New “spy shots” out of Austria show KTM’s 890 Adventure lineup is getting a facelift for 2023 — a literal one, with the cowling, fairing and windscreen receiving the most obvious revisions. There will also be a new street-oriented edition added to the platform. 

The changes to the nose and fairing of the spied 890 Adventure models sound minor on paper, but they do affect the visual character of the bike. Gone is that distinctive praying mantis head created with separation between the existing model’s headlamp shroud and side panels. Instead, the new fairing integrates into the cowl for a more traditional look and presumably, increased wind protection.

The photos, posted by Cycle World, show the windscreen also seems to be slightly more voluminous, curving back toward the rider and closely wrapping around the upper three edges of the carried-over headlamp. 

It appears a new, larger TFT screen will arrive with these bikes, keeping up with the market trend. 

The new fairing reaches forward to edge the radiator and down to integrate with the 890 Adventures’ existing low-slung, saddlebag-style fuel cells, which appear unchanged. According to reports, a full aluminum bash guard is set aside for the ADV R, while the combo plastic and alloy version seen here will be standard on the base model and new street-minded version.

This new entry, which will presumably be dubbed Adventure “S” to match its corresponding model in the 1290 Super Adventure range, stands apart on 17-inch alloy wheels nabbed from KTM’s 890 Duke. Its snug front fender is also Duke issue. In the spy shots the S doesn’t have a windshield attached to its bracketry for some reason, but it will undoubtedly be sold with one, likely similar in size to the standard model’s unit. 

The small auxiliary lights tucked into the new fairing on the base model look cool, but might come with an added cost. 

Interestingly, the addition of an 890 S seems to have freed up the base model’s off-road vibe, as we see it utilizing a high MX-style fender for the first time and wearing more aggressive rubber.    

Beyond these cosmetic and functionality updates, little else appears to be altered for this new generation, the third since KTM first debuted this model as the 790 Adventure in 2019. The tail section, seat and frame remain the same, as does the exhaust system, which signals this model won’t be swapping the existing LC8c parallel twin with a much rumored 990 powerplant. 

Suspension carries over too according to Cycle World, with the R keeping its house brand WP Xplor setup while the base and new S models are equipped with WP’s Apex kit. In these photos the S is running sporty Continental ContiRoadAttack 3 street tires, while the base version has traded its street tires for chunkier Pirelli Scorpion Rallys. The top-of-the-line R appears to be shod with Metzeler Karoo 3s. What we see once the bikes reach stateside may differ of course. 

While serious adventure riders won’t have much interest in a new outdoorsy street bike, the expansion of the 890 Adventure platform is a clear indicator the adventure bike market is on an upswing, which means more of the good stuff is sure to follow. 

Author: Jamie Elvidge

Jamie has been a motorcycle journalist for more than 30 years, testing the entire range of bikes for the major print magazines and specializing in adventure-travel related stories. To date she’s written and supplied photography for articles describing what it’s like to ride in all 50 states and 43 foreign countries, receiving two Lowell Thomas Society of American Travel Writer’s Awards along the way. Her most-challenging adventure yet has been riding in the 2018 GS Trophy in Mongolia as Team AusAmerica’s embedded journalist.