[TheMartyMac]

I am getting intrigued by the concept of adventure bikes, the 1290 Super Adventure R in particular. I also would like something to take to the track once or twice per year. I do not like sportbikes and have only so much money and garage space. Suppose I bought the R and also bought a spare set of S wheels and tires to put on for track day. Would a Super Adventure R with the S wheels and tires be essentially the same as the S? I know it wouldn't have the electronic suspension but for the track I could set the suspension once for the day and (I assume) be happy.

I haven't done it yet, but it was common to downsize the wheels for street use and there are several YouTube videos (mostly last gen pre-2021) that back up the idea. I do plan to grab some extra KTM rims in the near future as well, but to allow me to run a high-mileage 'touring' biased ADV tire between off-road trips, and keep a set of aggressive knobbies for extended backroads trips. I probably won't change size though, just tread type as I like the clearance and riding position even when just curb hopping for primo parking spots.

I'd say the biggest factor to keep in mind is that your electronics won't be quite in sync if you go down in diameter, and your TPMS might be tricky to sync (assuming you even bother on your track tires). I'm sure you don't need an accurate speedo on the track, and you're probably turning off the electronic nanny toys anyway, so I can't imagine that would be a noticeable problem. I have seen at least one video where a fellow had his speedo reprogrammed at the dealer to 'split the difference' between the two sets.

I have read reports that the high-speed stability declines on the R when downsizing as the bike is still in a 'lifted' geometry over the S. Probably not a concern either unless you are running on a really high-speed road course as most casual track days aren't +200kph sprints with luggage. ;-)