KTM continues its

dramatic move

from dirt to pave-

ment with a 950

Adventure-based

...Supermoto V-twin by simply

stripping a 950 Adventure and fit-

ting it with 17-inch wheels and a

smaller fuel tank," he admits.

"But after just a couple months

we realized this wasn't the right

direction, because the steering

geometry was wrong with the

smaller wheels, and at anything

over 75 mph it was very unsta-

ble." And besides, Habsburg

added, "It was so ugly we broke it

up into pieces, and started all

over again!"

The new direction resulted in

the prototype I rode, which

retains a modified version of the

Adventure frame, but fitted with

a shorter swingarm and the

smaller 17-inch wheels of the

990 Super Duke. Everything else

is new to deliver a stable-han-

dling package living up to

designer Gerald Kisk's

Supermotard styling.

Despite being warned of dire

consequences if I failed to return

it in one piece, I rode it hard

enough to appreciate what seri-

ous fun it will be. It's ideally suited

to both paved and unpaved back

roads, but it has a practical side,

too. Its high stance lets you see

over traffic and plan ahead, mak-

ing it a brilliant bike for city

work—especially with its light

clutch, low footrests and zestful

yet user-friendly engine.

Steering geometry and overall

dimensions remain oriented

more toward dirt than pave-

ment, with a rangy 1510mm

wheelbase and kicked-out 25.4-

degree rake, featuring 110mm of

trail. The whole bike sits just low

enough to let a 6-footer throw a

leg over the seat at rest. That...