BHPian GKU recently shared this with other enthusiasts: I had been riding my Bullet 500 for daily school drops and groceries , while the Duke 390 handled my daily office commute. I started planning for more comfortable, versatile bike about two years ago, but the urge wasn’t strong enough to part with the money. I always had a crush on the previous-gen KTM 390 Adventure. After renting it for two days via Royal Brothers and taking multiple test rides, I really liked it. Still, I decided to wait for the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. The Himalayan looked great and had very positive early reviews from media and YouTubers (sponsored by RE). But when I test rode it, it failed to impress me. Later, real owner reviews confirmed my impressions. So I decided to wait for a better bike. I also test rode the Triumph Scrambler and Speed 400. Both were impressive, especially the Scrambler. But at 180+ kg, it wasn’t exactly light and there was an itch to own ADV. Then came the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401. On paper, specs and pricing were good. But the test ride told a different story. It felt more aggressive than the Duke 390 and didn’t appeal to me visually. Not a fan of Husqvarna’s design language. Finally, KTM launched the 2025 390 Adventure. Media reviews were positive, but I remained cautious. I took a short 1 km test ride at KTM Banashankari. It felt much more refined than my first-gen Duke 390, almost Honda like. Ergonomics were better than the previous-gen 390 ADV. After watching and reading several reviews, I concluded that even in the worst case, it will be at least as good as the outgoing model, if not better. I wanted to rent it for a couple of days, but couldn’t find one nearby. Checking out X Felt happier on S In April 2025, while vacationing in Goa, I brought up the new bike topic with my wife and she agreed! (To my surprise)Booking and Delivery Experience Had booked the bike on 27th May and made full payment through cheque. Bike was ready within the next 3 days, but I decided to wait due to some personal reasons. I took delivery of my KTM 390 Adventure S on the 13th of June, marked with a traditional pooja at the temple. Since this specific temple encourages traditional Indian attire, and I was planning to head straight to the temple, I took delivery in the same attire. Yours trulyThings came along with the bikeTool kit While the staff at the showroom were polite and welcoming, there were a few issues.Delay in Registration:I made the full payment nearly 20 days in advance and signed the RTO documents 8 days before delivery. However, the registration was not completed at the time of delivery, and I wasn’t even provided with the road tax receipts.KTM Riding Jacket:At the time of booking, I was promised a KTM riding jacket. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been delivered yet. Standard answer is “we will give when we get it”.Invoice:Due to a technical glitch in their system, my primary phone number couldn’t be used. Against my wishes, the invoice was generated using my alternate number.Mistake in Insurance:My name was wrongly spelt in the insurance copy. They have promised to get it corrected, but no update so far.Current odo stands ~ 301 kms. I have used it for daily office commute from my residence in Banashakari to Manyata Techpark (52 Kms round trip).My impressions so farPositives1) Agility: This bike is very agile for navigating through the city traffic of Bangalore. Be it picking up from the side stand or changing lanes in a stop-and-go traffic at slow speed, it feels very light. In bumper-to-bumper, stop-and-go traffic 2) Handling: As someone who thoroughly enjoyed the KTM Duke 390, I was curious how this tall ADV with a 21-inch front wheel would compare. To my surprise, it handles just as well as Duke 390, if not better. Despite its size, it feels as light and flickable as the first-gen Duke 390 (which weighed around 150 kg). It’s a joy to ride! 3) Comfort: Compared to my Duke 390, this is more comfortable. The rider triangle is perfect for my frame. Previous gen 390 ADV had very wide handlebars, which were not very comfortable to me. Seat cushioning seems just adequate for 1.5 to 2 hours ride in the city. May need extra gel for long rides. 4) Refinement & Vibration: Coming from the first-gen Duke 390, this bike feels well refined. It feels almost as smooth as a Honda CD 100. I pushed it up to 5,000 rpm, and there was no noticeable vibration anywhere, except between 4.2K to 4.9K RPM. I was expecting some buzz on the footpegs, as many reviews have reported, but I felt none. It is as refined as a Japanese 150cc commuter in this regard. Interestingly, I did notice minor footpeg vibrations during my test ride back in February, but I could not find them now. Super impressed! 5) Power Delivery: Below 4,000 rpm, the bike behaves like a saint. But there’s a subtle hint of the sleeping hooligan waiting to be unleashed. Throttle response is very crisp and predictable. I’m especially loving how it feels at lower revs in city traffic. Super delighted! 6) Suspension:The suspension comes alive post 45 km/h. At lower speeds, it does feel a bit on the stiffer side. Personally, I have no complaints. I am yet to try softer settings.7) Heat Management:Someone coming from 150cc segment bike, it does remind you that you’re riding a higher capacity engine. It never feels overwhelmingly hot. Compared to my Duke 390, it feels noticeably cooler, especially in stop-and-go city traffic. A pleasant surprise!8) Gearshifts:Smooth and precise. Almost no false neutrals. Have used the quick shifter a couple of times, it works really well. 9) Display:Most of the things have already been covered in various other posts. Let me cover a few interesting things which I discovered. Not only custom button, but up and down navigation buttons are also fully customizable. In total, there are 3 buttons available for customization. Pleasant surprise. You can customize what to display on the main screen. 10) Fit and finish:Baring minor rough edges, overall fit and finish is excellent and looks absolutely purpose-built. Personally overall design language is drool-worthy for me. Sole exception is the display unit edge. It looks like it’s been glued together using wood glue. Eye sore for sure. I checked a few other units at the showroom, all had similar issues. To me, all saddle stays look ugly; I felt this one looked less ugly. Turn indicators are nicely attached using hex screws There is a sense of robustness to every part of the bike. Here is an example. Negative1) Rough edges near the display 2) Display edge looking ugly with excess glue all over 3) Fuel efficiency Completed my first tankful-to-tankful mileage check and got a FE of 18.33 KMPL! This is 100% inside Bangalore city and many times it was bumper-to-bumper, slow-moving traffic.I was expecting somewhere around 22-24 KMPL, especially since my Duke 390 consistently delivered 25-27 KMPLon the same route.I’ve been riding with gentle throttle inputs and staying under 4K RPM most of the time. I will test a few more times to confirm the numbers.There’s a slight chance that, in the excitement of taking delivery of the new bike, I may have forgotten to ask the fuel attendant to fill it to the brim. However, I do recall saying “full tank” and filling 11.66 litres of petrol.Will report back with more data soon.ObservationsEngine feels not as high-revving as 1st get Duke 390. Just an observation, not a complaint.It feels more stable than Duke in corners. I am loving it.Large windshield is not affecting my vision in any way and is not making me feel stuffy in traffic. (I am 5’9″)Road edges and undulation don’t make you nervous (Duke 390 did to me), you can simply ride it like a 4-wheeler. Super delighted.Radiator fan kicks in more often (at lower temp?) than my Duke 390. Maybe this is the reason for feeling less warm than Duke 390.Low fuel warning comes up when the range is around 100KmsComparing the pillion seat of the current and previous gen 390 adventure. There is a very minor difference in dimensions (1 to 1.5cms), which may not be noticeable during the actual ride.Length WidthNo more hard copy of the user manual. All the required information is now accessible through the KTM app. I wish KTM also provided the service manual and parts catalogue.ConclusionI feel this bike is a compelling choice for ‘one bike garage’.If you’re considering, but have concerns about things like the narrow seat, engine heat, or vibrations, etc., please rent it for a day or two. Many of its strengths are only revealed over extended rides. It’s an extremely promising machine, and a short test ride might not reveal its full potential. Note: These are my personal views. I always ride within the framework of traffic laws, with the utmost respect for fellow motorists and pedestrians. For me, having fun doesn’t mean riding aggressively. Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
