Back in April 2023, KTM thrilled many riders and also probably broke a few hearts when it announced the 890 SMT. It looked impressive, but at the time, the intention was for a European release, not a North American one.

International motorcycle manufacturers sometimes have phased international rollouts, so just because a bike isn’t released in your market right now doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

Now that it’s late November 2023, KTM has announced that the 890 SMT is officially headed to North America. The bike has a primarily black and gray color scheme on the bodywork with pops of KTM orange on the wheels and accents.

Engine

The 2024 KTM 890 SMT is powered by the same 889cc LC8c parallel twin engine that powers the 890 Adventure R. It makes a claimed 105 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 73.7 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm. Amenities like an up and down quickshifter and cruise control are available as options.

KTM’s goal in bringing back the SMT was to bridge the gap between the 790 Duke and the 890 Adventure R. In short, it’s a KTM crossover, supermoto-style.

Chassis

The frame is CroMo steel, and the suspension is a fully adjustable WP Apex setup with 43mm upside-down open cartridge front fork and a WP Apex rear shock. Riders get full adjustability at both ends, with 180mm (about seven inches) of travel. 

The 2024 KTM 890 SMT rides on a pair of bright KTM orange 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin PowerGP rubber. Braking is handled by four-piston front brake calipers and 330mm discs on the front and a two-piston caliper and a 260mm disc on the rear.

The handlebars offer a full 30mm (1.18 inches) of range spread across six different positions of adjustability. The fuel tank and single-piece supermoto seat position the rider more deeply into the bike. LED lighting is present all around from the factory.

Electronics and Rider Aids

In the cockpit, the 890 SMT features a five-inch TFT dash that KTM says is both scratch and glare resistant. The bike comes with three standard ride modes: Rain, Street, and Sport, with an option to unlock a Track mode.

Cornering motorcycle traction control (CMTC), cornering ABS, and supermoto ABS come standard, as does Bluetooth smartphone connectivity via the KTMConnect app.

Pricing and Availability

KTM North America has not yet revealed pricing information on the 2024 890 SMT in our market. However, the good news is that it should be available in KTM North America dealers beginning in December 2023, so you should be able to see it in person and ask lots of questions of your local dealer soon.