Bought a well-loved KTM Adventure 390 to join the Duke 200 in my garage

Having ridden an older KTM, I found the Adventure 390 to be much better at dealing with vibrations.

BHPian mp417 He recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

After enjoying my 2016 KTM Duke 200 for 8.5 years, the urge to upgrade to a larger bike finally hit me. Since I wanted to stay loyal to KTM, the options were clear: RC390 or Adventure 390. Buying another Duke was not considered.

The RC390 was eliminated due to its aggressive riding position and rear seat discomfort, leaving the Adventure 390 as my biggest rival. I initially considered buying a brand new bike but decided to keep my Duke 200 for city riding and look for a second-hand Adventure 390 for weekend getaways, some off-roading and long-distance riding. After all, my Duke is still in pristine condition after all these years!

The search began on platforms such as Olx, Facebook and BikeDekho. I finally found a 2021 Adventure 390 in my favorite orange color with only 14k on the clock. I reached out to the seller and luckily the seller turned out to be a Bhpian friend (@joelabreo227)

After a brief chat, we scheduled a review. We connected instantly and he patiently shared his owning experience and talked about bikes and their types etc. He answered all my questions about it.

I did a quick inspection and test ride and the bike was in excellent condition. We closed the deal within a few days. Getting the bike from his Bhpian friend was a huge confidence booster and a very important factor in this entire purchase. The handover was delayed due to the ongoing pitru-paksha, but I finally received the delivery on the auspicious occasion of Navaratri.

First Impressions After 150+ Km (City + Highway):

Dimensions:

The Adventure 390 is big, tall, and a little heavy, but for a 6’11” rider like me, the transition is smooth. Seat height is no problem for me. Despite its size, the turning radius is surprisingly manageable. Maneuver in tight spots.

Driver Comfort:

Wide handlebars and large saddle provide a comfortable ride. My wife, who has avoided riding in the Duke, immediately approved of the Adventure 390’s back seat.

Engine: The engine performs great above 5 thousand rpm; Exactly what you expect from KTM. So far I haven’t encountered any low rev issues that others have reported, but in city traffic 1st and 2nd gears need some work.

Suspension: The highlight of this bike! The suspension handles bad roads with ease and sends zero vibration to the driver. Even my wife noticed how comfortable the ride was.

Tires: The bike still has Metzeler Tourance tyres. The front tire has about 5 thousand km left, the rear tire has about 2 thousand km left. I’m still trying to adjust to the tilt angle as I’m not as confident with the tilt as I was with my Duke, but I’m sure that will come with time.

Electronic: The bike is full of technology. The full color screen is clear and feels premium.

Braking: The engine brake is really strong. Front brake – I loved it. It has a nice bite and is very predictable. The rear brake is spongy and average. However, using both brakes provides good stopping power.

NVH: Engine noise is good and nothing to complain about. The exhaust note has a low bass and the overall exhaust note feels subdued. Vibrations are a very talked about topic in this thread. Having ridden an older KTM, I found the Adv much better at controlling vibrations. The ride quality is very nice and comfortable. Although the bike cannot be called smooth, it does its job well. I had great comfort as the suspension and big seat did the job really well. The vibrations of the foot pegs become apparent when I’m at low speed and in a higher gear and try to give more throttle input.

A big thank you to @Joelabreo227 for taking really good care of his machine and making this dream purchase a hassle free experience and more importantly becoming a lifelong friend in the process! Three cheers to the TBhp family!!