KTM's 2020 street lineup continues the tradition of offering race-capable motorcycles. Well known for its orange, white, and black livery, KTM offers bikes in single-cylinder, parallel-twin and V-twin configurations.

KTM History

Originally known as Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz (Trunkenpolz Motor Vehicles), the company that would go on to be KTM was founded in 1934 by Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen, Austria. In 1951, sagging sales revenue prompted the owners to start making motorcycles, and in 1953, an Austrian businessman named Ernst Kronreif bought a large share of the company, renaming it Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen (KTM).

The first bike in production was the 98 cc R100 and in 1953, KTM participated in the 5th Gaisberg competition, in which it won the first three places. A year later, a KTM motorcycle won the Austrian 125 national championship, and two years later, it won the gold in its first appearance at the International Six Days race.

Well established as a winner, KTM sets a high bar building motorcycles that are race-capable right off the showroom floor. Its off-road prowess evident in Enduro and motocross, it carries that experience into the adventure and street-wise naked markets.

KTM Models

KTM Travel Lineup

KTM's Travel family is built to tackle both on- and off-road work all-in-one in a sporty adventure package. Offering a choice of engine sizes and surface bias, KTM lets you mix and match to fill your specific needs within the multi-surface genre. The range covers from the entry-level all the way up to the top-tier of rider experience.

Starting out with a decided off-road bias in its bottom tier models, the 690 Enduro R and the 390 Adventure are street legal, but mainly just to get you to your launch point for some off-road shenaniganery. Next up the chain is the 790 Adventure, 790 Adventure R, and 790 Adventure R Rally. The Rally adds a rally-tastic flavor to the off-road mix and the base model is geared more toward asphalt adventures. The Adventure R falls in the middle with an off-road bias. All run a mid-size, 799 cc powerplant and electronic Rider Aids to help you manage the machines.

At the top of the range are the 1290 Super Adventure R and Super Adventure S that carry the largest engine of the family at 1,301 cc total displacement. They come stock with a handful of Rider Aids, and the factory offers even more fandanglery in the optional-equipment selection. The “R” comes set up for rally-style riding complete with a cut-down flyscreen and knobby hoops, while the “S” is handier on the streets for long-distance riding with equipment to suit.

KTM Sports Tourer

KTM's Sports Tourer segment has but a single model that delivers Super Duke performance and handling with a bias toward long-distance riding. Comfort is the priority through expanded rider protections, and stock panniers provide cargo capacity for weekend trips and running errands. As the very definition of “sport-touring,” the 1290 Super Duke GT carries the 1,301 cc plant in a typically-sporty package. Between the stock panniers is a nice pillion perch serving as a secondary cargo platform when there's no butt in place, and there's room for a tank bag to finish out the luggage. A full range of Rider Aids bolsters rider skill to deliver a relatively safe touring platform.

KTM SuperMoto

KTM's Supermoto family tree is a single trunk with no branches. The lone entry is the 690 SMC R, which is essentially a dirtbike with slick dual-sport tires that'll tackle the tarmac and let you drift around the corners, both on-road and off. Not only does it serve as a proper Supermoto racebike, but it's also ideal for trick riding. Power comes from a 74-horsepower, 693 cc plant with a well-rounded electronics suite that lets you dial in the exact personality you want from the machine. The flyline is dominated by a full-length banana seat that takes advantage of the lack of a pronounced fuel-tank hump to allow a wide range of motion fore-and-aft for technical work.

KTM Naked

KTM's Duke and Super Duke models within the naked genre cover the full range of rider experience with a selection of engine and bike sizes. Built for the public roads, these trimmed-down streetfighters bring track-like performance to everyday riders. A full-spectrum of electronic Rider Aids help maintain control, even under track use.

At the bottom of the range, the 373 cc 390 Duke serves as the entry-level machine in areas without the student-rider restrictions. In the midrange, the 790 Duke is a thoroughbred streetbike and 890 Duke R is more of a proper racing machine. At the top of the totem pole is the 1290 Super Duke R with its 177-horsepower, V-twin mill. Throughout the family you can find plenty of Rider Aids, both stock and optional.

KTM SuperSport

KTM's Supersport entry is built to bring race-like performance to the streets. Electronic augmentation is limited to deliver a raw, honest ride that relies heavily on the skill of the rider and acts as a solid training bike for riders with track aspirations. The RC 390 rocks a 373 cc, single-cylinder engine that churns out 42 horsepower with ABS as the only electronic wizardry. This machine is clearly built with prospective racers in mind and should not be considered a beginner's bike, but instead one for riders who are looking to make the transition to a proper race machine.

Further Reading

KTM

Read more KTM news.