The Adventure Bike You Can Ride Every Single Day

By the beginning of the decade, adventure bikes had grown in size and weight to such an extent that they had become exceedingly impractical to ride off-road. These bikes had pretty much evolved into luxury touring motorcycles that offered riders the option to go off-road if left with no alternative. Anyone serious about going off-road, or doing any level of off-road exploration simply needed something lighter. That’s when bikemakers slowly started rethinking their strategies and focusing on sharper, more usable products. We have some solid ADVs that prove the same, but one outperforms all of its rivals in this regard.

Less (Weight) Is More (Fun)

Read Also

3 week ago

The Honda Tourer That Quietly Beats Pricier Rivals

18 autotech

Initially, there was a big movement towards middleweight bikes, but more recently, adventure riders have been downsizing even further. What might be considered the entry-level class has evolved into something much more than just a starting point for budding explorers. For those looking to take the road less traveled every so often, these smaller, lighter bikes make a lot more sense.

BMW

Over the course of the past couple of years, this 400ish class has exploded, and by all accounts will only continue to grow with more new models, including the BMW F 450 GS in the pipeline. All these bikes offer around 40 to 50 horsepower, and a wet weight of in and around 400 pounds. While in some cases these bikes are not all that much lighter than a middleweight, at this end of the market, 20 to 30 pounds makes a discernible difference. The bike in question is actually a further 20 to 30 pounds lighter than its direct rivals.

The KTM 390 Adventure R Is An Adventure-Ready Commuter

MSRP: $7,699

KTM/Tschann E.

The previous 390 Adventure is so different that it is arguably more apt to call the latest 390 Adventure R an all-new model, rather than an update. It has a slightly bigger engine, a slightly different frame, and a whole host of new tech features thrown at it. While the price has increased a fair bit since it first arrived last year, it still has a lot to offer for the money. Not only is it one of the lightest bikes in its class, but it is also one of the most competent off-road-oriented ADVs that can still be ridden every single day. All this while, you can still ride the motorcycle daily and have serious fun on paved roads.

A Punchy, Free-Revving Single-Cylinder Engine Brings The Firepower

Power: 44 Horsepower

KTM – photographer: Tschann E.

This “390” has been around since 2013 and didn’t exactly cover itself in glory back when it first came out. First-generation bikes had a number of teething issues, but by the time it went into its second generation, pretty much all the issues related to the powertrain had been resolved. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, and was recently given a bump in displacement from the unusual original 373cc to a more conventional 399cc. Power output remains the same, and even though Bajaj has always produced the engine, it legitimately feels like a KTM dirt-bike engine.

More Fun Than You Might Think

KTM – photographer: Tschann E.

At their core, single-cylinder engines are simple, functional engines. But, this is not just a simple, functional engine. It is a punchy, free-revving lump which offers an impressive power-to-weight ratio. Any bike equipped with it is far more fun to ride than any spec sheet will have you believe. Unfortunately, just like any single, it vibrates a fair bit and will numb your extremities after longer highway runs.

The 390 Adventure R Has More Features Than More Expensive ADVs

KTM/Tschann E.

Out of all the lightweight adventure bikes, the 390 Adventure R is the only one that makes use of an IMU. For a bike in this price range, this kind of tech is almost unheard of. While nice-to-have features like cruise control and the quickshifter remain locked behind a paywall, what you do get more than makes up for that. It has lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, ride modes, and a big TFT dash with smartphone connectivity.

The traction control is adjustable, and you can disable the rear wheel ABS. While you can’t completely disable the ABS, KTM has the best off-road electronics in the business, so simply making use of its off-road mode will suffice for most riders. Along with the best-in-class electronics suite, it also gets best-in-class suspension.

KTM/Tschann E.

Its long travel WP Apex suspension is fully adjustable and works exceptionally well in the dirt, and surprisingly well on the street. In terms of street performance, its steel trellis chassis is a major point of difference, and helps make the bike feel more composed than most of its rivals on a nice twisty bit of tarmac. Even with its street-bike-derived chassis and all those electronics, it only tips the scales at 388 pounds.

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

KTM/Tschann E.

Currently, there are very few adventure bikes on the market that will come close to the 390 Adventure R off-road. On the street, it is arguably one of the better performers, yet it is still light and approachable enough to be used as a commuter for any level rider. It proves beyond a reasonable doubt how superfluous any of the other bikes are, but it is certainly not perfect.

However, unlike the Japanese ADV bikes competing in this space, it really does feel cheap, and the build quality just isn’t on the same level. Everything you touch lacks a certain level of quality, and while the powertrain has proven to be reliable, only time will tell how well all these affordable electronic features hold up after years of off-road use.

KTM/Tschann E.

Subjectively speaking, it is also one of the ugliest ADVs currently on the market. While design work is not often valued as much in this most pragmatic of motorcycle segments, it is still desperately hard to love a bike you struggle to look at. That said, if you don’t mind how it looks, it is one of the very best all-rounders money can buy.

Chassis, Suspension, And Weight Specifications

Source: KTM