As a current 990 smt owner - I might have an unpopular opinion, but here we go... Most people will be better off with this bike rather than 890 adventure. SMT will absolutely nail both on road and light offroad (which is what most people do). Only small portion of offroad riders ACTUALLY benefit from 890 adventure. And those ones rather go for exc's, 690's, drz's or upgrade their teneres to unrecognizable state.
As a 890 23 (none R) I agree I'm a road rider and planning to buy new rims to go to 17/19 to get beter traction on te road. But for me the deal of my 890 was to great to pass. The smt was 4000 euro more expensive.
90 percent of adv owners are better off with a naked or hybrid bike like xr1000 etc. Its like people who buy lifted trucks and only use it fro grocery runs.
@@humzilla707 His point is that 90% of people don't do "serious dirt", only the road... And he's right... But I doubt most will be smart enough to forgo their imagined offroad adventures, for REAL everyday on-road Adventures with the SM T... Also I wish it were placed a little more premium, so it really IS a touring Alternative... Why no R Motor? Why no great brakes? Why no top suspension, maybe with height or damping wizardry? (I don't like it, but it's the trend, so people want it, so ktm should sell it) This truly IS the proverbial "Eierlegendewollmilchsau" or "Egglayingwoolmilkpig", the ONE thing that finally does it all! Sit comfortable like a king, yet be able to destroy basically anything on 2 wheels... ^^ And once the bring an R version, it's a no-brainer...
The 890s sound so much better after decat, truly *chefs kiss* enough to get a little crackle on the quick shift but not enough for everyone at your workplace to know the exact moment you decided to make the day a half day and just fucking leave.
I've had my smt since July last Year love it not the best looking bike in the world. but love the way it rides. The handlebar vibes were a problem but soon got rid of those with a set of ktm powerparts PHDS bar mounts using the soft bushings that I removed from my husky fe 350. It's a night and day difference. Total transformation makes a brilliant bike even better. Hope this helps someone
@@michael07nz If it did I haven't noticed a difference at all in the height, it's just pure comfort. My hands were buzzing at times b4 I fitted the phds. It's totally vibration free through the bars. I've seen them come up Ebay for around a £100. But with difference they make they're good value at full price. If you buy them new you get a choice of two polymers I got the soft and medium. I and run the soft. I hope this helps
Had my 390ADV for a little over 2 years, and have put just over 12k miles through mud, dust, rocks, water and plenty of street miles. My bike has the same switch gear as the 890 SMT and they are just as responsive and clicky as the day I bought it and have given me exactly 0 issues thus far!
OC: I would go with the 890 Adventure R since I do a lot of off-road & traveling. The SMT looks awful and it should have had the 120 hp Duke R street bike engine instead of the 890 Adventure engine that is made for on and off road and the SMT is a steet bike mainly. My two cents. Maybe they will make a better looking one with a Duke 990 120 hp engine in it instead and they will actually sell the bike.
I have one for a couple of months now. I painted the rear white plastics black and replaced that high fender for a Duke 890 carbon front fender. This bike is the best option for people who like the 890 adventure, but never ride off road.
I bought this bike partially due to your review. I'm loving it! Came from a 890 Adventure and it's the bike I really needed all along. Took it to a track day, long-ish trips and the things you've mentioned are very true. I'd get the windscreen upgrade just which gives it the adv or adv R windscreen. The luggage racks fit directly from the adventure as well
22:33 I have a 390 duke 2022, I've put 17,000 miles so far. The buttons still feel like they did when I bought it brand new. And you 're right the buttons do feel cheap, for a 390 is fair. But for a 890 having almost the same buttons as the 390 that feels Cheap and it should have higher quality buttons.
I just bought this as a second motorcycle. It’s awesome. Plenty capable of touring and long rides, but still incredibly agile and fun. Complements my Hypermotard.
I had the 990 SMT for years, and rode the heck out of it, including several sections of the WABDR. Currently own a 990 ADV, 1290 SAS, and 790 ADV R. To this day I regret letting the old SMT go...actually looked at the new SMT while at the dealer the other day. The look of the new SMT just didn't quite excite me like I hoped it would. I wish they had gone with the low front fender and twin exhaust like the old 990 SMT. And by the way, the switch gear on my 1290 and 790 have held up fine. I have had a wire loom issue on the 1290, and the 790 chokes on startup sometimes (which some 890 ADV owners have experienced as well).
@@kottyking I'm coming from a hypemotard 950 and panigale v4 so here's my thoughts at 2000 miles...Throttle response on sport setting is wicked! Needs a power commander/ecu flash to help with fueling. Buffeting from windscreen impacts noise inside helmet more than anything else. You'll need earplugs above 65 mph. J. Juan brakes are actually good (I'm a full brembo setup snob). 5'9, 30" inseam and height is not a problem. Handlebar position feels a little off- still trying to figure this out. TFT is very clear and menu easy to understand. Very agile and confidence in corners. I think supercorsa's would be a better tire vs stock. Motor is pretty strong- great torque throughout gears but hit redline quick in 1, 2, 3 and it just seems to be out of breath after 8000 rpm. 1st gear feels like a tractor- I'm rarely in 1st even at stops. I find 3rd and 4th are best for torque and speed. I got the aftermarket motard seat to help with body position moves for corners- base seat comfortable but seemed to restrict movement. Aftermarket pretty poor right now but with this sharing much of the 890 adventure platform parts may be interchangeable. I contacted Rottweiler and they may be doing some R&D to help with performance parts. If you do test ride, note the unrestricted performance is def better vs the break in mile restrictions. Thanks for asking and give it a shot- it's different in a good way
Just wanted to say since first discovering this channel in 2019, it has come a long way. Love the editing done with a second vehicle filming. I spent a few hours trying to decipher if it was another bike/car or what you had getting that 3rd person shots. Idk if its a bad idea but i know drones have object avoidance/follow options. Maybe you can get some overhead shots too - if not going to be illegal on the streets. 15-20 minutes worth of flight while going down the road.
If you put adventure tires on it, you will have an ultimate touring tool. It will be prepared for gravel or short off road parts. Even more so as it has an 180 mm wheel travel. At least here in Europe where I live, touring in the Alps , Mediterranean islends and even the Balkans only seldom require a proper off road machine. In most cases it is an overkill and having it you compromise too much on tarmac. It would definitely be a bike for me to consider.
I was about to buy this on Saturday! But my dealer and I settled on waiting for an R version in 2025 (crossed fingers) I would buy it to replace my superduke 3.0, so I don't mind waiting and also heard of some technical troubles on this first version, so waiting isn't a chore. 🙂 And if even your dealer agrees, it's a no brainer...
All I can compare it to is Ducati’s Hyperstrada and this looks much more substantial. It might not have the pedigree, but at least it doesn’t have desmos
F YEAH! What an awesome lightweight ADV hooligan option! Just wish it were a tad lighter. An "R" version would be cool, with the 890 Duke R tune and/or more premium suspension.
OC: Definitely can see only a small group going with the 890 SMT. With most choosing the Duke 890 or 890 ADV. I think I'd go with the Duke 890 if I got a KTM. Just because I'm not really into touring as my commute to work is regular my longest daily ride, then there's trips into the mountains for more technical riding. So I'd choose a more sporty platform for my all-around bike over a touring/ADV setup. Honestly though I can't see myself buying a KTM because of that whole pay to play performance packages they do. Paying more to unlock features the bike already has just screams cash grab to me. That said I've rode a Super Duke and damn was it the most ridiculously fast hooligan bike I've ever swung a leg over.
Chase needs a new wing. They are friken awesome after you do a suspension upgrade. Honda puts undersprung and underdamped shock/springs on their flagship. Add about 3k to the price to fix at Traxxion Dynamics. After that and maybe a seat it’s perfection.
OC ! Well, after watching this video I'm reeeealy thinking about getting this one as my first motorcycle! What you all think about the 890 SMT as first bike? Great video!!!!
You need to change the suspension to get the best out of it, I test rode one second time in the track setting and it dives a lot less. I’m waiting on either an 890 R or a 990 R.
I really like the idea of this bike. Went and checked one out a few weeks ago. On paper it seems like it should be my ideal motorcycle. But it looks so funky to me. If I didn't think they were gonna make an R spec model at some point I'd probably still get one. And if they do make an R I will get one. But I'd be pissed if I got this and the R came out later.
It has longer forks and rear shock are unique to the smt. The longer forks ro make up for the smaller front wheel. I've never owned a bike with such responsive handling it seems to know where you want to go b4 you start to turn. It's a strange combo being a supermoto and a tourer that will eat most sport bikes in the Twisties. Have a test ride if you get chance you'll see what I mean.
Parts bin bike at premium bike price, no thanks. I'll wait til they're sitting on dealer lots for $3000 off MSRP. The old 990 SMT performs better, looks better, and is likely more reliable. Hence, why the old 990 SMT is one of the only motorcycles that has seemingly held its value throughout the years.
It almost sounds like this bike falls into a sort of similar spot to the Tiger Sport 660. Sporty but not a sports bike, toury, but not a touring bike. OC: I would honestly not go with any 890 because I think (apologies to the KTM fans out there) KTM bikes are fugly.
Gear Seen in this Video:
Helmet: RUROC Atlas 4.0 Track geni.us/krnbu
Cardo Bluetooth (10% Off!) cardosystems.rfrl.co/q9d12 (Code:C2WCardo)
Jacket: Revit Flare 2 imp.i104546.net/rn9Vej
Pants: Revit Lombard 3 Jeans imp.i104546.net/AodraK
Gloves: REAX Superfly 2 Perforated Gloves imp.i104546.net/5gEZo3
Boots: Links Coming Soon!
As a current 990 smt owner - I might have an unpopular opinion, but here we go... Most people will be better off with this bike rather than 890 adventure. SMT will absolutely nail both on road and light offroad (which is what most people do). Only small portion of offroad riders ACTUALLY benefit from 890 adventure. And those ones rather go for exc's, 690's, drz's or upgrade their teneres to unrecognizable state.
As a 990 smR owner this is true but the 890 adventure R is the most amazing actual adventure bike out there for serious dirt and road.
As a 890 23 (none R) I agree I'm a road rider and planning to buy new rims to go to 17/19 to get beter traction on te road. But for me the deal of my 890 was to great to pass. The smt was 4000 euro more expensive.
As a former 990 smt owner, I agree.
90 percent of adv owners are better off with a naked or hybrid bike like xr1000 etc. Its like people who buy lifted trucks and only use it fro grocery runs.
@@humzilla707 His point is that 90% of people don't do "serious dirt", only the road... And he's right... But I doubt most will be smart enough to forgo their imagined offroad adventures, for REAL everyday on-road Adventures with the SM T... Also I wish it were placed a little more premium, so it really IS a touring Alternative... Why no R Motor? Why no great brakes? Why no top suspension, maybe with height or damping wizardry? (I don't like it, but it's the trend, so people want it, so ktm should sell it)
This truly IS the proverbial "Eierlegendewollmilchsau" or "Egglayingwoolmilkpig", the ONE thing that finally does it all!
Sit comfortable like a king, yet be able to destroy basically anything on 2 wheels... ^^
And once the bring an R version, it's a no-brainer...
when a ADV and a super moto have a baby you get this! Love it..
The 890s sound so much better after decat, truly *chefs kiss* enough to get a little crackle on the quick shift but not enough for everyone at your workplace to know the exact moment you decided to make the day a half day and just fucking leave.
I have a 2016 KTM Superduke GT. It has almost 50,000 miles. The buttons work the same as the day it was new.
I've had my smt since July last Year love it not the best looking bike in the world. but love the way it rides. The handlebar vibes were a problem but soon got rid of those with a set of ktm powerparts PHDS bar mounts using the soft bushings that I removed from my husky fe 350. It's a night and day difference. Total transformation makes a brilliant bike even better. Hope this helps someone
Thanks for your advice. Can you tell me if the handlebar height changed after the modification?
@@michael07nz If it did I haven't noticed a difference at all in the height, it's just pure comfort. My hands were buzzing at times b4 I fitted the phds. It's totally vibration free through the bars. I've seen them come up Ebay for around a £100. But with difference they make they're good value at full price. If you buy them new you get a choice of two polymers I got the soft and medium. I and run the soft. I hope this helps
@@mikehudson868 thank you so much 😊
i just bought one and Im having issued with the engine heat, is not a problem for you?
Had my 390ADV for a little over 2 years, and have put just over 12k miles through mud, dust, rocks, water and plenty of street miles. My bike has the same switch gear as the 890 SMT and they are just as responsive and clicky as the day I bought it and have given me exactly 0 issues thus far!
Glad to see you back!
OC: I would go with the 890 Adventure R since I do a lot of off-road & traveling. The SMT looks awful and it should have had the 120 hp Duke R street bike engine instead of the 890 Adventure engine that is made for on and off road and the SMT is a steet bike mainly. My two cents. Maybe they will make a better looking one with a Duke 990 120 hp engine in it instead and they will actually sell the bike.
I bought one of these 3 weeks ago... Love it... Just need the warmer weather over here in the Netherlands now....
That is a sweet bike. Def no competitors out there for this thing for the time being. KTM reliability can kiss my bunghole tho.
I have one for a couple of months now. I painted the rear white plastics black and replaced that high fender for a Duke 890 carbon front fender. This bike is the best option for people who like the 890 adventure, but never ride off road.
I bought this bike partially due to your review. I'm loving it! Came from a 890 Adventure and it's the bike I really needed all along. Took it to a track day, long-ish trips and the things you've mentioned are very true. I'd get the windscreen upgrade just which gives it the adv or adv R windscreen. The luggage racks fit directly from the adventure as well
22:33 I have a 390 duke 2022, I've put 17,000 miles so far. The buttons still feel like they did when I bought it brand new. And you 're right the buttons do feel cheap, for a 390 is fair. But for a 890 having almost the same buttons as the 390 that feels Cheap and it should have higher quality buttons.
Great review..just threw a leg over one at the dealership and loved the ergos and comfort..think I found my next bike..
I just bought this as a second motorcycle. It’s awesome. Plenty capable of touring and long rides, but still incredibly agile and fun. Complements my Hypermotard.
I had the 990 SMT for years, and rode the heck out of it, including several sections of the WABDR. Currently own a 990 ADV, 1290 SAS, and 790 ADV R. To this day I regret letting the old SMT go...actually looked at the new SMT while at the dealer the other day. The look of the new SMT just didn't quite excite me like I hoped it would. I wish they had gone with the low front fender and twin exhaust like the old 990 SMT. And by the way, the switch gear on my 1290 and 790 have held up fine. I have had a wire loom issue on the 1290, and the 790 chokes on startup sometimes (which some 890 ADV owners have experienced as well).
perfect timing i just bought one today
How are digging it? Nobody will let me test ride one. I’m coming from a supermoto
@@kottyking I'm coming from a hypemotard 950 and panigale v4 so here's my thoughts at 2000 miles...Throttle response on sport setting is wicked! Needs a power commander/ecu flash to help with fueling. Buffeting from windscreen impacts noise inside helmet more than anything else. You'll need earplugs above 65 mph. J. Juan brakes are actually good (I'm a full brembo setup snob). 5'9, 30" inseam and height is not a problem. Handlebar position feels a little off- still trying to figure this out. TFT is very clear and menu easy to understand. Very agile and confidence in corners. I think supercorsa's would be a better tire vs stock. Motor is pretty strong- great torque throughout gears but hit redline quick in 1, 2, 3 and it just seems to be out of breath after 8000 rpm. 1st gear feels like a tractor- I'm rarely in 1st even at stops. I find 3rd and 4th are best for torque and speed. I got the aftermarket motard seat to help with body position moves for corners- base seat comfortable but seemed to restrict movement. Aftermarket pretty poor right now but with this sharing much of the 890 adventure platform parts may be interchangeable. I contacted Rottweiler and they may be doing some R&D to help with performance parts. If you do test ride, note the unrestricted performance is def better vs the break in mile restrictions. Thanks for asking and give it a shot- it's different in a good way
We love Chaseontwowheels
Just wanted to say since first discovering this channel in 2019, it has come a long way.
Love the editing done with a second vehicle filming. I spent a few hours trying to decipher if it was another bike/car or what you had getting that 3rd person shots.
Idk if its a bad idea but i know drones have object avoidance/follow options. Maybe you can get some overhead shots too - if not going to be illegal on the streets. 15-20 minutes worth of flight while going down the road.
If you put adventure tires on it, you will have an ultimate touring tool. It will be prepared for gravel or short off road parts. Even more so as it has an 180 mm wheel travel. At least here in Europe where I live, touring in the Alps , Mediterranean islends and even the Balkans only seldom require a proper off road machine. In most cases it is an overkill and having it you compromise too much on tarmac. It would definitely be a bike for me to consider.
Mid sentence “I love the color on the Audi E-Tron” 😂
Squirrel!
Great Video!
I was about to buy this on Saturday! But my dealer and I settled on waiting for an R version in 2025 (crossed fingers)
I would buy it to replace my superduke 3.0, so I don't mind waiting and also heard of some technical troubles on this first version, so waiting isn't a chore. 🙂 And if even your dealer agrees, it's a no brainer...
All that love the new audio =>
I'm loving it so much, made me fall in love with the KTM 8890
Could you do a first ride on the 2024 updated cbr500r?
Such a sick bike. If I were looking for a road bike this would be it 100%. That LC8c engine is such a hoot.
All I can compare it to is Ducati’s Hyperstrada and this looks much more substantial. It might not have the pedigree, but at least it doesn’t have desmos
F YEAH! What an awesome lightweight ADV hooligan option! Just wish it were a tad lighter. An "R" version would be cool, with the 890 Duke R tune and/or more premium suspension.
As a former KTM owner I can confirm the buttons are unacceptable crappy. They feel cheap and the paint chipped off after a while, basically by itself
OC: Definitely can see only a small group going with the 890 SMT. With most choosing the Duke 890 or 890 ADV. I think I'd go with the Duke 890 if I got a KTM. Just because I'm not really into touring as my commute to work is regular my longest daily ride, then there's trips into the mountains for more technical riding. So I'd choose a more sporty platform for my all-around bike over a touring/ADV setup. Honestly though I can't see myself buying a KTM because of that whole pay to play performance packages they do. Paying more to unlock features the bike already has just screams cash grab to me. That said I've rode a Super Duke and damn was it the most ridiculously fast hooligan bike I've ever swung a leg over.
Sooner or later somebody will hack the KTMs and the "Unlock features" will go away.
It’s perfect and I don’t own one yet.
The smt does not have the lower fuel tank like the adventure bike does. Chase claimed that it does. Small correction for anyone interested.
Im pretty sure I said it didn't have that lower tank.
@@chaseontwowheels I went back and rewatched it. I had misunderstood what you were saying and you did claim correctly. My bad 👍
Please make this the new bike on the channel. That would be so cool
Audio is super crisp!!!! So is the review.
Love the audio set up
Chase needs a new wing. They are friken awesome after you do a suspension upgrade. Honda puts undersprung and underdamped shock/springs on their flagship. Add about 3k to the price to fix at Traxxion Dynamics. After that and maybe a seat it’s perfection.
OC ! Well, after watching this video I'm reeeealy thinking about getting this one as my first motorcycle!
What you all think about the 890 SMT as first bike?
Great video!!!!
I rode a KTM 1190 Adventure daily for 4 years and never had issues with the buttons
You need to change the suspension to get the best out of it, I test rode one second time in the track setting and it dives a lot less.
I’m waiting on either an 890 R or a 990 R.
Great review✊🔥
Curious if we could just strip down our Ibex 800T and have a sporty upright bike similar to this?
Let’s GOOOOOOOOO another FIRST RIDE
Get a life
I really like the idea of this bike. Went and checked one out a few weeks ago. On paper it seems like it should be my ideal motorcycle. But it looks so funky to me. If I didn't think they were gonna make an R spec model at some point I'd probably still get one. And if they do make an R I will get one. But I'd be pissed if I got this and the R came out later.
Did ktm fix the problem with the cams in that motor?
Needs a round headlight
This is funky
Great bike
Can u make a video where u present the best looking and the cheapest motorbike your allowed to ride at 16 years old please??
Prefer over a Transalp or Africa Twin for commuting? (You know, assuming you dont get a lemon!)
Pretty much narrowed it to these two. Was gonna go Multistrada but wanting something lighter and easier for the city.
Can you please do a first ride on the new Honda hornet 500
Hey Chase - can you compare this to the multistrada v2?
What do you think about the upcoming CF MOTO MT-X?
So. You are still kicking after all
so what makes this thing different from the standard 890? is it just taller?
It has longer forks and rear shock are unique to the smt. The longer forks ro make up for the smaller front wheel. I've never owned a bike with such responsive handling it seems to know where you want to go b4 you start to turn. It's a strange combo being a supermoto and a tourer that will eat most sport bikes in the Twisties. Have a test ride if you get chance you'll see what I mean.
4:03 first ride discord promotion number 69 without the first mention of Smort being in there....
OC crew
Parts bin bike at premium bike price, no thanks. I'll wait til they're sitting on dealer lots for $3000 off MSRP. The old 990 SMT performs better, looks better, and is likely more reliable. Hence, why the old 990 SMT is one of the only motorcycles that has seemingly held its value throughout the years.
I feel like the 890 Duke R 121hp engine would have been a better choice then the detuned adventure one on this type of bike.
Sure. The reason they used the adventure engine is homologation. The wanted a new model fast. So the frame and the motor are from the 899 adv.
This bike belongs to turns! Test it in right conditions😁 for this reason I dont like much american tests. Always on stright ways, it shows you nothing
Another small guy on a big bike. Looks hilaruous lol. Why are all motorcycle riders so short??
What kind of comment is this?
Watch out for white trucks lol speaking of the wr250
Yes iv been watching for that long 🤣
Ktm making these but not sportbikes for the road >.
come to los angeles where they dont put money into infra
The perfect bike … but the looks 🤦. I wish Ducati did a v2 pikespeak 😄
Is this the motor that apparently eats itself?
Maybe I missed it, does it have heated grips?
optional
It almost sounds like this bike falls into a sort of similar spot to the Tiger Sport 660. Sporty but not a sports bike, toury, but not a touring bike.
OC: I would honestly not go with any 890 because I think (apologies to the KTM fans out there) KTM bikes are fugly.