Firstly some background on myself so that you can taper my opinion with your real life experiences 
: I have been riding plastic bikes for some years and are foremost a dirt-bike rider. About 18 months ago I bought a KTM 690 and added a long range fuel tank and a RR fairing. I love the 690 as I can ride it with some aggression in the tech stuff - it really is just a big plastic bike. The 690 is phenomenal.... other than in the comfort section. A 100km on gravel no problem but 300km on the road and your ass is in more pain than after a 200km GOC race at Warmbaths. So my opinion comes from a dirt bike rider and a die-hard KTM fan.
About 4 months ago a changed work which resulted in me having to commute about 40km one-way, I was not going to do this in the car nor on the 690 (for obvious reasons) and as luck would have it, it was exactly the same time that the 1190 R launched, so what the hell I got one. The 1190 is fantastic on the road and handled well on gravel roads, but I realised that to get comfortable on this bike in the tech stuff I was going to need some assistance so I decided to go and re-do the DP1 ADA course. I knew the bike was going to be different to my 690 but I did not know by how much.
OK let me get the marketing and free promotion out of the way. You really are compromising your safety and your growth curve if you do not do some sort of DP course and in this this regard I can highly recommend ADA - Judy and Mark are both exceptional instructors – and thanks for a fantastic weekend.
Right from the beginning (for tech stuff) I was somewhat concerned about the 1190 R suspension - The front was too soft under braking and because the rear did not have the PDS (progressive damping system) suspension like most other KTM's have and had quite a short stroke I was concerned that the rear would bottom out (this was confirmed by some other guys) So I took the 1190 R to Hilton Hayward and for under R5k he put in front and rear progressive springs, revalved the front and set he bike up for my weight and intended use. Hilton really is a magician. The 1190R's suspension would never be as good as the 990's but after the upgrade it is more than functional and capable - I think this is a must.
The other major change that I did (for tech use) was to fit some DP knobblies - I fit Mitas E-10 in the front and E-09 in the rear (if the E-09 was available in tubeless for the front I would have fitted them as well - I like a more aggressive tyre in the front, but saying this the E-10 handled quite well) But remember these tyres are knobblies and although they are rated for 190km/h handling on the tar (especially braking and in the wet) is compromised. I, on purpose, buried the rear in the sand pit at ADA and the E-09 just powered itself through - not bad for a road capable tyre.
At ADA we could ride some interesting terrain, tight technical forest type terrain, fast shale on a twisting tight hill route, rocks, undulations, loose fesh-fesh type stuff, sand etc - I also played a little on the skid pan. You could really get a good sample of what the bike would do on a various different types of terrain and I did it again and again trying different lines, different speeds, different body positions, etc.
It was apparent that I was battling with the weight of the bike. I put the bike down a total of 7 times over the weekend - this was a tough reality for me because: hell I can ride a bike - so I thought. This was all in the really slow tight stuff and practising tight (bar locked) circles and figures of eight. I just could not get my balance right. The bike is top heavy (compared to my 690) and it took me some time to realise that in getting the weight forward (used to riding narrow bikes) that you actually have to open your legs around the big tank - I still find this position uncomfortable - but after I caught on to it things went a little better. I am of the opinion that the 1190 R balancing point (footpegs) are a fraction behind were it should be for tech stuff.
I also think that the bars on the 1190 R is to narrow and I’ll be fitting some slightly wider ones shortly – should help a little in the tight stuff (unless you now clip the bars on the trees off-course)
The bikes is obviously geared for the faster stuff in 1st, with throttle closed and clutch out in would stroll along at about 12km/h – I think this is too fast for the tight stuff so you have to work the clutch a little. The KTM’s clutch however is superb.
Going through thick (and I mean thick) loose sand the torque in 2nd was not adequate for me and I had to gear down or work the clutch hard. I think that a 45 rear sprocket (standard 42) or a one tooth smaller front sprocket would resolve this and allow you to trundle through sand and the slow stuff a lot easier (in 2nd or 3rd) – this would compromise top speed – but for my application I could not really care about this.
As far as electronics go: I had the 1190 in off-road mode with the off-road ABS switched on (I also have the off-road dongle in so I do not have the worry about the bike resetting when you switch in off or on – just remember to switch the road stuff back when you get back onto tar). I was really pleasantly surprised, You could brake the rear as hard as you want and really get the ass out and I only noticed (slightly) the front ABS once. The off-road traction control allowed me to get the ass out properly in a power slide or accelerating trough corners in total stability and I would not know (if it was not for the blinking yellow light) that it was actually working – KTM did really well here and I have not found a reason yet to switch it off. I could still have all the fun whilst knowing that the nanny was taking care of me.
This is driver’s error: but in not getting my weight at the right place I had some deflection of the front wheel when I hit big rocks or tree stumps (nothing that I could no correct) – but this became better as I went along.
On the tight snakey track (uphill and downhill with tight turns and loose shale and rocks) the 1190 really shined. I could brake hard into corners, get the ass out, power it trough, the bike just stayed so solid and stable – just so much fun.
All in all I think this is a really good bike and although not as good as the 990 and not close to my 690 in the tech stuff, after you have upgraded the suspension, I think this is really the bike that can do it all… well almost in any event….
Some pics of the 1190 in its natural surroundings:
: I have been riding plastic bikes for some years and are foremost a dirt-bike rider. About 18 months ago I bought a KTM 690 and added a long range fuel tank and a RR fairing. I love the 690 as I can ride it with some aggression in the tech stuff - it really is just a big plastic bike. The 690 is phenomenal.... other than in the comfort section. A 100km on gravel no problem but 300km on the road and your ass is in more pain than after a 200km GOC race at Warmbaths. So my opinion comes from a dirt bike rider and a die-hard KTM fan.About 4 months ago a changed work which resulted in me having to commute about 40km one-way, I was not going to do this in the car nor on the 690 (for obvious reasons) and as luck would have it, it was exactly the same time that the 1190 R launched, so what the hell I got one. The 1190 is fantastic on the road and handled well on gravel roads, but I realised that to get comfortable on this bike in the tech stuff I was going to need some assistance so I decided to go and re-do the DP1 ADA course. I knew the bike was going to be different to my 690 but I did not know by how much.
OK let me get the marketing and free promotion out of the way. You really are compromising your safety and your growth curve if you do not do some sort of DP course and in this this regard I can highly recommend ADA - Judy and Mark are both exceptional instructors – and thanks for a fantastic weekend.
Right from the beginning (for tech stuff) I was somewhat concerned about the 1190 R suspension - The front was too soft under braking and because the rear did not have the PDS (progressive damping system) suspension like most other KTM's have and had quite a short stroke I was concerned that the rear would bottom out (this was confirmed by some other guys) So I took the 1190 R to Hilton Hayward and for under R5k he put in front and rear progressive springs, revalved the front and set he bike up for my weight and intended use. Hilton really is a magician. The 1190R's suspension would never be as good as the 990's but after the upgrade it is more than functional and capable - I think this is a must.
The other major change that I did (for tech use) was to fit some DP knobblies - I fit Mitas E-10 in the front and E-09 in the rear (if the E-09 was available in tubeless for the front I would have fitted them as well - I like a more aggressive tyre in the front, but saying this the E-10 handled quite well) But remember these tyres are knobblies and although they are rated for 190km/h handling on the tar (especially braking and in the wet) is compromised. I, on purpose, buried the rear in the sand pit at ADA and the E-09 just powered itself through - not bad for a road capable tyre.
At ADA we could ride some interesting terrain, tight technical forest type terrain, fast shale on a twisting tight hill route, rocks, undulations, loose fesh-fesh type stuff, sand etc - I also played a little on the skid pan. You could really get a good sample of what the bike would do on a various different types of terrain and I did it again and again trying different lines, different speeds, different body positions, etc.
It was apparent that I was battling with the weight of the bike. I put the bike down a total of 7 times over the weekend - this was a tough reality for me because: hell I can ride a bike - so I thought. This was all in the really slow tight stuff and practising tight (bar locked) circles and figures of eight. I just could not get my balance right. The bike is top heavy (compared to my 690) and it took me some time to realise that in getting the weight forward (used to riding narrow bikes) that you actually have to open your legs around the big tank - I still find this position uncomfortable - but after I caught on to it things went a little better. I am of the opinion that the 1190 R balancing point (footpegs) are a fraction behind were it should be for tech stuff.
I also think that the bars on the 1190 R is to narrow and I’ll be fitting some slightly wider ones shortly – should help a little in the tight stuff (unless you now clip the bars on the trees off-course)
The bikes is obviously geared for the faster stuff in 1st, with throttle closed and clutch out in would stroll along at about 12km/h – I think this is too fast for the tight stuff so you have to work the clutch a little. The KTM’s clutch however is superb.
Going through thick (and I mean thick) loose sand the torque in 2nd was not adequate for me and I had to gear down or work the clutch hard. I think that a 45 rear sprocket (standard 42) or a one tooth smaller front sprocket would resolve this and allow you to trundle through sand and the slow stuff a lot easier (in 2nd or 3rd) – this would compromise top speed – but for my application I could not really care about this.
As far as electronics go: I had the 1190 in off-road mode with the off-road ABS switched on (I also have the off-road dongle in so I do not have the worry about the bike resetting when you switch in off or on – just remember to switch the road stuff back when you get back onto tar). I was really pleasantly surprised, You could brake the rear as hard as you want and really get the ass out and I only noticed (slightly) the front ABS once. The off-road traction control allowed me to get the ass out properly in a power slide or accelerating trough corners in total stability and I would not know (if it was not for the blinking yellow light) that it was actually working – KTM did really well here and I have not found a reason yet to switch it off. I could still have all the fun whilst knowing that the nanny was taking care of me.
This is driver’s error: but in not getting my weight at the right place I had some deflection of the front wheel when I hit big rocks or tree stumps (nothing that I could no correct) – but this became better as I went along.
On the tight snakey track (uphill and downhill with tight turns and loose shale and rocks) the 1190 really shined. I could brake hard into corners, get the ass out, power it trough, the bike just stayed so solid and stable – just so much fun.
All in all I think this is a really good bike and although not as good as the 990 and not close to my 690 in the tech stuff, after you have upgraded the suspension, I think this is really the bike that can do it all… well almost in any event….
Some pics of the 1190 in its natural surroundings:
