![The better side of Stelvio on a KTM 1290 Super Adventure S [RAW Onboard]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
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Ever since I uploaded videos with the Multistrada and the big GS people told me that I need to ride the big KTMs as well. Because apparently they are the sportiest travel enduro options you can get. That of course made me extra curious. And in this RAW here you're basically witnessing me making the following realization: those people were right. Stelvio downhill were my first real twisties during my 2018 September Italia tour. It's where I for the first time could truly feel how capable the Super Adventure S actually is. Very capable of course. And it gets better the quicker you go. Which I didn't really do because I can't afford to crash a 20K € bike ;)
Its suspension setup is quite stiff. It provides amazing stability. Even if you're throwing the bike around like a madman you won't feel any wobbles. This in combination with the mighty engine making 160 horses and 140Nm of torque will leave a big smile on your face when you want to travel just a little faster. Plus it's a bit lighter than most of its competitors. It handles 100% predictably and without any big effort. The quickshifter works flawlessly. If it did not it always was my own fault (=pressing the lever sloppily). And the brakes work spot-on as well. Not overly aggressive and still mighty powerful. What a bike!!
Is there anything I didn't like? Well. Obviously the sportiness has minor drawbacks. On the comfort side of things. Although the engine behaves properly and this KTM does cruise mode well too it is not as comfortable as the GS for instance. The SA has you seated very high up, close to the bars. You're sitting on top of the bike rather than inside it. Typical of KTM. Which feels amazing when you want to go fast. But I don't really appreciate that during the boring and straight bits which unfortunately are part of every big bike tour. And even if the seating positions on the other travel enduros are more comfortable they'll still allow you to go super fast too. Personally I simply have to put blind faith in suspension and tires on every one of these bikes anyway. Their long suspension travels makes it impossible for me to decipher any feedback from the bike. No matter if it's the GS, Multistrada, Super Adventure, Tiger, or V-Srom. In the end my conclusion was the following: I'd take the KTM over any other travel enduro if I went riding for 3 days in a row or less. 3 days plus and I'd rather take any other model. Preferably the GS because it offers the best comfort.
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bike: 2018 KTM Super Adventure S
completely stock
Engine and Suspension were set to Sport mode
tires: Pirelli Scorpion Trail II
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camera: amzn.to/2kckJkE
ND filter for heavy motion blur: amzn.to/2JXI9ES
(used ND8 here)
sound recorder: amzn.to/2bnozBw
(see the sound-recording tutorial here:
• HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR MO... )
editing: Adobe Premiere Pro CC
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disclaimer: I used all my HTML5 coding skills to hack the bike's ECU in order for the speedometer to show random numbers instead of my actual velocity.
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7 сен 2024
