Maybe I’m just out of the loop a little right now, but I can’t help feeling that there is more anti-big-adventure-bike sentiment out there right now than there used to be. Perhaps it has always been there, and it is my own preferences, brought on by advancing age and a lessening ability to manage something so bulky and heavy off-road, that is leading me to notice it more and more.
I am inclined to think, however, that there really is something in this apparent turn to smaller-is-better thinking. Look at the evidence; Honda, Suzuki, Triumph, BMW, Royal Enfield, CFMoto, Yamaha, Ducati and KTM – all have lightweight, small-displacement adventure models. OK, the Yamaha and Ducati are 700 and 900 cc respectively, but they are a lot lighter than the likes of the 1300 cc+ BMW GS and KTM Super Adventure models and their like.
One company in particular has off-road DNA running through its veins, and that is, of course, KTM. It is only relatively recently that the company has turned to dedicated road models with no off-road pretence, so when a new or updated series of adventure models comes online, you tend to sit up and take notice.
The 390 range of models has been with us for 14 years, while the 390 Adventure made its first appearance in 2020. Right from the get-go, it redefined what a “junior” adventure bike could be. Here was a physically small bike, with excellent, punchy performance from its 373 cc, Indian-built single-cylinder engine, while the chassis seemingly had all KTM’s off-road experience built in, alongside a healthy dose of good road manners, making the bike a very important development in the adventure bike world.
Fast forward to today, and the 390 Adventure is very much still with us, having been updated and uprated for 2026. There are two models, the more road-focused Adventure X and the full off-road Adventure R. The engine is the new 398.6 cc LC4c single, while further improvements include electronic fuel injection, ride-by-wire throttle, engine balancer shaft, slipper clutch, switchable traction control, and ABS and bi-directional quick-shifter.
The ‘X’ gets an LCD dash and cast-alloy wheels (19-inch front, 17-inch rear), more basic (and shorter) suspension, while the ‘R’ gets a full-colour TFT display, wire-spoked wheels with aluminium rims (21-inch front, 18-inch rear), and longer-travel, adjustable WP suspension. The power of the new, larger engine is similar to the older unit, at around 44 horsepower, but this can be attributed to the engine conforming to the latest Euro5 emissions standards.
Visually, the Adventure R looks by far the more purposeful, akin to a road-legal enduro bike; ‘Ready to Race’ has never seemed more appropriate! The tall stance, allied to the black-rimmed spoked wheels, with adventure tyres, helps this impression. On the road, the tall stance and impressive narrowness further make it feel like you’re on a large enduro bike; you do have to keep reminding yourself that this is a road-legal bike!
The engine feels much revvier than earlier versions of the 390, with perhaps a shade less low-down torque. This is more noticeable when riding on a technical off-road trail; you expect there to be a good level of low-down, stump-pulling torque, while, actually, the engine needs to be revved more than you might expect. It’s not a drawback, merely an observation requiring a slightly different riding technique.
Whether on- or off-road, the handling and manoeuvrability are excellent, helped by wide bars and 165 kg all-in weight. The quick-shifter is a definite bonus, although one annoying feature is the need to be in neutral for the starter to operate; not simply clutch in as on most bikes, but actually in neutral. This isn’t helped by the fact that neutral can be tricky to find in the small gap between first and second. If you’re in a precarious position in a technical section off-road, this makes stalling the bike a real hassle and not at all easy.
Another questionable element is the siting of the exhaust; the low, mass-centralising location, below the line of the wheel centre line, is fine for road use but completely inappropriate for serious trail riding involving water crossings or deep mud.
Despite this surprising design feature, the Adventure R is a brilliant off-road performer, displaying all the usual KTM traits of control and balance. The bars are perfectly mounted and positioned for a tall rider when standing up, and when sitting, the rider triangle is relaxed yet confidence-inspiring, both on- and off-road.
Turning to the Adventure X, it looks a lot less imposing than the Adventure R, but that can only be to its advantage, certainly for shorter riders and those for whom off-road riding isn’t necessarily on their radar.
Interestingly, when I tried the Adventure X on the same trail as the Adventure R, the X felt strangely easier to handle, perhaps underlining its suitability for less-experienced off-road riders, while the R requires a more skilled hand at the helm and would subsequently be more suitable for more extreme riding conditions.
At R139,990, the KTM Adventure R is keenly priced for a model that the expert off-roader would find little fault with. For those who have to have the best, no matter their skill level, it is also a bike that flatters and is not so extreme as to be inaccessible to anyone other than an expert. For everyone else, the R99,990 (was R106,999) Adventure X is more than enough, no matter what riding you are contemplating.
KTM 390 Adventure R & Adventure X
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