KTM lives and breathes by the ethos of being ‘Ready to Race’. The Austrian brand has always been a company willing to push the envelope of design and quickly bring new ideas into production. It’s also keenly aware that in 2022 a truckload of new machines, some from well-established road bike manufacturers, will enter the adventure bike market and they’re going to bring their road heritage to the marketplace.
Even though the pool of adventure riders is growing exponentially, it’s going to be a tough year for manufacturers but a great year for buyers. This is a time for your best game and KTM has come out swinging with its flagship model, the 1290 Super Adventure R, by giving it a new design smothered in updated components. But to be competitive and recruit new riders, the 1290’s seat height has been significantly lowered to 890mm, which is more in line with rival brands. Wrestling 200-plus kilograms of any bike on your tiptoes is a nerve wracking experience and KTM has gone out of its way to reduce the angst.
Consistent with that, dare I say, road bike orientation, KTM has lengthened the 1290’s swingarm to improve tar cornering manners, redesigned the cooling fan to direct hot air away from the rider’s legs, and redesigned the cockpit that immerses the rider ‘in’ the bike, rather than a more dirt-oriented ‘on’ the bike feel. The shorter distance between footpeg and seat is noticeable but comfortable for me at my 178cm height. For taller riders, a rally seat is an optional accessory that many will likely take. The 1290’s seat width is also narrower, as is the restyled fuel tank that tapers to the rear, providing the rider
