Manufacturers of dual-sport motorcycles are forced to make various compromises as they skew their products toward a particular segment of the consumer spectrum. As avid motorcyclists, our challenge is to correctly identify the machines with the specific blend of attributes that best suit our particular tastes. For those of you who believe that raw, unbridled horsepower is a necessary building block to a life well-lived, that motorcycle adventure riding is not exciting if you know what the outcome is, your quest for the perfect dual-sport is nearly over.
Enter the KTM 950 Super Enduro R, a 98 hp, go-anywhere, do-anything off-road adventure machine. At first glance, its knobby tires, twin exhausts, and chromoly trellis frame positively identify it as extraterrestrial, as if it were built for a larger species to travel on pavement-free celestial bodies. Upon closer inspection, it becomes readily apparent that the 950 is engineered to tackle the nastiest earthly terrain and do it at freeway speeds. Anxious to throw a leg over this massive 420-pound motorcycle, I spent a few moments gazing at the large-but-lean Austrian beauty, and suddenly it hit me. The Super Enduro R has a cool name, but it is a total misnomer, for this is the real KTM Adventure bike!
Adventure. It is not a category or inventory SKU number; it is a mindset—the attitude that you, your bike, and your gear are riding off the grid to unknown places on unmapped roads. The excitement is in the unpredictability of the endeavor. You do not need the extra weight and bulk of rally plastic or showy panniers. For exploring isolated locations, you would never take a bike with “adventure” in the name; you want the luxury of the bare essentials.
I set my sights on a 500-mile off-road weekend through Death Valley and the Sierra Nevadas. In the spirit of adventure, with the exception of fuel, I planned to be totally self-contained. The underseat storage on the Super E provides ample room for a spare inner tube and tools, and the rear grab handles make fine hitching points for a bedroll and a change of clothes. The modus operandi was to eschew a map or GPS.
I seemed to hear the Super E’s stirring V-twin growl in approval as I spotted a craggy, snow-covered peak in the distance. I followed the pavement until I found a seldom-traveled fire road. Within seconds, with a growing plume of dust behind me, I found myself exceeding the Interstate speed limit, and I had not shifted out of third gear yet! My Shoei VM-T covered an ear-to-ear grin as my right wrist continued to twist. The feeling is one of absolute power and stability, whether following rugged two-track Jeep trails or fiddly gravel roads. There are few legitimate off-road bikes that will surpass 100 mph comfortably with no pavement in sight—this is one of them.
As it is difficult for any rubber to withstand the 950’s onslaught of power and weight, the short-knob stock Metzeler Karoo T rear tire was shredded in early testing. I was pleased with the performance and durability of the aftermarket Dunlop D908 Rally Raid rear tire I mounted as a replacement. The D908RR is predictable when drifting through sweeping corners. With the Brembo brakes and Dunlop D606 front, the Super Enduro R has ample stopping power. On the pavement, both the Metzelers and Dunlops perform reasonably well, but that is really beside the point.
Seriously climbing in elevation, the carburetion stayed fairly steady. The fire road gave way to a rocky, cobbled single track twisting its way up the mountain. The Super E was surprisingly agile in the tight stuff, so much so that I chastised myself for not mounting a pair of KTM Enduro handguards for blasting through the conifers. With an overly wide steering radius, powersliding the rear wheel through switchbacks was the preferred method for navigating the beast in tight confines. The ultra-stable suspension at speed means you will roll through stadium-depth whoops rather than skipping over the tops. With this kind of weight and power, whoops are tackled aggressively at your own risk. I took that risk, giving the KTM an opportunity to demonstrate its toughness in a hard crash.
After more than 500 miles of eating dirt roads with voracity and navigating tight single-track with surprising agility, I was completely infatuated with the Super E. Contemplating a long-term relationship, I could envision keeping the romance fresh by sprucing her up with some soft luggage, expanded fuel carrying capability, and, perhaps, a minimal fairing for high-speed transfers between trails.
Is the 2008 KTM 950 Super Enduro R for everyone? The obvious answer is no. It has excessive amounts of everything—power, weight, handling, and suspension—but if you crave true adventure riding and want to do it in speed and style, this motorcycle is a great choice. For me, I have made up my mind. When the end of days comes—Armageddon, or whatever term you wish to use—this will be the bike I will escape on.
Photography by Don Williams
This review was originally published in the October/November issue of Robb Report MotorCycling
RIDING STYLE
- Helmet: Shoei V-MT
- Goggles: Progrip 3450
- Jersey, gloves + pants: Shift Assault
- Boots: Sidi Crossfire
2008 KTM 950 Super Enduro R Review Photo Gallery
