Text Courtesy KTM.  Photos by H. Mitterbauer.

KTM Announces Powerful New 990 Adventure

Specifications and more photos below.

KTM, the Austrian company renowned for its championship wins in the Dakar Rally and international off-road events, is releasing the 990 Adventure "Travel Enduro" motorcycle.

The 990 Adventure is a revised version of the relatively successful 950 Adventure.  The 990 has greater displacement, electronic fuel injection, a regulated catalytic converter and an ABS System.  The motorcycle will meet the EURO III emission standards.

The 990 Adventure is fitted with the KTM's light weighted LC8 engine, now with an increased displacement of 999 cc.  KTM says that the "new motor management guarantees a powerful and dynamic unfolding of power and significantly improved torque while maintaining the same level of top performance".

The KTM 990 Adventure comes in two varieties: the KTM 990 Adventure S, a highly focused model with longer suspension travel and new “Dakar-Design” blue and orange paint reflecting its origins in rally sport.

The KTM 990 Adventure is a touch lower than the companion S model and features improved safety factors with its ABS.  The 990 Adventure comes in two variations of the new two-colour design: orange-gray and black-gray.

Bike magazine in the UK recently tested the revised 950 Adventure and the staff was very enthusiastic about the way it rides and handles.  We assume the new 990 will be even better and will also be released in the U.S.A. in 2006, but we're not sure when.  The UK version apparently comes with large, square hard bags, which the Bike magazine staff praised for their ability to resist water and their ease of use. 

Here's what KTM had to say about the 990 Adventure during their recent press introduction:  "More displacement, any amount of performance and still massive torque coupled with minimal weight.  The new motor management with electronic fuel injection (EFI) is convincing with its excellent rideablity while the regulated catalyzer ensures minimal emissions.  And the newly developed ABS has taken the fear out of braking hard. All in all the KTM 990 Adventure, with its ultra modern technology and exclusive design, delivers unlimited riding pleasure."

990 ADVENTURE S
"The 990 Adventure S is impressive proof of just how sporty a street enduro can be.  The chassis is even more extreme than the sister bike, the 990 Adventure, while the new engine has more displacement and electronic fuel injection.  The “Dakar” design is a clear signal that the 990 Adventure S comes directly from rally sport."

ENGINE
"Our talented technicians hate sitting around doing nothing.  That’s why they have optimized the potential of the LC8 engine through ingenious finishing touches.  This year KTM ignites the first stage in the evolution of the already legendary two-cylinder.  More displacement, the electronically controlled fuel injection system and numerous finishing touches now deliver even more power and sensitive controllability to the rear wheel that is now practically begging for mercy.

Modified series Enduros have made the world’s deserts unsafe with their racing tempo, so our engineers and technicians have more than once ground a little fine sand between their teeth.  To counteract the loss of tooth enamel, we’ve now been regularly winning the hardest rallies in the world since 2001 and we’ve been doing it with our tried, true and very hot LC4’s as well as with the whole new LC8 two-cylinder models.  That’s what we mean by “Ready to Race”.  We test our bikes under the toughest racing conditions so that we can guarantee that you get safely to every destination that your heart leads (or rides) you to!"

Cyril Despres: "At 190 through knee-deep sand you have to feel confident on your bike. After more than 10,000 kilometers the 990 Adventure is practically a part of you."

More detailed information is available on the KTM 990 Adventure website.