More hardcore 2021 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R announced

THE hardest of the big-bore off-roaders has just been given a significant makeover for 2021, the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R is revealed.

2021 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S 

The ‘R’ version of the big KTM has long been lauded as the adventure bike of choice for those looking for the ultimate in dirt-based shenanigans. And it’s not just marketing hype either. The latest 1290 engine in the 2021 bike is a distant cousin of the engines that powered the firm's Dakar race machines in the early 2000s.

Fast forward to the present day and Euro5 certification is the order of the day, although the Austrian adventurists haven’t just been content with cleaning up the exhaust gases.

For starters, the new bike is wearing heavily revised bodywork, and it’s not just for show. The new panels are there to improve the rider’s ergonomics when riding off-road. The frontal area is reduced, and the new 1290 is slimmer than before, aiding off-road riding.

Beneath the skin, the 2021 Super Adventure R has seen a raft of updates, with the new 160hp LC8 V-twin boasting a 1.6kg weight saving over the outgoing model. The Slimfast diet has been achieved thanks to new crankcases among other internal improvements.

The engine has also received an updated cooling system and fresh coatings for this year, with a new PANKL gearbox rounding out the engine’s mechanical updates.

As with any top-spec adventure bike, electronics are a big part of the deal. The traction control, slip regulation, stability control, and off-road ABS of the new bike have had a new load of zeros and ones poured into them.

Super Adventure R electronics

Standard:

Optional:

Rally pack

Tech pack

While we’re on the subject of electronics, the bike’s TFT dash has also been updated, with a larger 7”, full-colour, moveable display gracing the cockpit of the 2021 model.

The suspension is taken care of by WP with its top-spec XPlor kit providing 220mm of travel front and rear. It’s fully adjustable, as before, and allows for compression, rebound, preload adjustment on the front, and compression (high and low speed), rebound, and hydraulic preload at the rear. The braking system is provided by Brembo with 4-piston, radially mounted calipers and a 320 mm disc up front, and a single 2-piston, fixed caliper and 267 mm disc at the rear. It links into a Bosch 10.3ME Combined-ABS system that covers off the cornering ABS and off-road functionality.

For more information on the new bike, head over to: ktm.com

2021 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R specs