By NastyNils· ·
Motorcycle comparison · Adventure
KTM 790 Adventure (MY2023) vs BMW F 900 GS Adventure (K82)
KTM 790 Adventure vs BMW F 900 GS Adventure: long days, loaded bags, one choice to make.
You'll feel the KTM 790 Adventure's engine come alive as you wind it on along fast pavement. The BMW F 900 GS Adventure pulls hard from low revs instead, and its power keeps building in a straight, even line. At highway speed, there's barely a buzz from it.
So which one do you buy?
The 790 Adventure has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
By a nose: 790 Adventure
For the Monday-to-Friday grind, the 790 Adventure pulls a nose in front. Your own commute could easily flip it.
The F 900 GS Adventure has the edge if…
Comfortable long-distance riding
Inches ahead: F 900 GS Adventure
The F 900 GS Adventure is slightly easier to live with on a long day. What tips it: a better reliability record.
Real off-road capability
Slight edge: F 900 GS Adventure
Off the pavement, the F 900 GS Adventure asks a bit less of you. The gap won't matter much on easy gravel.
Keeping running costs low
Narrow edge: F 900 GS Adventure
Over a year of riding, the F 900 GS Adventure noses ahead on running costs. A neglected example would wipe that out.
Which one's the smarter buy
More for your money: 790 Adventure
The KTM 790 Adventure is the better buy at these used prices.
What makes each one tick
790 Adventure
On the Blue Ridge Parkway, the 790 Adventure's front end turns in the moment you push while the firm suspension holds its arc. The name says Adventure, but the riding position, suspension tuning, and engine character all point toward tarmac. Standing up on loose ground, you're fighting bars that sit too low. The brake lever hauls it down and stays easy to modulate, and the ABS doesn't step in early. The lever's got bite to spare.
Nils rode the 790 Adventure in Carinthia and Styria in 2023 (NastyNils Testride).
F 900 GS Adventure
The F 900 GS Adventure settles in over a long day, and there's room to spread out behind the tall windscreen. Corner entry means you're steering 542 lb (246 kg) in on a 90/90-21 front tire. Your passenger gets a proper seat.
Nils rode the F 900 GS Adventure in Portugal in 2024 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The 790 Adventure has the lower wet weight: 481 lb (218 kg) vs 542 lb (246 kg).
- The F 900 GS Adventure makes more peak power: 105 hp (77 kW) vs 95 hp (70 kW).
- The F 900 GS Adventure makes more peak torque: 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) vs 65 lb-ft (88 Nm).
Which one for the way you ride
They come out level on twisty roads. The better-kept used example is the smarter money.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
790 Adventure
From Nils' own saddle time
Strengths
- Best traction control in class
- Range that catches you out
- Rev-happy, hard-pulling twin
- Sharp and willing on tarmac
- Strong brakes, honest ABS
Trade-offs
- Suspension quits off-road
- Bars too low standing up
- Notchy, imprecise gearbox
- Features locked behind a paywall
F 900 GS Adventure
What owners say
Strengths
- Comfortable long-distance ergonomics
- Smooth and powerful parallel-twin engine
What they cost used
These prices compare a 2-year-old 790 Adventure with a 2-year-old F 900 GS Adventure.
- 790 Adventure
- about $7,800
- F 900 GS Adventure
- about $12,000
At two years old, the KTM 790 Adventure sits around $7,800 while the BMW F 900 GS Adventure runs about $12,000. That's a $4,200 gap in the KTM's favor. These are US market estimates, not live listings.
What they share
- Engine
- Parallel twin
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Front tire
- 90/90-21
Where the spec sheets split
| 790 Adventure | F 900 GS Adventure | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 33.9 in (860 mm) | 34.4 in (875 mm) |
| Wet weight | 481 lb (218 kg) | 542 lb (246 kg) |
| 790 Adventure | F 900 GS Adventure | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 799 cc | 895 cc |
| Power | 95 hp (70 kW) | 105 hp (77 kW) |
| Torque | 65 lb-ft (88 Nm) | 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) |
| 790 Adventure | F 900 GS Adventure | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | 5.3 US gal (20 L) | 6.0 US gal (22.7 L) |
| 790 Adventure | F 900 GS Adventure | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear tire | 150/70-18 | 150/70-17 |
| Ground clearance | 9.2 in (233 mm) | 8.7 in (221 mm) |
| Front travel | 7.9 in (200 mm) | 9.1 in (230 mm) |
| Rear travel | 7.9 in (200 mm) | 8.5 in (215 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| 790 Adventure | F 900 GS Adventure | |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Suspension | Not offered | Option |
| Manually Adjustable Front Suspension | Not offered | Standard |
| Smartphone Connectivity | Option | Standard |
| USB Charging Port | Not offered | Standard |
| Heated Grips | Option | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
