KTM 390 ADVENTURE (2020 - on) Review

Standard seat is hard but comfortable for short spirited riding, no issues up to 60-70 miles or an hour. Longer rides are bottom numbing for rider and pillion. Comfortable riding position for a 5’5” 11 stone rider. Plenty suspension adjustment for 2 up riding, giants and fatties. KTM need to provide a lower version as no-cost option. Standard tyres provide great dry weather grip and performance. Brakes are excellent, great progressive feel. Tend to ride mainly on-road, using rear brake combined with engine braking which works well. Brakes more than adequate for weight of bike and power delivery, if you’re on the heavier side take an extended test ride to see how it feels but remember brakes/suspension work together so play around to find perfect set up.

Let’s understand it’s 373cc, 40hp and a single. Engine is quiet and smooth for a single, performance is punchy for 373cc and enjoys being revved. Vibration is noticeable and should be expected, can be irritating if cruising at the wrong speed for extended periods. Bike is fast enough to be fun and can embarrass larger bikes on short twisty rides.

This is my second 390 adv. First was a used 20 model with 2k miles which had a tinny rattle at 2,500revs, I tracked it down to a missing stud on the plastic/metal sump guard, replaced and all good. Some condensation noticeable on corners of display when acquired (autumn) this did not get any worse and dissipated during spring, not noticeable during summer riding. Did full home service (genuine KTM filters and correct grade oil used) performance noticeably improved. Bike reliable and fuel economy excellent even when ridden hard. So impressed with first bike a replacement 390 adv acquired bought new, suspension harder than old version and took a few rides to dial in. Non of the issue ‘commonly’ reported encountered.

Genuine KTM filter (Oil) kit available for around £25 if you shop around, KTM air filter costs around £12 again shop around. Please use correct grade oil, motorex is expensive but others can be found, the CORRECT GRADE is very important more-so than BRAND. Personal choice but I replace oil and filters on all my bikes every 12 months or 1500 miles whichever comes soonest. 5 bikes at £60 per bike cheap trouble free riding. Fuel economy is unreal; fast blast with mates returns better than 85mpg. Normal riding 98mpg, and 2 up around 92mpg.

KTM have made a great job at providing useful features as standard, the quickshifter works well but do you really need it? Clutch is light and the adv isn’t a race bike so don’t pay extra unless you really want it. A rack is useful if out for the day and need to carry stuff or store stuff at destination. I may have mentioned this before; the standard seat height is tall and for shorties a lowering kit is really a must. But if I’m buying a bike new I want a lowering kit fitted as standard, a spare standard set of fork and rear springs is no good for me. A whole lot of bike for £5K, even better value if you find a well cared for 2nd hand low mileage version.

Have done 450 kms in a day mix of on/off road, no issue, offroad nav rally etc,

I wish they had of made the 490.. another 5 -10hp would be amazing for highyway, fine as is offroad, perfect up to 110kmh

7500kms no issues

AUD$

I put a brake pedal enlarger, larger screen and tail rack on, dropped the foot rubbers out on first off road trip

Happily ride all day with fuel breaks. Great on the winter roads.

Very good for a 370cc single - don't expect too much. Very easy and perfectly adequate for single rider on UK roads.

Gear change/clutch issues. Clutch replaced under warranty. Then clutch cover replaced under warranty. Intermittent cutting out when downshifting (known issue, possible clutch switch or side stand sensor), dash misting in corners, heated grips bracket brittle plastic fell apart, build quality generally not great.

Additional time off the road for warranty fixes

Would have been higher but KTM app isn't great and directions would usually freeze once whenever used. Tyres are really excellent.

Good suspension quality and brakes are fine for such a light bike

Needs revving to work properly but good consumption figures

Screen misted almost immediately then went completely blank on a ride and now the engine paint is coming away despite meticulous care, KTM warranty useless

Running costs quite reasonable but dealership service very expensive

Just good enough to taste a little off road stuff, taller screen and the conti tyres are best

firm but compliant suspension and great handling on poor surfaces. not tried off road. The light agile handling is a highlight of this bike along with the slick rapid gearbox and clutch. slipper clutch means no feathering required on downchanges.

About as good as it gets for a sub 400cc single, the minor vibes don't bother me not really noticeable at higher revs. does use oil if thrashed. When I first got the bike I had the common KTM 390 engine issue of low speed stalls and lumpiness, this was cured by switching to 97+ RON fuel - the engine runs quite a high compression ratio which benefits power and economy but doesn't seem to like 95 RON E10 fuel.

Previous owner changed the OEM poor quality chain and sprocket to DID/JT . I have minor condensation under the TFT cover (common) but doesn't bother me. A lot of the bolts are alloy rather than stainless so care is required when torquing.

Fuel economy is fantastic, rarely goes below 80 MPG even when being thrashed. I get much better MPG on premium unleaded. Got a quote from KTM for a minor service - £200 - which seems excessive for oil change and inspection so I'm only going to use them for the valve checks and spark plug every 9k or so. The bike uses oil if being revved hard and when I changed the oil at 4k it looked black and gungy so I'll be doing oil and filters at 3k in future - noticeable power and economy improvement after oil change. I used Mobil 1 4T 15w50 from Halfords cos Motorex is a rip off. Glysantin G30 can be substituted for their pricey coolant too. Is a bit of pain as have to remove loads of screws to take off skid pan so have just left this off. Oil and filter for each change costs around £20. Original battery ineffective after 2 years - replaced with lithium.

I have the up and down quickshifter which works best at high revs but only use it occasionally as the super-light clutch allows rapid changes. The clutch lever and cable need to be adjusted correctly or the lever position switches don't activate corrected and can cause stalling. The GPS mount above the TFT dash is ideally positioned - i've mounted a phone holder there and there is a 12v socket below the TFT. Taller screen is essential - the one from the mk 1 790 adventure can be fitted. Pilot Road 6 fitted which allows high lean angles. ABS works well on rear, not experienced it on front despite hard trail braking, lever feel is good and I only need 1 finger. MTC and cornering ABS reassuring to have. Givi rack highly recommended.

Ride is comfortable- absorbs many bumps, brakes not so much

Astonishing, not a fan of traditional Adventure bike low revs. Likes 7000+

Cheap to service, 56-70 mpg and cheap to insure (if you’re old like me)

It's really a all round bike as I'm 75 it suits me being a lightweight bike. Use a extra seat pad for doing longer distances. As after 65 miles tend to get bum ache.

Reall quick and sharp. I've come of cbf1000 so it Really suits me.

Guy i bought off did fair bit of road but bike was in really good condition.

Expensive ktm garage service costs.

The upright position. Added extra hight on handle bars. Fitted new silencer gpr.

The bike is big for a little single and comfortable to ride all day. It's great away from motorways but can hold its own at 70mph if required. Handles really well and you can enjoy reading the road and selecting gears rather than relying on a more powerful engine.

Lovely little engine for road use. Off road at low revs not so good.

Built to a price and it shows. Original chain was made of chocolate and after 10,000 miles in the first year there are signs of corrosion on some of the fastenings. Wouldn't start once on a winter morning despite being kept in a garage with a charged battery.

The service interval is 4500 miles and my local dealer charges £180 for the annual inspection. Having done 10000 in the first year I have been charged over £400 for the 600 mile plus 2 oil changes & inspections. If you are looking to commute and maintain dealer servicing it is expensive. Local dealer needs 7 weeks notice for a service which is very poor.

Adjustable suspension is a nice touch. A powerparts bash plate saved the engine from terminal damage on a rocky part of the TET but destroyed the plate. Mind it was the lack of clearance that caused the issue as a CRF sailed over the same stretch.

Excellent predictable handling. Angles of lean are incredible Grip from Metzeler road tyres brilliant wet or dry. Front brake gives good feeling and strong retardation. Performed well in emergency stop. Rear brake lacks feeling and any kind of serious stopping power. Fully adjustable suspension is firm but comfortable. Original seat awful. KTM comfort seat not much better.

Unbelievable response from a 390 cc engine. Lots of mid range . Bad tempered when cold especially low revs. Very economical.

Paint has chipped and allowed corrosion in forward facing parts of the engine. (KTM have no interest quoting the warranty small print) Petrol filler neck so crowded with stuff it is very easy to get spray back. When fuel gauge shows red/empty can only get 9/10 litres in very slowly

In addition new chain £70 at 9000 miles.

Bought S/H with host of extras. Quick shifter good on medium to fast acceleration. Clunky in slow speed use. Akrapovic exhaust sounds good. Metzeler road tyres improved ride, steering, grip and braking wet or dry Aftermarket Givi screen give good wind protection .Shad soft panniers kit well made and good fit Off to Italy on it in two weeks.

Out of the box the suspension is quite hard but after adjustment it is fine and good for our pot holed roads. High riding position is great for filtering and admiring the scenery. It is great for efficient commuting being both economical and fast enough. The bike will cruise very happily at 80 mph but is also good fun on green lanes. Grippier tyres are needed for muddy trails.

The bike has a very eager engine which loves to be revved. It makes me feel 30 years younger. The optional quickshifter aids fast overtakes by keeping the motor in the powerband. Vibration can be felt at some speeds but it is not annoying and does let you know that it is not an electric motor! Like most modern singles it is not happy pulling from below 3,000 rpm.

It has only done 3,500 miles so probably too soon to say.

First service was £105. Annual service message has not displayed yet at 3,500 miles. Average fuel consumption since new in 91.7 mpg. Average for the last 1,300 miles is 93.4 mpg. KTM accessories are expensive but other manufacturers are available.

The digital dashboard is great giving loads of information and smart phone connectivity including satnav if you buy an inexpensive app for your phone. I have since bought a KTM rear rack, satnav bracket, crash bars, and quickshifter , plus a Givi top box and larger screen. The standard tyres are fine for everything except really wet muddy trails. A radiator guard and heated grips were part of the purchase deal. The bike is now ideal for all year use.

Nice all-round bike for the city, gravel roads, some trails, and some highway usage.

390 cc engine delivers more than expected :)

Each warranty claim takes more than 3 months to fix, local dealership has no spare pats in stock.

Maintenance cost is almost twice as Husqvarna svartpilen 401.

The suspension is very harsh. The front is not too bad, but the rear is absolutely terrible on anything over 1 in bumps or washboards. At 40 mph over a washboard Road the bike is almost uncontrollable. Non-link rear suspensions require a progressive spring. The 390 comes with a single rate that is way way too stiff. I weigh 180. The bike is plush for about a half inch under my butt then it gets rock hard. Hyperpro makes an improved rear shock but when you order one, insist on a large plush zone in the valving.....

A good buzz sets in over 70 mph. But to be honest the bike gets blown around at over 75 anyway

USB wish there was USB charging

It's probably one of the all round bikes I've ever owned. Did four hour ride yesterday without a stop, the seats a bit hard but not too uncomfortable, I've had worse.

People go on about the high revs you need to use this bike. They need to try riding for a day on the autobahns on a Kawasaki X300. For a single cylinder low capacity bike this bike is amazing on the motorways. Again there's complaints about the buzzy nature but I don't really notice it, I do notice the smooth delivery and acceleration which is outstanding for a 377cc single cylinder bike. They really have got the ride by wire throttle set up well.

The engine has been well tried and tested on the other small KTMs so got no concerns about this. Been standing outside under a cover for 5 months and no obvious deterioration. Starts like a dream even after standing a long time but won't give it five stars until I've put some more miles on it.

Day to day running costs are very cheap, fuel, tax, insurance etc but the first service was stupidly expensive. I've had quite a few much more complex new bikes and the service costs have been much cheaper but that's down to the dealer. After all it's pretty much change the oil, check the bike over and update the program on the dash. Will be going elsewhere to the dealer I bought it from in future.

It's taking a while to find all the attachments to fit my original GIVI luggage but it was a new bike so I'm not surprised. They are slowly filtering through now. One thing I don't understand is how some features like crash bars and quick shifters are standard in other countries?

No issues, brakes great, suspension on the former side of average, but it does mean it’s sport to throw around, if not as comfy on bumpy lanes.

As you would expect from a 44hp 373cc single, not much low down grunt, but lively above 4000rpm and very fizzy above 6000. Fuel injection is seamless from stone cold, throttle very responsive.

So far so good. Perfect on delivery, no fails found yet.

Could substantially be self serviced other than specialist diagnostic tools. Not sure it’s going to be worth it given owners reports and a decent dealer network though.

No direct rear rack mount, sump guard not too serious and screen tiny. Otherwise head and shoulders above everything else in the category. Notable features include Bluetooth connectable digi-dash, 12v socket, ABS/cornering ABS and T/C, illuminated switchgear and full LED lighting.

Very good, strong brakes, with good ABS.

I know more as I rack up the miles but did I say easy to ride!

Is a little weak down low but for where I’m riding it’ll be fine. Some dirt roads some blacktop. 50, 60 miles jaunts.

12volt plug. Keeps my phone charged.

Easy to ride and comfortable for about an hour - then the saddle starts to feel a bit hard. However, this might ease as it breaks in and there is plenty of room to shift around from the narrow front to the flatter rear.

Great, peppy little single that has more than enough power to overtake and have fun. I'm still under 7000 rpm until the first service and that's when it gets better apparently so I can't wait.....

Great fit and finish. No complaints at all. For the price it's amazing that they can build such a solid and light bike!

Early days as I still have to do the 1000km service but I can't get over the fact it takes about $10 to fill the tank which will do my commute to Sydney city for a week! (my car is $100)

Amazing level of tech for pricce. I see reviews on much more expensive bikes without TFT or corner ABS etc + you can turn off traction and rear ABS if you like. Also you can run sat nav from KTM phone app which I haven't seen on any other learner bikes!! When you add adjustable from and rear suspension too it is very difficult if not impossible to find a bike with the same specs for less cash...