2015 KTM 1190 Adventure my thoughts so far

[Clutt gt]

So back in October I let go my beloved HD Road Glide for something more adventurous.
The KTM 1190
The quick on some of the specs and features that attracted me to this bike.
MTC / motorcycle traction control
Adjustable by 4 ride modes dirt/ rain/ sport/ street
ABS with three modes On/ Off/ Off-road (which is abs front only)
Lean angle abs brakes that work in conjunction with the mtc.
Hydraulic butter smooth 1 finger pull clutch
Quick shifter no clutch needed
Electronically controlled suspension means you don’t need to be a suspension tech, you just select from the menu what you want it to feel like. ie the load or the terrain.
And I’m not going to lie with purchasing in October I was very pleased to find the previous owner had installed heated grips that are controlled in the main menu.
So the power plant
1190 LC8 V twin making 150hp/ 100hp in rain or off-road modes
The extras on this bike
Nice throaty GPR slip on
Sw motech hard pannier system (quick release)
Ktm hard tail bag (looks awful but handy and quick release in seconds)
Tour tech headlight guard
Heated grips
Short tinted wind screen (adjustable 3”)
Adjustable anodized levers
Anodized caps everywhere
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[Clutt gt]

So the ride review
She is big very very big
Once you manage to climb up on this very tall bike it’s all good. She hides her hefty 500lbs very well. Until she doesn’t.
Yes I’ve dropped it twice. In the first two weeks.
First was a trail that turned too slimy for my current tire. That will change soon.
Second was lack of confidence in a sandy section and oops I can’t reach on that side and over I go.
Did I mention she’s a very heavy girl.
Now the good
Omg the mtc and abs are seamless. You can not tell they are working they just do.
+3 and wet roads / rain mode stab the gas and you accelerate slowly without spinning a tire.
If you wat to play dial it in off-road mode you can play
Street mode become more power but tame, sport is go time and she goes.
Turn off MTC and go full on hoonigan in sport. Um maybe in the summer time. Lol

[88 hatchback]

I've got the 990 adventure R - with a mild knobby tire - they will go anywhere.

Some say that it's not a single track bike.... they are. But if you're going to ride off road, get yourself a set of Panniers for the bike - they make picking it up a hell of a lot easier.

[Clutt gt]

I found I didn’t enjoy the trails as much as I thought I would. I generally keep it on the pavement throwing in the odd fire road or rail bed type trails. It’s just too big of a motorcycle for me off road. Combine that with my 30” inseam and 31” seat height and it’s just not enjoyable.
But as a mile muncher omg it’s the sport bike you can ride all day and brig half of everything you own.
I have rode 800km in a day on everything from rail beds, gravel roads, back roads and hiway.
Definitely loving this bike

[ZR]

Not to mention it's epic cool looking.

[Clutt gt]

Well that’s debatable
I’m not crazy about the looks. She definitely not the Classic lines and beautiful paint of a big HD. Not the sleek sexy look of a super sport. To me it looks confused like a jacked up elcamino ��

But crossing Oshawa on a night out with Ryan I was admiring the bat mobile beauty that is his MT09 and realizing he feals how rough the road is while my almost dirt bike suspension soaks it all up.

[88 hatchback]

I found I didn’t enjoy the trails as much as I thought I would......Combine that with my 30” inseam and 31” seat height and it’s just not enjoyable.


That makes a lot more sense in that case - I'm a little longer in the leg - but I love throwing the bike around off road - mind you, there are also a lot more trails that I ride here on the west coast....
I also started riding offroad on a DRZ400 - and went up to something bigger.


My biggest complaint about KTM is the same about European vehicles.... Parts are rare. Rare= expensive. They're not cheap to maintain - but they're a hell of a lot sturdier than some of the Japanese off road bikes that are out there.