I have ridden both and like them. I had a chance to get a T7 but no cruise control was a deal breaker.

KTM is a very good motorcycle brand. I hope you have a good dealer support.

I have a pretty solid local dealer and 2 others within 1.5 hours that are solid.

Nice. If you ever get down here towards Austin the hill country has a some nice riding.

Or meet me in Colorado and let's go ride the 5 passes and see what we're really made of.

Nice bike. I really like the Adventure style bikes. Very practical yet good looking bikes.

Is it true that the KTM 890 has a lower center of gravity ( when topped off with fuel) than other similar motorcycles?

The fuel tank is divided and lower on each side of frame?

quote:

Originally posted by fwbulldog:
Nice. If you ever get down here towards Austin the hill country has a some nice riding.

Or meet me in Colorado and let's go ride the 5 passes and see what we're really made of.

Sounds like my riding schedule is getting some new dates haha. I have ridden some of the passes in CO and they were…interesting. But I am always down.

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
Is it true that the KTM 890 has a lower center of gravity ( when topped off with fuel) than other similar motorcycles?

The fuel tank is divided and lower on each side of frame?

yes, and it does feel really narrow when your riding with the weight low. Remember all of my comparisons are based off of riding a Super Tenere the last 10 years which carries its weight high.

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:
She's a real beauty.
I'm looking into getting another Africa Twin or Yamaha T7.

The beauty of a T7 is the simplicity, no traction control, ride modes, wheelie control, engine brake limiting, TFT display, etc. which the Africa Twin 1100 and (I believe) 890 Adventure have. It's just a nice size motorcycle that works well, is easy to work on, requires little maintenance, and while there's no cruise the throttle is light and not abrupt.
The AT1100 incorporates all the above that the T7 does not, plus you have cruise, but in a way I think I prefer the less complicated T7 and Africa Twin 1000 w/o the "ride modes" and other stuff over my AT 1100.

Congrats on the new bike, Ed! Enjoy!

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:
She's a real beauty.
I'm looking into getting another Africa Twin or Yamaha T7.

The beauty of a T7 is the simplicity, no traction control, ride modes, wheelie control, engine brake limiting, TFT display, etc. which the Africa Twin 1100 and (I believe) 890 Adventure have. It's just a nice size motorcycle that works well, is easy to work on, requires little maintenance, and while there's no cruise the throttle is light and not abrupt.
The AT1100 incorporates all the above that the T7 does not, plus you have cruise, but in a way I think I prefer the less complicated T7 and Africa Twin 1000 w/o the "ride modes" and other stuff over my AT 1100.

The simplicity of the T7 is very appealing. I'm actually torn on which direction I should go. I've never seen the T7 up close. Seems they can't keep the things in stock. A dealer semi-local to my area has 4 coming in Aug. and he is going to let me know once he has a firm date of delivery. I had a 2016 manual AT and have regretted selling it from the start. Looks like Honda did a major update in 2020. 4K+ is a pretty big difference in price between the two. Exploring backroads/small towns is my main focus.

Congrats! Looks like a fun ride.
Missing my Vulcan at times, but it's been so hot here in Houston, that commuting in gear would be brutal.

Need to coordinate with my father-in-law to get an early morning run sometime soon.

The wife
And I attended the Revzilla Advfest in July and there were lots of AT’s and a bunch of T7’s. I would do a T7 in a heartbeat but I specifically wanted cruise control and I have come to like ABS and traction control. I can turn them all off in under a minute. The T7 was the other bike I was contemplating but I really wanted cruise control.

I chose the BMW F850GS over the more nanny equipped F850 GS Adventure model. Simpler bike but still with ABS. Thats a must for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:

The simplicity of the T7 is very appealing. I'm actually torn on which direction I should go. I've never seen the T7 up close. Seems they can't keep the things in stock. A dealer semi-local to my area has 4 coming in Aug. and he is going to let me know once he has a firm date of delivery. I had a 2016 manual AT and have regretted selling it from the start. Looks like Honda did a major update in 2020. 4K+ is a pretty big difference in price between the two. Exploring backroads/small towns is my main focus.

It surprises me that a dealer has 4 coming in at one time, the dealer here has a number on order but has only received 5, but only one at a time. I would suggest putting $500 down to hold one, you can always cancel and get your money back if you don't like it when it comes it. The T7 comes pretty well sorted the only things I've done is add removable soft luggage (which fit the Africa Twin also), 1 tooth up on the countershaft sprocket, a heavier rear spring (it's sprung for around 160# and I'm almost 200), and a better seat. Other than adding heated grips I think that's about all.

quote:

...I would do a T7 in a heartbeat but I specifically wanted cruise control and I have come to like ABS and traction control. I can turn them all off in under a minute.

Cruise can certainly be nice to have sometimes. I like having ABS as long as at least the rear can be quickly disabled, same with traction control. On the T7 you just press a button and ABS is disabled, and you don't have to worry about TC because it's not there. On the Africa twin rear ABS turns off pretty easily but getting traction control completely off takes some fiddling through the menus and even "off" it's not completely off because wheelie control incorporates it too, so you have to go through the menu to disable it as well. Then when you restart the bike the settings go back to default again.

Of all the various motorcycle brands that have found their way into my garage over the years the one brand that is absent but very much on my radar is KTM.

I guess you could say after a few close calls on my R1 (actually to the point where it’s a small miracle I am still alive) my interest has slowly waned in riding.

I’m going to pick up a Kawasaki, Suzuki and Honda track bike this coming weekend. It’s gonna be a painful trade but it’s worth it. I am hoping one of the three new acquisitions can rekindle my love affair with motos. Though, to be honest I think it’s likely going to require I go full circle and buy a street legal dirt bike again to get me hooked on riding again. Something that’s fun but won’t almost hit 100 mph in 1st gear and sound glorious while doing it is what I need to start riding.

I’m thinking a plated KTM two stroke dirt bike built up as a supermoto should fit the bill. If I can find one.

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:


It surprises me that a dealer has 4 coming in at one time, the dealer here has a number on order but has only received 5, but only one at a time. I would suggest putting $500 down to hold one, you can always cancel and get your money back if you don't like it when it comes it. The T7 comes pretty well sorted the only things I've done is add removable soft luggage (which fit the Africa Twin also), 1 tooth up on the countershaft sprocket, a heavier rear spring (it's sprung for around 160# and I'm almost 200), and a better seat. Other than adding heated grips I think that's about all.

He said they are getting one of each color (3) and the 4th will be a wild card. He did suggest putting a deposit down to hold one. I'm more than likely going in that direction.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:

I guess you could say after a few close calls on my R1 (actually to the point where it’s a small miracle I am still alive) my interest has slowly waned in riding.

I did my share of stupid stunts. Passing long lines of cars on the shoulder, darting between cars at high speeds, 100+ mph on Gravel roads, crouching on the seat passing co-workers doing 80+ at 11:30 at night .... I'm lucky be to be here myself. That's just the street bike shenanigans mainly on a V45 Sabre in the mid 1980s. I quit doing that sort of shit many years ago and needed to have my ass kicked.
I would have killed myself for sure if I had my CBR1000rr back then.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Of all the various motorcycle brands that have found their way into my garage over the years the one brand that is absent but very much on my radar is KTM.....

It's interesting that KTM, Ducati, and BMW seem more innovative and selling more state of the art bikes than the Japanese for the last decade or longer. Who'd have thought back in the 1990's that European manufacturers would be more innovative than Honda, Yamaha, etc.?
KTM dirt bikes are really nice but currently my lone KTM is a 790 Duke.

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:


He said they are getting one of each color (3) and the 4th will be a wild card. He did suggest putting a deposit down to hold one. I'm more than likely going in that direction.

Outstanding! May as well hold one before others do.

Here is my 2012 Bonneville. I'm trying to decide what I want to get next, there is so many good choices nowadays. It's hard to choose.