2023 KTM 890 SMT First Ride

[Hugh Janus]

Big supermoto or sport-tourer? Yes. (KTM/)

Sensible supermoto or crazed sport-tourer? Yes! The SMT is back. Depending on how you view the world, the reborn KTM 890 SMT sits somewhere between a stripped-back adventure bike and a pumped-up supermoto. Or if you know your KTMs, between the KTM Adventure 890 and Duke 890.

Here’s the thinking. Most adventure bikes never leave the asphalt, so the SMT’s sticky Michelin Power GP rubber and 17-inch rims make total sense, while road and track-focused ergonomics plus street-oriented WP Apex suspension deliver  tauter, sharper handling than the dirt-aligned Adventure. It’s still tall and commanding like an adventurer, still has a long, deep seat that caters to big miles for both rider and pillion like a sport-tourer. And it still absolutely chimes with the classic sport-touring ideal of having a bike that can deliver you fresh to the mountains, then be good enough to rip up the switchbacks and sweepers when you arrive. This is supermoto touring.

While not available in the US as a 2023, word is that it will come as a 2024. (KTM/)

Like the original SMT that found a cult following some decade or more ago, it’s suffused with a racy attitude and also a craving for miles and weekends away.  At its heart, however, is now the second-generation 889cc variant of the multipurpose parallel-twin LC8c, which, in one guise or another, propels an ever-growing number of middleweight Austrian machinery, as well as the odd Husqvarna and CFMoto too—GasGas incoming?

This is a good choice. KTM could have slotted in the 890 unit deployed in the 119 bhp Duke R but instead opted for the Adventure-spec twin because it produces more torque below 7,500 rpm. Peak outputs of 103 hp at 8,000 rpm and 73.8 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,500 rpm along with 20 percent more rotating mass compared to the earlier 799cc design make for a well-blended mixture of midrange grunt and free-revving spirit. Exactly what a supermoto with an eye on the far horizon requires.

Related: 2024 KTM 890 SMT Spied

A long, deep seat provides all-day comfort. (KTM/)

The SMT’s press-launch venue of Sardinia proved an ideal environment, with the island’s endless ribbons of grippy sweepers and switchbacks seemingly made for the KTM. With instant throttle response, it drives purposefully from just 2,000 rpm, gaining venom as the revs build. It’s not a big engine but it is supremely lively. The SMT punches between braking points, as happy to be short-shifted at 8,000 rpm using the smooth (though only optional) quickshifter as it is to rev on beyond its 10,000 rpm peak.

An 889cc parallel twin provides plenty of thrust out of slow or fast corners. (KTM/)

There’s a full house of riding modes: Rain, Street, and Sport, with the option of a Track setting. And the power delivery is managed by a cornering traction control system. Turn down the traction control to zero in Track, or turn it off at a standstill without the extra mode, and wheelies are inevitable, just as they always were on the original SMT.

A key difference between the old and new SMT, however, is that away from the switchbacks and sweepers the fueling is now as precise as it is soft—anything but sharp—especially in Street and Rain modes. That said, the new SMT’s optional Track mode is a little too eager—it really is for trackdays, it seems. Sport is the preferable mode, which blends an urgent throttle response with more everyday usability.

Suspension-wise, the SMT’s 43mm Apex fork and WP Apex monoshock have 180mm (7.1 inches) of travel front and rear. That compares to 200mm (7.9 inches) for the standard 890 Adventure, and 140mm (5.5 inches) front and 150mm (5.9 inches) rear travel for the 890 Duke. So again, the SMT is positioned between the two.

There are 17-inch wheels at both ends and radial-mount KTM-branded calipers and 320mm discs plus Bosch cornering ABS. A special Supermoto mode allows you to lock the rear wheel while keeping the ABS active on the front.

Fitted with 17-inch wheels, the SMT handles nearly as sharply as KTM’s 890 Duke. (KTM/)

On the road, a fully fueled SMT feels lighter than its claimed 454 pounds (the 890 Adventure is nearly 20 pounds heavier). It’s not soft and squidgy like a pure sport-tourer but plush, controlled, and well suited to, shall we call it, brisk touring.

The SMT loves to carry speed through sweepers. It’s a scratcher, yes, but naturally fluid too and nearly as agile as the Duke R, arguably the nimblest middleweight naked of them all. Its wide bars and a classic up-front supermoto riding stance encourage you to throw the bike around, while the OE Michelin Power GP rubber warms up quickly and gives great feedback and grip.

The 890 SMT’s ergonomics and supermoto stance allow you to throw the bike around as if it’s lighter and shorter than it is. (KTM/)

Once you reach those mountains and start to explore the supermoto side of the SMT on tighter turns, you need to tweak the WP Apex suspension, compression and rebound on the front and preload and rebound on the rear. The recommended Sporty suspension settings are, in typical KTM style, displayed under the seat, and it takes less than a minute to dial them in via the damping adjusters on the fork tops and a huge remote spring preload adjuster on the rear, which is easy to access.

These easy adjustments bring focus and tighten the chassis significantly. In fact, the transformation from capable adventure-leaning sport-tourer to a hard-cornering, if rather large, supermoto is supremely effective. The rear doesn’t sit down as much during fast direction changes, while the steering is a little faster and the fork’s stroke more controlled. Meanwhile, ground clearance is plentiful, hence you can carry masses of corner speed without worry.

A few suspension adjustments and the 890 SMT is ready to mix it up with sportbikes. (KTM/)

Those KTM front stoppers are up for the job but lack a little bit of bite on the limit (as well as a bit of Brembo bling at the coffee stop) but you can have great fun attempting to back the SMT in on the way into corners (on closed roads such as those laid on by KTM in Sardinia, of course).

Away from the fun, the SMT is accommodating in all key areas. The pegs are relatively low giving plenty of leg- and knee-room for all but extra tall riders, and the seat is as supportive as it is sporty. As well as the engine modes, cornering traction control and cornering ABS, the 890 SMT gets a 5-inch TFT dash that’s clear and easy to read and full LED lighting. There are phone connectivity, including navigation, and an optional Tech pack, which features the Moto Slip Regulator (MSR), cruise control, up-and-down quickshifter and the Track pack. Most likely, riders will get a set amount of time to demo these features and then have to pay for them much like with KTM’s other Tech and Track packs on other current models.

A 5-inch TFT dash is easy to read and is the interface for all electronics on the 890 SMT. (KTM/)

Crucially, despite the passage of time and the advent of electronic rider aids, KTM has stayed faithful to the original SMT’s DNA. On the one hand, you have an adventure-oriented tourer that’s easy to live with, is comfortable and roomy, and has a plush all-day ride quality. On the other, you have an absolute cornering animal. Simply make the factory-recommended adjustments to the suspension, reduce the rider-aid intervention levels, and you have a bike that will stir the pot nicely at your local trackday. Interestingly, KTM’s website places it in the sport-tourer category, which, on balance, feels about right.

KTM has stayed faithful to the SMT’s DNA, bringing back supermoto handling with adventure-touring comfort and usability. (KTM/)

2023 KTM 890 SMT Specs

MSRP:	TBA
Engine:	Liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	889cc
Bore x Stroke:	90.7 x 68.8mm
Compression Ratio:	13.5:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Claimed Horsepower:	105 hp @ 8,000 rpm
Claimed Torque:	73.8 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm
Fuel System:	Electronic fuel injection, DKK Dell’Orto 46mm throttle bodies
Clutch:	PASC slipper; cable operated.
Frame:	Chromium-molybdenum steel
Front Suspension:	43mm WP Apex, compression and rebound adjustable; 7.1 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	WP Apex monoshock, preload and rebound damping adjustable; 7.1 in. travel
Front Brake:	4-piston radial-mounted caliper, dual 320mm discs w/ Cornering ABS
Rear Brake:	2-piston floating caliper, 260mm disc w/ Cornering ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Michelin Power GP; 120/70-17 / 180/55-17
Rake/Trail:	25.8°/4.4 in.
Wheelbase:	59.1 in.
Seat Height:	33.9 in.
Fuel Capacity:	4.2 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	454.1 lb.
Contact:	ktm.com

Source

[Catteeclan]

That's a crackin looking bike until you get to the headlight.