Bmw R1200gs Adventure Vs. Ktm 1190 Adventure R
BMW R1200GS ADVENTURE VS. KTM 1190 ADVENTURE R
LONG-TERM
WRAP-UP
WHAT A LONG, STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN
Blake Conner
It took us almost a year, but we finally pushed these two beasts to their breaking points—literally. For the first six months of this side-by-side long-term test, we cruised all over the western United States and Mexico with very few problems to report and only a few rider-induced mishaps that required repairs.
Did this give us a false sense of security? Could these bikes take more than we were dishing out? Well, we intended to find out last autumn with more trips. After surviving the Cycle World Adventure Rally in Gunnison, Colorado, the bikes were prepped to head up to the California Sierras for the second of the two annual ADV rallies (for more information and to sign up for the 2015 editions, visit cycleworld.com/adventurerally). This time around, photographer Jeff Allen would accompany
off-road ace Ryan Dudek on the poker-run-style event with strict instructions to take it easy on the BMW, which had just received nearly $2,000 worth of repairs after my crash in the Colorado Rockies.
Well, you can’t have an adventure if you don’t venture off the beaten path, right? Dudek and Allen managed to get way off the grid near Huntington Lake, California, riding down a dead end trail that only pro-level tester and Baja 1000 first-in-class finisher Dudek could eventually ride back up. Allen said that without Dudek there to save the day and ride the GSA out for him, it would have required a hike for him and a helicopter ride for the BMW. The lesson? Mortals can get in too deep!
Well into testing, our 1190 Adventure became very hard starting and we discovered our bike’s engine had ingested a significant amount of dirt and dust that completely bypassed the air filter. A bit of research and contact with 1190 owners showed we were not alone
in this phenomenon. KTM confirmed there was a flaw in the airbox/filter design (see sidebar), and warranty repairs for this issue took the 1190 out of circulation for the better part of a month, while the BMW marched on.
This gave us the chance to try out a couple of products on the GSA, namely a pair of light kits from Clearwater Lights (March; clearwaterlights.com), consisting of Erica ($989) and Darla ($649) LED lamps that are tied into the bike’s CAN-bus for broad controllability via the stock buttons/switches. The light output from these lamps is absolutely fantastic
(16,000 lumens total), and other well-thought-out safety features make their premium price tag not nearly as hard to swallow.
We also tried out Touratech’s (touratech-usa.com) DriRide rider ($600) and passenger ($559.10) comfort seats, which have breathable, waterproof covers and far superior foam for longdistance riding.
Once the KTM returned, we had to break in the new top end and get it back to the dealer for an oil/filter change before prepping the bike for a journey down the Baja California peninsula to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Mexico. Another set of Continental TKC8os (its third) were mounted on the KTM, while we finally got a set of Conti’s brand-new TKC70S ($415) to try on the BMW (see sidebar).
Although the planned route was originally supposed to take Allen, Dudek, and Dirt Rider Art Director Joe McKimmy to Cabo
San Lucas primarily on asphalt, the trip, as with most of our journeys, included some detours that encompassed significantly more dirt than was originally intended. So the boys only made it as far as Loreto, about 700 miles south of Tecate on the east coast, and 300 miles short of Cabo.
On the return journey, it was once again the BMW’s turn for some drama. First, the GSA was tipped over in a concrete stream crossing, which was made slicker than ice by the unseen green slime under the surface. It got another QuikSteel patch on a cracked cylinder head cover (despite the stock crashbars). Next, its ESA rear shock blew out after hitting a washout at speed, forcing Allen to endure an undamped pogostick ride back to the US. Once home, the bike returned to Irv Seaver Motorcycles in Orange, California, for repairs. They discovered the front shock was also leaking, so both damping units were replaced under warranty. Further, the clutch finally called it a day and had to be replaced. At least with the newest boxer design, the clutch is mounted at engine’s front, no longer necessitating transmission removal as on previous versions. But parts cost was $1,458.46!
As for the KTM Adventure R, a few key aftermarket additions made the bike more comfortable off road and better able to endure the floggings we administered. Fasst Company’s Flexx Handlebars ($359.99; fasstco. com) and Simple Solution Handguards ($135-99) not only improve ergonomics while standing off road but also absorb harsh hits and reduce vibration to the hands, while the full-wrap guards offer maximum protection. Key to defending the KTM’s underbelly was AltRider’s
skid plate ($394.97; altrider.com). This laser-cut, heavy-duty aluminum unit is incredibly sturdy and mounts to the KTM’s massive M10 engine bolts at the rear for extreme rigidity. Despite the plate’s burly nature, Dudek still managed to bend it, but it clearly saved the KTM from another calamity.
In regard to wear and tear, we smoked through a set of rear brake pads on each
machine, largely due to our extensive off-road riding. Stock pads set us back $120.69 for the GS and $85.95 for the KTM. Other repairs that seemed pricey were the $65 brake lever for the KTM and a $400 horn button for the BMW. Yes, you read that right: After the Colorado crash, the GS’s little red horn button was dislodged from its housing. When in for service, a representative
REPORT CARD
BMW R1200GS ADVENTURE
“Phenomenal bike. Handles great and is super comfortable on trips. I got almost 14K miles on mine with zero issues.”
James Reese
“I have a 2014 GSA. I often say to people that it may not be the best at certain individual things but is quite simply the best all-rounder by a long way. I have an assortment of bikes, and invariably when I head out for a spin I will take the GS.”
Brian McConagle
“I love mine. All the things they say about it being a versatile, Swiss army knife bike are true, but what is harder to put into words is the comfort it brings to any task. With street-oriented tires it does very well in the twisties of the North Carolina mountains (almost matching my R1200RT).
With more aggressive dual-sport tires, it handles gravel and dirt with confidence.” Joe Insinga
KTM 1290 ADVENTURE R
“I’ve put about 4I miles on mine so far, and I’m in love. Like most loves though, it takes some work. I hate the KTM touring panniers; I should’ve taken $1,200 and set it on fire. I have ridden this bike in snow, mud, sand, fire roads, highway, canyons, two-up, and solo. Flands down my favorite bike I’ve owned.”
Aaron Ashcroft
“This is the bike I’ve been waiting40 years for. The bike delivers in spades for what I want out of it. In my opinion all the electronic farkles just simply work and work very well.”
Chris Kurtz
“Fast like a sportbike on the pavement, plush in the rough stuff, and the TC/ABS is a game changer. Flowever, the airbox issue is inexcusable.”
Andrew Knight
FROM THE LOGBOOK
BLAKE CONNER
The single most memorable moment for me with these two bikes was when Dudek and I rode the Slickrock Trail in Moab, Utah. At the time, I fully understood that we were doing something that few others would attempt on such big machines, especially with such major consequences for a mistake (250-to 500-foot cliffs!), and, stupidly, we had the bags attached. But we survived. It wasn’t until I went back on a KTM Freeride 250 Rand rode the trail again that I fully grasped how insane we (at least me) were to ride ADVs there.
JEFF ALLEN
-> Just the sight of either of these bikes gets the road-trip part of
my brain firing.
Baja, ADV Rally, Yosemite, Baja
again, 1,000-mile
three-day week-
end? No problem.
A2,500-mile
weeklong ride?
Even better. I wish the bikes would
stay around a lot
longer; I still have
plans swirling
around in my
head. At around
600 pounds
each, both bikes
demand respect
off-road. At the
same time, they
work so well in the dirt it’s easy to forget they’re not
dirt bikes. In sand orwhen tryingto
get them stopped in the dirt, you are quickly reminded
of their size. Give them the respect
they deserve,
That stated, these
are great tourers
with good wind
protection and
rugged luggage,
Highwaylto
Oregon anyone?
The wife will
worry you’re never
goingtocome
home. It’s a real possibility,
JOE MCKIMMY
-> I prefer the
seat height on
theBeemerfor
my short, stumpy
legs. With a
600-pound
motorcycle, it’s
nice to knowyou
have more than a toe touching to
keep your balance in awkward spots, For me, the KTM is much more
comfortable off
road, able to plow through square-
edged chop and
big bumps with
ease. I think the
21-inch front
wheel makes a big
difference on the rough stuff. But
I am really quite
surprised how
well the BMW
handles over
loose rock sec-
tions. The wide
tires allow the
bike to be really
stable.
KTM
1190 ADVENTURE R
$18,134
BMW
R1200GS ADVENTURE
$21,671
from Irv Seaver called to ask if I wanted them to replace the button. I said yes, but the button replacement entailed fitting a new left-side handlebar pod, which, with labor, tallied a totally ridiculous $448.10.
Nevertheless, of all the long-term bikes we’ve had over the past few years, none have proven as versatile, comfortable, and capable as these two. There are very few machines that can survive the constant abuse that these two endured, while still being able to hop on the freeway and comfortably knock out 1,000 miles as we did on our return from Colorado. In our time with them, we unearthed some of each machine’s faults, discovered many of their limits, and tested some of the best aftermarket products available.
Conclusions on this long-term comparison? For starters, both of these bikes were expensive as delivered, while maintenance and repairs proved high due to the amount of time spent off-highway. Maybe the average owner
wouldn’t ride their $20,000 ADVs as hard as we did, but we’re here to push the limits. In that light, if off-road chops and raw performance are your most important purchasing decisions, the KTM is clearly the bike. It’s sportbikefast on road and far better in technical dirt sections than any bike this big should be, all while being blessed with Bosch’s amazing lean-sensing ABS and traction control (see Ignition, page 22). But if total versatility and longhaul comfort are more important to you, then the BMW is hard to fault.
It offers supreme on-road manners, went everywhere the KTM did (though was much more challenging in the hard stuff), and has more available convenience and creature-comfort features. Every tester called it incredibly close, and the choice really came down to the projected use. Bottom line? Modern big-bike adventure isn’t cheap (and we’re sure glad there are good warranties), but it’s sure worth it. CUM
