Whenever a KTM hits the Ultimate Motorcycling garage, my eyes light up. The Austrian company’s catchphrase—Ready to Race—was an inspired marketing choice, and it rolls off my tongue as soon as I see the orange-and-black motif. The 2023 KTM 390 Adventure took over commuting chores first, followed by proper adventure duties through the mountains and desert when the weekends rolled around. Of course, the bike demands urban exploration. From there, it was rinse and repeat.
- More accessible than mid- or full-size ADV bikes, the 2023 KTM 390 Adventure does almost everything the average rider needs. While an obvious choice for newer ADV riders, the 390 Adventure will also appeal to experienced riders who don’t want to manage a lot of weight, height, and power. Delivering more than just ADV aesthetics, the KTM 390 Adventure is also capable of legitimate off-pavement forays, allowing the curious rider to explore a dusty sidetrack. While large riders may overwhelm the 373cc motor, I’m 115 pounds. If agility beats brute force, the 390 Adventure is the perfect size and fires the adrenal glands no matter the environment you’re traversing. Also, the $7399 price tag is easy on the purse.
- The KTM 390 Adventure invites more riders to the table with its ADV-lite ergonomics. With my 30.5-inch inseam, I’m on the balls of my feet when straddling the slightly wide-waisted 33.6-inch seat. However, this is totally manageable thanks to a curb weight of 371 pounds with almost four gallons of fuel in the tank. Front and rear wheel travel is moderate at just under seven inches at each end, which helps keep the seat height down. That’s an acceptable tradeoff for the confidence one gains by getting more of your boots to the ground. Few riders will miss the longer travel when they venture off the tarmac, unless they take Ready To Race a bit too literally.
- The 2023 KTM 390 Adventure shares the same DOHC engine found in the rowdy urban 390 Duke and Moto3-ish supersport RC 390, though it is tuned for more torque. There’s plenty of grunt to be tapped just above idle, and it’s delivered smoothly—as you’d expect from a mid-size thumper. If you twist the ride-by-wire throttle aggressively, you’ll find the motor has its meatiest pull in the upper midrange, from 6000 rpm to the redline just north of 10k. Power does start to trail off above 9000 rpm, though, so enjoy clicking straight up through the flawless six-speed transmission.
- Off-road-ready wire-spoked wheels are new to the 2023 KTM 390 Adventure, replacing cast aluminum wheels. While we realize many a 390 Adventure will spend a larger percentage of its time on pavement than dirt, the wire-spoked wheels do more than simply enhance the off-road image. For those who venture beyond well-groomed hard pack, wire-spoked wheels allow you to explore with more confidence. Flex from the wire spokes provides some grace when riding over rough roads and rocks, so you’re less likely to dent a rim—and you don’t have to replace the entire wheel if you do. Crash bars and a plastic skid plate add to dirtworthiness, with an aluminum skid plate a PowerParts option.
- While the 2023 KTM 390 Adventure can be ridden on more than just well-groomed hard-pack dirt roads, it’s not a dirt bike, or even a dual sport bike. It has an ADV-standard 17-/19-inch wheelset and Continental TKC 70 adventure-style tires, which have a street-slanted block pattern tread. Still, the 390 Adventure is more than an aesthetic exercise, and the wire-spoke wheels encouraged more dirt testing. While it feels light on the street, keep in mind that the 390 Adventure weighs more than KTM’s 690 Enduro R (which runs $13k!). Still, there’s a dirt capability there.
- The ergonomics work well in the dirt. Sitting down is comfortable, just as it is on the street. Standing up on the nicely wide rubber-inserted footpegs, you immediately notice that KTM did what it always does on its ADV bikes—make it slim at the waist when standing. The handlebars are a tad low and closer to me than feels natural when standing, though I come at off-road ADVing from a dirt-bike-riding perspective. At five-foot-six, I’m certainly not a tall rider, and I felt a bit hunched forward when grasping the grips when standing. Again, when sitting, all is perfect.
- With confidence-inspiring ergos comes a well-sorted Bosch electronics package. Although the TKC 70s aren’t ideal for off-pavement excursions, they work quite well with the three Offroad modes—power, ABS (front-wheel only, and less aggressive), and traction control (off). All of this is switchable via a beautiful five-inch TFT display. Unfortunately, each parameter has to be adjusted individually—a cumbersome process when constantly moving between dirt and pavement—a unified setting would be a great help.
- The 2023 KTM 390 Adventure chugs along reassuringly in various situations, from hardest-pack dirt roads to sand (credit to the fat 19-inch front tire) to lightly challenging climbs and descents. Nothing unexpected happens, yet there is always plenty of power on tap. It captures the ethos of adventure wonderfully, making tooling down dirt roads effortless and drama-free, allowing me to take in my surroundings. In the right conditions, I can wick up the throttle and even steer a bit with the rear tire—the TKC 70 is predictable when breaking loose, and the plump front stays planted. If I need to go faster, I’ll hop on a KTM 350 EXC-F and accept its limitations on the street. At the same time, I can ride the 390 Adventure places I’d never consider on KTM’s 890 Adventure and 1290 Super Adventure models.
- In the paved canyons that lead to dirt roads, I am reminded of the 390 Adventure’s connection to the 390 Duke. While not as agile as the 390 Duke—17-inch street tires and steeper rake make a difference—the 390 Adventure is perfectly willing to change directions on fast sweepers with a bit more body English. Although torquey, the 390 Adventure likes to rev for maximum horsepower, so downshifting is the quickest way to go. A slipper clutch increases the margin for error, along with the street-mode ABS, which is cornering aware. On acceleration, the street mode for the traction control is there if there’s an issue with the pavement—you’re not likely to need TC to harness the power when there’s good traction.
- Adjustable WP Apex suspension delivers a firm but comfortable ride around town and in the hills. With limited wheel travel to work with, the 2023 KTM 390 Adventure does not have the plush suspension you find on some ADV bikes. Still, it handles all manner of worn roads, and gets the job done for ADV-style dirt riding. Compression and rebound damping adjustments are handled separately at the top of the fork tubes—tools not required. The shock has spring-preload adjustability, along with rebound damping. I was very pleased with the versatility of the stock settings.
- A secret feature of the 2023 KTM 390 Adventure is that it is an outstanding urban motorcycle. In some ways, it’s even better than its pure-street sibling, the 390 Duke, thanks to its taller stance, ability to suck up potholes, imperviousness to deep dips, and capacity to go off the beaten urban path.
- Commuting on the KTM 390 Adventure almost feels like cheating. The ready-to-rev, err, ready-to-race short-stroke motor has no trouble getting up to speed once I dive onto the freeway. For a smaller displacement engine, I never felt in danger of being overrun on the frequently aggressively moving freeways of Los Angeles. Rarely do I need to downshift to make a quick pass, though my light weight (even with a loaded-down Joe Rocket backpack) undoubtedly helps. Despite the single cylinder, I didn’t experience any buzziness worth mentioning at high rpm. Speaking of gear changing, a quickshifter is optional.
- Happily, the big-block ADV tires have no beef with the freeway rain grooves, so the 390 is planted and confident. At speed, the two-position-adjustable windscreen (tool required) cuts off enough of the windblast in the high position to keep the upright riding position and wide bars from turning me into a sail. On chillier mornings, as well as when bashing through brush, the handguards are a welcome standard feature. Well past legal speeds, the KTM 390 Adventure is stable and comfortable on the freeway.
- Lane splitting is legal in California, so on surface streets, I filter to the front at red lights, then sprint off in front of everyone. I have to mind the adventure-wide bars in tight conditions, but with the fully upright seating and higher saddle, I have a good view. It’s just plain fun to navigate the streets aboard the eager 390.
- The 2023 KTM 390 Adventure is an unintimidating way to explore the familiar and discover what you didn’t know. The 390’s light weight, compact size, and smooth, torquey engine encouraged me to poke along narrow, windy, steep roads in the local urban hills from Hollywood to Silverlake, checking out pocket neighborhoods I wasn’t even unaware of. You never know when you’ll stumble across a real prize—an almost-forgotten dirt road or trail, known only to the local-est of locals, where you can get your TKCs a little dusty for a few minutes. With the 2023 KTM 390 Adventure, there’s always an adventure on the horizon, whether you are riding in the big city or through the hinterlands.
Photography by Don Williams
RIDING STYLE
• Helmet: Arai XD4
• Communications: Sena 50S
• Jacket + pants: Klim Artemis
• Gloves: Klim Baja S4
• Boots: Sidi Trial Zero
2023 KTM 390 Adventure Specs
Type: Single cylinder
Displacement: 373cc
Bore x stroke: 89mm x 60mm
Valvetrain: DOHC; 4 valves
Fueling: Bosch EFI w/ 46mm throttle body
Transmission: 6-speed
Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ assist and slipper functions
Lubrication: Wet sump
Final drive: Chain
CHASSIS
Frame and subframe: Steel trellis
Handlebar: Tapered aluminum
Front suspension; travel: Fully adjustable WP Apex 43mm inverted fork; 6.7 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Linkage-less, rebound-damping and spring-preload adjustable WP Apex shock; 6.9 inches
Wheels: Wire spoke
Front wheel: 19 x 2.50
Rear wheel: 17 x 3.50
Tires: Continental TKC 70
Front: 100/90 x 19
Rear: 130/80 x 17
Front brake: 320mm disc w/ Bybre 4-piston radially mounted caliper
Rear brake: 230mm disc w/ Bybre single-piston floating caliper
ABS: Bosch cornering-aware, plus Offroad mode
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
Wheelbase: 56.3 inches
Rake: 26.5 degrees
Trail: 3.9 inches
Seat height: 33.6 inches
Ground clearance: 7.8 inches
Fuel capacity: 3.8 gallons
Curb weight: 371 pounds
Color: Orange/black
2023 KTM 390 Adventure Price: $7399 MSRP
