Dear KTM, What are you doing? With the end of production for the 990 Adventure there is a huge gap in your lineup and I live in that gap. I love my 990R, I absolutely freaking love that bike but, soon I will need something new. I see that 1190 and I know what you are doing there but it is too big for what I do. I have read all the reviews and it looks like a homerun, but it is not for me. I am a traditional dual sport guy, lots of goat trails and fire roads and long forgotten desert roads going way too fast mixed in with the occasional 1000 mile road trip. My 990R lives for it, loves the abuse, it is a 100hp dirt bike with street manners that leaves me laughing into my helmet like a madman. When I first rode that I bike I thought your engineers and I were on the same wavelength. I am not so sure now. What are your thoughts for a guy like me? The 690 is awesome and I would love to have one but it would be brutal on long road trips. I am a loyal guy and I will wait for a while. BMW and Triumph both have serviceable 800s in their lineup where is ours?
your wishes may come true.. For me I love the 950/990 platform, I don't want a smaller displacement bike, unless it was 150 lbs lighter. Although I like the rally styling, I don't se it as very good for my style of riding, down pipe to get smashed, and the big tower to break my neck on. Im glad there are so many unused or lightly used lc8's available. IMO the best bike ever made
Yeah, I want an 1190, had a 950. Have a 990 SMT. Have a DRZ400. All the 800's weigh too much. Lots of companies can make a middleweight adventure bike but don't..."why is this?" Is the question. Until then an 1190 and a 690 would cover me!
My 990 is the best bike I have ever owned too. Even when I drop it a few times in a row and I can't pick it up anymore. That's what I do to it in private Outside, I feel like that while I am on it, either way with a huge grin.
"I see that 1190 and I know what you are doing there but it is too big for what I do..." --- altego What I would really like is a 990R like bike with a curb weight of 375 to 400 pounds. Sounds like altego and I have a taste for the same types of paths... I've had one of the 800's... You can go there but you may not be happy.
sure KTM should sell the "R" as 990 and the other one for those who love tarmac and fu** any BMW they´re only thinking about sales. i wish never listen to that........... "All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die."
I liked Geek's take on it from the megathread: It still seems like such a strange move to blend in with the GS-Strom-Tenere-Tiger-etc... Wasn't it KTM's biggest asset that they built seriously off-road capable bikes that fit that niche market.
Which doesn't have the sales of the other "adventure" market but might allow the development...and production of the desired 800ish bike.
It should be 7 pounds lighter! Trouble is when spending that sort of money most want bells and whistles not hard core.
It's all about the $$$. KTM needed a big adv bike to go head to head with the GS, Triumph and even the Duc Multistrada. I only wish they'd have come up with a better exhaust routing similar to the 990.