Photo: Adrian Veale
The 1290 Super Adventure R from KTM is nothing short of an off-roading juggernaut, but its appearance is a little polarizing, to say the least. At the end of the day, not everyone can get into a motorcycle that looks like what would happen if a giant praying mantis and a Ducati Multistrada had a baby. Still, we can probably all appreciate this ADV’s remarkable performance, can’t we?
Seeing how capable KTM’s beast can be, motorcycle customization firms are beginning to take notice and try their hand at reworking its questionable aesthetics. One such outfit is Gasoline Motor Co. from down under, and what they came up with is quite simply dazzling! The Sydney-based shop managed to score a brand-new Super Adventure R at some point during the pandemic, then it was game on.
For starters, every piece of stock bodywork they could get their hands on has been removed, along with the inner fuel chamber and original subframe. Using clay molds, 3D scans, and some swanky carbon fiber, the Gasoline crew came up with a bespoke gas tank that gives the 1290 a much leaner appearance in the center. Lateral tank covers extend down to a pair of custom-made crash bars, which carry auxiliary LED spotlights from Stedi, as well.
At the front, we find a high-mounted fender and an all-new fairing, both of which came from KTM’s EXC enduro bikes. That potent LED headlamp was supplied by Enduro-Tech, while the carbon fork guards installed lower down were taken off an 890 Adventure R. Have a gander at six o’clock, and you’ll spot a fresh chromoly trellis subframe replacing the factory item.
The machine’s electronics are now stashed in a handmade tray within the confines of the frame tubes and hidden out of sight by aluminum panels. A fiberglass seat pan has been placed up top, acting as the base for a bespoke saddle clad in fabric upholstery. The tail section mounted at the back is also made of fiberglass, and a bare-bones license plate holder with dual-function LEDs hangs off the subframe’s rearmost portion.
For the most part, the cockpit area remains stock, but Gasoline got rid of the mirrors, installed carbon fiber hand guards, and repositioned the TFT display. They treated the motorcycle’s 1,301cc V-twin powerhouse to a tailor-made airbox complete with DNA filtration hardware. On the exhaust side of things, the original headers were mated to a new mid-pipe and an SC-Project muffler.
Lastly, the wheels got wrapped in beefy dual-purpose knobbies, and an intricate colorway has been applied to the bodywork and frame. The latter was painted white, while the outfit displays a mixture of gloss-black, snazzy graphics, and exposed CFRP. As a neat little touch, Gasoline Motor Co. added some GPS coordinates on the little panels that attach to the crash bars.
They lead to Australia’s remote Northern Territory, where the annual Finke Desert Race has been held since 1976. Needless to say, that sounds like an excellent location to put this restyled Super Adventure R to the test! If this is the sort of thing Gasoline can pull off on their 17th project, just imagine what they might come up with a few years from now. We’ll be keeping a close eye on their future undertakings, as it’s safe to assume that they won’t disappoint.
For starters, every piece of stock bodywork they could get their hands on has been removed, along with the inner fuel chamber and original subframe. Using clay molds, 3D scans, and some swanky carbon fiber, the Gasoline crew came up with a bespoke gas tank that gives the 1290 a much leaner appearance in the center. Lateral tank covers extend down to a pair of custom-made crash bars, which carry auxiliary LED spotlights from Stedi, as well.
At the front, we find a high-mounted fender and an all-new fairing, both of which came from KTM’s EXC enduro bikes. That potent LED headlamp was supplied by Enduro-Tech, while the carbon fork guards installed lower down were taken off an 890 Adventure R. Have a gander at six o’clock, and you’ll spot a fresh chromoly trellis subframe replacing the factory item.
The machine’s electronics are now stashed in a handmade tray within the confines of the frame tubes and hidden out of sight by aluminum panels. A fiberglass seat pan has been placed up top, acting as the base for a bespoke saddle clad in fabric upholstery. The tail section mounted at the back is also made of fiberglass, and a bare-bones license plate holder with dual-function LEDs hangs off the subframe’s rearmost portion.
For the most part, the cockpit area remains stock, but Gasoline got rid of the mirrors, installed carbon fiber hand guards, and repositioned the TFT display. They treated the motorcycle’s 1,301cc V-twin powerhouse to a tailor-made airbox complete with DNA filtration hardware. On the exhaust side of things, the original headers were mated to a new mid-pipe and an SC-Project muffler.
Lastly, the wheels got wrapped in beefy dual-purpose knobbies, and an intricate colorway has been applied to the bodywork and frame. The latter was painted white, while the outfit displays a mixture of gloss-black, snazzy graphics, and exposed CFRP. As a neat little touch, Gasoline Motor Co. added some GPS coordinates on the little panels that attach to the crash bars.
They lead to Australia’s remote Northern Territory, where the annual Finke Desert Race has been held since 1976. Needless to say, that sounds like an excellent location to put this restyled Super Adventure R to the test! If this is the sort of thing Gasoline can pull off on their 17th project, just imagine what they might come up with a few years from now. We’ll be keeping a close eye on their future undertakings, as it’s safe to assume that they won’t disappoint.
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