2014 KTM 1190 Adventure Introduces Motorcycle Stability Control Technology

Dennis Chung
by Dennis Chung

KTM announced a new rider assist system it calls Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), which will debut on the the 2014 1190 Adventure and 1190 Adventure R.

REVIEWED: 2014 KTM 1190 Adventure

Developed with Bosch, MSC applies combined anti-lock brakes and traction control even when leaned over into a curve. Sensors gather data on various parameters including wheel speed, lean angle, pitch angle, acceleration and braking pressure. The data is processed and the system processes this data and applies the necessary intervention when needed.

According to KTM, MSC will:

  • prevent wheels from slipping when braking while leaned over, avoiding low-side crashes;
  • minimize the motorcycle’s attempt to right itself when braking during a lean, thus helping decrease turn radius;
  • prevent rolling over in emergency stops;
  • distribute brake force to front and/or rear brakes, even when only one is applied;
  • prevent wheelies while accelerating, and
  • prevent rear wheel skids when accelerating while leaning.

Even more impressively, the new MSC technology can be retrofit into 2013 1190 Adventure and Adventure R models. Pricing for the retrofit MSC kit will vary by market, but in Germany, it is priced at €399 (US$540).

“Almost one in two fatal motorcycle accidents occurs in a bend,” says Gerhard Steiger, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division. “The Bosch MSC motorcycle stability control can help further reduce the number of accidents.”

Bosch released a video to explain how the technology works:

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The 2014 KTM 1190 Adventure and Adventure R are otherwise unchanged, including its 1195cc V-Twin engine claiming 148 hp, chrome molybdenum steel tubular space frame, WP suspension and radially-mounted Brembo brakes.

Production of 1190 Adventure models with MSC begins in December. U.S. availability is yet to be announced. In Germany, the 1190 Adventure is available for €13,995 (US$18,880) while the 1190 Adventure R is priced at €15,495 (US$20,900).

Expect to see Bosch’s MSC technology on future models such as the KTM 1290 Super Duke R and other high performance models from other manufacturers.

[Source: KTM]

Dennis Chung
Dennis Chung

Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.

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