This Dual-Sport Motorcycle Is The Perfect Blend Of On-Road And Off-Road Riding

The modern SUV is expected to be half car, half mountain goat. Basically, it needs to be comfortable while on the commute or superslab, and able to traverse off-road paths with aplomb. This has made car manufacturers burn the midnight oil, developing SUVs with good manners on the road without sacrificing much off-road ability. A prime example of this is the Land Rover Defender, which made many loyalists cry sacrilege when it was announced that it would return with a monocoque chassis.

Things are a lot easier with motorcycles. They’re cheap, small, and we can always buy a second one to serve dual purposes. But KTM doesn’t want us to own and maintain two motorcycles anymore. It believes it has the answer to all our riding requirements, whether on the road or off, and it believes it has them covered with a single dual sport bike. It has just released the One Bike To Suit Them All, and we believe this dual-sport motorcycle offers the perfect blend of on-road and off-road riding.

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The KTM 390 Enduro R Is The Dual-Sport Motorcycle With The Perfect Blend Of On-Road And Off-Road Riding

Price: $5,499

KTM via Rudi Schedl

KTM’s old 390 range was not really planned beyond the Duke and RC. The old 390 Adventure was marketed as a small ADV, but it still felt a lot like a modified street bike. This time around, however, Team Orange planned for a whole range based on the 390 cc LC4c engine and chassis. The models include the RC, the Duke, the 390 Adventure duo, the 390 SMC R supermoto, and finally, the 390 Enduro R.

The latter sits somewhere between the 390 Adventure R and KTM’s true enduro models. KTM has placed the 390 Enduro R in a segment all on its own on its website, indicating that it might be named Enduro, but it isn’t quite all the way there. It sacrifices some off-road ability for better paved-road manners, ensuring the best of both worlds, quite like the 390 Adventure R, but with the balance tilted the other way to the Adventure R. There’s a lot less to break here, too, if you take a tumble.

The KTM 390 Enduro R Has The Same Engine as the 390 Adventure R

Has The Same State Of Tune As Well

KTM via Rudi Schedl

The LC4c engine in the 390 Enduro R is in an identical state of tune as the 390 Adventure R, and it remains one of our favorite single-cylinder engines. It generates the same amount of horsepower and torque, and they peak at the same revs. This is a slightly different animal than the last 390 engine, though. It is calmer and pulls strongly from low revs. We suspect the by-wire throttle works hard behind the scenes to deliver linear power, as does the fueling.

A Remus accessory upswept exhaust is available if you’re not comfortable with the stock low-exit unit. KTM has not mentioned a spark arrestor in any of its literature, so it is safe to assume it doesn’t have one. This engine doesn’t have the manic top-end rush of its predecessor, but it does like to be revved – it’s just a more mature engine now. Ride modes are available, as is traction control with a cornering function. A two-way quickshifter is available as well as an assist and slipper clutch. A chain drives the rear wheel, and we suspect that you should be able to mix and match sprockets to get the gearing from other KTMs

KTM 390 Enduro R Engine Specifications

KTM via Rudi Schedl

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The Steel Trellis Frame Is Common Across The 390 Series

Changes Made To Suit Each Model

KTM via Rudi Schedl

KTM’s strength has been to use parts across models. For example, all the models from 125 cc to 390 cc use what is essentially the same engine block and chassis, which offers massive cost savings thanks to economies of scale. The 390 Enduro R is a similar story: it has the same engine and chassis as the 390 Adventure R with some allowances for its off-road capabilities. The bolt-on subframe is one such example, and the more off-road-oriented rider triangle and flatter seat are another.

The suspension is exactly the same as the Adventure, with the same amount of travel. Interestingly, KTM has designed a different airbox for the engine that allows it to sit higher in the chassis, giving the Enduro R the increased ground clearance compared to the Adventure R. The WP Apex suspension consists of an upside-down front fork and an offset rear monoshock, and is adjustable for rebound and compression at both ends.

Wheel sizes are 21/18, and are fitted with tubed spoke rims and more aggressive Metzeler Karoo 4 tires than its siblings. The front brake is not the same as the 390 Adventure R. It is a smaller 285 mm rotor, and the caliper is an axially mounted two-piston floating caliper. The rear is identical to the 390 Adventure. ABS has three modes: dual, switched off at the rear, and completely disabled. While switched on, it also has a cornering function for better on-road manners.

KTM 390 Enduro R Chassis Specs And Dimensions

KTM via Rudi Schedl

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Several Likable Features Are Present On The 390 Enduro R

The Longest List Of The Lot

KTM/Rudi Schedl

KTM has made it a habit to pack its models with the most features in class, and the 390 Enduro R is no different. This has a laundry list of features that will have the others scrambling to keep up – expect changes to happen to either pricing or features among the competition in the future! Highlights include a TFT color display, ABS that can be completely switched off even at the front, fully adjustable suspension, and ride modes. What the 390 Enduro R does not have is tubeless rims–surprising given it has the same wheel sizes as the Adventure. The fuel tank is a small-ish 2.4-gallon one, but since its focus isn’t travelling long distances, this is alright.

KTM 390 Enduro R Features

• By-wire throttle with two ride modes
• Traction control with cornering function can be switched off
• Cornering ABS can be switched off either at rear or both ends
• Turn-by-turn navigation on display
• Bluetooth connectivity
• USB-C charging port
• Optional quickshifter
• Optional high-exit exhaust
• Suspension adjustable for compression and rebound at both ends

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KTM 390 Enduro R Competition

Established Players Are Present In The Segment

Honda

First, let’s get the KTM sister brands out of the way: there is no Husqvarna or Gas Gas equivalent… yet. The Yamaha XT250 retails at exactly the same price as the 390 Enduro R, but it caters to a different kind of person with its simple components and easygoing, bulletproof engine. The Suzuki DR-Z400S recently got a big update, and on specs is a lot closer to the KTM, but it also costs $1,700 more. You read it right – the older Japanese bike costs significantly more than the newer, better-specced European bike!

However, it must also be noted that with all fluids, the Suzuki will be slightly lighter than the KTM. That leaves us with the Kawasaki KLX300 and the Honda CRF300L. The Honda is the most laid-back of the three, but the Kawasaki also leans that way. The Enduro certainly has them licked when it comes to features and the spec sheet. However, it being a new motorcycle, it will need to prove itself with time and try to match their reputations for friendliness and legendary reliability.

KTM 390 Enduro R Vs Rivals

Suzuki