Last Updated on: October 28, 2025

The 2024 KTM 390 Adventure has been a sales success in Norway this year. Reason being a huge discount from the KTM due to overstocking. 

A mini orange, 2024 KTM 390 Adventure.

So I decided to take a punt.

At the peak KTM had 200.000 unsold units sitting in stock. And as the company was in dire straits financially, something had to be done. Due to the restructuring strategy a sales campaign on 2024 models was launched. Some with huge discounts.

Just in case you didn’t know: KTM never was bankrupt, but under financial administration. They have new owners, (Bajaj Auto now is the majority share holder), a new CEO, and the company has capital allowing them to resume full production (from August 1st 2025). The future, in other words, seems pretty orange.

The 390 Adventure is/was on offer with one of the biggest discounts. I’ve been considering to replace my veteran 1994 Honda Transalp with a full warranty small bike for some time. So maybe this is the solution?

390 Adventure, first impressions

Anyhow, we all know how it goes with test rides. Two hours is way too short time to conclude anything, or come close to form anything but an opinion. Acquiring a new vehicle, whether car or motorcycle, means adjustments. Nothing is perfect, or might fit perfectly.

Out testing a 2022 (or 2023) 390 Adventure.

Less so, with regards to motorcycles, if you are a tall guy (or girl). Speaking for myself I always do adjustments to a motorcycle. There are no one size fits all. I also don’t necessarily buy the notion that you should leave the bike stock. People are different.

That said, risers for instance, is a controversial topic. Adding these can or will change the bike’s geometry, subsequently also your standing position. But lets be clear on one thing, to what extent this may affect handling, is a question with potentially many truths. If you don’t do much more than fire roads, light gravel or dirt, and long distance riding, I think you ought to prioritize what brings the most comfort.

Do so with handling in mind though. Interestingly. Many KTM models, not sure if it applies to all, comes with three positions for the handlebar. Which begs the question why changes should be that controversial, since adjustment possibilities are inherent in the factory design.

This is not the case with the 2020 – 2024 version of the KTM 390 Adventure. But risers will bring handlebars slightly closer, due to the angle on the steering mount.

During the test ride

During the two hour test ride, which took place on various types of pavement, and some gravel and dirt, a few things came to mind:

• The handlebar position is low. Too low for me. If you’re over 190 centimeters or >6″2ft this happens a lot. Not so much when you sit perhaps, standing neither felt good or natural.
• The stock windscreen is low: so it doesn’t offer much protection. But there are upsides. You get “clean air” on your helmet, e.g. no noise/buffeting. And it’s not in the way if you ride offroad.
  • Note: if mounting GPS with the OEM GPS bracket, locking mechanisms could come in conflict if the windscreen is in the highest position. See further down for details.
• Seat height. 855mm. This could be a problem for shorter riders. A lowering kit is available from KTM.
• No or little low end torque. The LC4c engine isn’t a low grunt one. Little happens below 3500RPM. Probably, at least partially, a result of Euro5 (+) emissions regulations. You can add remapping kit / dongle from FuelX Pro, which supposedly changes the engine behaviour completely. FuelX comes in different versions. But the bottom line is, get used to riding at higher RPM.
• The bike is pretty stiff. But the suspension is excellent.  I guess a result of compromises. The suspension has fairly short travel for an adventure spec motorcycle. So that could be one reason. Preload and rebound is adjustable.
• The seat is hard. It takes some getting used to. Comfort seat is available from KTM Powerparts. I’ve put on comfort seats on both my former KTMs. Actually you’d be hard pressed to find a better seat option than KTM’s own, given the price.
• No heated grips as standard. It was a bit cold in the high altitudes in the woods on my test ride. Instantly had me miss it. Fortunately. several good options exists. I chose Daytona Heated Grips 4 Levels. And dare I say, they’re excellent.
• The stock tires: Continental TKC70 are decent all-round tires. Does well on both pavement, gravel, dirt, or offroad. Hard compound though, can make them slick on cold pavement when not warmed up.

How does it ride?

Keeping the aforementioned in mind, very well! It’s’ a higher pitched thumper, somewhat vibey at low torque if you give it a lot of gas. This isn’t different from other KTM’s I’ve owned. But very different from the two others I own. Once you get it up to its comfort zone with regards to RPM this goes away.

The 2024 KTM 390 Adventure on the first longer ride.

The 390 Adventure is a flickable, easy to handle motorcycle. Minus the seat height this makes it ideal for beginners I’d say. Many think, probably rightly so, KTM just turned their Duke sibling into a sort-of Adventure bike. But they did a great deal more than that, and you notice it if you ride alternative roads. That’s when the lower design, and central mass, becomes an asset.

Does this make it a real offroad adventure motorcycle? Well that’s a yes and a at the same time a definite no. However, for the majority, who are after an affordable solution, whether as their primary or secondary motorcycle, it might just be a good thing. But what you have to get used to is to sit on, rather than into, the bike.

The 2024 390 Adventure you definitely sit on top of. Not everyone likes this. I know I didn’t. so it took some getting used to. For me risers did more than changing handlebar height, it also changed the overall riding feeling.

KTM 390 Adventure in Norwegian Wood

Day 2 on the 390 Adventure (update)

The following Sunday I was out and about again. This time to get more feel for how the 390 Adventure would perform on an even wider selection of roads. Plus also on longer rides. And not the least try to find out if the risers mounted did what I’d hoped they would do.

300 plus kilometers provided me with more answers. The risers helps a lot, and gave a relaxed feeling when seated. With them it’s also possible for a taller bloke to stand, but I would not call the position optimal. Adjustable foot pegs and not the least larger foot pegs might just be what is needed.

Riding along Norway’s fourth largest lake.

What I did find out, quite as expected, was that the stock seat is only slightly more comfy than a wooden bench. Typical KTM and, dare I say, a marketing error. Many people will judge a motorcycle on often too hasty, too brief impressions. A wooden bench feeling many will register immediately.

Those of us who’ve had KTMs prior will recognize the issue. And there are solutions, actually the KTM Powerparts comfort seat, regardless for which model, is perhaps the most affordable solution of all. And they are very good.

Norwegian woods. hills, mountains and roads.

Extras coming

The below things will be done to it, or added over the coming weeks:

• Quickshifter: Thought it was included but somehow that was forgotten. Invaluable to those who are used to it. May not matter that much to those without any experience.
  • Update: now enabled. And oh yeah, it will matter (more later).
• GPS: chose the cheap route and bought a second hand TomTom Rider 550 for the motorcycle. I know it well, and wrote about my experiences here. The former went with the 2023 KTM 890 Adventure when I traded it in.
• OEM KTM GPS mount. Fits right on top of the display and is the best option.
  • Update: added. Undoubtedly the best solution for GPS mount on the bike. But I did discover one quirk. The locking mechanism of the TomTom Rider GPS sits on top. Solution: put the windscreen in the lowest position. Or unscrew the one Torx (25) screw holding it when removing the GPS.
• OEM crash bars: just because it’s always good to have protection.
• Cheap soft luggage: I’ve bought Rhinowalk luggage before and it is, for the price, astonishingly good. This is a different approach, a modular one. Will be interesting to see how that fits. I’ll be back with more on this later.
• Change footpegs: get adjustable ones for better knee angle, plus improve standing position. On my BMW 1250 GS I did that, and chose SW-Motech adjustable pegs. They do exist for the 390 as well. SW-Motech stuff is among the best you can get.

So that’s it for now. I’ll be back with more later, when I’ve gained more experience. Have bought a soft luggage kit and plan to take it on a longer ride this fall. At least one!

See also