Could KTM Be Working On A More Affordable 1290 Super Adventure?

It’s currently the most expensive heavyweight ADV in the market, so rumor has it that a basic version is underway.

By: Enrico Punsalang

Mar 2, 2022 at 8:00am ET

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If you look at today's crop of heavyweight adventure bikes, there’s no denying that the Europeans are leading the charge in terms of tech and performance. The trifecta of Super ADV bikes, if you will, consists of KTM, with the 1290 Super Adventure, Ducati, with the Multistrada V4, and BMW, with the unbeatable R 1250 GS. Interestingly, though, there's one outlier in terms of pricing, and that’s the KTM.

Granted, of course, it’s also the most technologically advanced boasting features like electronic suspension and radar-guided cruise control. But wait, the Ducati Multistrada V4 offers this, too, and manages to sell for nearly 600 Euros ($680 USD) more in Europe. The BMW R 1250 GS, meanwhile, is a whopping 2,200 Euros cheaper than the orange monster. That being said, though, it does miss out on radar, which is undeniably an exorbitantly expensive feature. So, what can KTM do to offer its flagship adventurer at a more competitive price point?

2021 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R

Well, if the rumor mills are to be believed, it seems that the folks over at Mattighofen are working on a base model 1290 Super Adventure in the hopes of undercutting the competition's prices. So, what exactly does this mean? Well, German motorcycling publication Motorrad Online thinks that the base model will come devoid of electronic suspension and the fancy radar-powered adaptive cruise control feature. It estimates the price of a theoretical base model 1290 Super Adventure to be somewhere close to the 17,000-Euro mark, or along the lines of $19,210 USD—still tons of dough, but at least a tad less than that of the GS and Multistrada.

Another interesting speculation is that the base model 1290 Super Adventure could actually be the most capable off-roader in the heavyweight adventure segment. Naturally, deleting the sophisticated electric motors for the semi-active suspension, as well as the bulky radar unit will result in some sizable weight savings—something that goes a long way when it comes to off-road performance and maneuverability. All that being said, none of this has been confirmed by the lovely people at KTM, so really, your guess is as good as mine. What we do know, however, is that this bike is the talk of the heavyweight ADV town, so something’s definitely up.