9 years later, and the 990 ADV is still the best.

I disagree, I think the KTM is the best big bore offroad 2 wheeled adventure touring machine that money can buy. It will go on the pavement with the others in comfort, but the others cannot go offroad where the KTM will.

@zdalmau We haven't been able to get our paws on that one yet, but looking forward to it!

@BrendonKoch That would have been great to see how much closer to the Tenere it was off-road. Perhaps a Tenere/GSA direct comparo is next? We always have to balance what's the most useful for the most amount of readers and far more folks are going to buy the non-Adventure model, but your idea is sound, thanks Brendon.

Good comparison. Thanks

2 things here, this guy lays it down nicely. and seeing them mushy yamaha forks brings me back. I ride the f650 and its great in the dirt, but not great on the freeway 175 kilos makes it really easy in the mountains.

Nice!!! Thanks for sharing!

Nothing pulls at idle without stalling like the Boxer. That’s it for me, excellent at the very low speed technical stuff. Love to see an open dirt road and have the freedom to turn off!

Thx for this nice video. It will be interesting to see where the Crosstourer positions itself in this trio later this year if ever it is available in the States. Before seeing this video, I would have thought the Honda adventure bike was just too heavy, but after seeing what those guys are capable of with the Super Tenere, it could be surprising.

Very cool! Thanks for the video!!!!

Some decent riding and a good review (including OFF ROAD! MCN!) Finally something I can use to consider which 1 I'd buy.

One of the better reviews on adventure bikes I've seen. You guys show that these bike can actually be used for dirt it's a pity you didn't test the crosstourer as well.

Never seen b4 the tenere n gs took flight there.. very fair review i must say.. giid job guys..

Some great riding skills there gentlemen.

With BMW good luck finding a dealership in the U.S.A. If you do happen to find a dealer then I wish you the best of luck in dealing with them. I just traded my 2005 BMW R1200Rt for the Tenere. VERY happy with the tenere. It was worth it to me to finally be able to tell my BMW dealer to piss off!. : )

Nice Vid. I wish I could ride my big ass 1150GSA that confidently on the dirt as these guys did! I rode a demo Yami in Holland last year and was impressed with the 3 mode ride system (which was not mentioned in this ride report). For someone who rides more than 12K miles a year, I am afraid the KTM is lacking in reliability- BMW shines in that dept as I am sure the Yamaha would be as well. It's nice to see that this niche of bike is becoming more popular :)

Great info.

@hankgs No worries about the KTMs reliability. Granted, it needs a bit more maintenance but out in the field it is just as reliable if you fix up a few well known, not overly costly weaknesses before going on a big journey. I'd surely choose the KTM for a gravel heavy RTW tour. If you really break something, parts have to be flown in anyway, for either of the three.

Great reviews - very accurate. I have not ridden the 1200 Tenere yet, but I have ridden the GS adventure a few times off road, and I own a KTM - It really depends on what you want to get out of your riding. There is no doubt that the KTM has its heritage in racing and "dirt" focus and thats what shines through. How many BMW's were in the top 10 of the Dakar 2012.... None... simple as that.

my transalp is about 180kg [and around 300kg with me and all my gear loaded on] and does just fine ;) They certainly could be made lighter but there is also a point where durability of components on rough roads/tracks becomes a problem . I don't need stress fractures, i just need to get where I'm going.

Great unbiased review. I've stopped watching the likes of MCN etc (and other british/euro reviews) as they're so ridiculously biased towards Triumph and Beemers.

That was some impressive riding

awesome... the best adventure bike video i have seen, I just had to sell my F800GS and I wondered how that bike compared to these three?

GOT THE 990. VERY FAST AND CAPABLE AS LONG AS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. VERY UGLY BUT A SWAN ON THE DIRT. CAN BE HUSTLED ON TARMAC BUT NEEDS CARE. TANK RANGE A BIT OF A DISAPPOINTMENT. OVERALL EXCELLENT VALUE FOR MONEY 5 STARS

I just had to sell because my credit card was too high. Loved the bike. Done some great trips on it, one up and with my missus. Loved it. two up on a long road trip you realize its only an 800 but it done really well. Loved it on rough gravel and 4wd tracks. great traction. Only thing I noticed was that if i got stuck in rocky terrain. 1st gear was a bit high. I dont think you should have to feather a clutch in first.

Nice Ride for any bike!!

Nice video, another thing that counts is the price of this bikes, yahama in 70% cheapper than BMW. I have one and Im very happy with tis bike

i have the bmw gsa and now ride the ktm the ktm is the best by far

The last 2 cylinder real on-off was the XRV 650. The lasts 1 cylinder were the LC4 640 and the DR 650 RS. All the others are just street bikes. I've pass similar dirty roads (as the video) with my '96 GSF 1200, so don't feed yourself crap, about the capabilities of these bikes. 990 is the less worst. Even an Africa 750 is beter. Spend 3000 euros (plus a few more for a decent seat) and get one.

And a better adventure bike than any of them is the Yamaha WR250R/X. I did 8000km in 2 weeks on mine through the Australian outback, on roads doing 90mph (in the Northern Territory), the only other bikes I was seeing out there were these BMW's and a couple of KTM 990's, XT600 and a KLR650. No one could believe I was out there on that thing (sheer ignorance). And I couldn't believe they would bother being out there on such huge, hulking bikes which left them tip-toeing around, afraid to explore a little singletrack up to a lookout to get a view or whatever. I get better economy, longer service intervals, better reliability, lightyears better offroad to the point where entire routes across the country are feasible for me which aren't to them. And for me, I was fine for days of riding on the road too. I ripped across the NT at 150km/h. Got back to Melbourne and still hadn't even done my first valve clearance check...

Before you consider putting big bucks into a GS...consider the bigger bucks you will spend in maintenance and repair. Look at me I'm riding a BMW will only go so far and then reality sets in. I have been there.

Nice review as finally it's not about POWERRRR!!!! But real capabilities that put's the Super10 where it belongs.

I've heard on the 990 (just this weekend), there is a gizmo you can get that allows you to drain the oil from the tank without removing the left side fairing & tank. But even this guy said it was still a couple of hours. The reason that BMW went with a chain for the F800GS and the 1000 sport bike is solely based on weight. Shaft drives are heavier than chains and lose more power - both issues for smaller bikes with smaller motors. Their newest bike, the K1600's are both shaft driven.

I think I would get the tenere, just because it's a yamaha, it might be more reliable and is a good compromise.

Just curious as to who did the great drum solos. NP perhaps?

Hm... I've owned a 1200 GS and HP2 from 2004 to present and the only recall I had was the sidestand kill switch can take on water and the sidestand mount for the HP2 (aluminum switched to steel). Can you list the 12 recalls. BTW, all bikes have recalls. Care to discuss the number the KTM 950 has had, notably fuel and water pump issues. Recalls are not a deterrent; they indicate the company is being dilligent.

I own the KTM and have ridden my friends GSA, they shouldnt be compared. The KTM is in a class of its own, BMW is catching up with there 800 and triumphs new ADV bike is close.

Interesting that while they mentioned the BMW during the reviews of the KTM and the Tenere, they didn't give the GS it's own review. They only did 2/3 of job. I find it intriguing that they rate a noticably heavier bike (the Tenere) with less suspension travel and ground clearance as superior in the dirt...

And if your budget minded it's amazing what a KLR650 will do, I took a 2013 down ATV trails and boy you get the looks and it was a hoot. I road it hard on forest roads and jumped water bars....a bike they should of included with a competent rider can do a LOT and still save you money to have another bike in the stable.

we have a great dealership here in west Michigan.

what jacket is marc cook wearing?

And what about the R1200GS Adventure? Yes, it is very similar to the "regular" GS, but there are noteable differences between the two. The GSA has a shorter 1st gear, and higher ground clearance. How about throwing the GSA into the mix as well?

The 800 gs with a front suspension upgrade and bigger sprocket on back would be a great all rounder

Np. You don't even need that drain gizmo. Just tuck a piece of foil folded into a trough behind the tank. Loosen the bottom tank bolts and you have enough room to get a wrench in ther. Easy that way

Aprilia RXV550! Power and smoothness for the road, and extreme off road capabilities.

I love my KTM it may not be the best at any one thing, but it is so good at everything I can't live without it! (Side note I don't ride long distance on tarmac.)

I toured CO two years ago and on the dirt roads BMW's outnumbered everything combined (I ride a Suzuki DR650). They were everywhere. I want the KTM (what I really want is a dakar/elefant-style bike built on the suzuki 650 v-twin) but the Starbucks crack couldn't be more wrong. I'd sure hate to get out in the sand or the whoops on a GS though, my friend's GS is a handful and part of our routine is me stopping every 25 mi or so for him to catch up.

Great now i want to play ski or die.. :D because of the music hahaha

@Shawnallenkitchen Find a dealer with a demo bike. One ride convinced me. Lovin' it! The Super T is available as a 2012, last year you had to to drop 5 bills and wait for delivery.

Don't forget the Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 Rally Raid - the ultimate bike!

this guys needs to grow a set when he rides the GS

Good review, makes a great case for a big adventure, it did leave me wondering though. How can it be that "the KTM is way ahead of the other two in the dirt" whilst "the super Tenere is nearly as good a dirt bike as the KTM" ?

Go, Go, KTM Hooligans riding~!!!

Whichever is toughest / most reliable would be a key factor for me. I've heard from a few people that the BMW's electrics can be weak, for example. Yamaha gets my vote!

What about the KLR, the Triumph, the Duc, even the new Honda? I mean really, it would have been nice to see at least a couple of those other bikes in there too.

İs any one knoe that what is the brent the helmet Blake Conner wier?you can see at 60th secont of video.

I have a 990 r and my bro has a bmw gs. Please believe me they dont even compare the ktm is better in everyway lighter more power better value the list goes on. Even my bro is getting rid of his bmw to buy a ktm. The ony good thing about the bmw is the tank range. But my ktm as got a second fuel tank conversion so can now threre both on par. The ktm is more fun due to the lighter weight and more power.

he has a point..not everyone knows about everything..and yes the beemers in general (motorcycles) do tend to have problems..specially the GS 1200..in its 10year (or so) that it was produced (the 1200 i am talking about), the bike went through 12 (!!!) recalls...12 recalls that we got to know about..maybe there were some more that bmw didnt want us to know..so it was average more then 1 recall every year! thats just unacceptable for a bike that "should" be able to cross the world..

yes i can name all recalls if u really want, i have the list right in front of me..and about KTM i dont even talk about it..i own a 990 adventure and that thing has broken down more then brake-dance...ive had many problems with GS too...electric problems non-stop, shaft drive broke down, engine ecu didnt work suddenly, plus all the recalls...recalls dont necessarily mean the bike/brand is bad, but in my 15+ years riding and owned over 30 bikes, i still buy Honda..im not a fan, but they just work

@junyahrebel, He may have had a chat to Ryan and Blake and presented a global opinion. You may want to look up Ryans credentials as well. Good job boys, Good to have a variety of expertise along and from all the stuff I have read, and it's a lot, about agrees with most of it. Especially tends to agree with the Australians, and South Africans who also tend to get very dirty. Good to see an Adventure bike comparo, including some tough technical off road work.

Now test them on an adventure (whatever that is to you) trip of at least one week! That's right and correct and what you need to do... or longer!:) Happy Trails:)

Top !!!

second hand lc4 adventure(2006 model) all the way :)

5 hour oil change is a myth. Mine takes an hour max, and that's if I take my sweet time and down some beers while I'm working. Chain maintenance is no biggie either. The KTM uses an X-ring chain which is about as simple to keep up on as it gets, and you can work on it if you are stranded in the middle of nowhere- not so much with a shaft. There is a reason BMW is moving towards chains on their newer dual sports ie: F800gs

My wife and I took a 50-60 mile ride on a GS this last weekend, and I'm absolutely gobstopped at how much I liked it. The GS may very well be EXACTLY the motorcycle I've been looking for, but never really considered until recently. I won't even consider the Tenere because of Yamaha's asinine policy requiring a sight-unseen deposit (or so the local dealer tells me). Completely ridiculous, and enough for me to never consider a Yamaha product again. If I can't ride it first, I won't buy it.

1:10 blue steel

Some guys need a truck and a dirt bike to handle the 'adventure' ride they have planed as the extreme dirt seems to over ride any road trip. The rest of us can get by with any of these on most trails and back roads.

Whellie with Ktm.. very nice!

the 1200cc bikes even look heavy in the dirt..the way they wallow from side to side like a hippo

Yes. But get an other seat and the touring windshield. ;)

This test appears to have been filmed in different locations in Death Valley. And some of the scenes appear to show the riders doing wheelies across a dried up lake bed which strongly resembles the RaceTrack Playa. I really do hope that you we’re not riding your motorcycles is on the RaceTrack Playa and F@cking up for everybody else.

When, or if there is ever a better machine out there I would consider it. For now... nothing comes even close to the KTM 990R.

hh omg wheeling with those huge things is awsome

Well, here is South Africa, both GS versions come with spoked wheels. Why? Well, for one, we don't have any Starbucks here (so we can't park off there and drink coffee), and two, we actually do use our adventure bikes for their intended purpose... adventure riding! The fact that BMW owns more than 50% of the market share for motorcycles over 500cc here in South Africa says a lot... an indication of the after-sales and general service provided by BMW to their customers. (KTM sucks with this)

I've heard good things about the KTM 990, but is this the bike you would choose if you were 2 up for several thousand miles? Just wondering since I would like to take my wife on an adventure trip, but she doesn't ride.

and it had great fuel economy and thats is an issue ... I dont want to be wasting money on fuel and getting crap range.. the KTM worries me a bit in that way, although I love the look and feel of the bike.

@zdalmau was gonna say the same..

That is because the GSA is not any better than the GS, its just setup for longer distances and off road crash survival.

I'm going to have to check out the Yamaha. The KTM is dead to me - I was told it takes about 5 hours to change the oil. That's 4 more than it takes me to change my R1150 GSA's oil (I work at a leisurely pace). Plus, the shaft drives are nicer for long distance touring - no lubing or adjusting needed. These reviews are good, but only cover the riding aspect. They should let these guys keep the bikes long enough to do a couple of oil changes and one tire change for a complete review.

"I don't ride a lot of dirt... but I wheelie like a king!"

BMW 1200 - 525Lbs Dry, KTM 456 Lbs Dry. I would want to have to pick either up after dropping in sand, or mud :(

BMW F800GS should have been in this comparison. Truly a do all bike!

Ive had all of the big four Japanese brands. They always work. You can find and get parts affordably. Everyone can work on them. They dont kill your bank to buy them. I will stick with Japanese.

I think the KTM is the prettiest, the BMW the one you have to maintain less then the others and the Tenere, well.. the worldcrosser edition looks much better, but the point is, its cheaper then the others.

BMW is surely a fine bike but it lacks reliability. I travel on a bike and i know some people from the adv community who own GS and experienced failures during their trips. The most recent was a trip of one Africa Twin and two BMW's to Morocco. The BMW's had problems in every single country they passed on the way from Poland to Morocco. The only thing that Honda needed was petrol and chain lubricant ;) I know that no bike is failure-free but this is not what i would expect from 14K euro bike.

I'm not convinced that the Yamaha is even remotely comparable to the KTM when going off-road. That thing looks like it's ready to buck the baggage and rider, wash the front end out and blow the suspension to bits while taking the riders teeth with it. I suspect there was a meeting amongst editors in which they agreed not to be honest about the Yamaha lest they loose future opportunities for testing... again this is only a suspicion but watch other reviews of the Tenere and it's always waaay behind the others, ESPECIALLY off-road.

I bought me the yamaha super tenere and i must say best bike ever.

No need, get a DR650. :)

90% of the bikes I see out there are usually 650cc machines & 1200 on highways . maybe the 800cc would be a better 50/50 bike

HOWEVER The starter torque limiter goes on them all and makes the bike unstartable. The loudest crack you will ever hear comming from an engine when this part starts to break down inside and slip. Look it up before you get one. KTM have updated this part and the side casing of the bike twice now and the part is months in the queue waiting to get it, and each time they charge the owner of the bike even though its a manufacturing fault they cant seem to fix long term. There should be a buyer beware. Great bikes but they are off the road in more than one way because of this weak part which they wont give you because they dont have it. One KTM dealer I spoke to said he had been fitting these updates for years, and still they're going wrong. Now they dont go wrong, .... because they don't have them in made, or in stock to give you...

no one ever makes a comparative using R1200GS ADVENTURE !

it only takes me 40 minutes for a full service on the Harley. 20 minutes to ride to the dealer and 20 minutes to ride back home.ha.ha.

For me,GS is the ugliest. 990 looks superb and makes me really excited.

You say that like Japanese motorcycle dealerships have some reputation for being a pleasant environment. I try to deal with dealerships as infrequently as humanly possible, but Harley and BMW are a step above your usual Japanese multi-line dealership. How many BMW dealers have you dealt with? For every bad BMW dealer, there's 5 Suzuki/Yamaha/Kawasaki dealers straight for the deepest pits of hell.

ktm....the best

What? Did I read a two hour oil change?? Dude... you know the wrong people mate! No offense. I have the 2011R model and it takes me 40 minutes to change my oil and clean all screens. I have no idea how it can take this long to do an oil change, (ie. 5 hours).I take mine every where and I will own nothing better unless it can out perform this machine for my intended purpose; dual sporting that is.

...990 adv forever!

Ive seen my share of bmw´s with broken off cylinders complete with bend rods etc in crashes. not a good engine configuration for a off road bike that will be dropped eventually.

love ktm 990 2019

THE YAMAHA HAS ALSO A ADVENTURE VERSION