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5 reasons we’re excited about the new KTM 390 Adventure

The 390 Adventure is taking the entry-level adventure market by storm.


KTM 390 Adventure

It’s no secret that the Philippines is home to many adventure-touring riders. Pull up to any gas station on the highway and you’re bound to find a group of riders on tall and big bikes strapped with luggage getting ready for a long ride out of town. While the joys of motorcycle travel on or off-road are enjoyed by many, a lot of the adventure motorcycles on the market may not have hit the sweet spot for some.

This is why we’re excited to know that the new KTM 390 Adventure will be rolling off showroom floors in just a few weeks. The KTM 390 Adventure sets itself apart from many of the adventure bikes on the market on different levels and is bound to satisfy a craving in the market not yet served by the current set of adventure touring motorcycles. Here are 5 reasons why we are looking forward to the new KTM 390 Adventure.

The Suspension

motorcycle suspension fork

Tuning the characteristics of your ride is made possible with the new 390 Adventure. WP Apex damping-adjustable suspension units are brand new to the 390 series of bikes found only on the 390 Adventure. The front receives a 43mm upside-down fork with 6.7 inches of travel, adjustable for rebound and compression damping. The rear on the other hand receives a mono-shock with 7 inches of travel, adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping. KTM has also made the adjustment of the forks incredibly easy with knobs on top of the forks, providing the rider with many levels of tunability on the fly.

The Engine and Chassis

motorcycle frame

The steel trellis frame we know and love will provide the rider with a solid and precise feel on-road or on dirt. The frame is also designed to make use of the engine as a stressed member, which reduces overall weight and provides the 390 adventure with an approachable dry weight of only 348 lbs. 

The frame is coupled with a liquid-cooled 373cc single-cylinder engine, borrowed from the KTM 390 bikes. This energetic engine puts out an impressive 43.5 hp and 35.3nm of torque and is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch and optional quick shifter. The 390 Adventure’s thumper also receives a few key updates from the previous generation of this engine: a new balancer shaft for vibration reduction and a larger curved radiator with a dual radiator fan system for improved engine temperature management. Future owners in and around NCR will also be pleased to know that the 390 Adventure is 100% highway legal, and is built to travel at highway speeds with ease.

The Hardware

Motorcycle TFT gauge cluster display

KTM has equipped the 390 Adventure with a full-color TFT display which automatically switches between light and dark mode for bright and dim environments respectively. The bike also sports KTM’s praying mantis LED headlights, and is paired with the elegant LED taillight. Below the TFT display, you will find a 12-volt socket for device charging, and above it you will have ample space to mount a GPS system. Apart from all this, the 390 Adventure also comes standard with an adjustable windshield and plastic handguards.

The Electronics

KTM 390 Adventure action shot

The 390 Adventure comes with standard switchable traction control and can be easily turned off through the handlebar controls and TFT display. The bike also comes with a sophisticated cornering ABS system and off-road ABS, where the latter disables rear-wheel ABS via KTM’s off-road mode. This allows the rider to lock up the rear wheel and gain massive skids on the dirt. KTM has indulged the rider with advanced electronics, made easily customizable to rider preference. Even the most novice of adventurers will enjoy the bike’s limits safely on any given terrain.

The Price

KTM adventure bikes

Many of the features found on the 390 Adventure are usually only found on bikes which carry double the displacement - and double the price. Despite this, KTM has managed to squeeze all of these advanced (and expensive) features into an entry-level adventurer priced at just 309,000 pesos for the Philippine market, making the 390 Adventure one of the most competitive adventure bikes in the market.

KTM has revolutionized the world of entry-level motorcycles once again, and so it’s no surprise that KTM has been a favorite among many new and experienced riders in our local market. If you’re looking for an affordable and feature-packed adventure tourer that is up for any job, look no further. The 390 Adventure is set to roll off showroom floors by late 2020, and we’re very excited to see this bike on the streets or on the dirt.


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