Imagine the ultimate Supermoto ‘play weapon’, combined with a bike that boasts a number of technical features, necessary for extended touring capabilities: you can attack the apex while knowing full well that the bike will take you much further.
Essential information:
- KTM 890 SMT back in the spotlight with re-tuned KTM 890 LC8c platform, developed to hit marks at the top of the Supermoto touring segment for power/torque-to-weight ratio.
- A street focused chassis, adjustable suspension, and premium tyres and brakes elevate this purposeful model between KTM ADVENTURE and KTM STREET product ranges. The perfect foil for both hill passes and the roads that lie thereafter, in equal measure.
- The 2023 KTM 890 SMT is relaunched with fanfare and a pulsating ‘hill climb’ concept in the hands of former AMA Superbike and Supermoto racer Chris Fillmore.
The only way is up. The racing skills of former AMA Superbike and Supermoto ace Chris Fillmore were an apt conduit to display the potential of the reimagined KTM 890 SMT. The American, and Pikes Peak winner, throttled the Supermoto-tourer along a Sardinian mountain climb to show petrol heads and the motorcycle industry what they had been missing – and what they had been waiting for.
Fillmore gassed the super-torquey 889cc LC8c parallel twin and counted on 105 hp at 8,000 rpm. The engine is the same platform behind the enviable stats and output of the KTM 890 ADVENTURE model and its variations: with a 20% increase in rotating mass over the KTM 790 platform, providing stability and reassurance through corners, the knock control and 46 mm dual Dell’Orto throttle bodies guaranteeing optimum momentum, while the fuel consumption from the 15.8 litre tank is fantastically low at 4.6 litres/100 km. The KTM 890 SMT is just as happy pushed through low revs as it is pinned in higher gears – in fact Fillmore used the full range of the KTM 790 DUKE’s motor to ace his second Pikes Peak hill climb record in Colorado back in 2018.
The tank itself plays a forceful role in the ergonomics and has been slimmed and designed specifically for the KTM 890 SMT. The form of the tank slides the rider even further ‘into’ the bike with a wide and comfy contact patch, but is still compact enough for free and flowing movement (aided by the single piece Supermoto shaped seat at 860 mm height). The aero-optimised, smoked windshield is placed just above the double fender concept, with a low splash guard on the fork legs. Cruise or attack? You decide.
Chassis-wise the KTM 890 SMT has a CroMo steel frame with a tighter geometry that apes the KTM ADVENTURE’s stats. The structure is typically light and superbly agile on the move but also ensures fierce stability the faster a rider pushes. The shock absorber is angled further to reduce the seat height and accommodate the longer swingarm, contributing to both a forwardly inclined rider position as well as straight line stability.
The bike can be moulded even further. The three standard ride modes (RAIN, STREET, SPORT) can be expanded with an optional TRACK setting, permitting the rider to toggle between different amounts of throttle response and traction control through 10 levels. Cornering Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC) is an important safety feature, sensitive to the bike’s pitch and behavior at lean. Try six different handlebar positions with a 30 mm range. The show can slide and be rapidly wrenched to a halt with its potent brakes, consisting of four piston calipers, putting pressure on a 320 mm disc up front, while double piston calipers grip the 260 mm rear. Putting this stopping power into action employs Cornering ABS and Supermoto ABS – placing both technically advanced provisions into the mix for an excellent safety profile.
More add-ons available include heated grips and the chance to add Motor Slip Regulation (MSR), ideal for better control in low grip situations and for fast downshifts, to the software package. QUICKSHIFTER+ and Cruise Control are optional and ready to go with a simple activation process at Authorised KTM Dealers. Connectivity with the bike means full access to navigation possibilities and the advantages of the KTMconnect App, including roadside assistance, owner manuals and a digital service booklet for service and maintenance.
It would be very modest of us not to mention the looks. The KTM 890 SMT says a lot with its Supermoto-tourer style, from the 17″ wheels to its sporty graphics. The SMT cuts a sharp profile and will be impossible to miss, and even harder to outgun, on the road. As ever, don’t forget the encompassing collection of KTM PowerParts (to include accessories, TRACK and TECH Packs) and KTM PowerWear to look the part whether you’re on the hill, the highway or any other route to KTM 890 SMT happiness.
2023 KTM 890 SMT Highlights
// KTM 890 LC8c reworked for special sport touring emphasis and the next generation of the KTM 890 SMT thanks to 100 Nm of Torque and 105 hp with unbeatable power delivery
// A chassis ideal for the perfect Supermoto-tourer that achieves the desirable pitch between aggression and relaxed long distance cruising, with a sportier feel
// Frame, engine, wheels, WP APEX suspension all tweaked for lithe performance
// Blast the gradient of any hill climb with Cornering MTC, Cornering ABS and Supermoto ABS all applicable thanks to premium bike behavior functionality. More customisation possible with adjustable Suspension and TRACK mode options
// Performance with function: get excited by the tech specs and then revel in the touring aspect of the bike, with elements such as the 5” advanced TFT dashboard, Michelin PowerGP tyres, optional QUICKSHIFTER+ and Cruise Control – among other add-ons
// LED lights, eye-catching styling, 17” wheels and KTM 890 SMT spirit from the first throttle roll
KTM 890 SMT UK pricing confirmed as £12,499.00 on the road – available to order now and landing in Authorised KTM Dealers from May 2023.
For more KTM Motorcycles UK news check out our dedicated page KTM Motorcycles UK News
or head to the official KTM Motorcycles UK website www.ktm.com/en-gb.html
