In a world where the cost of motorcycles has climbed steadily, it’s refreshing to see a mainline manufacturer offer such a good value option.
Pics: Black Rock Studio and Foley Foto
A few years back, we went along to the launch of KTM’s 790. That was the bike that set the tone for harder adventurers all over the globe. They sold zillions in SA and three years in, that model was superseded by the 890.
In 2023, KTM decided to build the 790 again – and just to “Feel the Water”, SA brought a few in at the aforementioned value price and….
Those sold – Quickly! So they brought in a few more – all alongside the 890 – and those sold too.
So now, the 790 is solidly back in the KTM SA lineup. We borrowed one from the team at RAD KTM in Rivonia and took it for a little spin. Is it still as good as we remember? Has it been completely eclipsed by KTM’s other offerings?
Not at all…
Here’s what our photographer Stefan who spends his life in the saddle of a Triumph 800 XCX had to say:
Two words, “yes” and “please”.
With this 790 added to the range, KTM now has an adventure model for absolutely everyone. Coming off my Tiger 800 XCX, the bike feels very familiar, middleweight class but oh so much lighter and with a bit more kick.
The first thing you notice when you twist the throttle is that it sure has a lot less oomph than its bigger brother the 890, but this has its advantages. It still makes amazing torque in the low range and keeps the power delivery very linear throughout the rev range. Cruising at 120 you can easily open up in 6th gear and pass anyone ahead of you, and hold on long enough then you’ll see a top speed slightly north of 200 kph.
It is great to have the whole tech pack available on your KTM, from rider modes to quickshifters, just having the options and adjustability makes it very convenient to use, and with the classic KTM menu toggles it’s still one of the easiest motorcycle menus to use.
There is a distinct difference in power delivery between street and off road. I expected a stronger power delivery with the offroad mode since it disengages most of the traction control, but given the fact that it makes so much torque the offroad mode delivers the power much smoother than street mode.
This makes you want to switch between modes when switching on and off of the pavement. Where usually on an adventure ride I’d just leave my bike in offroad mode when hopping back on the tar, with the 790 you really want to switch back to street to get that signature KTM bang out of the engine.
Off Road is where this bike really shines. Like I mentioned, where this bike is down on power compared to the 890, it is an advantage in this case. It’s got a rally mode, which gives you more power and no traction control, however for riders like myself, who enjoy keeping both wheels on the ground and the bike mostly upright, off road mode is absolutely perfect. With relaxed throttle input the power delivers so smoothly, you can cruise quite quickly over obstacles without breaking traction from an overload of torque, but open up and the bike gets up and goes. Off Road mode’s traction control also sits in the sweet spot for giving you enough slip on the rear end when you pin the throttle that you can have enough fun and still slide around the corners a bit.
The biggest perk of the 790 is the weight, or rather the lack thereof. The bike feels like it weighs nothing, which is huge when offroading. Glenn had me doing u-turns on a rocky hillclimb, going up and down over and over again (“one more!” I’m sure it was payback for all the times I did the same to him), and turning the bike around on an incline was surprisingly easy, given the fact that it clocks in at the 200kg mark, just 15 kg’s less than my Tiger. Even my skinny frame, coming in at only 70kgs, could easily move the bike around between rocks and bushes without breaking much of a sweat.
KTM’s unique tank design with the low centro of gravity on their adventure range is a true blessing for adventure riders, making the most intimidating manoeuvres come with the greatest of ease.
The entry level WP Apex suspension also does a fantastic job on and off the road. On tar at high speeds it is surprisingly stable, making it almost too easy to get near that 200kph mark on a bike with long travel suspension and a 21 inch front. Off road it feels slightly stiff, it’s not made for a comfortable ride, but rather good performance. Cruising down the railway line’s service road, covered in loose gravel rocks, the bike gives you great feedback of what’s underneath you while keeping you planted firmly on the surface of the earth. Speaking of staying planted, anyone at the office knows that sand is usually my downfall, resulting in me laying bikes down for a nap on multiple occasions. On this day, that did not happen.
Cruising back after finishing the photos, with the sun setting to my left, I hit a big deep sand patch hidden in the shade of the trees. I first spotted it when I was already upon it, but just assumed that it was one of the many muddy ruts that I remember being out on this particular farm road. But the long dry winter had transformed my favourite splash pools into thick sand patches, and as I crossed, my heart almost immediately sank when I realised that the ground suddenly turned to a fine dust. But….! The 790 partnered with its apex suspension and the Pirelli Scorpion STR’s just devoured it. I could not believe the stability that the bike had ploughing through sand that would usually make me bite a bit harder on that seat.
The KTM 790 adventure is an extremely approachable “ready to race” machine that can take you anywhere you want to go, and it makes adventure riding easy. It has the fit and finish of a fine tuned European machine. And no point did I find any part or performance characteristic of the 790 to feel cheap or unimpressive.
When they told me this bike is sold from just R199,999, again I said “yes please!”.
Glenn also got to ride it for a bit. Here’s his take:
Man, I’ve always wanted a 790 Adventure, but never got around to actually owning one. When RAD offered us a little spin, we jumped at the opportunity and spent a very pleasant day in the saddle, and I was reminded why I liked this bike so much in the first place.
KTM calls the bike an ideal “First taste” for riders who are looking to try out the adventure segment. I personally prefer a smaller bike that’s perhaps a bit more manageable, and this one absolutely still fits just right.
The 790 also has tubeless wheels shod in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs. A mighty aluminium bash plate is mounted between the fuel tanks. A newly designed, wider touring screen is fitted and the height-adjustable two-piece seat feels pretty comfortable.
On the road, the bike is nimble, feels small and is still powerful enough to get you into or out of potential problems. In the dirt, the small bike feel makes life really easy when you do happen to hit some of the more serious stuff. But…. and here’s what we have picked up after riding the bike.
Over the years, KTM seems to have refined the bike…. a lot. Everything feels smoother, more refined and, well, better. Fit and finish is really good, clutch actuation is smoother, gears engage more smoothly than the first editions…
We did some research and found that KTM has indeed been busy. In addition to the very latest suite of electronics, the engine has a reworked clutch and they have improved the lubrication system. The crank is slightly heavier which makes it less prone to stalling. The fuel system is upgraded from the original. The whole front of the bike has been re-worked with aluminium brackets replacing the original for the instrument tower and faring. In mould graphics are now standard… and so much more.
It’s all been thoroughly updated, and you can feel the improvements.
It’s a great (Re) addition to the KTM family lineup.
