2024 KTM 890 SMT Review

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2024 KTM 890 SMT Review

After a decade-long absence, the SMT – short for Supermoto Touring – returns to KTM's lineup for 2024. Now based on the 890 Adventure R platform, it has the long legs of a supermoto and most of the comfort of a sport-tourer. (Photos by Kevin Wing)

In the year 10 B.C. (Before Covid), KTM brought to the U.S. two versions of its 999cc V-Twin Supermoto platform – an R model for hard-edged street riding and a T model for lightweight sport-touring. Using "supermoto" and "touring" to describe a single motorcycle might seem like the collision of two unlikely worlds, sort of like that TV commercial from the '70s: "You got your peanut butter in my chocolate!" "You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!" That result, the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, was a match made in heaven.

The KTM 890 SMT is made to unwind twisty roads like this one.

So too was the 990 Supermoto T. When I tested one in 2010, my uncle, Lanny Fielder, joined me on a ride up and over Mount Palomar, down Banner Grade to Borrego Springs, and up Montezuma Grade to Julian on some of the best roads in San Diego County, California, and we swapped his Suzuki Bandit 1200 and the 990 SMT several times along the way.

With 17-inch wheels, sticky tires, and sporty suspension damping, the 890 SMT is a backroad bomber.

From my 2010 review: "The KTM 990 Supermoto T is one of those motorcycles that I want to keep, lock away in the garage, and when the PR rep asks for it back, just shrug and play dumb: 'I dunno where it is.' Fielder didn't want to hand the keys back (he's contemplating trading in his Super Duke at the local KTM dealer), and [former EIC] Tuttle – even more enamored with this bike than the original 950 Supermoto – said the 990 SMT would be the ideal sporting machine to have in his stable."

KTMs are known for angular styling, and the 890 SMT is no exception. The stubby windscreen doesn't provide much wind protection for the upper body, but handguards protect the mitts.

Lanny ended up making that trade. He's the sort of guy who rotates his two-to-three bike stable every couple of years, but 14 years later, he still has his 990 SMT.

When Marc Cook was EIC of Motorcyclist magazine back in those days, he also fell in love with the 990 SMT. He turned a test unit into a project bike, which he bought from KTM.

Chicken strips? We don't need no stinkin' chicken strips!

Despite such praise, the 990 SMT was history by the end of 2013, adding its name to a long list of bikes loved by motojournalists but spurned by buyers. (It was also supplanted by the 1190 Adventure, which arrived in 2014 as KTM's first street-focused adventure bike.)

It's been a long wait, but the SMT is back for 2024. Whereas the 990 SMT was a touring variant of the big-bore Supermoto platform, the new 890 SMT is a sport-touring variant of the 890 Adventure R mixed with some 890 Duke bits.

Tucked behind the windscreen is a 5-inch full-color TFT instrument panel. Intuitive illustrations show how different modes alter the bike's performance, but it takes seven button pushes to change ride modes and return to the main screen.

If you love the upright seating position of an adventure bike but know that you absolutely, positively will not ride off-road, then the 890 SMT's 17-inch wheels and sticky Michelin PowerGP tires make more sense for street riding than the 890 Adventure R's 21-inch front/18-inch rear wheels with knobby tires. The 890 SMT also offers a lower seat height, less suspension travel, and street-tuned WP Apex suspension.

The original 990 SMT's standard touring amenities consisted of a small fairing with a windscreen, a wide two-up seat, a luggage rack, and small semi-rigid saddlebags. Its 2010 MSRP was $13,998, which is $20,196 in today's dollars.

Michelin PowerGP tires provide fantastic grip.

The new 890 SMT puts more emphasis on the "SM" than the "T." It also has a plush two-up seat, a luggage rack, and a small fairing, but it's topped with an opaque cut-down screen that provides minimal wind protection. Luggage is no longer standard, but it's available in KTM's PowerParts accessory catalog along with heated grips, a centerstand, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and more. The 2024 MSRP is $13,949, making it a much better deal than the 990 SMT was.

To further underscore the "SM" side of the equation, the 890 SMT's cornering ABS has a Supermoto mode, which reduces intervention at the front wheel and turns off ABS at the rear. And compared to the 890 Adventure R, the SMT has a smaller 4.2-gallon fuel tank.

The wide, well-padded seat is comfortable for both rider and passenger, and the luggage rack has integrated grab handles.

We typically test motorcycles as close to their stock configuration as we can, but manufacturers sometimes equip bikes with options they know most customers will buy or ones they want to showcase. Our 890 SMT was fitted with a few extras, including a carbon-fiber low front fender ($367.99; it replaces the stock high-mount fender), an Akrapovič slip-on exhaust ($944.99; 2 lb lighter than stock), and the Tech Pack ($689.99; it adds Quickshifter+, Motor Slip Regulation, cruise control, and the Track Pack, which includes a Track ride mode with a special throttle map and an on-the-fly rear-wheel slip adjuster).

Now that we've covered most of the key details, let's ride!

The black plastic between the engine and fairing is the lower part of the low-slung fuel tank, which holds 4.2 gallons. A remote knob makes it easy to adjust the shock's spring preload.

In Rider‘s October 2024 issue, you'll find Mark Tuttle's tour test of the Honda Transalp. His 340-mile, four-county loop starts and ends in my hometown of Ventura, California. Tuttle highlights some fantastic roads, but the 37-mile section of State Route 33 from Ojai to Ozena Fire Station is one of the best motorcycling routes in the state. It's been my go-to route for pleasure rides and test rides for nearly two decades, and the 890 SMT is the perfect well-honed blade for carving precise lines up and over two mountain passes and through rock-lined canyons on SR-33.

Read all of our KTM reviews here.

Having spent hundreds of hours riding thousands of miles on various KTM Adventure and Duke models (including the supersized Super versions) over the past decade or so, the 890 SMT feels comfortably familiar. KTM takes a modular approach to sharing engines and chassis features across multiple models, with tweaks to engine tuning, suspension setup, and electronics to suit each bike's primary mission. The 890 SMT has the same 103-hp LC8c parallel-Twin, tubular-steel trellis frame, and cast-aluminum swingarm as the 890 Adventure R. They also have the same switchgear, TFT displays, and menu navigation.

But in stock form, the KTM 890 SMT weighs about 20 lb less than the 890 Adventure R, and its smaller wheels put more weight on the front and sharpen the steering geometry. The SMT's wide adventure-style handlebar gives it plenty of steering leverage. And its Michelin PowerGP tires, which seem to have the smallest number of rain grooves allowable for a DOT tire, cling to the pavement as if magnetized and have quick turn-in characteristics. Agility, hallowed be thy name.

When riding the 890 SMT, you'll want to squeeze out every last bit of daylight.

Given the sportiness implied by the "supermoto" part of the model's name, the 890 SMT deserves the same engine tuning as the discontinued 890 Duke R, which pumped out 119 hp to the SMT's 103 (torque figures are around 73 lb-ft for both models). Based on our last dyno run on an 890 Adventure, 103 hp at the crank translates to about 89 hp at the rear wheel. When it comes to power, more is more.

A high, wide handlebar allows the rider to tuck in or sit up straight as desired.

GEAR UP

• Helmet: Shoei Neotec 3 Modular
• Jacket: Scorpion Vortex Air
• Airbag Vest: Alpinestars Tech-Air 7x
• Pants: Scorpion Covert Pro Jeans
• Boots: Sidi Gavia Gore-Tex

Nonetheless, the KTM 890 SMT has plenty of get-up-and-go. Its throttle response is precise, with the immediacy of that response varying by ride mode: Track and Sport give you the beans right now, Street doles them out a tad slower, and Rain takes its sweet time. On occasion, particularly at high revs, the SMT transmits a fair amount of vibration and coarseness to the rider. Diving into and launching out of corners, especially those on SR-33 that I know like the back of my hand while quickshifting through gears, felt like a Vulcan mind meld between man and machine.

The front brakes, a pair of J.Juan 4-piston radial calipers gripping 320mm discs, scrub off speed assertively, but the lever lacks the precise feel found on more premium setups. With 7.1 inches of suspension travel at both ends, there's a lot of stroke available for a sporty machine, and I appreciate the system's ability to absorb hits great and small and deliver a comfortable ride. Firming things up is easy. The open-cartridge fork has convenient no-tool adjusters atop each leg, allowing riders to dial in compression (left) and rebound (right) damping. And the rear shock has a remote spring preload adjuster knob as well as an easy-to-reach rebound adjuster that requires the flat-blade screwdriver from the underseat toolkit.

The Akrapovič slip-on exhaust (which saves a couple pounds but doesn't improve sound much) and carbon-fiber low front fender are accessories.

The 890 SMT can be ridden aggressively, and it's a pleasure to do so, but its range of capabilities is much wider. I've used it for relaxed decompression rides, trips to the airport (LAX offers free motorcycle parking!), and errand runs. If I worked at an office rather than at home, it would make a great commuter. Outfitted with some luggage, I'd happily hit the road for a week on the SMT. 

The promise of sport-tourers has always been that you can go fast for long distances and enjoy the conveniences of comfort, protection from the elements, and the ability to carry luggage (and possibly a passenger). Over the past decade, traditional sport-tourers have largely been shoved aside by adventure-tourers that mostly deliver on the sport-touring promise while adding rugged any-road versatility.

An empty road winding through a canyon and a motorcycle that loves to lean. What more could you ask for?

KTM brought back the highly capable 1290 Super Duke GT sport-tourer, which was Rider's 2023 Motorcycle of the Year. But its price starts at $20,499, and that doesn't include saddlebags. For those seeking a more affordable sport-touring option, the 890 SMT fits the bill. It's fast, comfortable, and has nearly 200 miles of range, though it doesn't offer much wind protection (a taller windscreen is conspicuously absent from the accessories list). For some, the biggest hurdle will be the SMT's 33.9-inch seat height.

Don't let the name trip you up. How the KTM 890 SMT works is what really matters. Like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Supermoto and Touring are two great tastes that taste great together.

2024 KTM 890 SMT

Check out more new bikes in Rider's 2024 Motorcycle Buyers Guide.

2024 KTM 890 SMT Specifications

• Base Price: $13,949
• Price as Tested: $15,952 (Tech Pack and accessories)
• Warranty: 2 yrs. unltd. miles
• Website: KTM.com

ENGINE

• Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse parallel-Twin, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
• Displacement: 889cc
• Bore x Stroke: 90.7 x 68.8mm
• Horsepower: 103 hp @ 8,000 rpm (factory claim)
• Torque: 73.8 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm (factory claim)
• Compression Ratio: 13.5:1
• Valve Insp. Interval: 18,600 miles
• Fuel Delivery: EFI w/ 46mm throttle bodies x 2
• Lubrication System: Semi-dry sump, 3.1-qt. cap.
• Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch
• Final Drive: Chain

CHASSIS

• Frame: Tubular chromoly steel trellis w/ cast-aluminum swingarm
• Wheelbase: 59.1 in.
• Rake/Trail: 25.8 degrees/4.4 in.
• Seat Height: 33.9 in. 
• Suspension, Front: 43mm inverted open-cartridge fork, adj. compression & rebound, 7.1 in. travel
• Rear: Single shock, adj. rebound & spring preload (remote), 7.1 in. travel
• Brakes, Front: Dual 320mm floating discs w/ 4-piston radial calipers & ABS
• Rear: Single 260mm floating disc w/ 2-piston caliper & ABS
• Wheels, Front: Cast, 3.50 x 17
• Rear: Cast, 5.50 x 17
• Tires, Front: Tubeless, 120/70-ZR17
• Rear: Tubeless, 180/55-ZR17
• Wet Weight: 450 lb
• Load Capacity: 542 lb
• GVWR: 992 lb
• Fuel Capacity: 4.2 gal.
• Fuel Consumption: 46.7 mpg
• Estimated Range: 195 miles

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Source: 2024 KTM 890 SMT Review

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