Riding it isn’t about the bike dominating your riding experience, dictating where you go by its size or overwhelming you with power, riding it is about what you want to do as a rider, where you want to go and the 390 being the vehicle for taking you there. I had no preconceived ideas about the bike before riding it, nor did I read any reviews, but what I will say is that if you are to fully appreciate the 390 as an experienced rider, you have to open your mind a bit. In fact, the 390 adventure impressed me so much, I don’t see it as an entry level bike, I just see it as a great machine capable of anything you throw at it, irrespective of rider experience or age! It’s the kind of bike you can confidently point it at pretty much anything and it will give it a good go! Will it run out of ground clearance, only on the occasion you aren’t careful enough with your lines… will its suspension bottom out after a big jump? possibly… but to labour the point, 95% of ADV riders wouldn’t take their long travel suspension and heavier ADV bike on the kind of terrain where we were confidently flying up and down on so it’s a moot point! I would go as far to say that the 390 adventure is the most off-road confidence inspiring Adventure bike I have ridden and hang my hat on the idea that 95% of regular riders would be more comfortable and be more capable on this bike than any other adventure bike on the market. We took it on some of the roughest legal trails we have in the Lake District with big sharp rocks coupled with steep inclines and declines – generally terrain that I’ve tried and failed on larger adventure bikes and that we normally reserve for our 701 Enduro! From about 20m into our off-road day, a grin ensued that didn’t drop the whole day! What a brilliant days riding and what a brilliant bike! In line with how Adventure bikes are marketed, we wanted to push the 390 Adventure a bit off road. No compromise in handling, great tyre choices available, excellent for adventure bikes off road! I decided to soften off the compression on the front forks which made the bike a bit more comfortable. I’m so glad KTM opted for a 19” front wheel for this bike.
In fact the 390 does that more than any other adventure bike I have ever ridden. Whichever KTM bike I ride, they all somehow miraculously do the same thing, make you want to pull a wheelie, do skids and just put a massive grin on your face. While it lacks the outright power of a bigger machine, it makes up for it in character. It was a joy to ride on our naggery Lake District passes, flicking it left to right and maximising the power on offer. There were moments I really had to remind myself I was only riding a small capacity single cylinder machine, it feels really eager to go and only runs out of puff at higher speeds – it’s a high performance motor that definitely embodies the KTM ready to Race theology. Riding it on the road, the 44hp 390 single cylinder engine is fantastic. In build quality terms, the 390 punches harder than it has any right to! For me it looks sharp, with typical KTM lines, its purposeful and has a commanding riding position. A great TFT screen, good quality adjustable WP suspension, good continental TKC70 tyres, good brakes. That’s not to say that KTM’s larger capacity adventure bikes like the 8 aren’t more premium, its just that the 390 holds its head very high not only against its competitors, but alongside its bigger brothers – it just feels right in relation to what it is intended to be – that’s a massive compliment. While its marketed as KTM’s entry level Adventure bike and positioned to be accessible in every market, there doesn’t seem to be much entry level about it, it feels proper in every way. Whether that’s flicking from left to right on tight and twisty scenic routes, over taking traffic on faster A roads, or tackling rough off-road terrain – the 390 Adventure excels. The 390 adventure is lightweight and confidence inspiring in all circumstances, exactly what all riders would like from their motorcycle irrespective of engine size. Lightweight and capable adventure bikes are where it’s at in my opinion, but the 390 is more than the sum of its ingredients, it’s a fantastic and complete package.
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