BMW R 1150 GS Adventure versus KTM 1190 Adventure

Make
Model
Make
Model
Make
Model
BMW

BMW R 1150 GS Adventure

Adventure
KTM

KTM 1190 Adventure

Adventure

Year of construction / RRP / Test report

Built von 2005 bis 2005
Built von 2013 bis 2016
RRP
RRP 13.995 €
waveform
waveform
Pros:
  • Comfort
  • Processing
  • Off-road capability
Pros:
  • Sporty engine
  • Chassis tuning
  • Sound
  • Long-distance suitability
Cons:
  • High weight
Cons:
  • Weight
  • Off-road capability

Dimensions & Weight

Wheelbase: 1.501 mm
Length :
2.180 mm
Seat :
900 mm
Weight :
287 (max: 460 ) kg
Wheelbase: 1.560 mm
Length :
2.255 mm Height : 1.485 mm
Seat :
860 mm
Weight :
238 (max: 440 ) kg

Engine

Motor design: Boxer 4-stroke 2 Cylinder
Displacement: 1.130 ccm
Hub: 71 mm
Hole: 101 mm
Cooling: Öl-Luft
Drive: Kardan
Aisles: 6
Motor design: V2 LC8 4-stroke 2 Cylinder
Displacement: 1.195 ccm
Hub: 69 mm
Hole: 105 mm
Cooling: flüssig
Drive: X-Ring Kette
Aisles: 6

Performance

Maximum speed: 192 km/h
Performance: 85 HP at 6.750 U/Min
Torque: 98 NM bei 5.250 U/Min
Tank contents: 22 Litre
Consumption:
5 l
Maximum speed: 246 km/h
Performance: 150 HP at 9.500 U/Min
Torque: 125 NM bei 7.500 U/Min
Tank contents: 23 Litre
Consumption:
6 l
Reach:
411 km

Chassis

Frame type:
Tubular space frame (steel)
Front suspension:
Telelever (travel 210 mm)
Rear suspension:
Central strut (travel 220 mm)
Rear suspension:
Paralever single-arm swingarm
Tyres at the front: 110/80 B 19 TL
Rear tyres: 150/70 H 17 TL
Frame type:
Tubular space frame (chrome-molybdenum steel)
Front suspension:
Upside-down fork, Ø 48 mm (travel 190 mm)
Rear suspension:
Central strut, directly hinged (travel 190 mm)
Rear suspension:
Two-arm swingarm made of aluminium
Tyres at the front: 120/70 ZR 19
Rear tyres: 170/60 ZR 17

Brakes

Front brake
Double disc brakes ( 305 mm) Rear brake
Single disc ( 276 mm)
Front brake
Double disc, radially bolted 4-piston fixed caliper, Brembo, floating brake calipers ( 320 mm) Rear brake
Single disc with two-piston fixed caliper ( 267 mm)

Cheap never, well mostly

MW driving has never been a particularly cheap pleasure. Although many specimens are around 20 years old and have collected correspondingly many kilometers, these GS are still not a bargain. It must be at least 5,000 euros, top-maintained specimens like our test bike like to scratch at the five-digit. You can understand this: The BMW R 1150 GS, if you don't catch a rocked-out model, is an almost ideal companion for the very big tour.

If you can do without cornering and agility, the GS is the ideal travel moped, where the road can be three steps below perfect.
As I said, a buddy for the good and the bad days.

Price / Availability / Colours / Years of Construction

  • Price: used from 5.000€
  • Years built: 1999-2003
  • Availability: good
  • Colors: Adventure in white-blue

Conclusion

The KTM 1190 Adventure is rather the craftsman among the adventure bikes. Practical, useful, but not suitable for opera. It has a lot of Ducati's Multistrada, more so than from the BMW GS series. Because of the very special engine design, it is not the ideal all-rounder, nor does it want to be.
If you are looking for a sporty, rough adventure bike and bring the physical prerequisites, you have a good alternative to the model student from Germany and certainly does nothing wrong.

The test bike was provided to us by Motorrad Ruser.

Price / Availability / Colours / Years of Construction

  • Price (test bike): 8.990€
  • Used (6 years old): 8,000€
  • Years built: 2013-2016
  • Availability: good
  • Colours: orange, black, grey