.

KTM 990 Adventure R

.  

Make Model

KTM 990 Adventure R

Year

2009

Engine

Four stroke, 75°V-twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

Capacity

999.8 cc / 60.9 cu-in

Bore x Stroke 101 x 62.4mm
Cooling System Liquid cooling
Compression Ratio 11.5;1

Induction

Keihin Electronic Fuel Injection EMS
Lubrication Pressure lubrication with 2 Eaton pumps
Engine Oil Motorex, SAE 10W-50
Exhaust Twin stainless steel silencer with regulated catalytic converter

Ignition 

Contactless, controlled, fully electronic ignition system with digital ignition timing adjustment
Battery 12 V/11.2 Ah
Starting Electric

Max Power

113.3 hp / 84.5 kW @ 8750 rpm

Max Torque

100 Nm / 73.8 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm
Clutch Wet Multi-disc hydraulically operated,

Transmission

6 Speed 
Final Drive Chain, X-Ring 5/8 x 5/16"
Primary Drive 35:67
Final Drive Ratio 16:42
Frame Tubular cromoly spaced frame. powered coated
Handlebar Aluminium, tapered, Ø 28/22 mm

Front Suspension

48mm WP USD forks
Front Wheel Travel 248 mm / 9.7 in

Rear Suspension

WP-PDS rear shock, hydraulic spring preload
Rear Wheel Travel 248 mm / 9.7 in

Front Brakes

2x 300mm Brembo discs 2 piston calipers

Rear Brakes

Single 240mm Brembo disc 1 piston caliper
Front Wheel 2.15 x 21'';
Rear Wheel 4.25 x 18''

Front Tyre

90/90 -21

Rear Tyre

150/70 -R18
Steering Head Angle 63.4°
Rake 26.6°
Trail 119 mm / 4.68 in
Wheelbase 1570 mm /  61.8 in
Seat Height 915 mm / 36. in
Ground Clearance 316 mm / 12.4 in

Dry Weight

207 kg / 456.34 lbs

Fuel Capacity 

19.5 Litres / 5.1 gal

Consumption Average

17.2 km/lit

Standing ¼ Mile  

12.0 sec

Top Speed

210.7 km/h

KTM likes to diversify their model range so we’re dealing with a base 990 Adventure model and a 990 Adventure R, both bikes being built around the same 999cc, twin-cylinder, four-stroke, V 75-degree engine that is tuned to provide the rider with 104.6 hp at 8,250 rpm and 100 Nm at 6,750 rpm on the standard model while the 113.31 hp at 8,750 rpm and also 100 Nm at 6,750 rpm on the “R” model are claimed to provide a healthier rush all through the rev range.

Apart from being more powerful, the “R” model is also 2 kilograms lighter than the standard one and features an almost 2 inches higher seat so it addresses to taller and more experienced riders who have long expected for a model that would bring riding excitement back on the scene.

The KTM 990 Adventure not only being turned into a more powerful, torquier and slightly heavier motorcycle, but standing as the base for the brand new 2009 KTM 990 Adventure R. The Austrian brand’s R series stands for even more power than on the standard models, lighter weight and distinctive look so it’s almost like sending your bike to the tuner shop and being provided with an all around upgraded package. Still, being a production bike, exclusivity doesn’t fit in this description.

 

MCN has just ridden the new for 2009 KTM 990 Adventure R for the first time on a 250km on/off road trek in Sardinia.

The new motorcycle takes over from the 990 Adventure S as the top-of-the-range on/off road machine in KTM’s range, and is also the most powerful yet with 115bhp from the Superduke-derived engine, 18bhp more than the older machine.

The suspension also gets 55mm extra suspension travel to give it extra off-road capability, but otherwise the mechanicals are the same as the 2009 990 Adventure (which also gets a small power boost to 106bhp and a smoother-running crank design).

MCN’s Chris Newbigging has been riding the bike and says:

“The Adventure R is notably more punchy than the standard bike, but isn’t ferocious and is easy to ride on an unfamiliar road because of the extra flexibility.

"The taller seat height can make the bike awkWard at a standstill, even though I am six feet tall. It has extra suspension travel compared to standard, firmer settings make it more composed on bumpy roads without compromising the ride quality.

"The only downside is the ABS fitted on the standard model isn’t available on the R model and it would be nice to have the option available.

"The seat is less comfortable; however a gel seat is available as an optional extra. Riding the bike off road the Adventure R proved itself capable but was limited by the standard tyres in wet mud and some novice riders may find the power intimidating.

"Overall the Adventure R is as versatile as the standard bike but with a little bit more ability everywhere.”

Giant adventure tourer showdown

With the release of the 2010 Yamaha Super Tenere and the Ducati Multistrada 1200, there's now five serious adventure tourers competing for your round-the-world budget. We've broken them down by their performance figures to help you decide which one's best.

All these numbers come straight from the manufacturers. We've chosen to use dry instead of wet weights since the relatively large difference in tank sizes would artificially skew the comparisons. While these aren't the weights you'll experience as you try to navigate across a sandy slope, they do lead to the fairest comparison possible. We've italicized what we feel is the winner in each category; in the case of rider aids, this is a bit subjective, feel free to decide which setup works best for you. We've thrown the originator of the current adventure tourer archetype, the 1980 BMW R80G/S into the mix just to give you an idea how far things have come.
 

Power
BMW R1200GS: 110bhp @ 7,750rpm
Ducati Multistrada 1200 150bhp @ 9,250rpm
Yamaha Super Tenere 110bhp @ 7,250rpm
KTM 990 Adventure 105bhp @ 8,250rpm
Suzuki V-Strom 1000 98bhp @ 7,400rpm
'80 BMW R80G/S: 50bhp @ 6,500rpm

Torque
BMW R1200GS: 88lb-ft @ 6,000rpm
Ducati Multistrada: 88lb-ft @ 7,500rpm
Super Tenere: 85lb-ft @ 6,000rpm
KTM Adventure: 74lb-ft @ 6,250rpm
V-Strom 1000: 74lb-ft@ 6,400 rpm
'80 R80G/S 41lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm

Tank Size
BMW R1200GS: 5.3 gallons
Ducati Multistrada: 5.3 gallons
Super Tenere: 6.1 gallons
KTM Adventure: 5.2 gallons US
V-Strom 1000: 5.8 gallons
'80 R80G/S: 5.2 gallons

Front Wheel
BMW R1200GS: 19"
Ducati Multistrada: 17"
Super Tenere: 19"
KTM Adventure: 21"
V-Strom 1000: 19"
'80 R80G/S: 21"

Dry Weight
BMW R1200GS: 203kg (448 lbs)
Ducati Multistrada: 189kg (417lbs)
Super Tenere: 244kg (538lbs)
KTM Adventure: 209kg (461lbs)
V-Strom 1000: 207kg (456lbs)
'80 R80G/S: 186kg (410lbs)

Power to weight (bhp:kg)
BMW R1200GS: .54:1
Ducati Multistrada: .79:1
Super Tenere: .45:1
KTM Adventure: .50:1
V-Strom 1000: .47:1
'80 R80G/S: .27:1

Torque to weight (lb-ft:kg)
BMW R1200GS: .43:1
Ducati Multistrada: .47:1
Super Tenere: .35:1
KTM Adventure: .35:1
V-Strom 1000: .36:1
'80 R80G/S: .22:1

Rider Aids
BMW R1200GS: optional and fully-defeatable ABS
Ducati Multistrada: push-button adjustment of suspension height, power delivery and traction control, fully-defeatable ABS
Super Tenere: combined brakes, non-defeatable ABS, three-mode traction control, two-mode power delivery
KTM Adventure: fully-defeatable ABS
V-Strom 1000: none
'80 R80G/S: balls
 

As you can see, the new Multistrada comes out on top in terms of performance, but its 17" front wheel, street-biased tires and lack of engine or frame protection means its off-road capability is extremely limited. This comparison is very unflattering for Super Tenere; it's the heaviest bike here by 77lbs and, thanks to the strong Yen, it'll likely be the most expensive too. That weight, combined with the 19" front wheel and non-defeatable ABS is also going to limit its ability off-road.

All that means the BMW R1200GS and KTM 990 Adventure are, in our minds at least, still the leaders in this category. Both are genuinely capable off-road, fast on it and comfortable over long distances. If the high prices put you off, the Suzuki V-Strom looks like a bargain. Sure it'd need a couple grand in modifications before it could hit the dirt, but even with the add-ons, it'd still be the cheapest of this group.

Source Hell For Leather