Hi RevZilla, many of us international viewers have no idea what you're talking about when you mention inches. Metric measurements would be appreciated! Kind regards, the whole world (except the US, Liberia and Myanmar) 😉
Loved the video! Any chance on a review on the basic KTM 790 Adventure (non-R nor rally)? Edit: Some of us will have to commute on this instead of running it purely off-road.
I was really surprised when I found out in Morocco that you hadn't taken a ride on one of these yet. I can tell you were super excited to get your hands on it, great review!
Hey duder! It took me a while, but I finally got to ride it! And it, was, glorious!! Hope we get to see each other on another launch once all of this crap dies down!
I did this conversion from my 790 Adv to Rally mode back in September, simply awesome suspension and so planted...on the street its just great with clicker changes....
That's what really impressed me, one or two clicks on the compression and rebound does quite a lot. You can dial in such a huge variety of setting ranges.
Those front brake lines dangling near the front tire are just asking to be ripped apart by the tire. There's a reason dirt bikes flex their lines up top near the handlebar
@@TheJaxsonjack All sorts of KTM parts are sourced in India at this point, not just the 390s. BMW sources parts for their bikes from China. Harley Davidson from Mexico. We are living in a global economy. The quality of a manufacturers factory has much more to do with overall build quality than the location of said factory. There are just a lot of people on the internet who want to throw out comments without an understanding of ALL OEM supply chain at this point. As for the bike, I've ridden both generations of the 390 Duke and if the new 390 Adventure is anything like the newest generation, it'll be a fun little bike for sure. We should have one here to test in the next few weeks.
Even though I don't ride as much offroad as I like, I would love the Rally R and two sets of wheels full offroad and daily commuter 50/50. being 500 unit model makes it even more special and for that price you can't really beat it.
The compression valves look very similar to RaceTech valves, similar flowed contours, but the different cone valves look pretty unique. WD suspension is the biggest differentiator that KTM has. The suspension is simply that much better than the alternatives, even in stock form. Sure, the LC8 engine is a pearl (I love my 1290 engine), and this parallel twin is very good also, but it’s the suspension that makes it a KTM.
I'd say hold off, apparently the clutch is super undersized smaller than a 300exc clutch. I'm gonna guess there are gonna be a ton of those failing. Just read a forum post about 4 790s all blowing their clutches only 5000kms into a RTW trip.. they also blew the spare clutches
I like the off beat squeak of your boots as you take the mock walk of shame back to your pickup. Also love your review of one of my favourite adventure bikes.
Imagine factory 690 adv, single cyl, good wind protection, under 150kg dry, 70+hp, over 400km of range, 30cm suspension travel ; thatd be true unicorn right ; Something like Poskitt built ;
Glad you like the bike. I love mine (a regular 790R). It seems to be smoother at low rpm's in off road mode than in street mode. Maybe the bumpy dirt is masking it, but it seems perfectly happy at 2000 rpm when I'm negotiating some tricky stretch, whereas on the street (in street mode) it would need to be downshifted. I have 8500 miles on mine and put on bar risers and just noticed that the clutch cable is wearing thru its sheath where it rubs against the triple clamp. Something to keep an eye on.
@@SpurgeonDunbar My previous dirt capable bike was a DRZ-400S that was really dialed in. I really liked it, but it was not great when a long freeway slog was involved. I also own a 2015 FJ-09 and rode sport bikes of all makes for 25+ years until my joints said "enough is enough" and I bought the FJ. The KTM is replacing both - it's that good.
I sat on a 790 Adventure R before I even knew what they were back in 2018. Now I’m just juggling over what takes priority: A new ski-doo Summit or a KTM 790 Adventure R. 😂
Great review thank you, but please, the cable clutch is a cheap system, why does every KTM off-road bike use hydraulic clutch and this fantastic machine doesn’t, I have been on adv rides with my friends, and in every case on the 790 the clutch packs up long before you going to snap a cable....btw I ride a 990adv, IMO the 790 is a better bike, KTM could have done better with the clutch....
Like I said in the video, I agree with you that it's a weak point. As a 1090 owner myself there is no comparison between the feel of both. That being said, I have thrashed it pretty good on some all-day, off-road rides and haven't had it fail or start to slip.
Great vid Spurg! Good call on the clutch, on/off describes the 790 clutch well. Coming from an 850# HD w/ a 6” clutch lever, it’s amazing that my hyd clutch has so much more control. Biggest complaint on a long day on my 790, other than that the bike is a beast & you adjust to the stiffer clutch
RALLY engine: with mine I can below 3000 RPMs with torque, no problem any more. Rims and Tubes: have you changed the rims, also? The RALLY comes on more slim rims and uses tubes. That gives another more advantage in the dirt.
Hey, great review. too funny that some just cant admit that this ktm is absolutely wicked. A high powered dual sport, what a joke. These thing rocks for those of us who are looking for high performance and race parts, not a street cruiser with a marketing compaign brainwashing you that your bike is an adventure bike. this thing is what alot of us have not been able to have till now.
Everybody is breaking their arm over the 790, and I don't get it. I rode it when it first came out, but I don't see what all the moto reviews are raving about. Seems over priced, uncomfortable, and under optioned compared to say, a triumph tiger? Off-roading is not all there is to a good ADV bike...
They seem to be definitely hyped-up bikes and have been getting stellar reviews on their performance. A buddy of mine wants me (us) to get a pair of these, but ..... I've also been checking out reviews to the Tenere 700. Less hp and electronics than the 790R, but maybe it'd be more dependable?
The bike is as comfortable to ride on the street as my Tiger ever was. I'm not sure what options you're referring to, you get all of the same features for roughly the same amount of money (if you add the electronic cruise control, roughly $500). My '15 Tiger 800 XCx was $13,500, stock 790 Adventure R is $13,699. If you're comparing it to the new Tiger 900 Rally or Rally Pro you're up above $15K starting. Power output is nearly identical. Off-road traction control is class leading. You can load it down with luggage and tear down the highway for miles on end. It's the same as other similarly sized ADV bikes in that regard. Actually, it feels a bit sportier on the street because it is lighter. And advantage that lends itself to better on and off road performance in this case. That being said, what really sets this bike apart from all of the rest, is how much better (easier) it is off road. It is more fun because of that. It leaves you grinning. I've ridden ALL of the new crop of ADV bikes (outside of the new AT1100) and this one is just my new favorite. Genuine emotion and thoughts in this review.
The 790R will blow you away. My guess is that the reason you don't understand what the hype is about is because you've never ridden one. It feels like a little bike on the dirt.
Big fan of your approach to bike reviews. The 790 is hard to ignore - may not be the best traveler but I would sacrifice that for confidence off-road. 👍
@@davidb3800 Adventure riding = trails, mountains, desert. This is like reviewing Lamborghini on road to your grocery store :D Completely useless. But hey, they got paid for it, so it is OK I guess.
@@monsterboomer8051 thats more like "enduro riding" adventure riding= riding on your bike from home, on pavement, maybe loaded with gear, and, with the same bike also do trails and mountains, and in the end ride back home on the same bike. yes, a crf250 can also do all that, but thats not what it was made for
Why theres always some douche to remind everyone that theres some small, shitty expensive dirt bike thst can do dirt bike stuff better than adv bike ??? 🙄🤢
Here is another example of no such thing as a unicorn. The 790 is classed as a Adventure bike, but it is really just a high powered dual sport. It is a BEAST off-road, but lacks the adventure bike comforts of on-road.
Agree on paper, but not if you ride 1. Got this bike as a 2nd for off-road trip due to its beast status in dirt. Breaking in it, road 230 miles last weekend on street w/ group of Touring riders, this bike is amazing on street, even w/ the Metzlers. I normally ride huge touring bikes, ride it in street if you get the chance, great ergo, could go hours
I have no idea what you're talking about. This bike handles excellently on the street. The engine spins up fast. The handling is light, nimble, and balanced. It'll fit a full kit of hard luggage the same as any "large" adventure bike out there. It makes as much power as a F 850 GS, Africa Twin, and Tiger 900 but weighs 15-40 pounds less. And because of the weight it's easier to manage than all of them. In addition, it's got a sophisticated electronics suite to match. That being said, it lacks some of the "Out of the Box" creature comforts like the Tiger 900 Rally Pro or the BMW F 850 GS, but it's also about $3K less. With that savings you can outfit a stock 790 Adventure R anyway you see fit to get back some of that comfort on the street or to turn it into an off-road brawler. But as far as overall performance? This is most certainly an ADV bike on the street with the handling of a dual sport off-road.
Spurgeon Dunbar to 2nd that, I bought this bike for dirt & cant believe how good it is on street! Fast(95hp @ 417# dry), flickable, adj throttle response maps, & very comfy! Only thing I need to go far would be the taller windshield from Revzilla
Quite agree. Saw a lot of waffling while riding some very tame forest trails, ending with only a few seconds of someone riding it hard. Will work it out for myself, my Xplor Pro suspension due in TODAY! :-)
Great machine but I would take the Tenere 700 instead :) the 790adv is awesome but it’s kind of overkill for my set of skills and the terrain where I ride. Hope you get the Tenere soon, so you could review it as well.
xlthumper I mean if it would be for free, then of course ;) I would sell it, buy a Tenere and go traveling for the rest of the money. But if I have to spend my own money, no thanks 🤣
@@MrMegaPerez haha. Money the big decider of all things great. I was at the bike show this Jan looking at the T7 unfortunately the ergonomics are all wrong for me. I wanted it to replace my ktm 640 adv.
@@jimenagulla9081 this is accurate, everytime I see a head to head. My first thought is suspension. That's $2000 right there. That now makes it the same price as the 790R in canada at least. As you pointed out you still dont have the motor.
21K!!? You could do everything in this vid just as well on an old yz250. You need to review the on road characteristics because thats what ADV riders do, ride on the highway. Who spends over 20k on a dirt bike?
Not a dirt bike, ADV! You ride to the spot in style w/ cruise control for hours, while my CRF buddies struggle, go straight to the single track when you get there, then ride back & stop for a beer on the way. Nothing like it. Dirt bikes r great, but not @65 on the street
With the upgraded suspension I can hang with my friends on legit dual sports (250 and 350 EXC-Fs) and ride comfortably all day on the highway fully loaded with gear. The adjustment ability with this suspension allows the rider the ability to handle an impressive range of terrain and riding styles.
You can also do this in yamaha r1..... Thats not the point dude... Its an adv bike, the most versatile machine on this planet, dont even compare it to some small, typical enduro thats barely street legal and have to change oil every few gas tanks
Great review for the spec difference but would be nice to see the bike in action actually being pushed to the limits of the suspension. Maybe get Mike to ride it??
@mld I'm over in France so I would have had to pay a fortune to send my suspension stateside for the Konflict treatment. I booked mine in with a local WP technician who is going to re-spring and valve it for my weight and use 🤞 Booked in early June for 2 weeks. If I was in the states I'd be dealing with Konflict though.
@mld so I just had my personal 1090 R suspension revavled at Solid Performance, and it's awesome. That being said, it's still not as capable as the stock 790 Adventure R, let alone with the Pro Components upgrade. I've been a 1090 owner for going on three years and I've modified it and ridden the snot out of it in places it had no place being. It's a great bike. But if you like to push the limits off-road, it can't keep up with the 1090. It's weight and overall size just put it over the top. Before we produced this video with the build, I took the stock 790 Adventure R out and pitted it against my 1090: www.revzilla.com/common-tread/ktm-790-adventure-r-vs-ktm-1090-adventure-r-a-comparison-review Also, if you decide to go with a suspension mod for you 1090, I'd recommend calling Brandon and Evan over at Solid Performance. I had Konflict mod my Tiger 800 suspension and Solid has modded two of my KTM's. Reach out to Solid.
Hey lemme know how setting by wp will go, i have here local wp poland suspension service and was wondering about doing shock with them but theree are no opinions about their service so im not so sure yet ;
I am 5’10” with a 30” inseam. I went with the standard version of the 790 and love it. Confidence inducing due to the center of gravity being so low. I am on my toes not flat footed, but I love it.
@@derekheard6777 you hit on the biggest thing here, and that's one foot down. Even for taller riders like myself, folks need to adapt to shifting their body position around off-road and really getting used to having one foot firmly on the ground. This comes in handy when practicing dabbing exercises. It's one of the first things that they teach at off-road riding schools. I took the bike out this weekend and let my friend Liz ride it with the tall suspension and the tall seat. Her inseam is around 30 inches. She did just fine with the "one-foot-down" approach, although she had to put the kickstand up first and then mount the bike. But it can be done!
I would love if you could do a review of the SWM Superdual X. The "No Name" Adventure rally is coming up the weekend of memorial day, you should test out this new KTM build there.
Seems weird to throw that in between the 390 and 790 from a sales standpoint. But what do I know, I've never run a multinational motor vehicle corporation. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
And the question is... will Spurge get a KTM 790 Adventure R Rally or build for his garage too?... good review.... I am sure Spurge eventually got a lift to his truck... lol
so ... best in class offroad. as long as you can go 30-40 mph offroad. i feel like the... engine lugs at sub 3k rpm might be an issue for technical trails, or other slower trails
“ Anti wheelie mode” 🙄, that sounds like tons of fun ☹️. At least people who need their hands held can ride it 😂. I still want one!!! But I will stick with my wheeling 701 for now 🤘🏻
So if i understood your words correctly, you can set your suspension travel on the go from 270mm's to lets say 200 mm's on these pro explr suspension? That would be amazing for street use!! I can't find alot of information online about this suspension set. I'm the owner of the ktm790 adv R.
That is correct, thought the same, have also seen in old 2019 790r vids, maybe needs software update. My stays as is, & when in Rally starts back w/ 1-9 TC position as left
Thomas Rosenwirth yeah, got out for the memorial weekend & did some testing off/on to double check, it stays the were left. I remember in 2019 when this bike came out, reviewers making the same complaint. Mine has always stayed, not sure if it’s a software or 2019 vs 2020 issue
The problem with making a 790R into a 790R Rally is you'll never get your money back out of it. Spend all that money and it will be still considered just an R. Just buy the Rally if you want that.
That’s a great point, resale = throw the upgrade $ away but if someone wants a limited factory version, you’re the guy. Also, lots of new Rally R’s in stock at dealers, no one wants to 💰 that much more, especially when the R is so capable
It's more about the way the bottoming circuit on this suspension is designed, not because it's "way too hard". If you want all of the details on the suspension I'd recommend checking out the article where I dive into a complete suspension breakdown. www.revzilla.com/common-tread/2020-ktm-790-adventure-r-rally-review-the-best-adv-bike-yet
You're trucking it to the dirt!?! That kind of defeats the purpose of the bike. Unless you have non-DOT tires on it. I especially want to know how you added the electronic cruise control. But, the video is just starting so let's wait and see :)
Just traded my 690 enduro and got the tenere 700. Best thing I ever did. I've owned heaps of bikes and that KTM was the biggest heap of shit ever built.
Stock Forks springs way too hard. But of course they are! 990 had too soft so they now have to screw up in other direction. Do everything BUT use common sense manufacturers! 🙄
Spurge has not ridden a T7 yet. Let alone a T7 outfitted with $2-3k worth of suspension mods. The Australians are doing a lot of wonderful things with the T7. The bike in Speedblocks everytime over an orange one...
How well does KTM honor the warranty? I am hearing it is problematic. I was leaning towards a 790 ADV R but i cannot handle not being reliable in the desert as it would literally kill me. Seems like a fantastic bike,
I've had no issues with getting repairs tackled under warranty on my bikes. Ultimately a lot of it comes down to the dealership you're working with, unfortunately. That being said, from a reliability standpoint, both of my personal KTM's have been absolutely bulletproof. I'd have no concerns taking it anywhere. Regardless of what bike you're on, I'd recommend a SPOT GPS tracking device. For like $200 a year I have insurance on me and my bike that will get us both pulled out of even the gnarliest situation. It's a must have if you're adventuring far off the beaten path.
Premium price is mostly there for the best suspension in class. Its not necessarily.for.rich, its for people who understand how important that part is and can appreciate the best suspension in class.
I haven't been able to get an official wet weight on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro, but I'm guessing it's roughly 15-25 pounds heavier than this bike which we actually weighed, with a brimmed fuel tank, at 468 pounds. That being said, the Triumph has come a long way, but the 790 Adventure R still feels lighter. I would say the Triumph is in a close second place for the time being (beating out the Africa Twin and F 850 GS). That being said we're still waiting on the Yamaha T7 to hit in the US.
@@SpurgeonDunbar Thanks for the reply Spurgeon! I have owned a first gen tiger 800xc, that bike feels top heavy when riding off road, then I sold it for a ducati scrambler to do some easy off road adventure, much better. But with the new tiger 900 and tenere 700 hitting the market, I'm quite impressed with the specs. But will have test ride them to see the difference.
I love and hate this video because makes me want of this bikes so bad but at the same time I can't afford it, I would have to settle for the Yamaha T700 witch is not a bad deal either.
@@98durangopack Agreed. The Super10 is a great street touring bike that can handle dirt roads relatively easily. But the 790 Adventure R is a completely different machine, especially if you are looking to ride off-road.
Spurgeon was using his USWE Hydration Pack during this video. They have a few different options for different rider's size needs. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to our Gear Geeks at 877.792.9455 or CS@revzilla.com! Ride safe, -Pat www.revzilla.com/uswe-hydration
Like Pat said, it's a USWE Patriot 15 with the hydration bladder added. Pull the back protector out, through a 3 liter hydration pack in and you're good to go. I got one of these around a year ago and haven't looked back since. Easily my favorite hydration pack on the market: www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/uswe-patriot-15l-bounce-free-backpack-with-ce-certified-back-protector
@@generaldistrust I've gone through a lot of tire combos on a lot of different ADV bikes... I wish Pirelli made the Scorpion Rally in a 150/70-18 rear.... but until they do, mixing at matching is the way to go!
@@SpurgeonDunbar BTW, until the day I have enough funds for a 700-800cc crossplane ADV bike, I'll keep my desert ally-modded(suspension, Dynojet, desert tank etc'..) DR650SE .. that's what I can afford that's close enough to my dream
While I’m sure 10.5 inches of travel is amazing, I think very few of us would be able to use that. I think a 34 in seat height with less travel is more useable than 10.5 inches of travel at 37 inches seat height.
Huge misconception.... Lot of travel have nothing to do with 'using all of it'. It makes ride much more comfortable, smoother, more pleasant generally, you wont bottom out as hard with thr same.spring rate and allows you.to use softer setting for same conditions. Its a luxury, not some feature for hardcore racers