r/KTM • u/AgedBrass • Jul 16 '26
ALL Help me Replace a 1290SAR Sized Mistake
Hear me out.
Once upon a time I decided to sell my 1290SAR. I loved the bike, but ended up not doing as much offroad as I planned. I tried a couple times and quickly realized I prefer the enduros I had previously over this and would probably never do offroad touring.
As a commuter, its height/weight combo (even for a 34” inseam) wasn’t ideal and its street handling left a little to be desired. I wanted better street handling, slightly less weight:height ratio.
But I miss it dearly. Its height on my highway commute provided endless visibility. Its power made merging and passing a breeze. Aesthetically, it was sick. The LC8 made great sounds and the low end torque never got old. The giant dirtbike feel was great and in hindsight, the handling was pretty acceptable. I think I loved her?
Everytime I appreciate the SAR and ask whats next, I hear the 1290SAS is an obvious choice. Maybe, but boy shes a little ugly if you ask me. The 1290gt seems like a great time but I got so used to the ADV comfort, will it be cramped? Oh then I remembered the 890smt, lots of power and comfort in a backroads bomber build.
Help me narrow in. Im a fair weather commuter thats only about 30 miles freeway. I want the ability to do 6+ hour trips without wanting to jump off. Storage is valuable. Comfortable is desirable. Great handling is ideal. Id look at non-KTMs but I have Stockholm’s Syndrome I think.
8
u/Interesting_Oven1008 Jul 16 '26
I just got an 890 smt a few weeks ago and I haven't enjoyed a bike this much in 20 years. Really killer bike
3
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u/SwiffleTitz Jul 16 '26
I absolutely love how the 1290 SAS looks, and I don’t even like ADV bikes in general. It has so much personality. I expect it’ll be my next bike
4
u/MikeBArchistrategos Jul 16 '26
Of all the bikes I've ever owned, the SDGT was the best. Not the best looking, or the one that gave me the best feeling when I rode it, but as an all round bike, it did everything exceptionally well, and gave me zero issues in 11k miles and 3 years of ownership. Long journeys were a breeze and once I dropped a tooth on the front sprocket it was great in town too. Couldn't recommend it more
3
u/Necessary_Today_5580 Jul 16 '26
Are you me? LOL I just sold my 1290SAR, and I kind of regret it now. My reason for selling was that I mostly ride very short distances throughout the month and it was getting a bit tedious getting such a large bike in and out of the garage for just a quick ride to the gym or groceries. I had my sights set on a super moto (Duc 698, KTM 690sm, or Husq 701) but after sitting on one of them at the dealer for a bit, I realized its gonna be terrible for anything other than the short rides in the city so now I’m back at considering another ADV bike.
3
u/SRTie4k 23 890 Adventure R Jul 16 '26
Why not just buy a slightly used 2017-2020 1290SAS? It's got the same looks as your SAR, but lower and much better street handling.
2
u/Obvious_Ad9975 Jul 16 '26
I owned the sar(gen2), sas(gen3) and that sdgt(gen2.5) and a 890 advr(to compare to the smt).
The SMT will be the best hooligan but it has the lc8c with its problems. The SDGT is small if you cant put your legs in the fuel tanks cutout don't buy it. But it is an amazing cruizer will do 180+ on cruisecontrol with no hands on the handlebar like riding a flying carpet and its the only KTM with stable windflow so no turbulence against your helmet the whole ride. I guess the SDR is better at cornering and being hooligan though. The SAS is the best of all (SMT/SDGT/SAR), you can offroad, can show 999cc what torque means with all your 180L of luggage and you can still ride fast and do cornering, it is a little to big and heavy to do everything better but I do see the occasional rider taking it to the limit and that is not far off compared to a lightweight supersport.. I would advice you to immediately tune the Euro5 crap out of it and ride it butter smooth with lower engine temps and making it more reliable! (Also applies for the SDGT/SMT).
Personally I would pick lc8 over lc8c.
1
u/Better_Care8973 Jul 16 '26
Tune the euro 5 crap out? What do you mean? How do you do that?
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u/Obvious_Ad9975 Jul 16 '26
Go to a tuner that can tune these bikes, will put a normal (for the engine) tune in it removing the shittiy low end pollution crap tune. Be aware that this might void the warranty. My dealer was ok with it, as they said: the engine runs better cooler and more reliable than with the original tune so any damages should have happened either way.
Maybe prompt ai for full tuning info, otherwise i am typing a whole book.
Go for a dyno tuned tune not for a clown tune file.
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u/Infinite_Coat3246 Jul 16 '26
My heart is gonna go for 1290SAS, but realistical answer probably 890SMT
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u/EdwardEHumphreyIII Jul 16 '26
My only issue with the SAS is they got rid of the spoked wheels. My ‘15 1190 (non-R) has the 19”/17” spoked wheels and I love having the versatility of better street handling than a 21/18 combo but still being able to ride off-road without worrying about cracking a forged wheel.
That said, if dirt didn’t matter, it’d probably be between the SAS and a S1000XR (never ridden one, but I do like inline 4s on road bikes and can’t beat 17”s for street riding) for me. I guess you could look at the Multistrada.
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u/Obvious_Ad9975 Jul 16 '26
1100 euro powerpart item, you do not want to ride the stock mitas anyway.
1
u/EdwardEHumphreyIII Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Mitas? I’m talking wheels, not tires. Not sure I understand what you’re talking about here.
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u/Obvious_Ad9975 Jul 17 '26
That you should take other tires anyway, so with the new wheels it is a good opportunity.
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u/hawkstormer 1290 SUPER DUKE GT Jul 16 '26
My SDGT is the best motorcycle I've ever owned, and it isn't even close. Only you can ride your ride, but your riding circumstances sound perfect for the GT. I was worried about it being cramped, but it's the first bike I can ride for 6+ hours with minimal stops and still feel great during and after (I'm 5'9"). With saddlebags and a top case, it's perfect for commuting, day trips, two up riding, multi-day adventures- it can do everything I need it to.
2
u/1speedbike Jul 16 '26
I just bought a GT!
I am 6'0" with a 33" inseam, and I think it's fine as-is, but I also like being able to flat foot all my bikes due to some nerve damage in my leg/foot (I don't need to flat foot, but it just gives me a bit more confidence). It kind of turns me away from most ADVs, so I guess take my thoughts with a grain of salt.
As someone else mentioned, the pegs are adjustable, and there is an ergo seat (~$300 USD) that's slightly taller, more comfortable, and is heated. This could make a significant difference for you.
I haven't ridden the adventure, but the engine tuning seems to be slightly different according to what I've read/heard - the GT is more "hooligan" in that regard. The integrated side cases on the GT are also great (though they are no longer standard on the newer gen, and are perpetually back-ordered). The GT likely has better on-road handling vs an ADV (once you ditch the stock rubber at least).
I'd say if you're not interested in going off-road at all, the GT is the perfect bike as long as it fits you. If you want to do some off-roading, the Super Adventure is the way to go. Gotta take a seat on one!
If you're in the US, there are a lot of leftover GT's sitting in dealer lots significantly discounted, so that may also weigh into your decision.
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u/stuartv666 1290 SUPER DUKE GT 2024 Jul 16 '26
I've had a lot of bikes in the last 40 years. Almost all sportbikes, a few dirtbikes, and 2 big adventure bikes. I had a 2016 1290 Super Adventure (which became the SA T in 2017) until 2024 when I traded it in for a '24 1290 SD GT.
The SA was awesome. I loved that bike. I rode it offroad some and did long trips on it. 930 miles in temps from 30-something to 50-something and back to 30-something in one go was the longest.
But, I decided I was kinda done with offroad stuff for the time being and wanted something that handled a little better for street/sport riding. The SA was fantastic in the twisties - for the type of bike it is. But, the GT is better.
I've got 11K miles on my GT now. It is - in MY opinion - the best street bike you can buy at the moment. Plenty comfortable (to me, anyway) for Iron Butt rides (which I have done on past bikes, but not the GT yet). The motor is even more fun than the SA. And it handles awesome in the twisties. The factory luggage makes week-long road trips a cinch.
If you liked your SA and don't want to go offroad anymore, I think you would love the GT.
After I got my GT, 2 of my 3 core riding buddies also bought SD GTs and they love them, too.
For reference, I am 6' 1" and 33-34" inseam.
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u/very_hairy_butthole Jul 16 '26
The 1290 SAS is ugly, but fortunately you can't see it while riding it, and it rides great.
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u/Henry_of_Balenciaga 1290 SUPER DUKE R Evo Jul 16 '26
test ride the bikes.
i own a 1290Duke Evo I guess the GT is just a little bit more comfy and bigger fuel tanks.
I would try the 890SMT next thou, cause i wanna get a bike to male miles with good visibility and sporty setup
1
u/pcpgivesmewings Jul 16 '26
I tried to sell my 1290 SAR after I bought my BMW M 1000 XR to help pay for the BMW. I didn’t really get the price offers I wanted so I just kept it. I just spent a few hours on it last weekend and I’m really happy that I never sold it. What a wonderful bike. Love the Bmw. It does many things better but there is something special about that 1290. If you are looking for something a little more street oriented and just as comfortable, the BMW S 1000 XR ( or the M version) especially a used one, is an excellent street bike. Good range, comfortable, you should look at them. But personally, I think you should just buy another 1290 SAR.
1
u/BobcatSig Orange Board Member & 8 KTM bikes Jul 16 '26
Everyone is different and fits bikes differently.
For pure street performance, the SD GT is really hard to beat. The looks grow on you. But the bike, and that motor... you'll have fever dreams about it when you're not riding it. I know this because I owned a Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak for 11 years - a bike I never thought I'd sell. The SD GT had me sell it, without a second thought. All day comfort with sportbike performance.
If you're really keep on an upright, tall-rounder bike, the SAS is really tough to beat. Many riders absolutely adore theirs, mainly because you get similar performance from the LC8 in an uprigth riding position. Me, I prefer the sportier egos. The 19-inch front wheel helps with the rough and terrible streets in the city.
Don't sleep on the SMT. That LC8c mill rips! Worth a sit and ride, if you can manage.
Whatever you're doing, it sounds like it's almost all street. So get a street bike. Save the 21-inch wheeled bikes for the nutters and ADV bros. Get a street bike.
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u/Excuse_Weekly Jul 17 '26
As an owner of both the latest model 1290 SAS and the GT, I'd say it really depends on how/where you ride and how tall you are.
The SAS is much better suited for normal riding on various roads due to smoother engine below 4k, lower fuel consumption due to lower gearing and capability of using 5th and 6th, way better heat management and much more forgiving suspension. The upright and tall riding position gives a commanding view of the traffic and road and it also helps to keep the speed sane.
For spirited riding, the GT is equally superior. The longer gearing makes it feel both torquier and sportier, the suspension is both supple and very controlled so you feel much more connected to the road and don't rely on blind faith like you do on the SAS. The forward lean gives you feel from the front, better protection against the wind at speed, stability that the SAS lacks and confidence to go faster. The brakes are much better, so that also helps a great deal when the going gets quicker.
Comfort wise there's that not much in it if you lower the pegs and raise the bars on the GT. You'll get tired in the butt on both, but on the GT I get tired on the shoulders and neck after a full day while the SAS I get tired between my shoulder blades and lower back. I could go longer in a day on the SAS due to the ability to stand up completely, but I can go long for more days on the GT - if that makes sense. It really boils down to the heat for me. The GT is horrible. It boils your legs and balls to an extent you won't believe. The SAS has no issues there.
For commuting there's no point to get the GT. Too hot and annoyingly unsuited to low speeds/low revs. The SAS will pootle along at idle in 1st gear with no complaint and pick up cleanly. The GT will not work properly before close to 3000 rpm, and with the higher gearing that makes it difficult and hard work below 25-30 km/h.
The 890 SMT? It's smack bang in the middle of those two - except much easier to live with in terms of engine and weight when commuting. No insanity, though. If you need that in your life.
I'd test ride the alternatives for more than 2 hours each on the riding you actually do to decide because they're all awesome bikes - with very different characteristics.
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u/imjonjoncanada Jul 18 '26
I sold my 1090ADVR years ago and got a 790ADVR. I love it, but still a huge mistake. Live and learn haha
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u/greaseorbounce 1290GT, 300XC-W, 500EXC-F, 250XCF-W Jul 16 '26
Only you can answer the cramped thing, everyone is different.
But my 1290GT is the most fun all-around street bike I've ever owned, and that list isn't short.
Light and nimble enough to get through traffic easily on a commute, comfortable enough to put in 8hrs on the highway, and has the performance to be a riot on a random recreational track day a couple times a year. Factory hard bags carry groceries home with ease, and you can strap lots of stuff to the top when needed.
Passenger accommodations are sufficient for the wife to be comfortable on a ride to dinner (though it's certainly not the bike for proper two up touring)
Other than my personal dislike for the front end aesthetics, I can't complain about the GT in any way.