KTM 890 getting beat to crap on local trail near me

[ballisticexchris]

Anyway you slice it when bikes are getting over 400lbs they can be a handful. This KTM is a very poor design. Note the exposed down pipe and grab handles that can punch a hole in your leg. Brand new bike with software issues that make the POS TFT screen go black for no reason.

Here is what this trail looks like from the top. This is me over a year ago getting ready to go down.



Here is the video. Worth the watch. Brand new KTM 890 to a beater in one ride:

 

[ballisticexchris]

I hope I never have to let someone ride a bike out of a bad situation for me.

 

[gunslinger_006]

KTM

Best performance to weight of any brand.

Race ready off the showroom is not an exaggeration.

I cant buy one. They just break too ofen. I prize mechanical reliability above all else. That is why the tenere really is the bike for me.


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[Mak10]

Dang for the traffic on the trail. 890 has no crash bars? 1290 and rider seem to have no issues, rider on 890 needs more experience.

 

[Mak10]

He has a steering stabilizer, but no crash bars?

 

[ballisticexchris]

Actually the rider is pretty experienced. That trail is very steep, super brutal rock ledges and not big bike friendly. Crash bars would have helped for sure. I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos of local riding areas lately. They are overrun with crowds.

I will tell you Mark, your 525EXC is the perfect bike for that riding area. Of course nothing here in CA can compare to the beauty of Idaho trails.

 

[Mak10]

This is a fun trail called Rose garden hill close to Moab. It’s great on the 525.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Now you're talkin'!!

 

[Sierra1]

OK. . . . pavement princess here. . . . but, was it the bike or the rider that was the problem? My initial thought is rider. The bigger/heavier bike didn't appear to have a problem. And, that rider, got his bike up the hill. It sounded like he was lugging the motor, stall, and then fall.

 

[Mak10]

It looks like a combination to me. Notice other bikes are dirt oriented in video. The rider on the 890 was definitely riding hard lines for a heavy adventure bike. There may have been an easy workaround line the 1290 took? The rider on the 1290 was a better rider for sure.

The Ktm bikes are better than a Super Tenere in hard terrain like that. Any 400 + lbs bike is going to be a handful.

There is no shame in letting someone else ride your bike through difficult sections. At least in my eyes.

 

[Highwayman]

Man, sorry..... I think kyle would have blown that off if he knew.... I think the fact it was a new area, he was "yeah wth not!?" Not the lines for those big unnsss.... Picking em up more than once brings it home quick... Save that stuff for DBs.... Why i have my 300...

Kyles experienced, but he has done some weird stuff. Been lucky but when he blew a turn on Crestline cutoff and went head on with on coming.... Really no reason for it other than really bad eye placement..... He was lucky on that one.... And when he grabbed a handful of whiskey throttle on a dirty shoulder u turn on the 18 and went down hard in lanes.... That could of been a bad day too....

He was lucky that 890 was still rideable home on that day, I thought for sure he busted a cover or footpeg on that second dump.


LOL.... Did Kyle really call that Jeep Rubicon a Montero? SMH.....

 

[gunslinger_006]

This is a fun trail called Rose garden hill close to Moab. It’s great on the 525.

That is some great riding imho. I could not do that without numerous stops and probably drops lol


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[fac191]

Dont you guys have horses for this kind of thing ?.
Great video can only admire the skills.

 

[Mak10]

Here is a fun video of Moab, Utah.

Anyone want to meet up in Moab?

 

[Sierra1]

Nope. "A man's got to know his limitations."

 

[ballisticexchris]

There were no "good" lines on that trail. Although I could see where the dozer came through and smoothed out some of it. I have been up and down it many times on my 300 and 498. I'm sure that 1190 was dropped more than a few times as well.

I have seen first hand with a pro rider what happens to these beasts on trails like this. Just ask Chris Birch (him or some other well noted pro rider) who attempted Malcom Smith Trail on a big adventure bike. He destroyed the bike and did not complete the event.

The point of the video is to show that no matter the rider skill these big bikes are going to be expensive to maintain if you decide to do stupid hard trails like this no matter the skill of the rider.

The skill of the rider will never ever be able to overcome the weight of a big adventure bike on trails like this. Where a small bike will get through much easier and with little drama, a big bike is going to struggle and take a beating with a possibility of leaving you stranded.

 

[Mak10]

It would be a different story if someone else sponsored you on a bike. It’s why I put so little faith in “shootout” reviews. A couple rides for a few hours, doesn’t give a complete picture.

Part of riding is knowing your own limitations, the bikes limitations and choosing the right bike for the terrain.

 

[gunslinger_006]

There were no "good" lines on that trail. Although I could see where the dozer came through and smoothed out some of it. I have been up and down it many times on my 300 and 498. I'm sure that 1190 was dropped more than a few times as well.

I have seen first hand with a pro rider what happens to these beasts on trails like this. Just ask Chris Birch (him or some other well noted pro rider) who attempted Malcom Smith Trail on a big adventure bike. He destroyed the bike and did not complete the event.

The point of the video is to show that no matter the rider skill these big bikes are going to be expensive to maintain if you decide to do stupid hard trails like this no matter the skill of the rider.

The skill of the rider will never ever be able to overcome the weight of a big adventure bike on trails like this. Where a small bike will get through much easier and with little drama, a big bike is going to struggle and take a beating with a possibility of leaving you stranded.

This is an excellent point that i think a lot of people dont fully accept.

I love my 600lb “dirt bike”, but i love it for what it is: A bike designed to take you down just about any road you can find.

Key word: road.


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[fac191]

Nope. "A man's got to know his limitations."

If we thought like that we would still be living in the trees, however on this one im with you.

 

[Checkswrecks]

With respect to the 890 rider, I think a strong case could be made for multiple types of fatigue setting in. Physical, brain fade, and probably nourishment and dehydration.

They set out with the sun just up and with very long low shadows, so (hopefully) had an early breakfast (6-7am?), met to talk for a bit, then rode 40+ minutes on the roads to get to the base point. The 890 and 1290 were doing everything asked off-road and other than being faster than probably prudent he did fine and showed some experience in his choice of lines.

BUT - His choices degraded at about 7:45 when he could be heard breathing harder than he had been.

The sun shadows say it is at least mid/late morning by the time he gets to the first time the bike is seen on its' side. HeliMark's old ride goes by at 10:20 with the bike laying down and the rate of dropping it gets worse after that. The rider's speed is also faster with his faster breathing and the dash becomes visible more often as he probably is on the seat more often, implying degrading judgement and being worn out while he just tries to push through. While the other guy has a camelback, they are not seen stopping by this point for a power bar or water when they've probably been riding for at least 4 hours since a real meal, and physically exerting themselves for at least 3 hours. The only problem I see with the 890 is that he had to contend with the heavier weight for hours.

How many of us have done this? I sure have. Something to remember.