KTM’s 390 Adventure is one of the most-awaited motorcycles by enthusiasts in India, and the wait has been nothing short of agonising. We now have more good news! KTM is also working on a more affordable, 250cc version of the Adventure.
Like with the 390 Duke and 250 Duke, the two Adventure models will have a lot of similarities. The 250 Adventure is expected to share its styling and most of its hardware with the 390 Adventure. While the latter hasn’t been officially revealed yet, spy shots have shown us large parts of it.
What remains to be seen is how far KTM will go to differentiate between the two models in terms of cost. The difference could simply come down to different engines, like what is seen between the 125 and 390 Dukes in Europe. But if the company intends to approach it in the same manner as the 250 Duke, we could see the ADV bike run a halogen bulb-powered headlight instead of an LED headlight, and it could also miss out on the full-colour screen from the 390 Adventure. Further differences might come in the form of localised tyres instead of the Continental tyres the 390 Adventure has been spotted with.In terms of performance, expect to see similar numbers to the 250 Duke, perhaps with some tweaks to the engine tuning and gear ratios. We expect that the bike will be sold in BS6-spec, as will the 390 Adventure when it is launched. For reference, the 250 Duke’s motor makes 30hp and 24Nm of torque in BS4 form. Changes made to meet the more stringent emission norms could bring down the power figures, but that remains to be seen. The 250 Adventure will most likely run the same 19-inch front wheel and a 17-inch rear alloy wheel as the 390 Adventure.
The KTM 390 Adventure is slated to be unveiled at EICMA later this year, and the 250 Adventure will probably be by its side. We expect KTM to launch the 390 Adventure in India soon after, before the end of 2019, but it is unclear at this moment whether the 250 will be launched at the same time or if it will go on sale at a later date. The 390 Adventure is likely to cost close to the Rs 3 lakh mark (ex-showroom), which is still quite a high price point in our market. The addition of a 250 Adventure to the range will be clever move, because it will bring the price down while offering a calmer, yet still very decent level of performance, for the Indian riding environment. The wait continues!