2017 KTM RC390 review, test ride

The RC siblings get a refresh for 2017. RC390 now Euro-IV compliant and gets more equipment.

Published on Jan 28, 2017 09:57:00 AM

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The rest of the body-work remains relatively unchanged. It however does get a 12mm bump in seat cushioning, which is noticeable to the naked eye. But this is solely for the purpose of added comfort on longer stints in the saddle; the seat height remains unchanged at 820mm. The new RC390 also gets adjustable levers for that added bit of usability and comfort.

Now, in order to meet the new Euro-IV emission norms, KTM had to ensure lower emission levels without losing out on performance. This has resulted in a weight-gain of 7kg for the RC390, which is not really evident when riding the machine.

The ride-by-wire throttle now uses throttle inputs to send data to the ECU, and calculates the amount of fuel-air mixture that needs to be sent to the combustion chamber, and variates the spark-timing accordingly. What this results in is more efficient use of fuel, and a throttle that is less sensitive to heavy inputs. This translates to a smoother transition from off the throttle to whacking it back wide open, which helps a lot when leaned deep into corners. The power is delivered cleanly, and in the process becomes more usable. And the shorter throttle travel, thanks to the ride-by-wire, means you can access that power in the higher revs more easily.

While these changes may not be immediately noticeable, they do allow the motorcycle to now be Euro-IV compliant. And the new, stainless steel underfloor pre-silencer meets a side-slung cylindrical aluminium absorption silencer which compliments that. Although the exhaust note remains more or less the same as the older model, as does the 178.5mm of ground clearance.

While the 2017 model still produces a peak power output of 43hp at 9,000rpm from the 373cc unit, torque figures have gotten a 1Nm bump and now peaks at 36Nm, produced at 7,000rpm. This increase however is not noticeable when riding the machine. The extreme levels of heat produced by the engine remain unchanged though. And this is immediately noticeable once the motorcycle is at a stand-still.