1190 Adventure R vs 990 Adventure Baja Touratech Video Review

http://youtu.be/DK57wPwGcKE
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Great video! I need to sell my Multistrada 1200S yesterday.

The 1190 has extra crash bars but I couldn't find them on the Touratech site.

Are they available?

This was billed as a 990 (which I now own) vs. 1190R.
Yet too often the reviewers veered into 1190 vs. GS/Tenere etc.
The big what!? For me was when reviewer said 1190R suspension was vastly improved over 990. Never referenced that travel is less. Very suspect IMHO.

Ted

I'd be happy with a solid answer as to when MFI is going to get the dern thing!!

Agree. I wonder if this is the 2013 or 2014 model (for which I heard they fixed the soft suspension).

Why do they keep saying that the new R is "ALOT HEAVIER BIKE" ???

Right, I feel the same. You can watch it at around 2:10 on the video, that the 990 handles the bumpy trail better than the new one. Nothing beats suspension travel.

Both Baja and 1190R have the same suspension travel, 210 vs 220mm or something like that. The Baja is not an R ...

My mistake, you are right.
Then, the 990 probably has stiffer springs. They should have compared both R-models.

Ok, put on your tin foil hats for this... Being old and watching this sort of stuff float through over so many years, I'm going to have to point out the obvious motivation of a vendor. Who stands to gain when everyone swaps out their 9X0's for 1190's...besides KTM? I think that the factory is somewhat worried about losing the legions of faithful who are wary of the additional weight, that they are worried about appearing as a follower and manufacturer of another over-technified BMW clone. Good guerrilla marketing would enlist their partners in the products success to pass on the perception that the weight doesn't matter, that it really is better. Repeat the lie/ opinion enough and the masses will begin to accept it as the truth.

Please don't take me the wrong way here, I'm certain the 1190 is a fantastic bike. I just don't think that the way its presented here really reflects any sort of real world practical use. I think that the video is produced to appeal to a sort of, 'gnarley I'm gonna kick ass in the dirt with this thing', perception among potential buyers. The part where they're side by side showing the new bikes greater stability smacks me as BS. Thats more a function of clickers, tire pressure and riding style than anything else. If one wanted to appear a little more wobbly, its simply a factor of riding it that way... When the video then sets the standard of perception that, 'if you're gonna go all out and play all in the dirt, get the 990. But if dual sport is your thing, the 1190 is for you plus its just as good in the dirt', I have to ask myself just how much sense that makes. I don't know about you guys but as a dirt bike the old trusty 9X0 pretty much blows chunks next to my CRF or XCW. That's not to say it isn't a great dual sport, of them all I think its the best! If the video were to say something like, 'this new 1190 is heavier, has a bunch more electronic doodads and more power...and is about as good a dual sport as before, perhaps better on road while giving up some off pavement capability', then I wouldn't expect as many folks to hoard the dealerships to move up. Just my 2 cents.

When they planned the video in their conference room, first and foremost on their list of goals was to sell more Touratech stuff. Not to say that an honest evaluation was much farther down the list of prerogatives, its simply that one must view this sort of thing with a dose of healthy skepticism.

Interesting...

Comparing the upspec 1190R to the std 990 is an unusual choice.

I did note that when praising the 1190's off road abilities they often finished the statement with "...given it's weight". I give them kudos for trying to inject some honesty into an advertising piece. It surprised me watching the vid how many times the 1190s suspension was bottoming out.

From all accounts I've read the 1190 handily trounces the 990 in the throttle control department. I'm very happy to hear this. For the market they are going after it seems the perfect bike.

Now they need to come out with a well sorted sub-liter twin for those who don't need 150hp and would like the package to remain a bit lighter and more dirt worthy.

Maybe it's the crashbars and that short screen, but the 1190 looks fat compared to the 990. The old one feels quite elegant in comparison.

2:31, some ugly welds.
Seriously, my 5yr old can weld better that.

Was anyone else surprised by the way the exhaust from the front cylinder got routed on the 1190? I wouldn't have expected them to route it low and below/alongside the motor. That exact same routing has been problematic on my SM-T when things get rocky.

Still - If Santa brought me an 1190R I'd be one happy camper!

My take is that's pretty much exactly what the video says, except that there's no "perhaps better on road" equivocation : they say (as does every other report I've read/heard) the 1190 is clearly superior on pavement.

Hmmmmm,, people confuse faster and better, just because it's faster don't make it better, if it did I'd be on an Aprilia RSV4R, because that's faster than an 1190 so it must be better.

The real question for me is,,,,, is the 1190 £10,000/$15,000 better than my 950? Faster maybe, but better?

I really cannot see it, even if it had 200HP.

As for this video,well, pretty worthless as far as any sort of meaning full comparison goes.

Wow, I watched this video review and was surprised to see that it was filmed right up the road from my house. I ride my 990 and my mountain bike there all the time. Small world.

I really like my 990, so I have the same question re how much better is the 1190 (probably standard version) for how much additional money? It's probably a $5-7k question for me.

I admit the TC and suspension and brake improvements (especially what the US will be getting) mean quite a lot to me. The extra range and power is a plus, but not that critical to me. I prefer the way the 990 looks, and I already have a 19/17 wheel setup along with the stock 21/18.

Is what I like worth the extra money? I guess I won't be able to answer that question until after riding the 1190. The single thing I like best about the 990 (and previous 2004 950S I had) is that special feeling I get riding it. Not very technical or descriptive I know, but that's what's most important to me. And I suspect that every 9x0 owner will have to take their own ride to make their own decision.

If the 1190 provides that feeling I'll probably get one. I've found that over the long term you forget about the money and remember the bike.

Well, it's a street bike, so no surprise.
The more I check the 1190 (as I'm looking into getting one), the more obvious it becomes how completely different the 1190 and the 950 were designed.
The 950 is a former rally bike turned adventure-tourer. Developed with rally pilots, in rally competitions. *Every* aspect of it is influenced by the thought that this bike would also go offroad: the tanks, the fairings, the air intake, the exhausts, the seat.

My guess is that the 9*0 series, while succesful, was not as successful as KTM hoped.

So the 1190 was designed in the complete opposite way: focus groups, big dev team, street focus to get a nice, likeable street bike that can also do offroad. If you think about it, there is NO aspect of 1190 that seems to be conceived with offroad in mind: the air intakes, the exhaust, the top-heavy single tank, the seat, all those scream street. The traction control was developed with a MotoGP (or superbike?) pilot.
Of course, being a KTM, their offroad-capable street bike is still more capable than others, but it's pretty clear for me that this wasn't their focus at all.