KTM 390 Adventure R 2025
The small adventure bike that takes the R badge seriously.
55.9/ 100
Scored within adventure, methodology here
€7,999
list price
- power
- 45 hp
- wet weight
- 176 kg
- tank range
- 378 km
The short version
Where most small ADVs are commuters on stilts, the 390 Adventure R brings 230 mm of travel at both ends, a 21 inch front wheel and offroad-mode cornering ABS. It is the closest thing to a junior 890 Adventure R that exists, and it is priced against bikes with half its suspension.
Where it wins
- Real offroad travel and geometry, not adventure styling
- Class-leading electronics with a dedicated offroad ABS mode
- 45 hp single is the strongest engine among small ADVs
Where it loses
- 870 mm seat is tall for the commuters this class attracts
- Firm offroad-biased setup transmits more road chop than rivals
Score breakdown
Engine and performance
13.1 / 25Handling and chassis
14.7 / 20Value
8.0 / 20Practicality
6.0 / 15Technology
8.3 / 10Reliability and ownership
5.8 / 10The full review
An R badge with receipts
Most small adventure bikes are commuters wearing a beak, and the press treats them accordingly. Not this one. The launch reviews describe a clean-sheet machine with a 21 inch front wheel, serious fully adjustable travel and a rally tower over the dash, and more than one tester called it the new top of the lightweight adventure category outright.
The recurring phrase is light and well-balanced: reviewers of every skill level came back from the dirt sections reporting confidence rather than survival. In a class sold mostly on styling, that is the difference between an R badge and an R sticker.
On the road and in the dirt
Testers found the single smooth at low revs, quick to spin up and surprisingly willing on open highway, which small adventure engines historically are not. In technical terrain the power delivery earns the most praise: predictable and easy to meter out, with a lean-sensitive electronics package nobody else in the class can offer.
The trade arrives on broken tarmac, where the firm offroad-biased setup passes more chop to the rider than the softer competition does. That is the fee for suspension that actually works on trails, and I consider it fairly priced.
Who the 390 Adventure R is for
Buy it if the dirt sections on your route are destinations rather than accidents. The 870 mm seat and firm ride will wear on pure commuters, who are better served by the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 at 2,000 EUR less and should feel no shame about it.
For the rider it is actually aimed at, the press consensus is blunt: nothing else this small, this cheap and this capable exists right now. My scorecard reads the same way, and the pillion provision is genuinely good, which on a KTM counts as a plot twist.
Full specs
| Engine | |
|---|---|
| Engine | Single cylinder, liquid cooled, DOHC |
| Displacement | 398.7 cc |
| Power | 45 hp at 8,500 rpm |
| Torque | 39 Nm at 7,000 rpm |
| Power to weight | 0.26 hp/kg |
| Chassis | |
| Wet weight | 176 kg |
| Front suspension | WP APEX 43 mm open cartridge, 230 mm |
| Front adjustability | Compression and rebound |
| Rear suspension | WP APEX monoshock, 230 mm |
| Rear adjustability | Preload and rebound |
| Front brake | 320 mm, radial 4-piston |
| ABS | Cornering ABS |
| Dimensions | |
| Seat height | 870 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1481 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 14 L |
| Claimed consumption | 3.7 L/100 km |
| Fuel range | 378 km |
| Ownership | |
| Price | €7,999 |
| Service interval | 10,000 km |
| Valve check | 20,000 km |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Equipment | |
| Dash | TFT |
| Ride modes | Yes |
| Traction control | Yes |
| Quickshifter | Optional |
| Cruise control | Not available |
| Connectivity | Yes |
Compare the 390 Adventure R
BMW F 450 GS vs KTM 390 Adventure R
48 hp vs 45 hp / 178 kg vs 176 kg
CFMOTO 450MT vs KTM 390 Adventure R
42 hp vs 45 hp / 175 kg vs 176 kg
KTM 390 Adventure R vs Royal Enfield Himalayan 450
45 hp vs 40 hp / 176 kg vs 196 kg
KTM 390 Adventure R vs Yamaha Tenere 700
45 hp vs 73 hp / 176 kg vs 208 kg
Honda XL750 Transalp vs KTM 390 Adventure R
91.8 hp vs 45 hp / 208 kg vs 176 kg
Frequently asked
- Is the KTM 390 Adventure R A2 licence legal?
- Yes. The KTM 390 Adventure R makes 45 hp (33.1 kW), inside the 35 kW A2 ceiling, so it is sold A2 compliant with no restriction kit required.
- How fast is the KTM 390 Adventure R?
- Our power-to-weight model estimates 0 to 100 km/h in about 5.9 seconds, from 45 hp moving 176 kg wet. That is an estimate for comparison, not a measured time, and it is labelled that way everywhere on this site.
- What is the fuel range of the KTM 390 Adventure R?
- About 378 km on paper: a 14 litre tank against a claimed 3.7 L/100 km. Ride it with enthusiasm and the maths gets worse, never better.
- How tall is the seat on the KTM 390 Adventure R?
- The KTM 390 Adventure R seat sits at 870 mm, which is on the tall side, so shorter riders should sit on one before signing anything. At 176 kg wet, weight does the rest of the talking at a standstill.
- How much does the KTM 390 Adventure R cost?
- €7,999 list price in the EU market this site scores. It earns 8 of 20 value points on our formula, which weighs price against equipment and running costs.
The workshop
Build your 390 Adventure R
The upgrades owners actually fit, at typical retail prices. Tap a part to bolt it on and I re-run the full 100-point scorecard on your build, same math as the official score above. Shop links are affiliate links: they support the site and cost you nothing extra.