KTM1190 Adventure R wins Australia's Bike of the Year The announcement was made Thursday night at a gala awards ceremony in Sydney, with the 75-degree V-twin besting a quality field of 13 motorcycles from different manufacturers across four different selection criteria. Giving the award extra credibility was the fact that it was decided by votes from some very well-travelled and experienced hands - the nine-rider panel of Two Wheels testers. Miles Rangely - Two Wheels Editor: "It was the most impressive motorcycle on and off road. It was at home no matter what we threw at it. It’s torquey, comfortable and just a revolution in the off-road market. The bike was head to head with BMW in a few places and it just outshone it everywhere. The riders rated the KTM on top almost unanimously, which is pretty good considering we’ve got guys like Kevin Magee and Steve Martin who have never spent a lot of time near the dirt and they thought it was brilliant. It
shows that demand is changing in the Australian market away from the
sports bike era. There is a bigger selection of styles now and more
blokes incorporating off-road stuff into their touring and riding. Bikes
like this introduce a whole new rider to this broader style of riding
because they haven’t got to be an ex-dirt bike rider to enjoy them. Greg Chambers - KTM Australia’s National Marketing Manager: "It’s a tremendous highlight for us to have Two Wheels magazine recognise the appeal and performance of the KTM1190R and we thank Two Wheels and QBE for this award. In terms of its electronics package the 1190R is technically the most advanced KTM ever produced, with the industry’s first lean-sensitive cornering ABS with off-road mode and the Bosch MSC with 4 separate ride modes. But even though it suits such an extremely wide range of applications, its engine management system and rider aids that all make the bike so special, are very unobtrusive - it offers these different characters with virtually no perceptible compromises anywhere. Sales-wise the Adventure R outperformed our wildest expectations. We didn’t carry any stock at the warehouse - they went straight out the door and sold out in most cases in a few months. We managed to get more but there are only a couple left in Australia.” The 1190R Adventure stays true to the heart and soul of the original KTM Adventure – and whether it be alpine pass or winding coastal road, bone-shaking track or urban jungle, the new 1190 Adventure R is the ultimate travel enduro for whatever road your adventure lies on.  |