Sooo, how’s the KTM? 25k review of KTM 390adv (2020)

I got my KTM 390adv (2020) in late 2022, with 2 previous owners just broken in at 4,600km. I promised a 10,000km review, but it took a little longer 😂 The odo just hit 25,000km and I’ll say it’s a fun, reliable bike! Even my GS friends look at it with shiny eyes and I’ll tell you why later.

But let me start at the beginning.

When I started riding in September 2018, my first rides were on a 108cc bike. That’ll be a whole story in itself. From 2019-2022 I was riding my Spirit Motorcycle to the remotest corners of Kenya and also all the way to Lake Kivu.

A custom scrambler. Nimble, lowered, carburetted, light, a reliable Honda 125cc frame and engine, with some great additions like adjustable shocks, LED lights, and an extremely cool design, we covered 35,000 Kms together.

Our trips are documented on this blog including how it jump-started a Super Tenere 700 after crossing Lake Turkana on a boat.

On my first solo roadtrip I spent more time taking pics than riding!

Riding this amazing bike taught me discipline on the road, resilience on offroad, how not to tie luggage, how to take photos and how steering bearings are changed. And many other mechanical things because you don’t just ride 2,000km through Northern Kenya or 5,000 through East Africa on a custom bike without a little DIY here and there.

BUT . A ride to Watamu would take me 12 hours, and on group rides, I’m guaranteed to be left behind (unless it’s offroad of course 💪). So what could possibly be my next bike? A little faster, more ergonomical, but equally reliable?

Anyways, what’s an upgrade? (Part 1)

A quote I read about bike upgrading on the internet went something like: You can only upsize your engine, the upgrade will be in your skill.

I borrowed a KTM 390 adv from a friend for a 600km tarmac roadtrip back in 2021 already and had lots of fun in the Chogoria twisties. But I just couldn’t see myself riding it offroad or in town traffic. Too high! (855mm seat height) Too heavy! (172kg wet, so 200kg with luggage)

With my 1.59m, I can’t get two feet down, and I was used to that safety net of walking it through sand or mud if needed.

So I went for offroading classes with Offroad Adventures in Karen. On their tall but light dirt bikes, I learned to shift my weight to the right or left so that I could stop the bike and start again with only the toes of one foot down. I managed the sitting and standing position correctly on uphill, downhill and cornering, and how to brake on offroad.

Late 2022 I got an option to buy a relatively new KTM 390 adventure 2020 model from a rider in my circles. At 4,600km with two previous owners it was very gently used.

I never saw myself as a bike reviewer, so when guys started asking for my review, I wondered what exactly I would write that isn’t yet covered in many other online reviews.

Part 2: Pros. Things I love about the 390adv

Safety

The braking system is impeccable and the ABS has kicked in a few times!

I’m sitting higher above traffic and can see what’s going on a few cars in front of me. Sitting higher, with higher backlights also means drivers behind see me better.

I’m getting a lot more respect from drivers on this bike and can flash my not-so-boda looking lights at oncoming cars/mats/trucks which are overtaking in my lane on highways. 80% of cases they move back into their lane.

And if I’m pushed off the road, it feels much more stable with the larger front wheel!

Power and Acceleration

If you ride a T7 or GS1200 or one of their siblings, please skip to the next chapter (fuel consumption) and only then come back 🙂

The 373cc produces 43.5 horse powers (just like my first car!). You can google the torque numbers, but let’s just say very few cars, no matatus and zero trucks matches the acceleration between 20 and 130 kmh, meaning you can leave behind many drivers, but maybe not all large SUVs. The bike comes alive upwards of 80. It also sounds and shifts better here.

Something really nice happens at about 6500 rpms, when the top end torque kicks in. You’ve got to be ready for it.

And it’s a forgiving bike! Whether you find yourself in 2nd or 4th gear at 35kmh, you will make it. I have stalled this bike only twice on tarmac.

Fuel Economy

The power/fuel ratio is fantastic! I have NEVER gotten an average above 3.1/100km on any tank filling. Cruising around town is about 2.9l and if you push it on long uphills or highways, it goes up to 3.3l/100km.

This is still nearly double from my previous Honda engine, but gives the big boys teary eyes.

2024 May Edit: On looong, empty highways (Namibia), when the average hit 121 km/h that morning, the fuel consumption went up to 4.5 l/100km.

Offroading

This is an adventure bike. Standing ergonomics were a game changer for me. The 19 inch front and 17 inch back tire give stability and amazing handling. You can zoom along rough roads at 70 and roll down rocky hills or forest roads without thinking twice. (Obviously skills come in handy and I have taken countless offroad trainings!)

Tarmac offroading is very common in Kenya: With this bike, you’ll sail bumps, and rumble strips and potholes disappear once you hit 50. No gravel on tarmac can scare you. (Okay, maybe the one in the twisties…!)

The WP forks are amazing. Not ridden this bike with the stock tires. I ride Mitas Trail+ tires, which are 60:40 (Road:Offroad).

Every 390adv review speaks about the fact that offroad ABS does not mean ABS is off, and that Traction Control will come back on after every time you restart the bike. The ABS doesn’t bother me much, given my riding style, but Traction Control being on while you want it off can really annoy you, especially on bumpy roads, and I have stalled on a few rocky uphills cause of this.

Fun little things

Finding neutral is impossible on this bike. But you can connect your phone to the display via bluetooth, then see who’s calling or even navigate using the KTM app.

The quick shifter is a fun little extra, and works best when accelerating nicely.

This bike looks amazing when completely clean or quite mucky. In between it looks pale. I rarely wash it, actually, and prefer a bucket wash. Once the display throw an ECU error, after a pressure wash.

Following 390 forums on the internet it also seems the 2020 version was quite reliable, and later versions may have more electronics issues and faults.

Part 3: The cons / not so great things

There’s nothing I hate about this bike, honestly. But if I could get less vibrations on the the handlebars and footpegs, that’ll be great. Sometimes a foot or hand gets numb. The footpegs have rubber to buffer the vibrations from entering your boots, but in the rain season it’s so slippery you remove the rubber.

Minimal fender distance on front tyre could create issues with black cotton soil or bad mud, but hasn’t been an issue to me. Some people modify to raise the fender.

The sound: I mean, it’s a single cylinder 373, people! Nothing too sexy, no roar 🤕

Part 4: Cost & Maintenance

After sales service: I had been told that once you buy a KTM in Kenya, you’re by yourself. The dealership that sells the 390s is not like the BMWs or Kibos that are putting intentional effort into smooth and customer-focussed after sales service.

So I embraced this mindset from the get-go. I printed (!) the workshop (!) manual. I research and know the fluids that go into my bike. I do as much as possible maintenance myself, or with the help of other bikers. I chose different mechanics for different issues based on their strengths.

When thinking of getting a ‘big bike’, get out your calculators! Everything, absolutely everything will cost 2 to 10 times what a small CC carbureted bike needs. And because most things are imported, prices change with the dollar.

Oil & Filters: Oil filter and oil every 7000km. The bike uses 1.6l of synthetic oil. While Motorex 15W/50 is recommended, I like Motul better. Currently about 1900 a liter, and 1500 for the filter. I changed oil at about 5000, 10000, 17000 and 23500km.

Air filter: You can and should clean it regularly of course, but replacement is due every 7-10k (3,500 KES when I last needed one). A washable one would be more economic in the mid-term.

Wear & Tear: I replaced the stock drive set at 17,800kms, the chain was completely worn out at this point. The new DID 520 vx3 chain and JT sprockets came to 137 Euros. I hope these will last at least 20,000 km.

A set of tires sets you back around 30-35k, including balancing. My first set of Mitas was changed at 23,500km and I’m hoping the second set will do the same mileage.

Not needed to replace the spark plug, any cables, brake pads, etc yet. No malfunction of the cooling system yet. Still on stock coolant.

And here’s a picture of taking my brandnew Mitas tires offroad:

Part 5: After Market Parts

Lowering the bike: After reviewing various options, I decided to go with a lowering option by Metisse, a German company. You replace the spring plate under the mono shock, thus lowering the back of the bike by 20mm without actually changing the spring. Fully reversible. Then you just push the forks through the handlebar by the same 20mm, and voilá: Manuela has one foot down while the majority of the booty is still on the seat. (They also have a 30mm option but I didn’t wanna loose a lot of ground clearance.)

Saddle Stays: The cool orange bags I got that everyone’s asking about are called DrySpec D20. They never even got close to touching the exhaust or tires, but I still ordered Saddle Stays from India (AdvenTOUR 3-point) just to be sure and to be prepared for larger saddle bags. The saddle stays are sleek and sexy!

Topbox / Toprack: The previous owner had added at topbox but sadly the mount didn’t last for long once I went on bumpy roads and slight offroads. A bolt broke and I ended up leaving the topbox in Naivasha at my friend’s place one day. Then I looked for a mount that would attach to at least 4 points on the bike. I imported a Toprack from Motouren from India, which sell custommake parts for KTM and other brands.

Mounting both the top rack and the saddle stays was a little finicky, as they lock on the same bolts on the bike’s frame.

Bike Protection: Crash bars were already mounted by previous owner, and giirrrllll, I have used them!! I also added a display protector (from India). Not yet added a headlight protector, which could be recommended when riding offroad in groups, as a stone could jump and break your expensive headlight.

Final Verdict? And what next?

It took me a while to embrace the fact that the bike doesn’t have muuuuch character. It is exactly what it is. The truth is that you as the rider add the character.

I’m not at all tired of this bike! And I’m about to embark on a 6-country 7,000km trip. Let’s talk afterwards!

PS: I have never even sat on a KTM Duke 390. As mentioned, this review is about the KTM 390 Adventure.

PPS: Links to riding stories on the KTM:

• East Africa Loop part 1: Nairobi – Kampala – Cyanika – Lake Kivu here
• Part 2: Lake Kivu – Kigali – Singida – Kilimanjaro here
• Part 3: Moshi – Usambara Mountains – Vanga – Diani – Nairobi here