Archive for November 2021

KTM 790 Adventure R

2021-11-22 by Andrew Holmes

So as I mentioned in my last post I've treated myself to a brand new* KTM 790 Adventure R. I haven't really done much with it yet, partly because I haven't had it that long (about 6 months) and partly because it is so well set up out of the box. Modifications I've done so far are limited to luggage (I went with the excellent Bumot luggage and racks) and a GPS mount above the dash. I've still got some things I want to add such as a more robust bash plate, a crap flap (to stop crud being sprayed all over the headers), maybe new levers (though the stock ones aren't bad) and I'd love to buy the rally tower from Rade Garage (because if I'm honest, the KTM isn't the best looking bike in the class).

Otherwise there isn't a lot it's missing out of the box - it doesn't require crash guards due to the design of the fuel pods being down low which protect the engine and body work (and give it amazing agility and a feeling of being 30kg lighter than it is), the motor, though quiet, has a nice growl to it from the stock exhaust and I really like all the small details scattered around the bike (the tool storage in the side plastics, the fact that the New Zealand bikes get a set of reusable foam filters from Unifilter, the amazing LED headlight, the awesome quickshifter...). It handles really well for a bike with a 21" front wheel - like a sports bike at the speeds we're allowed to ride here in New Zealand on tarmac and super stable when barreling down a gravel road. It's even pretty manageable in sand considering it's up over 200kg fuelled.

It's not all roses - the build quality isn't up there with the likes of the Japanese (I don't mean things like welds and cable routing, more things like condensation in the dash, small niggles like the rear brake light switch being dead on arrival for my bike, sometimes stalls after starting from cold) but the good far outweighs the bad and I'm sure with proper maintenance it will give me years of fun - it's an awesome bike and I can't wait to get a few more kilometers under the tyres!

* Yeah, I bought brand new after saying I'd never do that again, or at least not for a while. You see I bought my Moto Guzzi brand new in 2015, then ended up selling it under three years later in 2017 and losing a ton of money in the process (my fault really, you shouldn't sell vehicles that quickly if you can help it). My bikes up until that point had all been second hand and it's hard to argue with the value proposition that brings, and I've had over 4 years of great motoring out of my Buell at a fraction of the cost a new bike would have set me back. But there aren't many 790 Adventures (or Tenere 700s) out there second hand yet and the dealer did me a great deal due to wanting the 790 gone to create space for the 890, so I went with it in the end. Hopefully this is a bike I'll keep for years to come so I can get maximum value and fun from it!

New Bike (and other updates)

2021-11-22 by Andrew Holmes

Holy moly it's been a while between updates - over a year in fact! During the hiatus there have been a few changes in my life, the most important of which was the birth of my son. Having a baby around has made life a lot of fun but it has certainly cut down on the amount of time I have to ride, and the few times I've managed to book a sanity weekend away on the bike in for myself the event ended up being cancelled due to the ongoing lockdowns in the country.

There have been a few changes though to my two wheeled situation over the last wee while - the DR-Z and Buell have now gone and in their place is a brand new KTM 790 Adventure R! I wasn't planning on getting a new bike (and I certainly wasn't going to buy brand new as that's a great way to lose a lot of value very quickly) but after a rather trying year between a new child and the ongoing mental strain of being stuck at home during lockdown I decided to (at my wife's insistence) treat myself as it might be a few years before I'll get the chance again - going forward I'm sure more of my time and money will be spent on my son! The KTM was a good deal as they marked the 790 down to clear them out for the current model 890 and with the money saved I've bought some nice pannier racks and luggage to go on the bike.

The original plan was to keep the Buell along side the KTM but the reality is my wife won't be coming on any multi-day rides with me for a while and paying for registration and insurance on two large bikes seemed a bit pointless, so after keeping them both for about half a year I realised it just wasn't getting any use, so it's now gone. For shorter day trips the KTM will be fine two up, even if it is a lot less comfortable than the Buell was. I'm still a bit conflicted about that - I really did like the bike and I think it's a future classic that is only going to get harder to find, but the KTM suits my current riding a lot more and it's hard to argue with all the modern safety items like lean angle sensitive ABS and traction control. It is certainly a lot more nimble down gravel roads and I find that I have a lot more confidence riding it fast on loose surfaces - where the Buell was a lot more work and felt skittish in its 17" rims the KTM is just so easy and I find myself being a lot more relaxed on it while at the same time going a lot quicker. It is certainly a lot less effort to keep up with my buddies on an Africa Twin and Triumph Tiger, even if the Buell did give a bit more excitement in the form of feeling closer to wiping out!

Anyway, here's hoping that as the lockdown eases I'll be able to sneak away for the occasional day trip on the new bike and who knows, maybe I'll be taking my boy to a motocross track in a few years on a PW50 or similar - get 'em started early I say!