Roads or no roads, some vehicles are just designed to make you go places. We have some very amazing touring machines that are on sale in the Indian market, along with very serious off-roading machines that may be a mess on the road but perform amazing well when there’s no concrete terrain beneath.
In our opinion, for a country with more broken roads than highways thus far, you need a touring machine that can handle the occasional highway runs along with pretty solid hardware to take them off-road.
The KTM 390 Enduro R is one such machine. What we have today is a bike that the manufacturer claims to be an Enduro machine - as indicated by its name - but comes across to us as an amazing tourer that we can take anywhere, be it a long stint on a highway, some city traffic, and of course where these roads end.
So, we learn in our KTM 390 Enduro R overview about why it could be misleading from its name, but performs exceptionally well if you know what you get with it.
Design
So, as its name indicates, the KTM 390 Enduro R is a heavily modified version of the 390 Duke, which now gets a hardcore Enduro appeal with it, especially - and some may say only - with its design.
Visually, the 390 Enduro R is based on the 390 Adventure, but it features much slimmer bodywork and is missing the large ADV-style headlamp and wind protection.
Up front is a nice and sleek beak above the front fender, on top of which is a Enduro-style headlamp which gets LED lamps and looks surprisingly refreshing. What’s also new for the 390 Enduro R is that it gets a bigger 18-inch rear wheel and the bike now runs on chunky 50/50 Mitas E-07 tyres.
All thanks to revised ergonomics, the riding position is a bit different owing to a new handlebar that has a taller riser and can be adjusted in three positions on the steering triple clamp.
The ergonomics for seating and standing also feel more off-road appropriate here as opposed to the 390 ADV, although very tall riders will still want an even higher handlebar riser.
The sleek rear tail flows nicely and makes do with a narrow pillion seat, compromising on pillion comfort for long hours. It is best suited for adjusting the rider’s off-road position than also adjusting a pillion, however given the norms of our country people will seat two on this bike, and the narrow seat is not going to give support to the pillion for a very long time.
The bike looks exceptionally well - the fit-and-finish and paint quality is amongst the best in this price bracket - in the orange shade that neatly blends all the design characteristics of the bike.
Equipment
KTM motorcycles are known to feature some of the most enticing technology one can expect in their respective price segments. The 390 Enduro R is no different in this regard, for since this is a road-legal motorcycle and is aimed at a wider audience than a full-blown Enduro motorcycle, it gets a feature rich coloured TFT display for all the instrumentation needs.
The instrument cluster on this motorcycle deserves full praise as KTM has done an outstanding job here with the overall graphics and usability of this motorcycle.
The menus are well laid out and you don’t need to fiddle around too much or spend a lot of hours to learn what’s actually happening with the motorcycle. \
The simple and straightforward UI makes it easy for riders to understand and operate this cluster. It does however miss out on a fuel gauge and riders will have to rely on a low fuel warning lamp.
As for the overall electronics suite, the bike features Bluetooth connectivity and navigation assists, two riding modes, and switchable ABS and traction control.
Engine and Rideability
The KTM 390 Enduro R features the same engine as its other siblings with the 390 moniker. To reiterate, it gets a 399cc single-cylinder, liquid cooled, engine that produces 45.37 bhp and 39 Nm of torque. Here, the engine gets a bigger 48-tooth sprocket with two extra teeth over the 390 ADV for a better low-end punch.
The suspension, which is similar to the 390 Adventure, is adjustable for preload and rebound at the back and for rebound and compression at the front.
KTM has also added predefined ratios that will go well with each terrain right below the seat. The suspension does feel a bit soft and plush in its original setting, however some adjustments do ensure the bike is ready to go off the road and the good news here is, it performs exceptionally well.
Suspension settings when adjusted to the right tune for off-roading, along with the narrow bodywork of the bike, can ensure the bike performs absolutely well on no terrains and to our surprise it also comes across as a fun machine to push around in these conditions.
Out on the highway, the lack of a proper windscreen does mean that there is no wind protection with this bike, and you will have to get used to the high speed wind - which unfortunately varies with the temperature in our conditions - at higher speeds. The engine itself allows the bike to easily cruise at triple digit speeds, however the lack of wind protection acts as a bane in this process. The smaller fuel tank also means that the bike is good for around 200-200 kilometers on a full tank.
One crucial thing we also learned during the test for our KTM 390 Enduro R overview, the engine is not alarmingly aggressive here as with the 390 Duke, which makes it a much calmer experience, something that will make you want to enjoy the scenery, without thinking of the terrain underneath.
Price and Verdict
The KTM 390 Enduro R price is set at INR 3.39 lakh (ex-showroom) as of mid-2025. It is available in a single trim and in a handsome orange shade.
Even if some may think about it, the price is not a set back for the KTM you see here, for the more serious Enduro version with great off-roading capabilities - and no on-road capability - is priced 4 times higher than this machine. The KTM 390 Enduro R does have its shortcomings as it’s not the most serious off-roading machine as its name indicates. However, look beyond its name and it can do so much more.
It can cruise on highways at around 100 kph all day, it is easily rideable in the city, and it does perform amazingly well off-road unless you start to get really serious. The bike you see here is a unique machine that does so many things so well, you’ll actually be amazed.
Add Comment