We take three hardcore adventure offerings both on and off-road, to see which machine reigns supreme

Nowadays, adventure bikes come in all shapes and sizes, for every different style of rider. For some, the perfect adventure bike is a light, low-capacity machine that’s capable of being ridden anywhere – while for others, their ideal is something that’s substantial in terms of weight and capacity, with the target of
tackling big mileage in the comfiest way possible.

But the very meaning of adventure according to the Oxford dictionary is ‘an unusual, exciting or dangerous experience’ – and for that?

Well, we’ve got three of the most hardcore, off-road ready machines you can buy from a showroom today. The fight is between KTM’s devilishly capable 890 Adventure R, Yamaha’s new Ténéré 700 Extreme with some much-needed suspension updates from the standard model and Ducati’s seriously spec’d DesertX Rally.

So, which is your finest, hardcore adventure companion?

Ducati DesertX Rally – £20,051.54 as tested

• Engine 937cc liquid-cooled L-twin, 110bhp, 68lb-ft
• Frame Tubular steel trellis
• Suspension KYB 48mm fully adjustable forks with fully adjustable KYB shock
• Front brake 2 x 320mm discs with four-piston Brembo monobloc calipers and Bosch cornering ABS
• Rear brake 265mm disc with Brembo caliper and Bosch Cornering ABS
• Seat height 910mm
• Kerb weight 224kg
• Read our in-depth Ducati DesertX Rally review

KTM 890 Adventure R – £14,857.87 as tested

• Engine 889cc parallel twin, 104bhp, 73.8lb-ft
• Frame Tubular steel frameSuspension 48mm WP XPLOR USD fully adjustable forks, with WP XPLOR PDS shock
• Front brake 2 x 310mm discs with Nissin calipers and ABS
• Rear brake 260mm disc with Nissin caliper and ABS
• Seat height 880mm
• Kerb weight 200kg
• Read our in-depth KTM 890 Adventure R review

Yamaha Ténéré 700 Extreme – £10,906

• Engine 689cc liquid-cooled parallel twin, 72bhp, 50lb-ft
• Frame Steel backbone, double cradle
• Suspension 43mm fully adjustable KYB forks, with a fully adjustable KYB monoshock
• Front brake 2 x 282mm front discs with Brembo two piston calipers and ABS
• Rear brake 245mm rear disc with single piston caliper and ABS
• Seat height 910mm
• Kerb weight 205kg
• Read our in-depth Yamaha Ténéré 700 Extreme review

Pretty, serious

At a first glance, the Ducati and the Yamaha steal the show where appearances are concerned, both bringing a classy, retro vibe to the hardcore adventure sector.

• Related: Top adventure bike riding gear

The Ténéré’s retro colour scheme looks gorgeous plastered on its slender plastics, with a few nice touches
such as a mudguard on the rear of the front wheel (which the other two lack) alongside broad handlebars, hefty pegs and slightly chunky KYB suspension.

Although it looks like a beauty from afar, it isn’t the prettiest sight up close; from the top yoke to the swingarm finish it doesn’t scream ‘premium’ – but considering the gulf in price points, it can be easily
forgiven.

It’s only exacerbated by the fact that up close, the finish and build quality of the DesertX Rally looks so smart, with premium kit and lovely detailing, from the etching on the top yokes to the stitching on the seat.

Although the thick PVC graphics might put some people off, I love the racebike-chic nature of the Ténéré, looking aggressive with its tall and menacing stance.

In this company, the 890 Adventure R is actually the odd one out of the three; it has that modern, divisive edginess which KTMs are famous for, but in a slightly more compact package.

Even though it’s the smallest of the bunch in terms of height it still has a serious presence, which is a huge bonus when it comes to big-capacity adventurers.

Confidence killers?

If seat height or slow-speed manoeuvring is an issue then there’s only one way to go, and that’s with the KTM. Not only is the 890 Adventure R the lowest of the three by a discernible margin, which means touching the floor is an easier affair, it is also well balanced, with a centre of gravity that is pleasingly low, thanks to clever tank design which sits the fuel around the top of the engine.

It means that the KTM is the most confidence-inspiring of the three at a standstill and is the easiest to manoeuvre at slow speeds, which could be a godsend for smaller riders – especially as both the Ducati and the Yamaha tower above their orange rival.

And, because of its slightly lower seat, the 890 also offers a more conventional, almost road bike riding position. The seat feels neutral, the bars are relatively low and the pegs are surprisingly high, which feels good when you’re standing up, but makes it a little compact if you’re situated at the taller end of the human spectrum.

The Ducati, meanwhile, is the complete opposite. It feels tall with its 910mm seat height yet it’s very well balanced at slow speeds, and one of the niceties of the DesertX is just how spacious it is; the bars are tall and wide, there’s a big gap from the seat to the peg and out of the bunch, it has the most comfortable
seat and riding position.

Although none of these machines are built purely for comfort, the Ducati takes top honours here; even though the Yamaha is thinner across the seat and chassis and it sits the same height as the Ducati, the
Ténéré’s riding position isn’t quite as plush, nor does it feel as balanced as the two European offerings at
slow speeds.

Not only are the bars a bit lower but they are a bit closer, too. And, worst of all, the seat is hard and almost unbearable after a few hours without standing on the pegs. So although the Ténéré is the cheapest by a country mile, it’s also the least luxurious place to be.

On the grippy stuff

And the same goes for the Yamaha’s road manners. Although it’s a step up from the standard Ténéré 700 in terms of its poise and precision, the Extreme’s suspension still feels a bit too soft and a little bit lazy mid corner, which then means that more effort and rider input is needed for direction changes.

Unlike the other two machines, the presence of a 21in front wheel and the slight sluggishness that comes with it is most noticeable on the Yamaha. Up the pace on A-roads, and not only does the Ténéré Extreme lack a bit of stability at higher speeds from the tall front end, but the CP2 parallel twin feels just a little bit laboured when you are overtaking and getting on the throttle in top gear.

It’s still a great machine, but in such rich company it doesn’t have the minerals to keep up, especially with Ducati’s DesertX Rally in its wheel tracks. Not only is it sure-footed and super-stable both in a straight line and through longer corners at lean angle, but the Ducati is surprisingly agile; its long-travel suspension, combined with lighter wheels make for an almost supermoto-style riding experience, albeit with a lot more comfort and maturity thrown in for good measure.

Much of the same impressive, road-going natures goes for the KTM too, the 890 performing impressively well, feeling as comfortable on tarmac as it does on dirt. Surprisingly, the 890 Adventure R actually feels the most road bike-esque in its nature; not only is the riding position the most conventional, but the bike
also turns with poise and precision, with a reassuring level of stability, too.

And then there’s the beauty of its 889cc parallel twin engine, which works no matter where it is in the rev range; from crawling along in second gear at single-digit speeds, to sitting quietly at motorway speeds, it truly is a peach of an engine, although if we are being picky, it doesn’t have the slickest gearbox of the bunch.

The road less travelled

These bikes were built for venturing away from the beaten track, and it’s in the dirty stuff where they really come alive – with the 890 Adventure R being the easiest, most confidence inspiring machine to ride instantly.

This is thanks not only to its compact riding position, which puts the rider exactly where they need to be when standing, but also to just how brilliant the weight distribution is – making it a doddle to ride on tighter, more technical sections and an absolute delight to manhandle, with the lowest seat height to help with safety dabs as well.

The KTM is a truly impressive machine on the dirty, with a decent amount of mechanical grip created by its parallel twin working in partnership with the Mitas tyres – a combination which makes it really usable off-road from a walking pace, all the way up to the upper echelons of speed.

However, that’s also where the KTM finds its limits through the WP suspension, feeling a little less stable in the higher gears and finding itself upset over big bumps at potholes at speed, which is something that can’t be said about Ducati’s DesertX Rally.

In fact, what Ducati have done with the lighter wheels and that seriously premium KYB suspension is create an absolute monster of an adventure bike, one that goes about its business with absolutely no
drama whatsoever.

It’s so good in fact, that it almost feels like cheating. Hitting craters, bumps and ruts is usually something you need to prepare for, but the sublime set-up from the posh KYB forks means that the Ducati will eat up obstacles with no rider input necessary, meaning that it can be ridden not only harder and faster,
but more easily, too.

Instead of worrying about the ground in front, it’s possible to focus further into the distance, and the Rally just does the rest – it’s magic.

My only slight niggle is that the gearing could be a bit shorter to make second gear more tractable at walking pace, but aside from that? The Rally is utterly marvellous, and a masterclass in just how impressive a 220kg+ brute can be, especially at high speeds.

And those high speeds are exactly where the Ténéré 700 Extreme didn’t quite have the performance to keep up. In isolation its impressive and a real step up from the standard model, but in such rich company the Yamaha doesn’t quite have the poise and stability over sketchy surfaces at pace, while its centre of gravity feels high for slower, more technical sections.

It’s still a bloody good bit of kit, but where the KTM is so friendly and the Ducati is so capable, Yamaha just need to do a little more with their Ténéré 700 to give it some fight against these higher priced, bigger capacity rivals.

The MCN Verdict

The Ducati, KTM and the Yamaha may be three ‘hardcore’ adventure bikes, but they each bring something different, and unique to the table.

Although it’s getting on a bit now, there’s still a place for the Ténéré 700 in 2024, and the Extreme is the most capable off-roading model in the range, offering a strong package at an impressive price. Yet it does find its limitations both on and off-road sooner than its higher spec rivals, with the KTM providing the easiest, most confidence-inspiring approach, thanks to its superb balance and poise, whether that be tackling obstacles, or diving in and out of urban traffic.

But the most impressive of the bunch for proper off-roading mixed with road ability? Well, that accolade is reserved for Ducati’s DesertX Rally.

As far as mid-size adventure bikes go, nothing is as surefooted and as stable as the Rally, which manages to find an extra gear in its off-road abilities without sacrificing what also makes the standard DesertX such a classy road companion.

Pros:

• Ducati’s unrivalled poise
• KTM’s confidence
• Yamaha’s price point

Cons:

• KTM’s Demo mode
• Ducati’s gearing in 2nd
• Yamaha’s lack of tech

While you’re here: How MCN tests bikes

Our highly experienced team of road testers grind out hundreds of miles, come rain or snow, on the UK’s pothole-ridden roads to decide which bike is best in a particular category.

Using years of riding and racing experience (on and off-road), our expert journalists are able to assess the capabilities of a machine and translate that into understandable language to help MCN’s readers make an informed buying decision. Pitching bikes against their main rivals, we aim to give a conclusive verdict on which bike is best for your needs and your budget.

Using their considerable knowledge of the motorcycling market and audience, they can put a motorcycle into context and deliver a verdict that means something to anyone considering buying a particular machine, whether it be a cutting-edge, 200bhp sportsbike, a tall adventure weapon or a low-capacity 125cc machine.