Five reasons why we are excited about the KTM 390 Adventure

Adventure touring is the latest bug to bite the motorcycling fraternity in India. The versatility of these motorcycles eliminates the need to keep more than one bike in your garage. The KTM 390 Adventure has been one of highly anticipated motorcycles from this genre. Here are five reason why we are eagerly looking forward to getting our hands on the KTM 390 Adventure - 

373cc Duke engine

The Hero Impulse is one of the earliest motorcycles to bring this segment to the Indian masses. Although it was adequate to fulfil your basic trail-riding needs, the puny 150cc engine failed to impress on the highways. With the 390 Adventure however, you will have the Duke’s feisty 373cc engine at your disposal. While it already packs enough grunt for the highways, the gearing should be configured to make it easy and fun to ride off-road too. 

Spoke wheels

Spy shots show that the 390 Adventure will ride on spoke wheels with dual-sport tyres. Not only will make the wheels more durable against abuse, but also offer better grip while off-roading. While the front wheel is indeed bigger than the rear, it is not clear whether it is a 21-incher or a 19-incher.

Long-travel suspension 

The 390 Adventure continues to use the WP suspension setup, inverted front forks and a rear monoshock, although the travel has been increased significantly. The front also gets an offset axle, which is common among dual-sport bikes. Even the ground clearance has improved significantly. 

Lucrative pricing 

The KTM small bike range has always ranked high on the value-for-money scale, and we can expect the same from the 390 Adventure. A bunch of styling and functional components have been borrowed from the Duke, which should save development and production costs. Also, if the maintenance costs of the current KTM range are anything to go by, the 390 Adventure should be easy on the pocket as well.

Perfect for Indian roads

Even if you aren’t a hard-core off-road enthusiast, just a look at the bike should convince you why it is perfect for the harrowing road conditions that we face in India. The long-travel suspension and ground clearance should make a mockery of the potholes that we encounter in the city, as well as the broken roads in Spiti valley. It should also be comfortable enough to keep your back happy. Of course, the engine heating problems will also be a part of the package, but we have seen improvement in this area with every new model year.