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KTM 390 Adventure: A motorcycle built for that great road trip
Summary
One of the most awaited launches of the year, the KTM 390 Adventure is fun to ride long distances and isn’t really built for urban traffic
The KTM 390 Adventure was one of the most awaited launches of the year, and finally made its debut in February. Ever since whispers of its imminent arrival were heard, there was considerable excitement in the brotherhood of bikers.
The old KTM 390 was a much-loved motorcycle during its five years of existence. The new 390, priced at ₹3.68 lakh, is certainly not the same motorcycle with a makeover. This one looks as tall as the old one, but that’s deceptive. “With the new 830mm saddle height, I don’t have to skip from one foot to the other to balance the bike while stationary as I had to previously (the old one had an 855mm saddle). While stationary on the new motorcycle both my feet are flat on the ground at the same time," said a friend, who is 5 feet 5 inches tall.
To shoehorn a 390cc motor into a motorcycle with a 21-inch front wheel set-up, have ground clearance of 237mm and a low saddle, all within 180kg, is a feat of engineering. For shorter riders, this is a bike that instils confidence to attempt off-road riding.
The 390 Adventure is pitched against the Royal Enfield Himalayan. Both are contenders for that great road trip that adventure riders in India aspire to—the Ladakh and Zanskar circuit, which involves a mix of smooth tarmac, dirt trails, broken roads and water crossings. It is for bad roads and water that the generous 237mm of ground clearance matters as does the fact that the underbelly exhaust, baffles and internal chambers have been optimised to stop water from going into the exhaust.
To keep things in perspective, the RE Himalayan has a saddle height of 825mm and its ground clearance is 230mm. Other new features on the 390 Adventure are tubeless spoke wheels, cruise control, three riding modes, traction control and a bi-directional quick shifter all of which are standard. The engine is a 399 cubic centimetre single cylinder over-square unit that belts out 46hp and 39Nm of torque.
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The motorcycle does feel a bit grumpy in a heavy traffic urban environment, the gearbox needs to be worked hard, and the quick shifter takes some getting used to. But once accustomed to it, the quick shifter is quite advantageous because the frequency of working the clutch is reduced. On this model, the radiator is curved and has two fans, giving it 10% more surface area than a flat radiator. The redesigned shrouds help divert air away from the rider’s legs. All this should mean more efficient cooling yet I felt heat on my legs while riding it in the city.
I came upon a clear stretch of road, and it is here that this motorcycle revealed its alter ego. It went from grumpy granny to happy chappy. The engine is enthusiastic, especially beyond the realms of 5000 rpm, and possesses a sense of urgency that makes the motorcycle charge forward like a gazelle running for its life from a cheetah. It goes from 0 to 60 kph in 2.6 seconds—that is less time than it takes to sneeze— and from 0 to 100kph in just 6.2 seconds.
All that horsepower being unleashed on the rear wheel does generate perceptible wheelspin especially on gravel, but the electronics kick in quickly and keep things safe. On corners, happiness turns to borderline ecstasy because this agile motorcycle brazenly flirts with the laws of physics empowered by its lean-sensitive ABS and traction control.
Deconstructing the lyrical lingo, this means that the new 390 features a 3-axis IMU (inertial measurement unit), a device that senses and sends back information about pitch, roll and yaw instantly to the ABS and traction-control module. They, in turn, accurately meter the traction control. What all this handshaking between geometry and electronics means is that I could whack open the throttle around a corner and or brake hard while leaning into a corner and come out of it thrilled rather than terrified.
Putting aside its petulance in traffic, the KTM is a versatile traveller. This is a motorcycle you can ride from Delhi to Manali, having fun on the tarmac and then from Manali to Kaza over the unsealed and uneven roads of Lahaul and Spiti, having as much fun. This is because of its adjustable suspension for offroad capabilities and its ride modes namely, Rain, Street and Off-road.
Set to Rain, the throttle response is softer than the other two modes and the traction control (TC) mollycoddles the motorcycle to avoid wheel spins and skids. In Street mode, the throttle response gets a bit more aggressive and the TC is not so intrusive. Finally, the Off-Road mode has the most aggressive throttle response and very little interference from the TC. The amount of response from the throttle and intrusiveness from traction control can also be adjusted manually.
Other standard features are a speed limiter and cruise control. The latter will be quite useful on the long stretches of expressways that are cropping up all over the country. What I didn’t like though is the switch stalks to increase and decrease the speed while on cruise control that sit at the bottom of the left-hand switch cluster.
They protrude beyond the vertical plane of the handlebar grip and keep poking the left-hand webbing between the thumb and the index finger. Another thing I found irksome is that the quick shifter was whimsical at times. These niggles and its cantankerousness in crawling traffic are minor inconveniences because this handsome motorcycle, whose design borrows heavily from the Dakar rally bike with its tall windscreen and front fairing and minimalistic tail section, is built for a long road trip and it will tackle any surprises that the road throws at you with aplomb.
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