5 Things You Need To Know About the 2025 KTM 390 Adventure R

The last time we told you 5 things about the 390 Adventure was back in 2023. Since then, the wee little adventure bike got a fairly thorough overhaul for the 2025 model year. To see how the new bike does both off-road and on, we took it for a three-day trek alongside the CFMoto Ibex 450 and Royal Enfield Himalayan. Unsurprisingly, all three of our testers found themselves gravitating towards the KTM, especially when the pavement turned to dirt. But there’s more to the 390 than just its ability to excite off-road. Here are five things you need to know about the 2025 KTM 390 Adventure R.

Finally, the 390 Adventure lives up to the number in its name. Previously, when one bought a 390, they were actually getting a 373cc Single. For 2025, KTM has punched the LC4c engine out to 399cc, giving it an added jump in power. KTM claims 44 horses at the crank, which doesn’t sound like much, but scoots the ADV down paved or dirt roads just fine. The 399cc Single doesn’t seem to lose much steam in the upper reaches of the rev range, which is good since you’ll be spending a lot of time up there if you spend much time on the pavement.

Quickshifter should be mandatory

There’s no getting around the fact that you’ll be shifting often with only 44 horses at your disposal. KTM’s up/down quickshifter is wonderful to have, just as it was with our test bike. Shifts are slick in both directions, and at least for someone of my limited skillset, I appreciated not having to worry about the clutch just to shift gears in the dirt. But there’s one problem: the quickshifter doesn’t come standard. You have to pay extra for it. Granted, it’s a reasonable $275, but once you experience it, it’s hard to go back to the old fashioned way.

Surprisingly comfortable

Let’s be honest. The 390 Adventure R is basically a glorified dirtbike, at least in its design and aesthetics. One of the core characteristics of said dirtbikes is the narrow and somewhat stiff seat. These shouldn’t be nice to sit on, and in fact, when you’re riding in the dirt, most of the time you’re not. However, the 390 ADV also spends time on the pavement where all you do is sit. Surprisingly, I didn’t really mind it. The padding is firm, yet supportive, and its narrowness didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. The tall windscreen does a nice job of splitting the air so it doesn’t turn me into a sail, and the rider triangle is the textbook definition of neutral, too.

Nowhere to mount luggage — in stock form

Adventure means going somewhere. And that usually means taking stuff with you. You’re going to need luggage for that. On many bikes, you can get creative with mounting points for luggage. Passenger pegs and subframes are popular spots to hook a bungee or loop a strap to cinch down your gear. With the 390 Adventure, the passenger pegs aren’t a viable option to hook anything to, and the subframe is a molded piece of plastic. Included in this molded piece of plastic are four threaded holes (two on each side) towards the tail. Their function? To secure the mounting plates for the hard luggage KTM is happy to sell you.

Wildly capable

Above all else, the 390 Adventure R retains KTM’s signature trait: being wildly capable both on-road and off. More to the point, the 390 appeals to riders of all skill levels and lets them ride to their potential. Dirt newbs like Yours Truly can feel most comfortable in the soft stuff and have the most confidence that they’re going to make it to the other side, while veteran dirt riders can find themselves tossing the 390 ADV like a toy whenever the feeling strikes — a huge departure from the big-bore ADVs some of these riders are used to riding. 

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