I have the 2022 KTM 1290 s since 2.000 kilometres and I love it. I did put on an Akrapovic, orange hands protectors upraded seats, quickshifter.... I did ride last year the new Ducati V4 and Bmw 1250 to decide and I must say I picked the right bike. Ergo, V2 engine are great and it looks great.
Looks alone, I really like what Triumph have done with their latest batch of Tigers (900 included). They still carry that rugged traditional ADV aesthetic, but modernize it with the angles and lines created from the bodywork panels with attention paid even to the negative space and panel gaps in seeing those lines follow through. The KTM 1290 isn’t as ugly to me as their 890 line of ADV bikes, but similar to Ducati’s Multistrada in that all I can see when I look at that front end is a rendition of a North American Native Totem Pole bird figurine, all I can think of when I see the KTM’s latest front end with that radar is a rendition of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”.
Great review! You have the right bike man! I have ridden mine 13000km and are still giggling as a teenager when twistingg the throttle on the SAS 1290 :-) (though of course I have two Triumphs in the garage as well....) Keep up the great work!
Spot on review. I have a BMW RT. I test rode the Tiger the other day and like you was shocked by the vibration on the motorway! Definitely a deal breaker for me as that rules out touring in it!!!
It is nice to hear a funny and different take on spelling out BIG ON/OFF MOTORCYCLE S. Cheers mate. I felt the same way about my 2010 GS 1200 as you feel about the trump. With only 20 L, it was so top hevie I couldn't back it out of my garage. So I sold it.
Just sold a previous model 1290. Gearbox completely detonated changing from 5th to 6th. Covered under warranty but included a bottom end. Purchased a 900 rally pro while it was being repaired. After living with both bikes I wouldn’t go back to KTM. Rider and pillion comfort is way better on Triumph. My opinion is build quality is far better on Triumph. Hated the buffering and gearbox on the KTM. Also had the death wobble at high speed. Triumph is smooth and handles awesome. Do miss the share grunt and fun of the KTM motor though. Agree with your point on the Triumphs tech. Hard to use and the info layout doesn’t make sense.
Wow. And that's the Tiger 900, not the Tiger 1200, with shaft drive and larger fuel tank option. Then there's reliability - it's not like you're the first person to have unacceptably early major issues with a KTM.
Nice video! Going to remember your points when I test ride the new Tiger! Quick comment on KTM 1290 stability (have the previous model): wobbling or instability could/might be attributed to the front fork bearing not being tightened properly (it should be re-checked after a while when bike is new). Since that was done on mine I've not had any sensation of instability, at (Autobahn) speeds in excess of... lets say 200+ km/h :). And I run dual sport tires (currently 70/30, because I do gravel & dirt with it). Another thing worth mentioning could be checking that the front rim is properly balanced. The third, which also could play a part here in high speeds; I put on a US$20 from eBay. Being (also) 6"3 I found the screen too low on the 1290SAS. The spoiler solved buffeting/wind issues, and I believed increased stability. Have two other screens for the bike. Particularly the lower Puig Rally works well if you ever dare going to south of France in August. Which is when you don't want too much wind protection. Right now, and this comes from a bloke who, at least wasn't, a typical KTM customer (3 beemers before the 1290SAS), the most likely next bike is the 2022 1290S or R. Need to figure that one out still. On-road they're pretty similar. Ah yes, one more thing, slowing down your speech ever so slightly might help non-english. I'm recently proficient, but a couple of times I had to turn up the volume (could be that I'm old, hehehe). Cheers mate!
I use to love the Triumph Triples. I owned 2 1050's and a Street Triple. So smooth. Then came the "upgrade" to a crossplane type of firing order. I sold my Tiger 900 due to the vibes at highway speed. I live and ride in Western USA, and speeds can be 80+MPH for long periods of time. I had a deposit on Tiger 1200, but expensive, higher seat, same silly firing order, and ended up going with a KTM 1290 SAS. Love it! and no high speed wobble.
Just test rode a 2018 KTM 1290 and your description of why to buy it over the Tiger was 100% spot on. Soon as I got out of eyesight of the dealer I wrenched back on the throttle and let out a giggle and a few expletives! It is totally a “hooligan” bike! Been on a Tiger 800 for a decade now and have zero complaints. Can push it into any canyon in CO and beyond and always have a smile, toured with it and have hit some mountain passes, all on the standard ABS - never let me down, but after a decade I can say it is time to move on. Have owned 3 KLR-650’s and recently purchased my 3rd. Every single time I buy the bike though I always realize why I sold it. Super capable and absolutely amazing handling but it just lacks a Weeeeee factor the touring bikes do, so put a deposit down on the Africa Twin 2022 in DCT, red, white, blue with gold wheels - the bike that breaks all the necks when it drives by. Soon as I got on it I hated the seat and felt it was too light for the riding I was planning on doing with it, again, 90/10. The DCT in my opinion was terrible, I felt the bike was no faster than my KLR, granted I was being a bit of a wuss and did not really wrench on the throttle but regardless the automatic trans to me felt super clunky and realized I did not like the idea of automatic, at least for another 8 years of age. Will hopefully have a test ride on the Tiger 900 GT Pro this weekend, Tuesday at the latest.. will provide some feedback for those who care.. but as it stands now, you are 100% right, I rode that KTM and felt like a kid again.. granted my Polish buddy who is a massive KTM fan said I’ll probably kill myself on it, and seemingly not far out of the realm given the bike and how I agree it was made.. we’ll see. Keep y’all posted!
Did you end up buying the ktm? I also ride a tiger 800 atm and Im at the point where I want more power but its just cant give me more. What bike do you ride right now?
Nice comparison. I'm not surprised the new Tiger still feels top heavy. I watched a review of the BMW K1600GT and saw that the engine is rotated far forward so that the heads are much lower to keep weight lower. You look at the Tiger in comparison the heads are practically vertical, then you have the fuel tank on top of that....
Thanks - very useful vid. I have the KTM deflector on the screen - it works a treat. I have also rotated the bars back very slightly from stock. Improves the comfort a lot for me.
Very good comparison and I’m in complete agreement avec vous! I’m not a big fan of the Triumph adv bikes, yet the KTM’s, omg they’re just brilliant. My 2018 SAR had a rather alarming wobble, I just learned to get used to it😬🖖
THANK YOU, You would be the first honest review i have seen, i had , and still have a KTM 950 ,, I am in Australian did all the research in 2015 on replacing it with the triumph 1200 explore , No one mentioned the right hand vibration, like you i could only ride it for 2 hours, thank god for cruise control, And the HEAT that coming from the tank ,, ok ish in winter,, but after 1 hour in summer unbearable, and even compared with the 950 the triumph was dopey After 50000ks i replaced it with a KTM 1190 , i really like the 1190 .i am just coming up to 50000ks as i am now 60 and reading all.the reviews was thinking of replacing it with the new more touring type Triumph explore So VERY SORRY to hear that First they have not sorted out the vibration, and not going for an all out sports mode
Enjoyed that Tim, great review. I nearly bought the KTM having owned the old Tiger, but went for the GS. Fabulous that we have these choices though, great bikes all of them 👍
Good video, thanks for that. Just in that sum-up at the end, with the two bikes on show, I think the KTM has not aged well, and its not particularly old. Maybe side-on is not its best angle, but the Triumph looks better (just my opinion, of course). In terms of weight and the top-heavy nature of the triumph, I guess it can't be anything other than top-heavy if its carrying 30 litres of fuel in the Explorer variant - wonder if the GT feels the same? That said, I owned the last iteration of the 1200 Tiger XRT (GT equivalent), and after two years, and two topples (and some damaged ribs), I chopped it in for the Tiger 900 GT which does not have the mind-numbing power of the 1200 (or the armchair-like seat), but is, in most other respects, a better, more manageable, confidence-inspiring bike. However, I'm going to arrange a test-ride on the new 1200 GT, just to see if the weight issue has been solved (on that 'flavour' at least)! Cheers!
Would have gone for the Triumph 1200 GT Pro with the smaller front wheel. And the 150 bhp and all what you get for free. Hopefully Triumph comes out with more colours. Triumph are making some really great bikes at the moment hopefully they continue. Thanks for sharing.
Very good review !!! One question: if you want to do a wheelie on KTM, but stay safety ..., I mean just rise up the front wheel 10 - 15 cm and have the Traction Control put it down for you, which configuration (level of T.C. and engine map... and so on) have you to preselect? THX in advance.
I had all the wobbles as well on my 2020 SAS but it was gone as soon as I ditched the OEM pirelli's and went to a set of T32's, now I can let go of the bars at jail speeds and it's fine, I wouldn't call it stable per se, but it's fine :P
I have a similiar suspicion with my 2021 SAS. The Mitas Terraforce are just mediocre. I rode a rented 2018 SAS last year and that one had no issues at all. Alas, I didn't check which tyres were on it.
I’m looking to swap my customised KTM 790 Adv R for the 1290 S and being 6 2” I’m curious about whether you had to adjust the seat height/preload? I know you said about the higher seat option (something I would do) but my last test ride it felt almost too low for when seated feet down and then when riding I thought maybe I needed slightly straighter legs for comfort.
nice one- you look to be about the same size as me. I’ve had Multistradas for ever and thinking about the Tiger 900 GT Pro or the new KTM Adventure S. I ride about 30 days a year on the track so like a Moto with some punch. Am 6 ft, 210 pounds. Thoughts on the 900 vs this KTM? thx mate
Definitely… I swapped my Pirelli “Trail” tires for Pirelli Angel GT II sport touring tires… the SAS becomes a cornering weapon and stability at speed is greatly improved. However, the rear tire wears out very fast…
Wondering, what are the cost of ownership and maintenance schedule differences? Also, even less tangible but more importantly, what are the differences re: dealership distribution, reliability and customer support?
Tim, great video. Keep up the good work. I have a 1290 SAS like yours and was wondering where did you get the tank protector stickers for your bike? Are they a KTM power part or an aftermarket item? I would like to get a set of those because it breaks up all the orange on the side of the bike and in my opinion improves the looks. Please advise when you get a chance. Craig
No vibes on the GT Explorer after 300miles, one up or two up. A bit top heavy [5'11"] at slow speed, and will look to reduce seat height when available. Handling is fabulous. 53mpg with two up. Ass still sensate after 5 hours.
Thanks for a really informative and entertaining video - I like your style, sir! I currently ride the previous model Tiger 1200, which I love, but after a test ride of the KTM yesterday, I've realised how much more exciting an adventure bike can be. I just don't like the KTM's looks and plasticiness. Having a test ride on the new Tiger this afternoon, so will see if I agree with your conclusions.
@@snakeoil2182 The new Tiger is a huge improvement on the old one - much better engine and chassis, and a lot more fun to ride - but I realised it wasn't the bike for me. I ended up buying a Super Duke GT, which I absolutely love.
Got to be honest I prefer the looks of the Tiger 1200 but as a road rider I certainly wouldn't go for the 21" front wheel and huge 30L tank. The biggest annoyance for me who is looking to potentially buy a bike of this type is the dealers. All fine and good if as a journalist you get these bikes for extended tests. Me as a punter am expected to make a 19K decision on an hour's test ride! I need to find if I am affected by the bar vibes, if the seat is long term comfortable, if the screen annoys. If they cannot offer me a longer than one hour test then they can shove their bike where the sun doesn't shine.
There's no way I could ride the Triumph, it's just too tall (unlike me, at 5 feet 6 inches) and too top heavy. I do, however, get on perfectly fine with my 2021 1290SAS, which I love. There's a lot to be said for having a low centre of gravity.
The Centre of Gravity becomes the point with you sitting on the bike. Even a lower seat height has a positive affect on the force on the contact patch for the tyres. The worse bike at the moment is the Yamaha T7.
I bought a used 2018 ktm 1090 in 2020 with just 750 miles on it!!, there’s 10 thousand on it now and the only thing that’s gone wrong was the clutch slave cylinder failed at 7 thousand, luckily it failed in my garage as I put it in gear to leave , replaced it with an Oberon for £95. Gonna change it soon but I’m a bit stumped as to what with though because the hasn’t put a foot wrong , I’m thinking either a gs🙄 or maybe an rt🤔
My first ride on the ktm was like riding a diesel bike. Lots of vibration. Ride felt like was riding on wheel rims. The seat height was not as high as my 5 year old ktm 1090 and I am 6 feet 4 with 34 inside seam. Was quite disappointed.
Nice review but I have to point out a couple of things these bikes are not comparable. The reason is that the Tiger 1200 Rally not only has the spoked and larger wheels but the suspension, chassis geometry and electronics are different on the new Tiger 1200 GT and GT pro versions that are the equivalent to compare the KTM 1290 SAS. I would really make the effort to compare apples and apples. Like your video format and I will subscribe.
Thanks for subscribing! I literally point this out about 2 seconds into the video though 😂 But anyway. I need to try the GT version. My gut tells me I'll still prefer the KTM though. It's orange.
@@timrodierides I have the old Tiger 1200 road version and it is awesome, carves corners like a knife on butter power delivery is awesome not impressive though but enough but it is outrageously top heavy, once at a standstill you really have to muscle it around and on dirt or uneven surfaces forget it!!! Am buying a KTM 1290 SAS 2018 absolutely brutal machine but with a low center of gravity even though taller bike. And the 2018 SAS is different than the 2022 SAS thatvhas a lot of issues fixed like the tank slapping and seat height.
@timrodierides yeah you did mention it but I don't recall you saying what those differences do to the bike. Your rally Explorer is meant for long off road riding hence the tall suspension and extra big tank. It's not the bike for me either because of that.
For what concerns me i chose the new tiger1200 rally pro. I disagree with your comparison, the explorer model is heavier, your ktm's competitor is the gt pro. as a triumph finish it is superior as long as the tank is made of aluminum, that of ktm is plastic. Regarding stability at high speeds, I can tell you that doing an in-depth test ride with the tiger1200, on the highway I exceeded 200 km / h without any problem. I find the final drive shaft an added value. I also own a ktm 790 and it will be the first and last KTM I will buy, too many electronics and mechanics problems.
I think you have diferents bikes. You would have to choose or Triumph GT explorer to compare with KTM S or KTM R to compare with Triumph tiger rally esplorer.
Hey Tim, if you’re prepared to answer (apart from “none of your business”), are you still doing anything for Drivetribe? If yes, is the odd podcast still on the cards or gone for good as far as you know?
Hey Tim..need a bit of help! I currently own a GS, I’ve had 7. Love em, but really need a change. I tried the tiger and was a bit underwhelmed. It was a short ride and I need another go. I then tried the SAS and f&£k me it was brilliant! I am however concerned about the, oh so many woes I keep hearing about. I know all bikes can have their problems but the KTM’s seem to be more problematic. What do you reccon? Cheers in advance.
Hey Ben - I've done a pitiful number of miles on my SAS so far (about 2k) but it's been problem free. I've been chatting to a mate who's done more like 10k on his (a 2021 model) and he's also had zero problems. Other than the odd electric glitch that can be solved by turning it off and back on, I've not heard much about the 2021 SAS models! I'd get one… the joy would outweigh most things for me!
@@timrodierides cheers Tim, much appreciated..you have swayed me. Got another test ride next week! With the SAS full bells and whistles. Keep up the jolly good work! 👍🏻
I never heard about the death wobble on KTMs. I thought that sort of bike behaviour was over come at the end of the noughties when traction stability control monitoring and sensors started being used in bikes. But for me the dealer breaker with the Tiger 1200 are the vibes. Also that it is seemingly very top heavy. With ta full tank of fuel and luggage on it must a be a nightmare to push around or manoeuvre at slow speeds. I am only a shorty 5'7" I would be terrified of dropping it. I think it would be too tall for me anyway. But the other deal breaker with the Tiger 1200 is the fact that Triumph have tried to make it perform and sound like a twin engine rather than retain the triple smooth engine with lots of low down torque. If they wanted a twin engine why didn't they put their engine from their Speed Twin in it? Bonkers that they have dispensed with their triple engine heritage. Bizarre. I prefer orange anyway. For me it would be the KTM, this one or the 890 Adv S or R
You’re right. I could never understand why people would complain about the KTM’s mechanism. The previous one was a bit harder to move, but now it’s really easy.
At the moment I'm riding a Honda Goldwing 1800. Absolutely love this bike, but getting a bit heavy for my 66 year old body. Looking at a KTM 1290 (no idea why as know nothing about them or even riden one) or a Yamaha super tenere/BMW 1200GS. Only thing putting me off the KTM is it's chain driven, always had shaft drive. May have to demo ride 1 for couple of days.
To tell the truth I couldn’t try the standard seat in the high position because it drops down almost immediately because of a design flaw in the seat. So I went for the high one… and found it a bit too high in the high position. I could touch the floor ok, but I felt a bit perched kid corner, so dropped the seat down. How’s that for a boring answer 😂
Ok so you like the front wheel up in the air. My KTM friend liked it too until he lost it smashed the bike and badly broke his thumb. The only bike to break down on a long off road run was the KTM.
I cant remeber if i write a comment before to this video but there is no doubt Ktm is the better motorcycle here. Triumph should give up on this adventure love fair, it doesnt work, it doesnt even represent the company. Where KTM and BMW are the old dogs on this field.
Lol, Triumph simply looks so much better that no way I could concider that cheap toy looking KTM unless it was like 100x times better. And since both are good bikes that can take every obsticle, its an easy choice really.
The KTM R is better than the S the mass problem is the computer in the KTM if the voltage drops it will die leaving you in the middle of a desert.Only the KTM dealers will touch it witch are one to two per state in USA .
Why? It's not 1985 anymore, chains are very reliable now. Changed my chain at 25k miles with minimal maintenance on my 1190R, and I ride year round in new england where we salt our roads. They even make maintenance free chains now, BMW has it in their sport bike. Chain "issues" are a thing of the past.
if the KTM’s front is ugly then that tiger is god darn ugly, the looks are all wrong on the tiger, looks puny in places too, all the crash protection looks wrong too, did sound nice though when you was giving it some, I would like to see you do a vid comparing the multistrada, XR1000 and the KTM
Imagine that--someone finally compares the new 2022 Triumph Tiger 1200--almost head to head--with the very bike only 1/10th of the audience was hoping someone would compare it too! Bloody 'ell, do they make you sign contract or something? "I promise NOT to compare this bike to the bike everyone is hoping I'll compare it too, so help me Jesus?!!!" And what did you tell us that no one else (for the most part) hasn't already? Not much. Although EVERYONE who's ridden it mentions the VIBRATIONS at the grips, I do appreciate you confirming it--that alone convinced me not to wait another three weeks (here in the states) for one and instead, go ahead and buy the R1250 GSA (in 40 Years livery, by the way). Admittedly, I haven't ridden anything else in years, but so far have no regrets with the BMW. Especially since you keep mentioning the Triumphs top-heavy handling/feeling; frankly I thought the tall Beemer was top-heavy enough, thank you! All the said, very much appreciate the review and comparison (to the wrong bike). If nothing else, you've confirmed my purchases decision. By the way, I like your riding jacket--pity they don't offer them over here. Also liked your gloves. What kind are they?
Stupid one! I'm Canadian, I know a few things about cold weather, I ride a bike and a snowmobile, why on earth do you need a heated seat? Heated hands grip I dig, but heated seat? I ride a adventure 1190!
Becaaaaaause it was only £40 more than the non-heated ergo one. Also my bum might get cold in winter… but yeah I don’t think I’ll use it that often unless my haemorrhoids start acting up
