Catch a wave

[Born2BMild]

Catch a wave

The KTM Adventure is a true off-road bike – even in the surf, discovers Kevin Ash

There is a dawning realisation among motorcycle buyers that what are traditionally seen as all-rounders aren’t quite as all or as rounded as they might be. A typical sports tourer can go far, go fast and go to work, but that leaves one aspect completely uncovered: off-road riding.

On tour: Kevin Ash on the S model in Fuerteventura
It can be done, though. The improbable big-capacity trail bike was invented by BMW in 1980 with the R80G/S boxer twin and, whether by accident or design, the genre – good examples of it, at least – has proved capable of encompassing every one of these disciplines within its envelope.

Recently, film star Ewan McGregor’s Long Way Round television series seems to have precipitated a change in attitudes towards these bikes. After he and Charley Boorman took two BMW GS1150s to New York via Europe and Asia, big trail bikes have suddenly become cool, their go-anywhere ruggedness now an acceptable alternative to MotoGP performance.

Some traditions don’t change, though. Just as the superbike that is fastest at Donington by a quarter of a second will top the sales charts, so off-road ability matters in the showrooms, despite the tiny percentage of buyers intending to take advantage of it.

The BMW GS series works off-road, as McGregor proved, but faux trail bikes such as the Honda Varadero and Suzuki V-Strom are merely off-road styled and have seen no concomitant sales increase.

KTM, however, is a serious dirt bike factory, only venturing into road bike sales in the past few years. The first Adventure 950, which arrived in 2003 fitted with the Austrian factory’s debut twin-cylinder engine, saw its sales lifted by the BMW’s success, despite being a direct rival.

For 2006, that has been superseded by the new Adventure 990, with fuel injection in place of carburettors, a capacity increase, chassis revisions, various detail changes and, for the first time on a KTM, ABS brakes. Two versions are available, the stock 990 and the more off-road-biased Adventure S, which features longer travel suspension, a different seat and unique paint. ABS is not an option on this model.

To prove the extent of the bike’s abilities, our riding route in Fuerteventura not only took in every conceivable type of road, but, in a first on a press launch, I got to ride the bike in the sea. While its performance in wheel-deep salt water was amazing, what really impresses is the Adventure’s real-world attributes.

The 75-degree V-twin is the lightest and most compact motor in the class, yet it is a punchy unit suited to all sorts of situations. Mostly, it will be used for touring, when the low and medium rev torque makes it effortless. Up the pace and the bike drives out of corners confidently and is happy to be spun hard, producing useful power until the limiter calls time near 10,000rpm.

The sweetest spot is in the 5,000rpm to 7,000rpm range, the muscularity enhanced by the eager and predictable throttle response. It vibrates quite harshly in this area, although it is not as irritating as the buzzier vibes of a four and the offbeat blat of the soundtrack adds character.

The chassis is equally impressive, in particular in its high-speed stability. Trail bikes generally become vaguer as the speed increases, but the Adventure tracks true. It is also the most agile bike in the class. In corners, the tyres grip enough to get the footpegs grounding, which is harder than most riders would want to push it. The S version isn’t quite as secure at high speeds, but that is relative only to the stock 990.

For touring, it works superbly, especially because KTM has finally discovered how to make seats comfortable. The distinctive, if not pretty, fairing does a good but wind-noisy job of protecting the rider, while the 4.8-gallon tank should offer a decent range, although the 950 could be thirsty and we didn’t get a chance to check the 990’s consumption. Because the bike’s accessories list includes a wide range of luggage and related equipment, it is fair to say it excels as a touring bike.

You really can take it off-road, too, and for tougher terrain than farm tracks and forest firebreaks. Powerslide it through the surf too if you feel the urge; two machines disappeared beneath the waves altogether, but were running again perfectly after half an hour’s drainage.

If you really do yearn for proper off-road ability, then there is only one rival, the excellent BMW R1200GS. The KTM is lighter, much more compact, sharper, more exciting, better in the dirt and generally superior on the road, with no obvious downsides either, aside from BMW’s superior dealer network. Even against trail-styled machines, the Austrian bike comes out on top.

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