2018 KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S,

Groundbreaker;

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Whack the throttle wide open in the middle of a nasty corner. Brake hard while fully leant over. No harm is done - just grin and rocket on. Even when you’re bending the laws of physics, KTM’s combination of 160 hp, 140 Nm of torque and a mere 238 kg is kept in check by the most advanced electronics in the world of motorcycling. All you have to do is focus on the road ahead - and hold on tight. But the KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S offers buttery smooth cruising as well, if that’s what you really want…

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• Based on the 1,301cc V-twin of the KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R, aka “The Beast”, the KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE R is clearly the Alpha in its segment.
• Engine: The engine packs one hell of a punch for fully loaded tours, has truckloads of torque from the bottom up and hardly ever needs hurried downshifts. Therefore, the 1290 R is equally happy cruising around town as it is giving Superbikes a run for their money when the chips are down. With 160 hp and 140 Nm of torque on tap, of which 108 Nm is already available at 2,500 rpm, we wouldn’t bet against it.
• Smooth sailing: A spread transmission on the primary wheel transfers the power to the clutch basket without any backlash, which eliminates vibration and reduces engine noise. On the intake sides there is a newly developed resonator chamber, designed to polish the torque output in the lower to mid-range rpms. This substantially increases the smoothness of the KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE R power train.
• Power Assist Slipper Clutch: Not only does the slipper clutch open when the engine back-torque becomes too high, it also assists when you open up the throttle. The former prevents destabilizing rear wheel chatter when braking sharply or decelerating; the latter reduces the lever force required for changing gear, allowing the clutch to be controlled with just one trigger happy finger.
• Cylinder heads: A key element in the flawless power delivery of the 75° V-twin is each cylinder’s state-of-the-art 4-valve cylinder head. These combine twin plug ignition, flow-optimized ports and a slick low-friction valve train with cams from each cylinder’s twin overhead camshafts driving DLC-coated cam followers.
• DLC coating: DLC (Diamond-Lik