Both off-road and touring are perfect..2025 KTM 390 Enduro R
Jul 10, 2025
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This is to increase margins through manufacturing simplification and reduction of special parts in a single model.KTM has developed four new bikes based on 390 Duke in this very way. One of them is the 390 yen R.
Tested the Enduro R in Cycle World to see if it was any different from the base model. When I think of KTM dual sports in general, I mostly think of off-road bikes with number plates.A motorcycle where you can race on Sundays and commute on Mondays.
The completely new 390 Enduro R is not such a bike.The 390 Enduro has a mission similar to the 690 Enduro R. It was released as a smaller, easier to manage, and most of all cheaper package.
The 390 Enduro R, 390 Adventure R, 390 Adventure X, 390 SMC R, and 390 Duke were designed and developed by KTM itself.Bajaj, India PartnerIt is produced by soil.
This is a way to reduce costs and ultimately provide customers with cheaper products. The 390 Enduro R uses a 399 cc water-cooled DOHC short-circuit engine. Inject fuel through the 46mm throttle body.The compression ratio is 12.6:1, and the bore and stroke are 89 x 64 mm.
The 6-speed transmission connects the chain final drive to the 48T rear splacket.As an option, you can add a quickscifter.The test bike is equipped with a quick shifter to provide a smooth up-down shift. KTM's LC4c engine has always been unique. Enduro engines are no exception.
It's very lively and spinning fast. Power in the low-speed section, which is essential for dual sports, is lacking.The test drive took place in Mammoth Lake, California, located about 2400 to 3300 m above sea level.When the engine rotates to the middle rotation area, the power explodes and extends to the red line.It boasts a high rotational speed and output unique to two strokes.
When driving on the highway, 390 provides comfortable driving with minimal noise.The high gear ratio and the strong medium speed gear ratio make it easy to overtake other vehicles. It provides the power to approach the triple digit velocity. On rolling country roads, it's very satisfying to use the optional quick shift to gear around corners.
It offers two driving modes (street, off-road). Each mode has a dedicated traction control and ABS setting.Traction control and ABS can also be completely disabled. The 4.2-inch TFT display has a tachometer, speedometer, gear position indicator, and shift indicator, but there is no fuel meter, only a gas indicator.
Switching the driving mode adjusts the throttle response, traction control and ABS. Mainly off-roaded, and after a few runs on the highway, I quickly climbed a winding mountain path.
I spent most of my time in off-road mode. The traction control was turned off and the ABS was completely disabled.Thanks to this, I was able to completely control the bike. I was able to achieve maximum braking force off-road by gliding around corners.
Traction is limited in rugged, dry terrain.In deep sand, ABS intervention in the front wheel is rather jarring.But this system doesn't go unnoticed in bumpy blazes or two tracks. The air box has been improved to allow the engine to be installed in a higher position within the chassis.
The ride height can be improved while maintaining a comfortable seat height of about 96 cm. Braking force comes with a 285 mm front wheel disc with a dual piston Bybre caliper and a 240 mm rear wheel disc with a single piston Bybre caliper.
The moment I run on a completely new Enduro R, I have a familiar feeling that reminds me of 390 Duke.The DNA of street bikes cannot be hidden.Like the Naked Bike brothers, Enduro R also boasts excellent performance.It shows handling more like a super moto than a soft dual sport.
The thick Mecheler Caru 4 tires provide excellent stability and grip while maintaining smooth and quiet driving.If you buy an R at 390 yen, please remember that you have premium tires despite the low cost of consumers.
The chassis is stable and has excellent grip.It helps the rider run down a straight course and slide down a corner.
But the more aggressive the terrain becomes, the more easily the suspension of the 390 becomes overloaded.When the trail is rough, smooth and accurate driving is essential.When penetrating through rough terrain, the weight of the bike overloads the suspension, making it feel like a light adventure bike rather than a dual sport.
The style and ergonomics of 390 Enduro R were affected by KTM's 690 Enduro R.KTM's 390 Enduro R offers value incomparable to other lightweight dual sports bikes on the market.Of course, Honda and Kawasaki are similar in price, but they lack the performance, sophistication, and control of the new 390.
Suzuki can catch up or outperform KTM's off-road performance. Instead, it lacks the power to drive comfortably on the highway. The price is 4.8 million won more expensive. What makes the 390 Enduro R attractive compared to its competitive model is its performance and the surprisingly low price of 7.5 million won for an electronic widget.
Of course, Suzuki will have better off-road driving capabilities, but KTM can maintain significant off-road speeds and conquer long pavements. At the same time, you can save more money to spend on a grand motorcycle adventure.
Editor Song Moon-cheol mc.song@carguy.kr
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
