KTM 990 Adventure S

KTM Adventure 990
Manufacturer	KTM
Also called	990 Adventure Orange, 990 Adventure Black, 990 Adventure S, 990 Adventure Dakar, 990 Adventure R, 990 Adventure
Production	2006
Engine	Four stroke, 75°V-twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Compression ratio	11.5;1
Ignition	Contactless, controlled, fully electronic ignition system with digital ignition timing adjustment
Battery	12 V/11.2 Ah
Transmission	6 Speed
Frame	Tubular cromoly spaced frame. powered coated
Suspension	Front: 48mm WP USD forks Rear: WP-PDS rear shock, hydraulic spring preload
Brakes	Front: 2x 300mm Brembo discs 2 piston calipers Rear: Single 240mm Brembo disc 1 piston caliper
Front Tire	90/90 -21
Rear Tire	150/70 -R18
Wheelbase	1570 mm / 61.8 in
Seat Height	915 mm / 36. in
Weight	199 kg / 438.7 lbs (dry),
Fuel Capacity	22 Liters / 5.8 gal
Manuals	Service Manual

Engine

The engine was a Liquid cooling cooled Four stroke, 75°V-twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder. The engine featured a 11.5;1 compression ratio.

Drive

Power was moderated via the Wet Multi-disc hydraulically operated,.

Chassis

It came with a 90/90 -21 front tire and a 150/70 -R18 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via 2x 300mm Brembo discs 2 piston calipers in the front and a Single 240mm Brembo disc 1 piston caliper in the rear. The front suspension was a 48mm WP USD forks while the rear was equipped with a WP-PDS rear shock, hydraulic spring preload. The 990 Adventure S was fitted with a 22 Liters / 5.8 gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 199 kg / 438.7 lbs. The wheelbase was 1570 mm / 61.8 in long.

Photos

Overview

KTM 990 Adventure S

By creating the 990 Adventure, KTM intended on giving the normal rider a feel of what a Paris Dakar pilot experiences during the exhausting race. I reckon the Austrian manufacturer did a damn good job both winning the Rally many years in a row and riding the streets and the wilderness, the goal being to reach your house’s front alley, not a truly challenging finish line. First introduced in 2003, the KTM 950 Adventure S (yes, it started with the “S” and then got rid of it, producing in parallel two models) was an incredible entry as it featured the reliability, performance and style of the racing motorcycles that inspired its creation. The LC8 V-twin engine was a must from the very beginning and it displaced 950cc. A true on-and-off-road machine, the 950 Adventure’s engine developed an impressive 98.00 HP (71.5 kW) @ 8000rpm while maximum torque (95.00 Nm) was reached at 6000rpm. Color was KTM Orange.

2004 model year marked the addition of Silver and Black colors which weren’t kept for future years as in 2005 the “S” became a replica of Dakar Rally Racers while the simple version was Black painted.

In 2007 the cylinder capacity increased to 999cc resulting in what a rider can buy today, excepting the 2008 finishing touches. The V-twin is now fuel injected and a regulated catalytic converter allows it to meet Euro ||| regulations. The ABS came naturally, exactly how the fun will come as you gather miles on it. It sure doesn’t have many competitors, but sometimes a single one is enough to get things going in a whole other direction that the manufacturer anticipated. Even though great fun, awesome performing and orientated towards style and comfort, the Suzuki V-Strom 1000 doesn’t manage to dethrone the 990 Adventure. That would mean beating it at its own game.

The Suzy is incredible versatile and adaptable to any kind of riding style so you will have no problems riding it across town or across the Desert. It’s just a matter of taste and ambition. Anyway, the 996cc, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected 90 degree V-twin featuring four valves per cylinder is perfectly suitable for the task and performs excellent.

It beats the KTM when it comes to comfort as its seat feels like taken off a touring motorcycle and the height-adjustable windshield keeps you well protected. Suspensions are also good and together with the chassis deliver an easy to handle ride. You will often see the V-Strom right next to the 990 Adventure both on the freeway and in off-road incursions and that proves a lot. Usually when I imagine a Dual Sport motorcycle I tend to miss the fairing part which is so defining in this case. But my brain seems to be still denying the presence of all that covering plastic which looks like molded on and modified in order to look aggressive and kind of cool. This is how you’ll explain the sharp lines encountered only on the 990 Adventure and Adventure S.

It is all about geometry and similitude. For example let’s take the entire front appearance of the bike (the form of the fairing, especially) seen when coming towards you and the shape of the headlight? Despite the size difference you can not miss this detail. The windscreen is perfectly positioned, almost at a 90 degree angle, so that it would offer good wind protection even when the rider is raised up on its feet.

Fully faired and good looking, this KTM proves that designers did their homework. No matter the color of the bike (Orange, Black or Blue) the lower half of the fairing isn’t painted, but made of tough material that won’t be scratched easily when passing through a river and touching branches or anything that might require a trip to the paint shop. Last weekend I was overwhelmed by the Adventure’s impressive abilities both on and off the road because the sensations that it delivers are truly unique and worthy of bragging words. When I got the bike it was so clean and shiny and although I knew things weren’t going to stay that way for too long I preferred keeping it on the pavement for a while. Here I noticed that the bike is pretty effective even when used in town. The 98bhp of the LC8 engine can be harnessed with a little bit of effort and the bike will remain properly balanced even at slow speeds. But when it comes to slow speed maneuvering, that’s where you have a problem because it tends on losing stability. KTM built the Adventure for being ridden hard in any kinds of conditions so being a bit tall and pretty demanding doesn’t help a lot between sitting cans. Well, you can always choose to make your own road and take it between the blocks and through deserted areas on the outskirts.

Getting tired of the slow speed maneuvering fatigue, I took the Adventure on the freeway so I could get a feel of how it performs under hard acceleration at relatively high speed. Excellent! No matter in what gear I was in, neither the rpm levels, the V-twin delivered the needed grunt that made the KTM feel able to pass cars with no problem whatsoever. Throttle response is great, thanks to the fuel injection system, and the bike will go ahead and amaze you with every twist of its throttle. Passing cars is no problem as this beauty can easily go with 130mph.

But let’s face it, who am I kidding? The off road is where the 990 Adventure belongs and I was in for a rough ride. The trails are a kid’s play and I didn’t manage to find it lacking the ability to suppress any obstacle that it has encountered. This bike relies on its race-inspired character to save the situation and it does it with success every single time.

I adored pushing it out of the corners so that the rear wheel would lose grip and I would make a nice figure, but that was kind of a risky situation at first because I found myself trying to straighten the bike with my left foot. After getting used to it I had a lot of fun.

I’ve always dreamed to split the see’s waves in two with a bike’s front wheel and I couldn’t find a more appropriate bike then the 990 Adventure so I took it down a lonely beach where you can find many riders, only that on top of horses, so I was kind of a scary beast there. Even so, it felt great!

The gearbox felt precise and easy to operate as I went through its six ratios while the smooth clutch made life easier for the adventure seeking rider. What also receives a big plus from me is the windscreen which protected me from the wind while I was getting a fever in my lower body from the riding position.

ABS brakes come standard and they sure get the job done. While I was hardly braking to avoid a big wave that would have left me swimming with the fishes, I noticed that even when the grip is sublime, but doesn’t exist, the 990 Adventure comes to a complete stop and lives to fight another day. Conclusion Passing from street use to off-road hardcore exploiting has never shown a prettier face than the KTM’s 990 Adventure and I bet it won’t do it for a very long time ahead. My reasons are simple and very clear: no other manufacturer has the potential or the experience to deliver the performance (in the given category) of the filled-with-heritage Adventure and nobody (except the decent V-Strom) even tries it, so why worry? Just go for the best.

Make Model	KTM 990 Adventure S
Year	2006
Engine Type	Four stroke, 75°V-twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Displacement	999.8 cc / 60.9 cu-in
Bore X Stroke	101 x 62.4mm
Cooling System	Liquid cooling
Compression	11.5;1
Induction	Keihin Electronic Fuel Injection EMS
Lubrication	Pressure lubrication with 2 Eaton pumps
Engine Oil	Motorex, SAE 10W-50
Exhaust	Twin stainless steel silencer with regulated catalytic converter
Ignition	Contactless, controlled, fully electronic ignition system with digital ignition timing adjustment
Battery	12 V/11.2 Ah
Starting	Electric
Max Power	96.5 hp / 70.5 kW @ 8500 rpm
Max Torque	95 Nm / 70.1 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm
Clutch	Wet Multi-disc hydraulically operated,
Transmission	6 Speed
Final Drive	Chain, X-Ring 5/8 x 5/16"
Primary Drive	35:67
Final Drive Ratio	16:42
Frame	Tubular cromoly spaced frame. powered coated
Handlebar	Aluminum, tapered, Ø 28/22 mm
Front Suspension	48mm WP USD forks
Front Wheel Travel	250 mm / 9.8 in
Rear Suspension	WP-PDS rear shock, hydraulic spring preload
Rear Wheel Travel	255 mm / 10.0 in
Front Brakes	2x 300mm Brembo discs 2 piston calipers
Rear Brakes	Single 240mm Brembo disc 1 piston caliper
Front Wheel	2.15 x 21;
Rear Wheel	4.25 x 18
Front Tire	90/90 -21
Rear Tire	150/70 -R18
Steering Head Angle	63.4°
Rake	26.6°
Trail	119 mm / 4.68 in
Wheelbase	1570 mm / 61.8 in
Seat Height	915 mm / 36. in
Ground Clearance	316 mm / 12.4 in
Dry Weight	199 kg / 438.7 lbs
Fuel Capacity	22 Liters / 5.8 gal
Reserve	4 Liters

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