KTM 890 SMT Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

KTM built the 890 SMT by pointing a supermoto at the horizon. The 889 cc LC8c parallel twin makes 105 hp and 74 lb-ft, carried in a steel trellis frame on 17-inch wheels, with adjustable WP APEX suspension at both ends and a steering damper fitted as standard. Cornering ABS, KTM Motorcycle Traction Control, KTM Ride-by-Wire engine maps and ride modes all come from the factory, read off a TFT display. In a class that usually answers the long-distance question with mass and bodywork, this one answers it with lean clearance, a narrow waist and a tall, commanding seat.

Ride it and the supermoto idea holds up. It stays light on its feet where the road gets tight and settles down when it opens out, which is a rare pairing in this class. It suits a rider who covers real distance but still wants to steer with their body instead of just holding a throttle open. The honest caveat is that the screen does not adjust, so you take the airflow you are given, and the 4.2 gal (15.9 L) tank plans your day in shorter legs than a dedicated tourer would. This is a sport-tourer with the sharp edge left in.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	105 hp (77 kW) @ 8,000 rpm
Torque	74 lb-ft (100 Nm) @ 6,500 rpm
Displacement	889 cc
Engine	Parallel twin
Cooling	Liquid-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	Chain
Fork	Upside-down (USD)
Front brake	320 mm
Front tire	120/70-17
Rear tire	180/55-17
Seat height	33.9 in (860 mm)
Fuel capacity	4.2 gal (15.9 L)
Fuel economy	51 mpg (US)

Equipment check

Chassis

Front Suspension Adjustable WP APEX Fully-Adjustable Suspension Damping tuning to styleWider usable range Standard
Rear Suspension Adjustable Standard
Cruise Control Optional

Comfort

Heated Grips Optional
Luggage System Optional

Connectivity

TFT Display Standard
Smartphone Connectivity Optional
Navigation Optional
USB Charging Port Standard
Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) Optional

Drivetrain

Quickshifter Optional
Slipper Clutch Standard

Lighting

LED Headlight Standard

Safety

ABS Standard
Cornering ABS Standard
Traction Control KTM Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC) Lean sensitive tractionSelectable ride modes Standard
Ride Modes KTM Ride-by-Wire (engine maps) Selectable ride modesRefined throttle response Standard

The Truth on the Street

I've gathered this the slow way: paddock conversations, owner talk in parking lots, club-night chatter, and the mail riders send me about their own bikes. On the 890 SMT it all lands in roughly the same place. The praise is broad; the reservations are narrower.

Turn-in, revs, and all-day legs

Handling draws the most consistent comment. Riders describe a bike that changes direction the moment they ask and stays settled once it's leaned over, the sticky rubber feeding confidence on tight roads. The engine comes up just as often for its wide spread and a top end that has owners revving out each gear. The suspension earns praise too: comfortable over broken pavement, still supportive at a quicker pace, simple to adjust without tools. Upright seating and wind protection hold up over a full day, and the lean-sensitive ABS and switchable traction control get mentioned as quiet reassurance.

Low revs, wet roads, manual damping

The recurring complaint is low-rpm response. Owners say the motor feels flat down there and wants a downshift before it gives them anything, which wears thin in stop-and-go traffic. Some find the tires short on wet-weather confidence and quick to wear. A few want electronic damping rather than stopping to reset it themselves.

Known issues

Premature camshaft lobe wear

engine rare

Some owners report excessive wear on the cam lobes, a known concern with the LC8c platform. It can lead to performance degradation and may require out-of-warranty repair.
Low-RPM throttle hesitation

fuel system occasional

Throttle stumble or hesitation on initial opening, likely caused by fueling or sensor issues, can appear on higher-mileage bikes.

The Expert Benchmark

Where this KTM 890 SMT pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

High-Speed Calm

Two-Up Mile-Eating Comfort

Load-Resistant Chassis Balance

Smooth Overtaking Power

Premium Touring Equipment Depth

Daily-to-Touring Versatility

Neutral Corner Flow

This bike Class average

The shape of the KTM 890 SMT — numbers and character vs. the average Sport Tourer

Head-to-head: KTM 890 SMT vs. its rivals

Power

105 hp This bike 119 hp Yamaha Tracer 9 105 hp BMW F 900 XR 106 hp Honda VFR800X Crossrunner 110 hp MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS

Torque

74 lb-ft This bike 69 lb-ft Yamaha Tracer 9 68 lb-ft BMW F 900 XR 55 lb-ft Honda VFR800X Crossrunner 59 lb-ft MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS

Displacement

889 cc This bike 890 cc Yamaha Tracer 9 895 cc BMW F 900 XR 782 cc Honda VFR800X Crossrunner 798 cc MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS

Seat height

33.9 in This bike 31.9 in Yamaha Tracer 9 32.5 in BMW F 900 XR 32.1 in Honda VFR800X Crossrunner 33.5 in MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS

The Long-Haul Verdict

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the 890 SMT is actually built for.

Aerial view of a winding asphalt road cutting through volcanic terrain on La Gomera, Canary Islands. The road curves through sparse green vegetation with rocky volcanic peaks visible in the background and a settled valley to the left. Clear lane markings, dry climate, partly cloudy sky.

Best motorcycle for Highway 1?

For 200 to 400 mile days on Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge, this fits if you want an upright, active bike rather than a soft one. Budget for cruise control and luggage, and plan fuel stops around the 4.2 gal tank.

Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway

Best motorcycle for Tail of the Dragon?

If you ride the same Cherohala and Dragon corners to get better at them, the lean clearance and low-gear drive give you room to work, and nothing feels heavy on the tenth run.

Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway

Best motorcycle for Angeles Crest?

It carves the canyon roads above LA with real precision and still survives the traffic to get there. You get lean angle and sharpness without a committed sportbike's wrist load.

Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur

Alternatives to the KTM 890 SMT

If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.

Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this KTM 890 SMT. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.