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Why the lack of 2022 SAR discussion?

10K views 62 replies 12 participants last post by  NH22SAR1290 
#1 · (Edited)
I’m new to the KTM world. Just purchased a barely used 2021 SDR and absolutely LOVE it! As such, I’ve been investigating the 22‘ SAR for off-road riding and have been searching this forum for content from owners reviewing the bike, but there’s literally almost nothing—at least from what I can find. I see discussion regarding the SAS but very little about the SAR. Maybe I’m searching incorrectly? Is this bike just so rare that almost no one has one? Or are all the SAR owners too busy riding to stop and post anything? 😂 Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the reply. I'm sure you're right, however there seem to be far more SAS threads than SAR. I guess that speaks to popularity of the particular models?

For reference, I have much more experience with the Ducati board as I have owned several Ducati's down through the years, and there is currently a 9+ page thread going on the new Pikes Peak that includes many reviews from new owners. That said, when I look at the total views of each of the sub-forums on the Ducati and KTM message boards the Ducati board has WAY more views. More people = more conversation I suppose.
 
#10 ·
2019 Super Adventure R here in Northern California. Awesome bike, but when the outside temperature gets to about 80 and above, it's a hot hot hot son of a bitch to ride! I haven't gone with the cat delete yet, but I did wrap the rear downpipe. Still pretty damned hot on the legs! I worry that the engine heat will ruin the rear shock.
 
#14 ·
2022 SAR is night and day better than the previous 2019 for heat felt by me as a rider. As for highway, you will feel a steering wheel shimmy more than your SDR on highway speeds. I have already replaced my front steering dampener with a Tourtech one (I think they are just rebranded hyper-something pieces) that I can tighten up, which helped a lot. The Scotts/BRP that fit the older doesn’t fit the new and they haven’t made something yet.
As for getting one, I flew to a different state, literally called down the dealer list and happened to find a dealer that had one show up that day in the crate and pulled out the card….if you can get one, you will not be sorry!.
It is fantastic on back, windy roads, slap on an OHRV sticker and go off-road (if your state hasn’t almost banned all motorcycles and get dusted by packs of 20 4-wheelers and 2-ups), then ride it back home - stretch the legs by standing and rock back and forth on the pegs going around corners and feel like you are flying! I love the ADV world and this new SDR is the king of the jungle in my opinion…..I won’t ever look back at a BMW until they rework everything….this bike is ‘dialed’ in with the adjustable dampener now (still want the Scott’s though) and you can click in the suspension to your liking and I don’t think I will ever get to the point of out riding the bikes capability…..if you can, sweet! Take some videos, but as a ‘cut out of work early’ and weekend warrior on the bike, I don’t think I will. Heck, I can roll it up in 1st, 2nd, 3rd all day and just brings such a smile. Heavy, but feels so light once it gets going.
Get one…..if you don’t agree with my mini-rant/review, you WILL be able to sell it. Oh, get the tech-pack right away and just be done with it.
Good luck! I will be out riding.…..hope to see you.!
 
#16 ·
2022 SAR is night and day better than the previous 2019 for heat felt by me as a rider. As for highway, you will feel a steering wheel shimmy more than your SDR on highway speeds. I have already replaced my front steering dampener with a Tourtech one (I think they are just rebranded hyper-something pieces) that I can tighten up, which helped a lot. The Scotts/BRP that fit the older doesn’t fit the new and they haven’t made something yet.
As for getting one, I flew to a different state, literally called down the dealer list and happened to find a dealer that had one show up that day in the crate and pulled out the card….if you can get one, you will not be sorry!.
It is fantastic on back, windy roads, slap on an OHRV sticker and go off-road (if your state hasn’t almost banned all motorcycles and get dusted by packs of 20 4-wheelers and 2-ups), then ride it back home - stretch the legs by standing and rock back and forth on the pegs going around corners and feel like you are flying! I love the ADV world and this new SDR is the king of the jungle in my opinion…..I won’t ever look back at a BMW until they rework everything….this bike is ‘dialed’ in with the adjustable dampener now (still want the Scott’s though) and you can click in the suspension to your liking and I don’t think I will ever get to the point of out riding the bikes capability…..if you can, sweet! Take some videos, but as a ‘cut out of work early’ and weekend warrior on the bike, I don’t think I will. Heck, I can roll it up in 1st, 2nd, 3rd all day and just brings such a smile. Heavy, but feels so light once it gets going.
Get one…..if you don’t agree with my mini-rant/review, you WILL be able to sell it. Oh, get the tech-pack right away and just be done with it.
Good luck! I will be out riding.…..hope to see you.!
Wow, thank you for the reply and the thorough review!

As luck (or fate) would have it, I found a BARELY used (only 1100 miles) 2022 in Washington state that I purchased yesterday. I Plan on flying up there from Oklahoma where I live, and riding it back. Should be an epic journey! Really excited to get this bike and start riding!
 
#19 ·
Great find! I saw one used one that I think had the full Arrow exhaust and a bunch of touratech components on the web, with about 1k mi. as well. Not sure why people are selling these.
As for the head shake, perhaps it was just my stock dampener???? Or I just suck at forward pressure on the bars??? I still have the stock Battlax A41 on the front and noticed it most around 65-70 then again about 110.
But I do ride mostly with MTC off and could be pulling up the front a little and noticing it then.
Not quite sure. You can take the stock dampener and add thicker oil, or get an adjustable one if you feel it and that worked for me.
For my next comment: my disclaimer is that I am not mad about this, but it is a little annoying. That said, I get that there are some supply chain issues and they may have had to pull some old parts to get some of these bikes out….I will say, this is a small annoyance and does not detract from my love of this bike…..I will get it fixed.
That is the right angle cover to the water pump. This was a known problem in the past and unfortunately I have this once again (I know of at least one other customer at my dealer with the same problem, but others without this issue…so it may not be on all US, 2022’s). It seems like this piece is indeed an oval and not perfectly round. Well, if you have ever had an oval with a round hose clamp, you know that it will always have a slight leak, regardless of the torque on the hose clamp. The fix is to reorder the right-angle water pump cover and I am still waiting for this to get in and hope that the replacement part is indeed true round and not oval. I am just glad this is under warranty as it is a pain to get to, drain and reinstall.
I noticed it with a puddle in the bash plate, then followed the drips up to the part.
As I stated, no clue if they all have this, or if I just got ’lucky’, but you might want to at least look to see if you are like me, or more lucky than myself.
Let us know how it feels when you ride it home! Congrats on the find!
 
#20 ·
Great find! I saw one used one that I think had the full Arrow exhaust and a bunch of touratech components on the web, with about 1k mi. as well. Not sure why people are selling these.
As for the head shake, perhaps it was just my stock dampener???? Or I just suck at forward pressure on the bars??? I still have the stock Battlax A41 on the front and noticed it most around 65-70 then again about 110.
But I do ride mostly with MTC off and could be pulling up the front a little and noticing it then.
Not quite sure. You can take the stock dampener and add thicker oil, or get an adjustable one if you feel it and that worked for me.
For my next comment: my disclaimer is that I am not mad about this, but it is a little annoying. That said, I get that there are some supply chain issues and they may have had to pull some old parts to get some of these bikes out….I will say, this is a small annoyance and does not detract from my love of this bike…..I will get it fixed.
That is the right angle cover to the water pump. This was a known problem in the past and unfortunately I have this once again (I know of at least one other customer at my dealer with the same problem, but others without this issue…so it may not be on all US, 2022’s). It seems like this piece is indeed an oval and not perfectly round. Well, if you have ever had an oval with a round hose clamp, you know that it will always have a slight leak, regardless of the torque on the hose clamp. The fix is to reorder the right-angle water pump cover and I am still waiting for this to get in and hope that the replacement part is indeed true round and not oval. I am just glad this is under warranty as it is a pain to get to, drain and reinstall.
I noticed it with a puddle in the bash plate, then followed the drips up to the part.
As I stated, no clue if they all have this, or if I just got ’lucky’, but you might want to at least look to see if you are like me, or more lucky than myself.
Let us know how it feels when you ride it home! Congrats on the find!
Thanks for the info! I’ll keep an eye on it.
 
#25 ·
iPhone 13 mini fits perfect in the mini-cubby :)

I like the idea of changing the socket, but unsure if that would allow water to enter more? If you want a solid solution that is waterproof, I would go with an SP Connect or Quad Lock with wireless charger and hardwire the power cord to ensure that rain or puddle/river crossings don’t cause a short.

If you don’t get the bike wet/muddy, I guess it doesn’t matter, but when it comes to electrical, I am just overly cautious of eliminating all potential failure points.
 
#26 ·
iPhone 13 mini fits perfect in the mini-cubby :)

I like the idea of changing the socket, but unsure if that would allow water to enter more? If you want a solid solution that is waterproof, I would go with an SP Connect or Quad Lock with wireless charger and hardwire the power cord to ensure that rain or puddle/river crossings don’t cause a short.

If you don’t get the bike wet/muddy, I guess it doesn’t matter, but when it comes to electrical, I am just overly cautious of eliminating all potential failure points.
Good news! I have the 13 mini!
 
#28 ·
I’m picking up my 2022 SAR here in a couple of weeks from a dealer in WA and riding it back to Oklahoma, where i live. Would certainly be cheaper to have the bike shipped, but it’s too epic a journey to pass up. Really looking forward to it.

Question to you SAR owners out there: Are there any obvious upgrades or accessories I should consider before making a journey of that distance? I have already ordered the comfort seat and heated grips (probably won’t need the heated elements in the middle of summer, but you never know). I’ve also got some buddies traveling with me who will have plenty of pannier storage. I intend to utilize a few Kreiga bags that will easily mount to the bike.

I’m also considering changing out the tires. The bike I’m buying is slightly used (only 1200 miles) but I’m concerned about how long the stock tires (AX41s) will last and if I’ll need to replace them before I get home?

Any thing else I’m missing? Any help would be appreciated.
 
#29 ·
One thing that kind of surprised me was how small the cockpit felt. I don't know how tall you are, but I'm 6'3" with a 34" inseam and it felt a bit cramped. I took the rubbers out of the pegs, adjusted the shift lever and have since added bar risers. Less sporty now but more comfortable and I think its working for me. I still have the stock seat and I think its brutal and I'm not a fan, but you've already addressed that. I have the tall seat on order and excited for that to come in.
 
#31 ·
Thanks for the heads up! I’m 6’5” so I’m gonna be in the same boat! That said, while I haven’t sat on or ridden the SAR before, I have ridden the new SAS and I really loved the way that it felt. I’m coming from a Multistrada V4S which has a HUGE cockpit. I much preferred the way the SAS felt as I prefer a sportier setup.

One of my concerns for the trip is wind. I know the wind screen on the SAR is small, so I’m not expecting all wind to be eliminated, just not sure what it will feel like for a longer ride. We’re trying to avoid as many highways as we can on the way back so that should help.
 
#36 ·
I second the aspect of putting the windscreen down….it has some buffeting that can be slightly mitigated if you sit back and sort of slouch…..not ideal. So, I just keep it down and is a lot smoother than trying to deflect.

Great idea on the sure. I went one step further and went to an audiologist and have a pair of in-ear monitors on custom order from Ultimate Ears. Not quite sure how I am going to connect everything with my Cardo on group rides, but when solo they will act as ear plugs and audio at the same time (-26dB noise reduction - in ear molded).

Interesting you think the Arai is loud. I have the XD4 and the Krios Pro and I think the Arai is much more quiet, comfortable and better venting. The Krios Pro is lighter and has better (less) shield distortion and love the transition lens but does ’catch‘ the wind more on faster speeds.

As for ’extras’ on a long trip, just make sure you have the tech pack for cruise control as it is pretty easy to adjust with the +/-.

The only other suggestion is perhaps take 20min and dial in your suspension if it is a pure ‘road’ ride back. If you are going to throw on a specific set of tires, perhaps get some street tires, or 90/10 and ship the battlax back home if you are not taking any class 4 or ‘detours’ and it is purely a transport trip. Last thing I would say is electronics…..get a good mount for your phone (KTM power. Parts - it is an SP Connect) is what I have for center of the bars) and/or Garmin Zumi mounted above the TFT. Reason for these is the KTM Navigation is ‘ok’ but only shows an arrow and distance on the TFT and on a long trip, some exits may get a little confusing, so I would want to see my route. Then, personal preference for me is putting the TFT in ‘night’ mode all the time and grab it with two hands and tilt for clarity.

Heated grips will be a nice creature comfort as the stock handguards don’t block wind (or anything) well and you will want to be comfortable morning and night with grips and seat (grips are HOT on level 1!). I have some FASST foot pegs and the polymer does help with vibration a little, but they act as ‘power steering‘ and would throw one something wider at your size as the stock even without the rubber are tiny and not inspiring confidence. On the same thread, the PHDS does help keep from the hands going tingly/numb after a while on the road.

Good luck and since we actually have some SAR’s talking, take some pics, write a little road trip/review and let us know how it is going!

BTW, did you buy the one I saw on the web that has the full Arrow Exhaust with headers and what looked like the SAS delete? If so, would be interested to hear how you like the setup! I just have the Akro on right now, but would love to drop the SAS and the cat.
 
#37 ·
Great idea on the sure. I went one step further and went to an audiologist and have a pair of in-ear monitors on custom order from Ultimate Ears. Not quite sure how I am going to connect everything with my Cardo on group rides, but when solo they will act as ear plugs and audio at the same time (-26dB noise reduction - in ear molded).
In my experience, it shouldn’t be difficult to connect your in-ear monitors to your Cardo. I have both a Packtalk Slim and the new Edge unit and both have a stereo port that the provided helmet speakers typically use. What I have done is simply remove the speakers from the helmet and plug my headphones into the Cardo‘s stereo port. Works like a charm.

Interesting you think the Arai is loud. I have the XD4 and the Krios Pro and I think the Arai is much more quiet, comfortable and better venting. The Krios Pro is lighter and has better (less) shield distortion and love the transition lens but does ’catch‘ the wind more on faster speeds.
Funny you mention the Krios Pro because I just bought one! Yes, it is much quieter than my Arai, but I don’t have the XD4, I have an Arai Regent X. The Krios is much quieter than the Regent X.

As for ’extras’ on a long trip, just make sure you have the tech pack for cruise control as it is pretty easy to adjust with the +/-.
Yep! it was already installed on the bike I purchased fortunately!

The only other suggestion is perhaps take 20min and dial in your suspension if it is a pure ‘road’ ride back. If you are going to throw on a specific set of tires, perhaps get some street tires, or 90/10 and ship the battlax back home if you are not taking any class 4 or ‘detours’ and it is purely a transport trip. Last thing I would say is electronics…..get a good mount for your phone (KTM power. Parts - it is an SP Connect) is what I have for center of the bars) and/or Garmin Zumi mounted above the TFT. Reason for these is the KTM Navigation is ‘ok’ but only shows an arrow and distance on the TFT and on a long trip, some exits may get a little confusing, so I would want to see my route. Then, personal preference for me is putting the TFT in ‘night’ mode all the time and grab it with two hands and tilt for clarity.
Good call! I already utilize an SP Connect phone holder, but I’ve been debating as to whether or not I need the Garmin Zumo… it all adds up so quickly!

Good luck and since we actually have some SAR’s talking, take some pics, write a little road trip/review and let us know how it is going!
I totally will! Should be pretty unforgettable.

BTW, did you buy the one I saw on the web that has the full Arrow Exhaust with headers and what looked like the SAS delete? If so, would be interested to hear how you like the setup! I just have the Akro on right now, but would love to drop the SAS and the cat.
No that wasn’t me. Mine just had the rally pegs and the tech pack installed. That said, I didn’t know Arrow made a full exhaust for the SAR. I’ll have to check it out.
 
#38 ·
Agree, the electronics, panniers, mounts, etc. all add up very quickly, not to mention the new $800 helmet you just bought! This is not a cheep hobby/passion to get into as if you are like me, you can’t let well enough, be alone.

Go to Rottweiler Performance and you will see the Full exhaust from Arrow on their website. Apologies in advance, as you might be spending some more money once you see what they have to offer, I plan on their SAS delete to get rid of the expansion chamber under the Rear seat, I will just need a full weekend to delete/install this.

Great idea on the headphone jack! I didn’t think of that and should also be a good way to keep the IEM’s from being lost. The other thought was to mount UE’s bluetooth adapter across the bottom-rear of the helmet To use for phone calls, but your idea may be better as it though allow the Cardo mic to work as designed and basically replace the JBL’s with the IEM’s, which I may use the noise reduction filter on to be sure.

Interested on how you like the Krios Pro as it has a lot of things to like, but the visor is useless for a sun brim and can’t come down enough and also catches the wind too much compared to my XD4. The other thing is the venting. It is pretty poor compared to the Arai. The comfort is also not as good as the Arai, in my opinion. The two biggest pluses it has is the weight and the transitions visor….although, again, I with you could get the screen to crack open a hair, like you can on the XD4.

Looking forward to the road trip Write up. What did you finally decide on the tire situation? Are you going stock, or new tires and shipping the stock?
 
#39 ·
Agree, the electronics, panniers, mounts, etc. all add up very quickly, not to mention the new $800 helmet you just bought! This is not a cheep hobby/passion to get into as if you are like me, you can’t let well enough, be alone.

Go to Rottweiler Performance and you will see the Full exhaust from Arrow on their website. Apologies in advance, as you might be spending some more money once you see what they have to offer, I plan on their SAS delete to get rid of the expansion chamber under the Rear seat, I will just need a full weekend to delete/install this.

Great idea on the headphone jack! I didn’t think of that and should also be a good way to keep the IEM’s from being lost. The other thought was to mount UE’s bluetooth adapter across the bottom-rear of the helmet To use for phone calls, but your idea may be better as it though allow the Cardo mic to work as designed and basically replace the JBL’s with the IEM’s, which I may use the noise reduction filter on to be sure.

Interested on how you like the Krios Pro as it has a lot of things to like, but the visor is useless for a sun brim and can’t come down enough and also catches the wind too much compared to my XD4. The other thing is the venting. It is pretty poor compared to the Arai. The comfort is also not as good as the Arai, in my opinion. The two biggest pluses it has is the weight and the transitions visor….although, again, I with you could get the screen to crack open a hair, like you can on the XD4.

Looking forward to the road trip Write up. What did you finally decide on the tire situation? Are you going stock, or new tires and shipping the stock?
Interesting comparison on the XD4 to the Krios Pro. Particularly your experience with the sun brim catching wind more significantly than with the XD4. What’s wild about that is the Krios, of course, has the holes in the brim in order to make it supposedly more aerodynamic. In fact, that’s one of the things I’ve heard in reviews is that handles airflow better than the XD4! 🤷‍♂️ I suppose each rider’s specific measurements combined with the bike variables make this whole helmet game a crap shoot!

I will also agree with you on the comfort of the Arai. While I haven’t worn an XD4 before, I will say that Regent X is the most comfortable helmet I have ever owned. That said Krios feels really nice, especially around the ears as it has bigger speaker cavities than the Arai, and that can make a big difference when you’re wearing IEMs.

As for the tires, I intend to call the dealer on Tuesday and have them order some Trailmax Missions for the trip back. I’ve heard great things about that tire and they should last well beyond the length of the trip.
 
#40 ·
Final comments on the helmets….it does ‘handle’ the air better, but it is so far up on the lowest setting that it is basically, functionally useless. Those holes also make it more flimsy and wobbles more easily in the wind.

I thought the same thing about the ear holes….it is all gimmick/marketing positioning statement… in my view. I have the Cardo Packtalk Edge and ‘second helmet kit’ on the Arai XD4 and Krios Pro and the Arai has the best space where I can’t feel the speakers behind the cheek pieces that I pulled out and placed behind the washable liner. The Krios Pro, despite having advertised as “Sena capable” can’t pull extra foam out there due to their Krioid honeycomb structure and the JBL speakers do push on my ears a little and it does get noticeable/annoying after a few hours.

Let me know what you think, I went with the Krios Pro due to the slight distortion of the XD4 screen (and color match of the blue/orange is pretty trick) and no Transition lens. Then I found an UK seller (The Visor Shop) of pin lock transition inserts on the XD4 and have now switched back to the XD4 as my ’primary’ helmet. The pinlock is a little wonky due to the shape of the shield and I think they stopped selling them in the US, so it wasn’t cheep to get what I wanted.
WeeTect also makes a photochromatic film that I might replace the pinlock with. Either way, I prefer the XD4 in all aspects except for the shield, do to the slight distortion towards the nose and color (I have Orange Frost in XD4). But, weight is de minimus difference, air-flow is better with Arai, comfort and noise is better with Arai…. Cardo/JBL speakers fit better in Arai (soon won’t have to worry about this once mold is made for IEM). Oh, I will say I also like the magnetic strap for Krios Pro better (can these straps be ordered anywhere???).
Here is my recap:

Arai XD4 advantages:
-Visor adjustable to block sun
-excellent venting options and airflow
-more quit vs. Krios
-Cardo/Senna speakers fully integrated behind cheek pads with zero contact with ear
can crack screen a hair for vent without being big enough for road/bug debris.
-Comfort is far superior to Krios IMHO

Klim Krios Pro Advantages:
  • Weight (de minimus difference)
  • distortion free lens
  • transition photochromatic lens tinting
  • visor lets air flow through (but makes visor wobbly and only two settings with little to no sun-visor protection)
  • Magnetic chin strap (awesome)
  • Color matched to 1290 SAR
  • Chin mesh works really well to keep bugs from flying up from below
 
#41 ·
Wgeorge1376 - I also have roughly 1200 miles on my 2022 1290 SAR with the stock AX41 tires. Mostly asphalt so far and have about 50% left. I just did a 200+ mile interstate ride doing 75mph and they are loud and get louder as they wear. Make sure to use ear plugs. I also replaced the stock windscreen with a Puig Touring Plus. I'm 6'2" and it was a significant improvement. I'm doing an Iron Butt ride late July and will be swapping out the AX41's for Dunlop Mission TrailMax's tmrw.
 
#45 ·
This was an informative thread for me, particularly the heat issues with the 2019 SAR. My local dealer has both the used 2019 SAR and a new 2022 SAS. I was considering the SAR but now I have another option, as posted on another thread: Conflicted... I have a change to buy either a brand new 2022 SAS or a used 2022 SAR with only 1900 miles. I was looking for the SAS but since I do go camping off-road and now just ride a CRF300L Rally offroad, the SAR is tempting. Comments are greatly appreciated. At 59, I have about 600,000 riding miles behind me, mostly touring and commuting and many forest roads in NM and Colorado for camping. I think at 5' 9", both will be adequate, with me stretching. Thanks.
 
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