KTM 390 Enduro R Vs 390 Adventure; Splitting The Differences

The KTM 390 Enduro R has finally arrived after a long wait, and wth its arrival, it raises a question; why the Enduro R when you there is a 390 Adventure in the lineup already? The simple answer is, why not. Both motorcycles are capable off the road, but the 390 Enduro R is more committed and it is a more hardcore off-roader.

We shall get into the details of both motorcycles shortly, but first, make sure to join the 91wheels WhatsApp Community to keep up with the latest news and automotive updates.

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KTM 390 Enduro R Vs 390 Adventure; What Are They?

The 390 Enduto R is a proper dual-sport motorcycle, with a slim, sleek body that is typical of a dirt bike. It is important to remember that KTM classifies this bike as a dual-sport motorcycle, as it shares its cbassis with the 390 Adventure, which is not a dedicated Enduro chassis. It comes with a tall stance, higher fenders, a compact rear section, and tube-type wheels with spoke alloy rims. The small headlight and tail lamp are among a few things that make it road-legal. However, it receives an underbelly exhaust pipe, which is a little strange for a proper off-road motorcycle.

The new 390 Adventure receives bigger bodywork resembling some of the larger KTMs sold globally. With its tall windscreen, tubeless tyres, lower seat height and ground clearance, it will be friendlier to a wider audiene base, and also be more suited for touring purposes. This generation of the motorcycle receives a more rugged, rally-focused design, and it is available in two guises; the standard 390 Adventure that is more suited to go off-road with, and the 390 Adventure X that is more road-friendly with its smaller wheels and non-adjustable suspension setup. Similar to the 390 Enduro R, the 390 Adventure also receives an underbelly exhaust pipe.

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KTM 390 Enduro R And 390 Adventure; Details

The 390 Enduro R and the the 390 Adventure are built on the same platform, and as a result, there will be some similarities to notice. Both motorcycles are built on the same steel split trellis frame, with an aluminium die-cast subframe. Both motorcycles make use of 43mm WP Apex open-cartridge forks with 200mm of travel and 30-click fully-adjustable compression and rebound damping, along with a WP Apex monoshock with 205mm of travel, 20-click rebound damping and 10-click preload adjustability.

Both motorcycles also come with the same amount of suspension travel on either end; 200mm at the front and 205mm at the rear. There has been a lot of hue and cry on social media about the 390 Enduro R's suspension travel, and while KTM has confirmed that another variant with long-travel suspension is on the way soon, we think the current version should suffice for most riders. In terms of braking, both motorcycles receive a 240mm disc at the rear. Hpwever, the 390 Adventure deploys a bigger 320mm disc at the front, while the 390 Enduro R comes with a 285mm front disc.

With a seat height of 860mm and a ground clearance of 253mm, the 390 Enduro R seats you higher, which is usually the case with dirt bikes. The slim bodywork and lack of a fairing should make navigating trails easier, but the 177kg kerb weight is rather heavy for a dirt bike. These ergonomics may also not be practical on a daily basis.

In comparison, the 390 Adventure will be more practical, as it comes with a lower seat height of 830mm and a ground clearance of 237mm. At 14.5 litres, it gets a larger fuel tank than the Enduro, which makes do with a puny 9-litre fuel tank. The Adventure's fairing and windscreen will also make it more touring-friendly.

Both motorcycles also share the same 399cc, liquid-cooled engine with ride-by-wire throttle. It continues to produce 45.3bhp at 8500rpm and 39Nm of torque at 6500rpm, while paired to a 6-speed gearbox with an optional bi-directional quickshifter and a slip-and-assist clutch. Similar to the 390 Adventure, the 390 Enduro R also gets a smaller cylinder head, a new airbox and new fuel injectors.

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Equipment On Offer

In terms of equipment, the 390 Adventure leads with adjustable levers, a slip-and-assist clutch, a 5-inch TFT screen with bluetooth connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, calls/SMS alerts, and music streaming. It also comes with rider aids such as a bi-directional quickshifter, cornering traction control, three riding modes, cornering ABS, off-road ABS, and cruise control, many of which are segment-firsts.

In comparison, the 390 Enduro R misses out on the rider aids, but it still packs in plenty of kit, such as a 4.2-inch TFT screen with a gear-position indicator, along with bluetooth connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, a USB C-type port, a 4-way joystick, an illuminated switchgear, music streaming, switchable ABS, ride modes and traction control.