KTM introduced this nameplate for the 2017 model year as the road-biased member of its large-displacement adventure family, positioned alongside the more off-road-focused variants in the same line. It was developed as KTM’s asphalt-oriented take on the big-bore travel-enduro formula, emphasizing sportier road handling, long-distance comfort, and modern rider aids rather than pure dirt emphasis. The model reached broader markets soon after its initial debut, including North America as a 2018 model.
For 2021/2022, KTM gave the machine a major generational update that it described as a third-generation evolution. That redesign brought a more modern chassis and bodywork, updated electronics, and additional long-distance touring technology, while keeping the model’s core identity as the sportiest road-focused option in KTM’s adventure range. The bike remained a flagship for KTM’s big travel segment and was used to showcase the brand’s latest adventure-bike engineering.
The nameplate continued into the 1390 era, reflecting KTM’s move to a larger-displacement successor while preserving the same Super Adventure S identity and market role. As a result, this is a continuous, ongoing production line rather than a discontinued model with a separate revival.