I love KTM's focus on the lower end displacement market. I have the Duke 390 and absolutely love it. The typical response to that is "Yeah, they're great beginner bikes", but fuck that, I've had Tiger 1200's and R1's and HD's and tons of shit, but the Duke 390 is an absolute barrel of laughs and I only paid 4k for it. Puts a smile on my face every time I race it around town. Kinda sucky on the highway, but I don't do much highway riding with it. So yeah, them making an offroad bike out of that platform is awesome. Especially because it's something to go head-to-head with the G310 in that lightweight dual sport/adv range. To me this kinda kills the point of an ADV bike, because I don't think it'll nicely do 200 miles on the highway between trails like the 790 will, but for somebody who wants to do ADV riding but either A. Wants a lighter bike, or B. Doesn't have a lot to spend? This is an awesome option. I'm sure they'll get those 1st gen niggles worked out and it'll be as bad-ass as the duke/RC.
MrSlowestD16 100% agree. Small displacement bikes are great fun and the Duke 390 is the best bike I’ve had. Currently on a Vespa 300, 2020 KTM Duke 390, Grom 125 and Monkey 125...so addicted to fun little city bikes. This Adventure looks great, good job KTM :-)
I'd like to have a beer with John. We are about the same age and he has a quirky sense of humor with no pretense or false pride. Keep it up John! Thumbs up.
I would love to see a small Adv shootout, with, for example, the 390 Adventure, honda cb500x, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Suzuki V-Strom 250, BMW 310 GS and the Versys 300.
Um, age old rule, it's not the tool, its the person using the tool that determines the outcome. There is a RU-vid video of a musician playing heavy metal on a Hello Kitty acoustic guitar, for example.
Which part of Honda Cb500x cries adventure? It's crappy forks? cast wheels? nonexistent braking ability? large fuel tank? robust engine? I am wondering...
This is definitely great in-depth review. I love this machine. I’ve ridden the ktm 390 duke before and it’s quick for 390 so this adventure could well be your perfect all rounder!
I think KTM has something special here, a major flaw of adventure bikes in general is their weight. A sub 400 pound bike in this class is just what is needed and since KTM has ironed out much of the issues of the first generation of this engine - I think the Austrians scored a big win.
Thanks for a really good review. I like small and hopefully nimble ADV bikes. I don't want hours on the highway. This class of bike would be great for commuting during the week and weekend bike camping while riding two lane back roads, fire roads, etc. It looks like a good competitor for the BMW G310GS, which is also made in India. For someone wanting more off road performance, KTM is rumored to have a 390 enduro in the works. Hopefully they'll keep the large fuel tank, but have a 21" front tire, spoke wheels and 50% more suspension travel.
KTM flashes the ECU after the 1st service to unlock it, Had the same thing with my duke 390. They keep it locked to max 7000rpm for the run-in period. The dealer told me that they do this to make sure people don't crash before they get used to the bike and for the tyres to run in as well.
The thing is...this isn't a fact and your bike comes with a 10k limit from the factory... Only the shift light can be changed... The stock ecu can't be modified to have a different limit... That would mean you don't need a power commander or power tronics to play with the limiter
@@mitreshsrikarunya9484 it’s very common to adjust rev limiter with ecu flashes. Sport bikes do it all the time. You need special software to edit ecu settings though.
Excellent review. Not too technical, no stupid loud thrash metal soundtrack. Great stage presence, good mix modesty and realistic expectations. Keep up the videos !
Yeah all these reviewers have no idea - Its in the OWNERS MANUAL FFS! I've had a '17 RC390 now got an '18 790 Duke would like to add the 390 Adventure next.
Definitely hits the sweet spot for size, weight and performance. If Kawasaki decides to put a re-tuned and/or re-sprocketed version of their Z400 drivetrain on the Versys-X it could be a serious competitor. Sucks we don't get the Honda CB400X here in the states. The 500X is just a bit heavy and more on-road oriented than these lighter ADV bikes.
I see a great topic for a new article, "Bikes for Old Guys". Some of us are getting long in the tooth and have difficulty managing the mega displacement monsters.
Big shame there are no spoked rims. Make an R version like the 790 one, with 18 inch rear and 21 inch front spoked rims and a dirt bike style fender, still make it affordable and it'll be amazing.
Beginner here, really want an all around good bike for any terrain, this looks to be a sweet setup for me. I would love a comparison with other small adv bikes like the Honda CB500X
It's got a few less horses than the Honda but it's about 55lb lighter! This will make it much more friendly off road. Additionally, the KTM has far more tech, better suspension and here in the UK it's cheaper.
After watching a guy go half way around the world on a Honda C90, I figure this 390 would be quite adequate for an older rider like me to tootle around the PNW. Just saw one at a dealer, but some one had already snapped it up. Good looking too. 👍🇨🇦
IDK, a 300cc single, or even a twin really - is not enough for any kind of real travel. At least not in SoCal where you gotta do hundred or more miles of freeway before any offroading. 300cc is for dirt/enduro bikes which travel in a pickup truck or on a trailer. For a "travel", or "adventure" bike (something you ride from home rather than haul it to where the fun begins), I think a ~450cc twin would be the least amount feasible. The freeways would be really draining on this 390cc single as it is... Draining both the rider of enjoyment and the engine wear.
Loose spark plug cap caused all that. In the end, a simple fix, but so easily avoided with proper setup on the bike. I suppose it could have happened on the dyno when they were hooking everything up. I guess they need to attach some sort of lead around the plug wire so the dyno can measure engine rpm. Could have got yanked loose then.
The ECU comes locked at 6500RPM when you go for the first service, they will unlock the RPM limiter then it can easily reach 9000rpm. They do this for the new riders so that they can get used to the bike before pushing it to its full potential. It's a common practice in India. Just get the first free service done from the dealer, they will take care of it.
I have a KTM 390 Adventure. This bike does everything except long-distance highway cruising well. It's quick, tossable, capable off-road and paints a grin on my face every time I ride it. I can't see ever buying another bike!
The 6500 RPM electronic limiter is there from the factory. I own a 2019 390 DUKE and had to deal with the same thing for the initial break-in period; the first 1000 km and until the first maintenance is done. So, the RPM limit is totally normal and there to protect the bike, and the rider on a new bike, for the "introduction period".
It wont let you go over 6000ish rpm until after 600 miles when the recommended oil change is due and the ECM is rest and unlocks the rpm limit, and be able to turn off the traction control and abs.
Cool review sir, I liked it. I like the bike to. For what I do, witch is commuting & occasional long roadtripps. Or occasional off roading, dirt roads, gravel roads. Or Forestry service roads, this bike is perfect. And I like the reasonable price, this might be my next bike.
400cc and under has big insurance savings in my area, so a bike like this is very appealing. Questions I would want to know; how does it feel at highway speeds (does it feel comfortable or like a hamster running to fast on a wheel...), how is the seat after a few hours (on road) and what’s it’s real world range?
I just test rode this bike today. I did not get to play with it as much as I wanted or go off road but I loved it. I think I might get one next year, currently off work due to pandemic. Above 6500 RPM John sounds just like Julie Andrews.
I am the owner of a KTM 390 Adventure which I bought in January 2021 as my very first motorcycle. About four weeks ago, while riding on city streets, I noticed something unusual with the damping motion of the rear suspension and stopped immediately. The rear suspension was leaking fluid badly. I was able to ride back home and took the bike to the KTM dealer for a check. The KTM dealer received my bike on December 7, 2021. A month has passed, and they have no idea at all whether the faulty rear suspension is covered by the warranty and that it must be checked with the KTM factory sometime during mid-January. The bike is not in working condition and it is in their workshop since its breakdown. This is a very disappointing and frustrating situation as I bought this bike mainly because of its alleged quality suspensions and its two-year warranty. Needless to say, KTM has not lived up to my expectations as a newbie in motorcycling.
Thats really quite concerning, my son's just bought one of these (basically on my suggestion),also his first bike. Thank you for commenting this...i shall have to keep my eye on it. Not something you'd expect on modern equipment!. Hope ktm sorted your problem out "correctly" for you. ✌️
The KTM warranty will keep me from buying any new KTM in the USA. Which is unfortunate. In an age where bikes are becoming more and more reliant on electronics, not covering electrical components under warranty is just negligent. There's more that can go wrong on bikes besides the engine, frame, and swing arm.
"If you like the video, hit the Like button, if you don't....I don't know what to say." I literally lol'd. Good review, but I'd like to see a decent off roader put it through its paces. Subscribed!
I was considering this bike, but this and other reviews have pointed out a traction control that won't turn off properly. I'm already leery of techie gizmos (drive by wire) that can break in the middle of nowhere. I don't need a bike that wants to tell me what to do.
For anyone in the market for one of the smaller adventure bikes this has got to be the main contender, unless you're going to be doing mostly off road when you should probably go for something different. And I imagine because it offers so much there will be significant numbers of those who currently ride the likes of VStrom 650s who will be very tempted, I know I am. The spec for less than half the price of the 790, WOW...
Manufactured in India and sold for 4K in their market. Now, picture a 4K bike sitting at the dealership today, those are prices of 600 Yamaha Secas and Honda Hawks back in the early 90s. I paid $4500 for FZR600 new in 1993. I personally, feel screwed paying 6K for something that is 2K cheaper across the pond.
Mike S Worth remembering $4500 in 1993 is more like $8000 now a days. The bikes sold in India aren’t quite the same as sold to other parts of the world either, bikes for that market don’t generally meet emission standards in EU or US.
@@mikes1172 India is price sensitive market so they cut corners, on top of that different emission standards, tariffs, more markup than India etc all adds up.
@@mikes1172 the Indian bike has a different non adjustable basic suspension, but quick shifter included as standard. Engine Crash guards and other similar bits included. However, the transportation costs as well as dealer mark ups on your end are far higher than here. To top it all, 6k there is lower end of the scale whereas here it is probably in the 90th percentile..
I bought this bike and have been very impressed with performance but build quality is pretty bad. I was hoping to keep it for a long time and with 1ak of usage is literally falling apart with play in rear sprocket, condensation in tft, torn hoses that connect to the engine. On top of this KTM failing to take responsibility for a bike under warranty is pretty awful.
My thoughts exactly. In the video he said " even though we could only rev to 6500 I still had a blast"...fine, but it's brand new. And already has a glitch?
It's not that small! Check out Lois Pryce - she went round the world practically through the 'tough' countries on a Yamaha XT225. Probably would have been impossible on a big adventure bike
TKC70 have been around for many years, as TKC80. However, they are advertised as 70/30 tires but are rather 90/10. Offroad they almost provide no traction but on road they are great. Great tires for a 1290 SAS or 1250 GS which will see rather little dirt (compared to a KTM R Bike)
Maybe you can ask the kind folks at KTM Headquarters Murrieta when they plan on adding this little bike to their official recall list so that the owners can get the faulty fuel lines & dangerous undersized front brake caliper bolts replaced. Did they have a special unit for you to test that got preferential treatment & had the bad pieces swapped specifically because it’s the media mule? Why only do the recall in India if the whole lot of bikes produced needs the new parts?
I felt great in a Duke 390 (I am 6'1 and my weight is 198 lbs). Adventure 390's seat is tallest than the duke 390, so you will no have problem with this bike.
@@EvansBrasfieldMotojournalist , what on earth is that..🥺🥺 U guys Can easily get a Barret M107 .50 Cal there, but not an LED indicator...what kind of logic is that..
@matty d exactly! Let the euros worry about stupid shit like led lights, I'll keep my big indicators and all my excellent guns, Damn, I love this country!
The occasional drop but that happens to the best of us. Hopefully you can sort the bike's woes.👌🏻😎👍🏻 I must say I'm kinda surprised they didn't offer at least optional spoke wheels. That should have prove very popular among the ADV crowd. Shame on the lack of C/C on such a "Jack of all Trades".
At first I didn’t see the point in this bike. Then I realized it’s the bike that everyone that buys a CrF250l or a DR650 should buy instead. Once you ride something like a FE350S you realize those others are not dual sports.
I looked at the TQ/HP graph, and 6500 is pretty much as high as the engine goes. Revving it higher, and it'll get less HP. It's probably supposed to be in the run in period, so you're not supposed to take it much above 4,5k RPM anyway. At least not the first 1000 miles.
@@ProDigit80 I don't know what graph you are looking at but you are wrong. The 390 makes peak hp at around 9000 rpm. I actually own one. It feels a bit lazy on power in low rpm range. Comes alive around 7000 rpm.
The honda is a fantastic and comfortable bike. A bit more comfortable as the 390 adventure. I tested them all last year and am now a very happy ktm owner. Fantastic light and so much fun to travel bike.
I’ve read DRC‘s for years they are bulletproof and capable I now have a 701 Husqvarna the performance difference in horsepower is remarkable there is an anything I can do on my 701 that I couldn’t do is easily on my DRZ 400 it cost half as much money the 701 will run 85 on the freeway comfortablyAnd a DRZ run 70 comfortable off road at medium to fast speeds the DRZ is a far more capable motorcycle This KTM will be lucky to be his durable as a DRZ has less suspension I should be popular with beginners I would not own one for myself
not too thrilled and disappointed in how it came out! i was expecting a more traditional adventure bike in the same line as a 690 with an 18 sized rear wheel and 21 front wheel and then follow it up with an enduro and supermoto models a more traditional KTM bike that poor riders such as myself fantasize about owning. this model is just a regular comfortable standard model a more comfortable duke model. in fact this model should be named Duke Touring model. its what it is.
I feel like this review was done by someone that is not into adventure bikes at all.. The off road ride was very unsatisfying and did not seem to depict the real capacity of this bike. I would have like to see a very skilled off road rider show off the perks of the KTM 390 adventure.
Was this bike brand new? Isn't there some kind of performance limiter before the run in mileage? Great vid. I'm about to but a Super Duke r but I'd love a modest adventure bike too.
The bike is locked at 6500 rpm untill you touch 1000kms on the odo. Post 1000km it unlocks by itself and gives you an option for the shift lights too. We in India were fortunate to get this beauty before any where else..... I got mine on 29th Feb and ridden around 1500kms till the country got locked down due to Covid.
This is NOT the bike people wanted. We all want the 390 motor in a EXC-F frame. Wish I could work on the KTM design team. I'd take a new 500 EXC-F...fire up the cutting torch...cut the 500cc motor out...fire up the welder...weld the 390 motor in its place. It be a CRF450L killer! It have 3000 mile oil changes! It would be super fun! Also, I'd sale it for less than $7k, in the U.S., out the door!!!! KTM would have 100% market share for adventure/enduro!!! Is anyone listening?
