It feels like the longest rumored machine in KTM’s future lineup. We are of course talking about the KTM 390 Adventure.
The missing link in the Austrian brand’s adventure-touring model range, which we have talked, rumored, and speculated about for well…quite a long time.
About a year ago though, Bajaj SVP and KTM India boss Amit Nandi tipped that we would see the KTM 390 Adventure in 2019. Well, that time is now, and rumors are once again heating up about this small-displacement ADV.
Reports from India and Asia say that the new Adventure is close to finishing its development. A 373cc single-cylinder engine is the obvious item of spec, but spy photos show us that the new bike will come with KTM’s lush TFT dash, which is certainly welcomed news.
Rumors also suggest that the bike will have a 19″ front wheel, with a 17″ rear wheel, which should open up a wide range of tire selections. The visual design is expected to be very similar to KTM’s current crop of Adventure motorcycles.
The real question though is how KTM has positioned the new 390 Adventure. Is it an aspirational ADV machine, like the BMW G310GS? Or, will the 2020 KTM 390 Adventure be a true lightweight/small-displacement motorcycle capable of tackling the trails and circumnavigating the globe?
Our guess would be the prior, especially given the bike’s apparent focus on the Southeast Asian and Indian markets. Still though, we bet more than a few intrepid souls will see the KTM badge (and hopefully cheap price tag) and begin planning their own “longest way round trip.
As bonus material, a Husqvarna variant of the KTM 390 Adventure is also expected, though it remains to be seen how that will fit into Husky’s current lineup of Svartpilen and Vitpilen machines. As such, EICMA should be very interesting.
Source: Bike Advice, Moto.it, & I Am Biker
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