On The Road

While the tank offers good leg room in the standing position, I did notice my knees were splayed a bit more than I’d like in the seated position (I’m 6’2”). The seat is also firm but remained comfortable throughout the day. The single-piece R models seat was equally firm, yet we didn’t get an opportunity do any long highway sections to determine how good either seat is for the long haul.

As far as wind protection, I wasn’t impressed with the tall screen on the standard 790 Adventure. Even in the high position, it directed air right at eyebrow level – not ideal when riding with a dual sport helmet. And for that matter, I was also disappointed to find the windscreen requires a tool to adjust it. While it’s probably a robust design, a convenient hand-adjustable screen would be greatly appreciated on the more road-oriented standard model. On the 790 Adventure R, wind protection was predictably worse with its shorty screen, only blocking the wind up to about mustache level. On the plus side, it’s a smooth ride on both bikes with very little vibration emanating from the handlebars.

Around town, the 790 Adventure feels as light and nimble as you would expect a bike weighing 417 pounds dry. And with its shorter wheelbase it can U-turn on a dime. Snapping the throttle open, even in the lower rpms, reveals a torquey motor that punches above its weight class. This is one quick machine that has no problem passing a long line of slow-moving vehicles. It accelerates to over 100 mph (160 kph) effortlessly and the fast-revving motor has lots of character. Getting it all slowed down is easy enough, thanks to a powerful set of brakes that have excellent feel and require just a single finger pull.

In The Dirt

Our first dirt ride came on the standard 790 Adventure. We stuck to fairly smooth dirt roads mixed in with patches of rocks and sand. The road-biased tires offered plenty of grip on this type of terrain and it was a good opportunity to practice some power slides and test the suspension’s bump absorption on a few rough spots.

With the ride mode set to Offroad, you can invoke mild power slides with a good feel of control. Throttle response is soft hitting in this mode, so it’s ideal for new off-road riders or for when you just want to cruise. The 790’s nimble chassis dances around beautifully through the rocks and dust, and it’s easy to impose your will on the bike with its low CG and weight. The large 21”/18” wheels also give the bike extra stability in rocks, and it tracks straight through soft sand.

Riding through some moderately-sized bumps at speed, you could feel the suspension go through nearly all of its 7.9 inches of travel, but it absorbed the bumps well and didn’t have any harsh stops or bottom outs. While we didn’t get a chance to go full Gung Ho on the standard 790 Adventure, I did get the impression that it’s a better than average off-road bike with a lot of potential. And with its low seat height, shorter wheelbase, and generous ground clearance, it would be the easier bike to ride through loose, rocky terrain – think high-mountain passes in Colorado with cliffs!

On our second day of testing, we switched over to the 790 Adventure R and rode mostly dirt. Our first tracks of the day took us through miles of deep soft sand. With its taller suspension, the R has a bigger bike feel than the standard model. Yet it floats on top of the sand and lets you correct tipovers more easily. There is also lots of room on the one-piece saddle to shift your weight back, and the short tank design lets you slide far forward to ride it like a dirt bike.

Putting the bike in Rally mode with traction control setting 1, offered a snappy throttle response and ample wheel spin in the deep sand to keep forward momentum. The only time when level 1 showed it was too invasive was riding in dunes. If you are just trying to get through it, level 1 works, but if you want to let it rip, it’s better to disable it completely. I should also mention KTM mounted Continental TKC 80 tires on our test bikes for better grip in the sand.

Once the sand receded, we were out in more open desert terrain. Rocks covered the landscape like a scaly shell and we rode through what looked like ancient riverbeds that hid patches of sand and boulders. While the trail was unpredictable, the 790 R remained steady through each surprise thrown at it. And as speeds increased, I became more confident with the suspension’s ability to absorb punishment.

Over the choppy terrain, the suspension remained soft and supple. I saw many sharp-edged bumps I was sure were going to rattle my teeth but they were barely noticed. And over bigger hits, the 790 R retained its composure. It’s a very active suspension that keeps both wheels glued to the ground for a stable ride. It gets stiff though; once you hit the big bumps, it has excellent hold up.

The 790 Adventure R offers a premium aftermarket suspension feel straight from the factory.

As my speed and confidence increased, I began pushing the 790 Adventure R harder in spots to get a feel for its limits. We were bombing through rough desert terrain at more than 60 mph (100 kph) in stints. At times, the 790 has you feeling like you are riding a small dirt bike. But you always have to stay aware that this is a big bike that carries about 100 pounds more than a 690 Enduro. Respect it, or it might bite you.

While it never felt close to bottoming out the suspension, when riding fast in loose, choppy terrain I did notice a bit of head shake. Both 790 Adventure models come with a factory steering damper, but it might be worth ordering the ‘adjustable’ damper from the KTM PowerParts catalog to help curtail this shake during high-speed desert riding.

At one point while waiting for a rider with a flat, I noticed a nice hill climb covered in loose rocks just off our planned route. I rode up the hill with TC disabled and the clutch action was super smooth, with just one-finger pressure. The 790 R made quick work of the rocky climb with just a few slips and jerks in traction. Heading back down the steep decline, the relatively low weight of the bike gave me confidence I could stop and put a leg down to balance the bike.

On the next pass back up the same hill I dialed the TC setting to 5 to see how it would perform, half expecting to get stuck in a sputtering heap of dust. But it made it up the hill even smoother than with TC off, which was a blow to my throttle hand’s ego. Taking another pass with it set to 8 (out of 9), I was surprised it didn’t slow my forward momentum at all and it made it up without a cough or sputter. Even when I stopped in the middle of the hill climb, the smart TC allows for some initial tire spin to gather forward momentum before it fully kicks in.

The Bottom Line

Does the 790 Adventure live up to the hype? In the spirit of the original 950 Adventure, KTM didn’t pull many punches when building the 790 R – equipping it with race-level componentry, a nimble chassis, muscular powerplant, and an array of sophisticated technology. When talking with 4-time Baja 1000 champ Quinn Cody, who was heavily involved in testing and development of the 790 Adventure R, I learned KTM gave him a long leash in how aggressive he could go with the settings and spring rates – using a ‘dial back only as needed’ approach. It’s hard not to appreciate the no-compromise attitude of the orange brand and their commitment to meeting the needs of the hardcore off-road adventure rider.

It’s a performance package that offers significant advantages over any LC8-powered KTM Adventure Bike that has come before it. And with a price tag of $13,499, it costs less than the current crop of mid-sized adventure bikes like the BMW F850GS, Tiger 800 XCx or the Africa Twin. It’s also $1,400 less than the 1090 Adventure R, while having more advanced electronics and better suspension. You can expect a lot of KTM riders, who’ve had a death grip on their 950 and 990 Adventures, will be trying to figure out a plan for an upgrade.

While the R may be the star, it was the standard model that intrigued me the most with its travel potential and still formidable off-road capability. It’s a split personality bike that is friendly for newer off-road riders or those of smaller stature, but it has the ability to get advanced riders into some challenging places and back out the other side. Only those looking to maneuver rock-crawling trails or bomb down beat-up desert roads might find it lacking compared to the R.

Like the R model, it has the fuel range needed for remote off-road travel, plus with a 9,320-mile (15,000-km) maintenance interval, you can avoid unnecessary pit stops during long journeys. Although for the travel-focused model, I would have liked to see a hand crank preload adjuster on the shock to allow quick settings changes for varying loads. And while an optional center stand makes sense on the performance-oriented R model, including it on the standard model would be nice for maintenance and repairs during long-distance travels. Pricing is $12,499 for the 790 Adventure, which isn’t exactly entry level, but it may entice a number of experienced riders to consider switching over to team orange.

Many have been calling for lighter, more-nimble adventure bikes that are fully capable in the dirt, yet have the power, smoothness, range, and comfort for long-distance travel. This is one of the first models to appear that addresses this market demand. So far only Yamaha seems to be aiming at this market with their rally-inspired twin-cylinder travel bike – the Tenere 700 – which won’t be available here in the states anytime soon. It will be interesting to see which manufacturers follow suit next. As of right now, KTM looks well positioned to continue dominating the hardcore off-road adventure bike market.

The KTM 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R are scheduled to arrive at US dealerships starting this April, although we have heard rumors there may be a small delay. We’ll report back any updates we receive.

KTM 790 Adventure Specs (Standard and R Model)

* Rally mode is optional on standard model

Gear We Used

• Helmet: Leatt GPX 6.5 Carbon V19.1
• Jacket: Fox Legion Downpour
• Pants: Fox Legion Downpour
• Boots: Gaerne SG-12 Boots
• Gloves: Fox Bomber Light
• Neck Brace: Leatt GPX 5.5
• Knee Guards: Leatt Dual Axis

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.