RUST magazine: RUST #44

KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE R
Wearing thin motocross gloves all I
needed was the minimum setting to
maintain genuine comfort. Day two,
without doing so much photography on
account of the rain/mist, flowed really
nice and in the company of Clint and
Reuben on their GSAs, we just barreled
along (until the afternoon cake stop).
CRUISIN’
In the space of a week I’d put on the
best part of 2000 miles on the 1290. It
ran faultless. I adjusted the chain once
in that time, at the end of day one at
the IoM500 when it started clanking
on the swingarm (ahem). After the
long weekend in the IoM there was
a two-hour wash down. Again, I was
impressed just how well it cleaned
up, Shiny Sauce and my old Karcher
jet washer was enough. Cleaning the
wheels I was pleased to find the spokes
all in tension and still shining, like
new. And for all the rock impacts, the
rims were still round, running true,
unmarked.
The 1290 is coming to the end of its
tenure with us, and we’ll return it with a
heavy heart. It’s asked for nothing over
the months and 4000 miles we’ve had
it, it’s made long distance work easy and
when been directed off-road it’s been
the proverbial pussy cat, so instinctive
to ride, calm and deliberate when you
want it to be, while on the odd occasion
when I let it off the leash it turned into
something of a wild cat, bounding and
scrabbling up one particular climb in
the IoM like it was an EXC. A lot of bike.
That said I’m going to get back a lot of
garage space when it’s gone!
Yep, the 1290 Adventure R has a lot
more capability than we tested it over.
It can be a struggle to get the time you
need for those big rides, eh? Maybe next
time. But yes, it meets KTM’s claim of
being the most extreme adventure bike
– while being surprisingly easy to live
with (and operate). Maybe not a novice
bike, but not to be feared. Big, powerful,
playful – and rider friendly in every way.
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