Another week, another launch, and this time it’s the turn of Baron von Tumble to offer musings on KTM’s 1290 Super Adventure S and 1090 Adventure. Hopefully by now you will have clocked the 1290 R in Peru, and its sister model is more of an everyday, techno-laden Tarmac terrorist complete with semi-active suspension and luxuries such as cruise control, Bluetoof connectivity and handy storage compartments for condoms and fags.
Did you know the ancient Christmas carol, Tidings of Comfort and Joy, was written after an hour in the Super Adventure S’s saddle? As you’d expect from 160bhp, and being a KTM, the S combines boisterous superbike power and touring capability. Meanwhile, the slightly more economical 1090 brings a less chaotic delivery and all-round performance.
Corsican roads proved an ideal testing bed for both bikes, and our BvG. It just goes to show that riding like a twat in the rain isn’t recommended. Or that even the best electronics won’t save you…
