midrange torque. It produces 94 bhp at 8,000 RPM and 88 Nm of torque at 6,600 RPM.

  • Chrome-moly trellis frame.
  • 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wire-spoke wheels. Tyres are Avon Trailriders on the Adventure and Metzeler Karoo 3 on the Adventure R.
  • Low-slung 20-liter fuel tank.

  • Twin-disc front brakes gripped by four-pot calipers.
  • Engine bash plate.
  • TFT screen.

  • Bodywork made of a special coloured polymer which resists scuffing.
  • A fairing designed to channel wind and engine heat away from the rider.

We’ve covered some of the features and technical stuff in other articles prior to this (please click here). But what we’ve not are the electronics.

Both bikes use IMU-based traction control and cornering ABS, in addition to Motor Slip Regulation which works in conjunction with the slipper clutch. There is also Offroad ABS for both models.

The 790 Adventure has three standard ride modes: Street, Rain and Offroad. The 790 Adventure R, on the other hand, has an additional ride mode: Street, Rain, Offroad and Rally.

The Rally Mode has a new implementation. Instead of being based on a certain preset “strategy,” it’s fully configurable to the riders needs and riding conditions.

For example, after switching to Rally Mode, you can choose the level of throttle response to either Street (smoother) or Offroad (more aggressive). After that, you can switch the level of traction control intervention from 1 (almost totally off) to 9 (most assistance). The TC level can be altered on-the-go via the up and down buttons on the signature left-hand switch block.

Rally Mode can be added as an option to the base model. Other electronic options for both bikes are Quickshifter+ which works for up and downshifts, Cruise Control and MyRide

Riding Impressions: 790 Adventure

Let’s get on with riding rather than being stuck in too long of an introduction.

We first rode the Adventure since it’s the base model.

Our session was later in the afternoon, so the weather was much cooler. But that also meant that the wind had grown stronger.

Climbing on, the first thing I felt was the similarity to a KTM EX/C-F enduro. The top of the fuel tank was just above my belly button, rather than below the rib cage. There are two reasons for doing so:

  1. The small tank top allows the rider to push his weight to the front to put more weight on the front tyre, similar to an enduro bike.
  2. More stability especially in low speeds since the weight of the fuel in carried down low.

Although stated as 850mm in the lower position, the seat height allowed me to plant one foot solidly on the ground, while the other rested comfortably on the footpeg.

The engine pulled quickly through the gears while the quickshifter kept the revs up. The sweetest changes were from 3rd-4th-5th. The gears popped in immediately without much of a stutter. Despite the strong winds and slipper road covered in fine sand, we managed to clock nearly 160 km/h in a number of sections.

Still, the bike exhibited very light handling traits, being able to change directions quickly as we rode up the side of a lush valley. The single-lane road was twisty and inviting but the wind played havoc with my steering inputs. A few times the bike plopped over unexpectedly, causing the rear wheel to slip a little.

Besides that, the low fuel tank meant that my body was positioned further to the front of the bike. The handlebar felt a bit twitchy at times, like it would on an EX/C. I got a bit confused.

Was it me steering too hard?

We managed to ride the bike a short distance offroad to a vantage point, and  it felt well-balance. I just kept it in Street Mode, but the bike didn’t feel like it was going to dump me onto the trail. Many of these riders have ridden in these types of conditions, which are totally different from ours in Malaysia.

When we stopped a Moroccan village to shoot street photos of the KTM 790 Adventure, youngsters came out to greet us and take photos with the bikes. In another village, even younger boys cheered as we rode by. They even encouraged us to pull wheelies by lifting on imaginary handlebars.

The wind died down on our way back to the hotel. Now the bike felt different. Still eager to turn with every steering input but wasn’t too skittish as before.

Riding Impressions: 790 Adventure R

The organizers decided that we should leave much earlier in the morning to avoid the strong winds. We dragged our ragged bodies out of bed at 5.00am to freshen up and breakfast before heading out at 7am. My group was led by KTM Rally Team boss and ex-Dakar Rally winner Jordi Viladoms!

Anyways, the first impression on the “R” felt good due to the narrow body and handlebar set at just the right height and width. But I still had the same problem with all KTMs: Reaching the kickstand with the left foot. Maybe the Powerparts kickstand has a tang higher up the shaft…

However, the R felt so much better when we headed out. The suspension gave the bike a much tauter feel despite the chunky offroad tyres. The R is equipped with fully-adjustable WP XPLOR split function forks and fully-adjustable XPLOR rear shock. Together, they 240 mm of travel, compared to the 200mm on the standard bike.

We soon hit the first trail, a hardpacked section. We continued riding in Street Mode until we stopped to switch to Rally Mode and select our preferred throttle response and TC level.

We cut into another trail with more soft sand. It was here that the low tank that confused me yesterday started to make sense. Standing up, my knees were well forward, so turns in the dirt were taken with confidence. I’ve always had problems with U-turning a bike, but it was easy on the R, as the weight is down low.

I’ve only ridden in sand once before in South Africa 5 years ago, compared to riding offroad in the mud and gravel we have at home. The sand grabbed at the front wheel as soon as I slowed down, throwing it left and right. But as soon as the power came on, the bike straightened itself out quickly and smartly. Unfortunately, as I said earlier, my body was so stiff from riding the computer desk.

We rode into the edges of the Sahara Desert. The flat, open country side turned into the sort of dunes we saw in movies like “The Mummy.” (I didn’t know the movie was filmed here at this point. More on this later.)

“Ok, so now we ride up those dunes for the pictures and videos,” said Senor Vilaroms. He switched off the MSR and MTC then said, “Ok, go!” Gulp.

On my first go, I rode up the side and gave the bike throttle. The bike cut smartly through the sand.

On the return run, the film crew was right in front. I was scared of hitting them so I slowed and leaned the bike left (instead of pushing it down). The sand grabbed the front wheel and I gave it as much power as I could without shooting straight into the photographer. The bike straightened up, but I was too close to them, so I tapped the front brake. The dune swallowed my left foot and we went down… in front of a whole row of other riders. I wondered if they were laughing or feeling sorry for me in their helmets.

The helpful KTM crew including Adriaan SInke, Senior Product Manager – Midrange came over to speak to me. They gave me the option of covering the course by road to the next stage before turning into a gravel and sand trial. Leading me will be Luke Brackenbury, the Press PR Street Manager. We could switch between the base model and R on the way if I’d like to.

Luke asked, “Do you wanna go to the prison?” Eh? But I just agreed. (I had just uploaded pictures to Instagram saying, “Welcome to Tatooine” and now have a guy named Luke leading me.)

The 34 km/h side winds whipped up dust devils across the road but we rode through them. As soon as we come through the other side, Luke pulled a huge wheelie.

I got on the base model for the rest of the way and discovered that it was just as capable in the rough, even on the 50/50 road/offroad tyres. As my confidence level rose, the offroad lessons taught by Rob Armstrong, Oh Kah Beng and Chris Birch started to return. Now, I grabbed handfuls of throttle over deep sand and jump over rises. The 790 Adventure is made for this kind of fun! I even slowed to spin the rear wheel to fishtail it. BWAHAHA! Take that!

We made our way through the countryside which resembled NASA’s pictures from Mars. Indeed, NASA carries out lots of Mars research in this area. There were a number of movies shot around here, too.

Luke and I reached the “Prison.” It’s actually Gara de Medouar or “Portugese Prison.” I looked like the crater of an extinct volcano but it’s actually a rock formation from the prehistoric Cambrian/Devonian era. It’s called the “Prison” because it used to house African slaves to be sold to Portugal.

In recent times, it’s the film location for movies such as “The Mummy,” “The Mummy Returns,” “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” “James Bond: Spectre,” and “The Secret of the Sahara.” WHOA! I was at Hamunaptra!

The trails leading to this location is listed in dangerousroads.org as being er… dangerous. But the 790 Adventure (standard) and 790 Adventure R shrugged it off like another Sunday ride.

We shot a few more photos and headed back to the hotel. A few riders from another group joined us to head back earlier, hoping to catch the Qatar MotoGP at the hotel. The wind had truly picked up at this point and the bikes in front were leaning sideways while travelling straight. We made it back to the hotel in one piece.

Conclusion

There two things which I felt could’ve been better. One was the standard seat on the base model which was a little stiff but there’s always the Powerparts gel seat. Two, KTM had welded a tang on the R’s kickstand but it was low down. Other dual-sport bikes have stands with the tangs higher up. But again, these are just personal gripes.

Both KTM 790 Adventures are truly offroad capable as the manufacturer advertised. They may lack the sport-touring feel of “traditional” dual-sport bikes but if your trip includes tougher offroading than just a couple of jungle trails then you can consider the base model. On the other hand, serious offroad riders plus Gabit, Bee Wong, Alex Wong, Charles Loo, et al ought to do well on the Adventure R in Rimba Raid.

Pictures by: Marco Campelli, Sebas Romero and Wahid Ooi Abdullah

  • Kami telah diberi peluang keemasan untuk menunggang uji model KTM 790 Adventure dan KTM Adventure R di Maghribi pada minggu ini.
  • Kedua-dua motosikal ini telah diperkenalkan sewaktu EICMA 2018.
  • Kedua-dua motosikal ini menambah lagi kepada rangkaian 790 yang turut didiami oleh model 790 Duke.

(more…)

  • We will test and review the KTM 790 Adventure and KTM Adventure R in Morocco later this week.

  • Both bikes were introduced in EICMA 2018.

  • They expand the 790 range which also includes the 790 Duke.

The 2019 KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Adventure R were unveiled at the 2018 EICMA show in November. Their introduction expands the 790 family, following the launch of the 790 Duke in Malaysia back in June 2018.

However, no one has ridden or reviewed the two new 790 Adventures as they are yet launched worldwide. But fear not, because BikesRepublic.com will be present to test ride both bikes during the International Media Launch in Morocco, courtesy of KTM Malaysia.

Till then, we can offer some introduction.

Engine

Both bikes use the same LC8c 799cc ultra-compact parallel-Twin as the 790 Duke. However, bearing the “Adventure” name means they are offroad capable, hence the different engine tune. Instead of the 103 bhp and 87 Nm in the Duke, the Adventure’s engine produces 94 bhp and 88 Nm.

LC8c engine

KTM 790 Adventure

The 790 Adventure is a more road-biased dual-sport model. As such, it boasts a shorter suspension travel than the 790 Adventure R (200 mm vs. 240 mm), although taller than the 790 Duke (200 mm vs. 140 mm front/150 mm rear). The changes in suspension also gives it an 850 mm high seat height.

The forks are non-adjustable while the rear shock is adjustable for preload only. 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels are fitted with Avon Trailrider tyres.

Besides the suspension, it has a 20-litre fuel capacity. Instead of enlarging the fuel tank, the extra fuel is carried low in front of the engine. This way, the bike keeps its low centre of gravity. The “low” fuel tank is impact resistant.

KTM 790 Adventure R

The 790 Adventure R is a more off-road biased dual-sport motorcycle. Because of that, KTM it features longer-travel suspension. Moreover, it’s the only KTM 790 model to have fully-adjustable suspension. The rear shock is adjustable for spring preload for low- and high-speed compression and rebound damping. The forks, on the other hand, are adjustable for compression and rebound damping.

The 790 Adventure R’s suspension has 240 mm of travel on both ends. Consequently, the seat height goes up to 880 mm.

This model also uses 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels, but they are fitted with Metzeler Karoo 3 tyres.

Last but not least, the KTM 790 Adventure R also has a 20-litre fuel capacity and has the fuel tanks mounted like the Adventure.

Stay tuned for full report and videos!

  • Motosikal KTM 790 Adventure 2019 dan KTM 790 Adventure R 2019 telah dilancarkan.
  • Model asasnya itu lebih sesuai untuk kegunaan jalan raya manakala varian R adalah untuk penunggangan ‘off-road’.
  • Model-model ini telah diperkenalkan di pertunjukan EICMA 2018.

(more…)

  • The 2019 KTM 790 Adventure and 2019 KTM 790 Adventure R have finally been launched.

  • The base model is more road-centric while the R version is for off-roading.

  • They were unveiled at EICMA 2018.

The 2019 KTM 790 Adventure and 2019 KTM 790 Adventure R have been finally unveiled at the EICMA show.

The two models have spent much time in development, while KTM launched the 790 Duke first.

There are two versions with both sharing the same basic specs. However, the base 790 Adventure is biased more for road use, while the 790 Adventure R is for hardcore off-roading.

 

As with any KTM, there are a bucket load of features, but we’ll cut to the chase. The engine produces 94bhp and 88 Nm of torque. The engine power is down by 11bhp from the 790 Duke’s engine, as it tuned for a broad spread of torque rather than outright speed.

The base 790 Adventure uses the WP APEX 43mm forks and WP rear shock, providing 200mm of travel on both ends. On the other hand, the 790 Adventure R is equipped with WP XPLOR forks and WP rear shock, both with 240mm travel for more ground clearance. Both models use 21” front and 18” rear wheels.

Besides that, the base model’s seat is a flat 2-seater, while the R has a stepped dual-seat arrangement.

As for electronics, both bikes utilize an IMU (inertial measurement unit) for lean-sensitive Cornering ABS and traction control. The ABS can be turned entire off or just for the rear wheel.

There are three standard riding modes in addition to an extra “Rally” mode. Rally modes is optional for the base model and standard on the R.

The styling gives the bike the look of a Dakar Rally race bike and utilizes the split LED headlamp.

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