KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 Touring Motorcycle

The Austrian manufacturer KTM has very interesting motorcycle alternatives for allroad riding and the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is a true competitor for the allroad category leader BMW R1200GS 2015 in every way and provides one of the largest selection of relevant features as standard. The KTM has very strong sports and offroad racing competence which led earlier to legendary models such as the KTM 990 Adventure and the more extreme Adventure R which have been very popular due to various reasons, but at that time there was no real weight on touring enduro features. Now things are different and due to the fact that the factory has a lot of history and experience in off-roading and desert racing, we can expect a lot from the model expansion. The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is one the most sophisticated and advanced touring enduro with serious offroad riding features.

The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is especially designed and very much capable for true allroad touring with serious mileage and significant payload. It offers in it`s class state of the art handling features and leading power to weight ration. The 1190 is also comfortable and intelligent allroad touring enduro. The basic model is slightly less adventurous than the brother model KTM 1190 Adventure R 2015, mainly due to the smaller 19 inch front wheel and 30 mm. lower ground clearance. The 1190 is not too tall and it has very good riding ergonomics which can be tuned according to preferences with the adjustable rider seat, foot pegs, handlebar and the windscreen. The famous KTM handling and the combination of the powerful V2 engine with comprehensive touring features, makes 1190 one of the best and most exciting allroad touring enduro in the market. Without a doubt the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is also an excellent every day bike.

 

KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 Features

The standard KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is a very comprehensive package with strong features and very few short comings. The factory offers a lot of touring and comfort accessories to complete the 1190 according to every preference and the equipment manufactures continue from there on. This is one the reasons to choose the 1190.

The powerful KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 LC8 twin engine gives a sporty touring enduro character, moves even heavy payloads with ease and it has also long service intervals of 15 tkm or 9321 mi. which is very good for longer tours. The 1190 is ride by wire throttled which translates together with the anti-hopping clutch into sophisticated throttle response to both directions which is a relevant safety and comfort factor in allroad riding. The back torque can be very strong with big twin engines and lead to unintentional rear wheel chattering. Unfortunately the cruise control is not available which is a clear short coming of any touring motorcycle today. I find that very odd decision from the factory and expect a correction asap.

The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 offers versatile ergonomics and several adjustments to fine tune the geometry according to personal preferences. The basic 1190 is not very tall and it is in fact the only KTM model with adjustable rider seat providing two positions with 15 mm. or 0.6in difference. The handlebar can be clamped in two positions giving a difference of 10 mm. or 0.4in. The foot pegs can be also mounted in two positions with 10 mm. difference. The standard 330 mm. or 13in tall windscreen offers on top 25 mm. or an inch adjustment, but the tallest riders can replace it with 55 mm. or 2.2in taller touring windshield.

One of the special KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 comfort features is the WP steering damper and the factory was the first to include it as a standard feature in the allroad touring enduro segment. The WP steering damper softens the hits and jerks pulling the handlebar when the front wheel regains the grip after a powerful acceleration on any surface or when riding offroad on uneven and impact-full surfaces. Those who like to extend such features, can replace the handlebar clamps with rubberized clamps. The KTM dealers offer soft, medium and hard rubber clamps to choose from.

Probably the weight competition has forced the factory to go with the average size fuel tank which keeps the adventurous KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 rider checking the nearest station and carrying a reserve canister, even with the improved fuel economy. From it`s nature the 1190 is a sports touring enduro and slow riding seems hardly typical from the consumption point of view. Note that the minimum octane requirement is only 95RON – 89AKI. The factory offers optional fuel dongles to adjust the fuel mapping for lower octane settings and on top the rider can switch the ABS and the MTC off for long term offroading. Note that the engine restart activates those systems automatically and it is impractical to reset it after every start.

The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 has a fully adjustable WP suspension which can be factory upgraded with an electronic damping system EDS. Personally I prefer the WP suspension due to the weight savings and because I like to set and forget, but those who ride frequently with the passenger and changing payload conditions, would benefit from the quick adjustments. The electronically adjustable suspension EDS offers 3 comfort areas and 4 payload settings more or less similar with the competition. There are typically comfort, street and sport setups. The payload can be set for solo riding with or without the luggage, but also with a passenger. Settings are changed with the left hand multi controller. The electronically controlled suspension fits very well to light allroad and urban touring and the 1190 rider benefits from the quick adjustments without actually suffering from the additional weight.

The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 stock tyres Continental Trail Attack II are very urban from nature and may need to be changed depending on preferred routing, but unlike the BMW R1200GS 2015, the cross spoked rims are not limiting the 1190 rider options. The absence of a driveshaft is a signature decision from the factory. In order to transfer the power the most efficient way, keep the overall weight as low as possible and maintain the best possible maneuverability, a chain drive needed to deliver the power to the ground. Although X-ring chains are today extremely good and require less maintenance, the KTM rider has to take care of the lubrication every now and then. Therefore a chain oiler equipment would be a practical way to take care of it. Otherwise the 1190 rider needs to spray the chains regularly on the center stand. The key KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 features are:

KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 Stability Control

The distinctive KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 LC8 engine is the sportiest in the category and offers performance beyond any reasonable needs. Therefore computer controlled riding modes and the traction control MTC comes as standard 1190 feature which is relevant on versatile surfaces for most of the allroad riders. The traction control MTC is integrated with the ABS. The stability control system MSC provides 4 different throttle management settings in combination with the traction control and a complete off setting. The SPORT riding mode gives the most direct throttle response and allows significant rear wheel slipping. The STREET mode is almost the same, but limits the rear wheel slipping into moderate level. The RAIN mode reduces the power delivery down to 100HP and keeps the rear wheel slipping in the moderate level. The OFFROAD riding mode reduces the power delivery, but allows significant rear wheel slipping. The MTC can be also switched OFF providing the maximum performance and riding aid free control for experienced riders.

 
The progressive KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 ABS is a clear step up from the typical tarmac anti locking features. First of all the front and back end are working combined which means that the hand brake controls the rear wheel braking too. The 1190 ABS control is integrated with the traction control and operated in the same menu. The ABS has road and offroad modes, but it can be also turned completely off. The ROAD mode works as typical integrated ABS and the hand brake applies for both ends. The OFFROAD mode allows the rear wheel to be locked without any ABS control while the front wheel is still under the control of the ABS. The fact that the MTC and the ABS are activated in every single engine start, is annoying detail which can be cleared with an optional plugin dongle. The plugin is called a fuel dongle and it keeps the offroad settings on after the engine start.

KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 Instrumentation

The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 cockpit instrumentation is very much up to date and clearly comprehensive providing the best support for touring navigation and fuel monitoring. There are 2 LCD displays, warning symbol lights and a traditional tachometer in the middle. At the left there is also 12V power outlet for travel electronics. The left hand LCD display provides detailed onboard computer information which can be even grouped individually and set as favorite:

The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 right hand main LCD display offers the basic riding information such as:

KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 Equipment Accessory

The standard KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is well equipped from the standard bike point of view, but requires more protection when used in allroad. The engine guard and proper crash bars, but also a pair of LED auxiliary fog lights would be in order. Since the 1190 is chain driven and the center stand does not come as standard, the main stand would be a practical add on. Perhaps a chain oiler would be interesting too. The standard windscreen can be adjusted 25 mm. which is not a lot and since the frame and ergonomics are quite large, tallest riders probably need the 55 mm. taller touring windscreen and / or perhaps a spoiler. Those who need to expand the fuel settings for lower octane, can choose a special fuel dongle with proper fuel mapping. On top of that the MTC and the ABS can be switched OFF for a long term (even after restart) offroad use. Those who start the season early or ride all year long, may enjoy 3 stage heated OE -grips and rider`s seat. Of course the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 needs a good luggage system too and the KTM dealers offer 2 proper TOURATECH pannier sets. As long as the routing is reasonable and not the most adventurous, the rest concerns mainly traveling and comfort equipment. Personally I enjoy having an almost vibration free handlebar, thanks to the rubberized clamps.

The TOURATECH offers a wide set of accessories for the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015. Just to pick something practical and useful up, I recommend to invest on the GPS navigator stand which is ideally integrated with the instrumentation. The head light protector with quick release function is also very useful when riding on gravel roads and the side stand extension is a good idea for every touring enduro in this weight class.

KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 Comparison

In comparison to the category leader BMW R1200GS 2015, the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is 8kgs (17.6lbs.) lighter, offers 16kgs (35.3lbs.) more payload capacity, 23HP more engine performance, 3L (0.8USgal.) more fuel capacity, but 130W less alternator performance and on top the 1190 is chain driven. They both offer the same amount of torque which is more relevant for touring purposes, although the 1190 has slightly better power to weight ration. From the ergonomics point of view they are very similar and the best of the line. Still the 1190 offers more features and standard equipment such as cross spoked rims, adjustable footrests, hand guards, daytime running lights DRL, LED indicators, a comprehensive onboard computer and traction control. On the other hand, the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 has no cruise control nor shaft drive available and the standard 1190 includes no engine guard nor center stand like the GS.

They both offer also electronically controlled suspension systems as an interesting option, but the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 has a traditional USD front suspension which is slightly better in offroad riding. On the other hand, the BMW Telelever is slightly better on the road which makes them both different and equal at the same time. At the end, the main difference concentrates to the absence of the shaft drive and more versatile adventure character of the 1190.

VS YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015

Compared to the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 upgrade, the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is fueled 27kgs (59.5lbs) lighter, offers 15kgs (33.1lbs) more payload capacity, 36HP more engine performance, the same fuel capacity, but no travel maintenance free shaft drive and 150W less alternator capacity. From the equipment point of view, they both have the same size cross spoked rims and electronic riding aid systems as standard feature, but the 1190 stability control MSC is more advanced for offroad riding on versatile surfaces. Also the KTM onboard computer is more comprehensive.

They both offer reasonable wind coverage and optional upgrading in terms of a touring windscreen. On the other hand, the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 offers no cruise control option like the YAMAHA. The improved SuperTenere ergonomics make the difference smaller than before, but the 1190 offers on top foot peg and the handlebar adjustments. The SuperTenere is better for shorter riders due to the 810 mm. or 32in low seat alternative. From the riding point of view, the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is a lot sportier and due to the second best offroad handling features, the 1190 is clearly adventurous allroad touring enduro. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is more traditional allroad motorcycle for light adventure touring at the most.

VS TRIUMPH Tiger 1200XC Explorer 2015

Compared to the TRIUMPH Tiger 1200XC Explorer 2015, the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is 37kgs (81.6lbs.) lighter, offers 6kgs (13.2lbs.) more payload, 11HP more engine performance, 3L (0.8USgal./0.7UKgal.) more fuel capacity, but 500W less alternator performance and no shaft drive, nor cruise control. In addition the Explorer has low octane fuel settings as standard feature, but the 1190 requires an optional fuel dongle. They both offer stability control systems as standard, but the 1190 MSC is more advanced and versatile. The ergonomics are in the bikes also in order, but the Explorer has more rider seat height options available. The 1190 is slightly taller and offers more ground clearance which is relevant for offroad riding. The Explorer offers no optional electronically adjustable suspension system like the 1190.

The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is much more agile, sportier and handles very well in offroad riding. The weight difference is significant and clearly the 1190 rider can take more routing challenges, but the smaller alternator does not support well the charging needs for two and the chain drive requires regular maintenance on the tour. The TRIUMPH Tiger 1200XC Explorer 2015 character fits very well in urban and light allroad touring with a sporty nature and comfortable touring for two.

VS MotoGuzzi STELVIO 1200 NTX 2015

Compared to the MotoGuzzi STELVIO 1200 NTX 2015, the KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is fueled staggering 66kgs (145lbs.) lighter, offers 29kgs (64lbs.) more payload and 43HP/12Nm. more engine performance, but it also offers 100W less alternator performance, 9L (2.4USgal./ 2UKgal.) less fuel capacity and no travel maintenance free shaft drive. Alone the big STELVIO -fuel tank makes a 6,3kgs (13.9lbs.) difference in weight, but there is additionally crash bars, skid plate, pair of fog lights and a set of side panniers on top of that. Still the weight difference is remarkable. They are both designed for allroad touring on versatile surfaces, but the Adventure is clearly much more agile off-roads due to the weight difference and exceptional handling features. The STELVIO is hardly sporty and the power to weight ratio is one the lowest, but the V2 is surprisingly fluent and controllable. The ergonomics are good in both bikes, but the Adventure offers more adjustments and alternatives. The STELVIO offers one of the lowest rider seat height which also translates to a low 185 mm. ground clearance.

The KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 is very sporty, advanced and highly offroad capable touring motorcycle, but suffers slightly from the regular chain drive maintenance and an average size fuel tank. The Adventure has very sophisticated stability control systems with additional offroad mode, but the STELVIO -electronic riding aid systems can be only switched OFF. The MotoGuzzi STELVIO 1200 NTX 2015 is comfortable and good for both urban & light allroad touring. On the other hand, the weight makes the STELVIO like a train on highways and provides a natural counter balance for the maximum rear end payload. These touring enduros are basically in the same allroad touring category, but very much in the opposite ends from the riding characters point of view.

VS KTM 1190 Adventure R 2015

In comparison to the more aggressive and adventurous KTM 1190 Adventure R 2015, the basic KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 model has 30 mm. or 1.18in less suspension travel and ground clearance which translates also to 15-30 mm. or 0.6-1.18in difference in seat height. From the equipment point of view, the 1190R has also tyre pressure monitoring system, center stand and crash bars as standard feature. The 21 inch front and 18 inch rear wheel are also bigger which makes the 1190R model more comfortable in offroad riding on loose surfaces and therefore offers the best offroad handling features in the category.

The single piece KTM 1190 Adventure R 2015 seat can not be adjusted and it is more sporty from nature, but also less comfortable from the urban touring point of view. The single piece seat is from design more smooth to ride in standing posture and allows aggressive rider maneuvering to the back. The short 1190R windscreen reflects the same emphasis and provides more room for the rider to lean forward, but also less wind coverage for improved rider ventilation. The KTM 1190 Adventure R 2015 is clearly better in challenging conditions and technically demanding allroad touring. The basic KTM 1190 Adventure 2015 model is less aggressive than the brother, but offers more comfortable allroad touring on every surface and even with a passenger.

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