KTM 390 Adventure review, road test

The 390 Adventure feels at home in the city and on the highway.

Published on Apr 12, 2020 06:00:00 AM

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Mild protection via belly pan when 200mm ground clearance runs out.

LED lighting all-around. Tail-light looks great and works well too.

Short windscreen is not adjustable. KTM sells an optional taller screen.

Before I dive into my take on the design, let’s get some facts out of the way. Firstly, as you’d expect from an ADV, the 390 Adventure is quite large and dwarfs most other motorcycles of similar capacity. Presence then – be it on the road or in your parking lot – won’t be a problem. Secondly, it’s not chunky. KTM has made a conscious effort – evident from the slim exhaust end-can and flush crash protection – to keep the bike as slim as possible. Not only does this help in narrow trails, but also while filtering through city traffic. However, while the proportions are on point and it does manage to turn a few heads, the same can’t be said about the styling; it looks a bit strange and extraterrestrial. The rear, on the other hand, is simple and we think the tail-light looks neat.