S = small wheel. Smaller front = A lower bike.
It’s still got that gorgeous 1290cc V-Twin engine found in the R, but it has even more technology.
A question often asked by friends all over the place: “Do you have to have a 21 inch front wheel on an ADV bike?”
Short answer:
If you plan to do more technical riding, then, yes a 21 front does make sense because you have added ground clearance, a wider variety of rubber that can be fitted, and the added roll to help climb out of ruts. But honestly, let’s face it. Most sane individuals do not ride big adventure bikes in insane terrain. Most will do tar and now and then, the beautiful gravel roads that meander all over Africa. The advantage of a smaller wheel is lower seat height, so getting your leg over is easier and reaching the ground when you are aboard is also not an impossible task.
That’s why companies like KTM offer a big wheel and small wheel version of their ADV offerings. Most Saffers gravitate towards the bigger wheeled version because – well, just look how cool it is, but are we missing a trick? What kind of riding do you do? What suits your ride?
Back when they launched the latest 1290 S and the 1290 R, we had many discussions around this and quite a few seasoned motorcycle journalists came away from that event preferring the S to the R…. Interesting.
So, looking at the specials currently available at the KTM dealerships, we decided to scrag the 1290 S and use it for a while. Glenn used it in the dirt and for calling on customers, Sean used it as a commuter and Garth popped his nearest and dearest on the back and went off on a breakfast run.
Guys, don’t be fooled, if you think that the S is a slouch, you are sorely mistaken. Anything with a 1290 engine is faster than most mere mortals will ever need to go. The big thing about the S is the fact that it is quite simply littered with electronic wizardry and we’ll start with the electronic suspension. You can set the ride height, so a shorty, or someone who perhaps has an injury can set it low, climbing on and off is easier. Then the bike takes care of the rest.
Rider modes: how fast or slow would you like to go?
Adaptive Cruise Control: This is not available on the R, so if you are a tech fundi, you’ll love it.
Then there’s all the rest, you can google it all quite mind boggling really.
Heading out from KTM’s head office into the hustle and bustle of the traffic around Kyalami. Even on the low setting, you have a commanding view of the traffic from the very comfortable cockpit. Seat height to pegs to bars is perfectly comfortable. The TFT display is big, bold and easy to read. The screen is at just the right height.
The throttle… well that’s what makes a bike like this so much fun. It’s easy to take the gap from the lights, or to out-accelerate that taxi… and despite the bikes size and girth, it all feels light, manoeuvrable and very nimble.
Hit the gravel section that we know back to base camp. Select Enduro pro mode and open the throttle. Again, would we have been happier on the R? No idea, but we were perfectly happy on the fast, flowing trail. A big bike like this should not really be as good as it is. No bottoming, no lurching around, the electronic suspension just takes it all in, often making the rider look better than what he actually is… even with the road biassed Mitas tyres that are fitted as standard.
Hitting the little stream on the home run, we found a herd of cows wandering around. Enter the water and… a bloody cow decides to take a jog across the front of the bike… AAARGH. Thankfully, the brakes also work perfectly, even in the waterlogged environment, so the only annoying part was getting one left boot properly soaked. Gotta love Africa.
That’s what this bike is about. A joy on the tar and more than capable in the dirt. If you are in the market for a big, comfortable tourer that offers you every electronic mod-con on the market, then, this is one bike that you need to ride.
Garth Says:
Riding the KTM 1290 Adventure Sport was such a thrill, definitely the cheekiest bike I’ve ever been on. The motor is super smooth but packed with power, and the torque gets you up to speed really quickly. The quick shifter is one of the best out there in my opinion, making the ride even better. I felt like a real pro on this machine.
The seat is super comfy, and the brakes are really good. The bike feels stable no matter what I threw her in to or out of. The technology is just next level with what looked like a fancy iPad screen with the Lekker graphics. I loved messing around with the riding modes, suspension setup, and even the computerised ride height.
Wind wasn’t an issue at all, and it’s so easy to adjust the windshield down for hotter days. Riding with my wife on the back was a breeze, I hardly felt her there. She was so comfortable that she’s convinced we need to get one for these long tours.
In short, the KTM 1290 Super Adventure-S for me is a perfect mix of power, comfort, and amazing tech. I loved every second of it. Comfortable for touring with your nearest and dearest on the back. Exciting as anything riding solo and hitting the twisties…
Séan Says:
Don’t let the model designation “Super Adventure-S” make you think this is just an adventure bike. Yes, it is a very capable off-road adventurer as you would have read more than once in our publication and earlier on in this article. HOWEVER, with its slightly lower saddle height, 19”/17” mag rims and road bias tyres it is one of KTM’s answers to the market’s tourers. Yes, they have their Super Duke GT, but to be fair…. It is a Super Duke at heart. The Super Adventure-S in my humble opinion is a more comfortable and a better suited Sports Tourer.
My aim was to review the Super Adventure-S purely as a road bike come sports tourer and see what it was like to live with purely as a tarmac only bike. I took it out on a ride through the countryside where I knew there would be long open stretches with good high-speed bends intermittently. Now, being 2m’s tall in my boots I generally prefer a higher seat height, however I did leave it in the lower setting preferred by my colleagues due to them not being as tall. The advantage with that was I sat deeper in the bike which resulted in better wind protection from the windshield, fairing and tank mouldings as well as a more relaxed tourer type riding position making long distances a pleasure.
Eventually I found a few twisty bits and with a quick and easy adjustment of the seat into its higher position I had a more aggressive, almost Super Motard-ish riding position, making the “S” feel more agile and more room for me to move around and attack the corners. This also came in quite handy in the traffic, giving me a better vantage point over the vehicles and more confidence to flick the big KTM around through the traffic like a little commuter bike. I would love to do a track day on this bike, I reckon it will surprise a lot of Tupperware Torpedoes. I really do think KTM is onto something here with the 1290 Super Adventure-S. Is it the perfect all-rounder?
Is it the SUV Mall Crawler of the bike world?
It can tour, it can carve corners, it can commute and it can explore the country roads and dirt tracks with equal ease. KTM also does a great set of luggage as well as a host of other lekker bolt on bits for the Super Adventures and if you are that way inclined you can even get matchy, matchy riding gear, boots, gloves and helmets.
What’s not to like?
I am not going to bore you with all the technical specs, but this one was kitted with the full Tech Pack which is part of a special deal KTM is offering their clients at the moment along with a R30,000.00 Deal Assist, (this is the time to buy a KTM 1290 Super Adventure if there ever was one). The Tech Pack gives you the full range of rider modes, power modes, suspension and traction modes and all the bells and whistles and believe me you do want it!
