KTM’s Super Adventure has always gone bigger than necessary and delivers a dynamic ride experience to those who want the most; it’s been very good at achieving success through excess. It is, in fact, super.
Photography by Dominik Buchner & Thomas Dobler
Now, in a very KTM way, they’ve made it even more super. At $22,699 before options, the depth of technology and system integration here is impressive.
More displacement; a new automated-transmission tech stack; a stall-free slipper clutch; fifth-generation forward-facing radar with adaptive cruise control; the latest WP Semi-Active electronic suspension; a new frame and bodywork with updated ergonomics; a futuristic headlight and a full suite of integrated and massively adjustable Ride, ABS and traction-control modes; all manipulated through a beautiful eight-inch vertically oriented TFT tablet-like touchscreen display. And that’s not even all of it. Make no mistake, this bike is a lot!
Is it finally enough? Or is it too much? We ripped the twisty roads of Tenerife in Spain to find out, and I’m still dizzy putting all the pieces of this bike together.
Ride Impression First | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
The bulk of this review is about what makes the new Super Adventure platform so advanced. So, I figured we’d get the ride impression out of the way up front. To put it bluntly, the 1390 SA S Evo is an absolute ripper. No surprise, maybe, as it’s beating the same heartbeat as the 1390 SuperDuke R, the king of naked. But the package on the Super Adventure is something else. A huge windscreen, adjustable seat and comfortable ergonomics put you in a nice spot to enjoy the adrenaline rush. Huge torque and blistering top-end pull you corner-to-corner with authority and hold its line through the turns like a track-tuned sportbike. I don’t think I’ve ridden this aggressively on the pavement before, and this KTM made it easy despite moving outside my comfort zone at will.
But you can also just ride it simply. Touring your heart out on highways with advanced adaptive cruise control makes gobbling miles effortless. The auto modes in the transmission make the ride calm. The same can be said for rolling around urban zones. It shows manners and a manic level of performance simultaneously. You can also dial in a tremendous amount of comfort from the overly aggressive KTM racing mantra thanks to WP’s Semi-Active Technology electronic suspension.
It’s strange to say, but even with it being the most technologically advanced bike I’ve ever ridden, this bike is simple to use. The settings options are staggering, but navigating them is simple and intuitive thanks to the dash’s usability and its display of all the information at your fingertips (literally). Even here, if you don’t love the layout or scale of information, it’s responsive and can shrink or zoom to your liking. I guess the main theme here is adaptability. This bike will go where you point it. If you want to lap sportbikes on canyon roads or commute to the office with comfort, it’s ready.
Big Power Numbers | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
The KTM LC8 V-twin is a legendary powerplant delivering on the promise of performance, V-twin character and charm. It’s thumpy and growly, and it’s delivered V-pulsed power in an addictive, adventure-style way since the original KTM 950 Adventure.
The new 1390 Super Adventure family gets an upgrade to this familiar engine, bumping its displacement up from 1301cc to 1350cc for this next generation of “1390s” by boosting the cylinder bore two millimeters up to 110mm. We’ve seen this displacement creep—small jumps in displacement to maintain/increase performance output while meeting tougher emissions restrictions—for quite a few years across the motorcycle OEM spectrum. That’s the case here, but KTM is doing more.
New 54mm throttle bodies, up from 52mm on the 1290, feed this animal to just over 170 peak horsepower and 107 lb-ft of max torque (claimed). On top of this, KTM has implemented its Camshift technology into the 1390 Adventure. Below 6500 rpm, a lower-lift intake cam opens the valves to deliver smoother, more torquey power. Once accelerated past 6500 rpm, the intake cam shifts sideways in 3-5 milliseconds to a higher-lift cam (+2mm of lift), giving the engine a deeper gulp for maximum power into the top-end. This provides easier-to-ride, emissions-friendly fueling at lower speeds and fire-breathing, wide-open performance on demand.
The engine character is beautiful. With so much torque on demand, you almost never desire more acceleration, and the mid- to top-end pull is equally impressive. But the bonus lies in the slow-going, too. The bike is simple to ride at a moderate pace yet instantly responds to aggression. It will go where you dare to push it with ferocity. And it can creep around parking structures or urban congestion with the ease of a mellow commuter. The fueling feels great, and if there’s ever an engine that makes you feel both comfortable and frightened at the same time, this is it.
Frame Updates | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
While still mostly the same as the previous generation, this 1390 enjoys some serious beefing in the stiffness realm. According to KTM, steel frame tube diameters and wall thickness combined with the stressed engine as a frame component increase stiffness in longitudinal (+13%), lateral (+23%) and torsional (+73%!) planes. The goal here is to boost overall stability. And the result was evident in the aggressive pace sessions: the bike does not wallow, nor is it slow to react; it’s ready to cut in and hold the line you choose, and it does so without delay. Sharp and agile out of 500+ pounds? Yes.
Shifting Focus | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
You’d think 170 horsepower would have been the main talking point at a new bike launch. It was barely mentioned by the press milling around after our test ride through the twisties of Tenerife. Most of the conversations centered around KTM’s Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) and other electronics. And it sort of makes sense since shifting is such an integral part of the riding experience, and AMT is a valid disruption in the shifting space. Still, an auto transmission on a performance bike? Seems weird, right? It might not be as odd as you think.
KTM developed the AMT to give the feeling of a standard transmission, even for experienced riders. Through two modes (Auto and Manual), riders can pick whether they let the Super Adventure brain do the shifting or if their foot or fingers work their magic on demand. The core structure of the AMT is a standard transmission with a standard gearbox and shift drum, but it also features some ingenious mechanical upgrades and extensive computer programming to make it work. In total, the AMT system adds about 2.2 pounds to the transmission and is about 10mm wider at the clutch cover due to the new clutch. Is AMT perfect? No. It does shift how it wants to, after all. And that might not be the rpm you want to shift to. This might say more about humans’ fear of losing control, but there is a bit of a disconnect, nonetheless.
Clutch Performance | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
First, let’s talk about the clutch. KTM’s new AMT-equipped bikes feature a centrifugal clutch to eliminate stalling and the need for a clutch lever. There is no “pulling in the clutch” on this bike. Instead, the centrifugal clutch engages automatically as revs climb, and the transmission receives drive force at around 1900 rpm. Below that, the clutch absorbs the drive, the engine spins freely relative to the final drive, and the transmission spins freely relative to the engine drive, regardless of gear selection during deceleration. As such, the gear order is rearranged from standard. Now, the six-speed gearbox sequences from a parking lock then to neutral and then up through the gears in a P-N-1-2-3-4-5-6 pattern. Since the centrifugal clutch is engaged at low-to-no rpm, a bike “in-gear” will not stop itself from rolling, hence the park (P) spot in the transmission. I never missed the clutch lever. Not once.
Shifting All the Ways | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
Finally, we get to the shifting. And there are many ways to shift here. But all shifts, no matter how they are initiated, are triggered by an electromechanical actuator instead of a shift shaft. This solenoid-style actuator takes input from the bike’s numerous brains, sensors and settings to drop-kick shifts at the right time. KTM says it shifts in 50 milliseconds, comparable to a traditional ratcheting via a good quickshifter. In Auto mode, the system provides fully automated shifting based on parameters such as gear position and engine speed, torque output, lean angle, acceleration rate, speed, pitch angle and even rider inputs such as braking and throttle opening, not to mention the preselected ride mode you’re running. There are three Auto-shift modes in Comfort, Street and Sport, each working in conjunction with the onboard ride modes to optimize shift timing. Logically, shifting points climb the rpm range as you change modes from Comfort to Sport, with Street sitting between the two in aggressiveness.
Even with all this Auto business, you can still shift manually in Auto mode (I told you I was still dizzy). A simple tap of the hand triggers or foot lever will kick the shifts in gear, suppressing Auto mode for four seconds as you assert your human dominance.
One of the most fun features of the AMT in Auto mode, to me, is the ability to force downshifts by over-closing the throttle. This works by simply rolling the right twist grip forward to blip down a gear. The function is very strange at first, but after a few sessions of dropping gears with the right grip, I became hooked. You just roll the throttle forward, and the bike drops a gear, perfect for fine-tuning rpm into a corner or swinging into a parking lot. Blip-blip-blip! Very fun.
If you switch to Manual mode, which I highly recommend, the system becomes massively engaging. Here, shift actions are at your discretion but done cleaner and faster than my skill level can muster in an analog state at this level of performance. The electronics make you good at hitting gears. And while the foot lever works fine, it was sort of lost on me once I tapped the hand controls a few times. Having direct shift control at your fingertips frees your feet to stay more connected to the bike. And shifting with a finger trigger and thumb invites a fighter-pilot persona to take over as you rifle through the gears. I’m already wearing a super cool helmet as I fly over the roads, so I might as well pretend I’m an ace shot along the way.
Interestingly, KTM found a couple of ways to make Manual mode both idiot-proof and arguably better than what humans can manage. Through an option (one of about 10,000 options on this bike), you can activate High-Rev limiter shifting. This will auto-shift at high rpm, very close to redline. This means you can be in manual mode, top-gunning your way around the roads of your dreams, but let the bike take over at the top-end for all-out acceleration shifting. The bike will rev farther than I dare go before my natural shift habit takes over. Up here, it bangs in a perfect upshift so you can just keep ripping. Some of the more advanced riders on our trip loved this (as they passed me). It honestly frightened me to go that fast and then instantly go faster. But I appreciated it once I put my big boy pants on and gave it a whirl.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, KTM’s AMT system will downshift for you when you roll to a stop if you forget to drop the gears, even in Manual mode, eliminating the chance of a fried clutch pack from a sixth-gear start (no clutch lever). For my level of riding, AMT is awesome so far.
Modes, Modes and More Modes | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
KTM’s traction control and power modes are comprehensive and among the best in the business. In the latest ride-modes suite featured here, all ride modes are wholly integrated into the onboard systems and fully customizable. Each mode applies changes to all available settings and remembers them. And since we’re riding on WP Semi-Active Technology (SAT) electronically variable suspension, these include suspension settings. While our test bikes have every option activated, it’s important to know that not all options come as standard. In fact, if you want everything turned on inside the KTM’s brain, it will run you about $900 for the Tech Pack of goodies. With that, you can enjoy more acronyms such as MSR (motor-slip regulation), HHC (hill-hold control), EBC (adjustable engine-brake control), as well as non-abbreviated features in Suspension Pro and the always rowdy Rally Pack for off-road hooliganism at its finest. We will talk a lot more about the Rally Pack when we get our dirty little hands on the 1390 Super Adventure R, but if you’re familiar with it from the past, just know this version has, you guessed it, more!
All these options are dynamic and massively effective at making the motorcycle work for you. I’d personally negotiate the $900 into my bike purchase from my dealer. They are worth having.
As standard, the 1390 SA comes with Rain, Street, Sport and Off-Road ride modes, plus one Custom mode setting for your own creation. Each mode change adjusts all vehicle systems. If you have the Tech Pack installed, that means ABS, traction control, hill-hold control, throttle response, engine braking and AMT shift modes all adjust as you move through Ride modes. Also, with Suspension Pro, you will also be able to independently adjust compression and rebound damping in clicker-like increments as well as Anti-Dive in the fork and suspension preload, front and rear. Preload is programmed through a range of high, standard and low auto settings. All of this is done independently and is stored in the ECU indefinitely. If you prefer Sport mode with a Rally throttle response, increased shock preload and lighter engine braking, you can go right ahead. It will remember that in Sport mode until you reset Sport mode with the push of a button. While the full suite of Rally-style off-road modes are available on all the Adventure models, we stuck to pavement modes for the most part. I will say, however, I’m partial to mixing in some off-road tech to the street.
Smart Suspension | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
The WP SAT components deserve some attention here, as they have an amazing ability to provide cruising comfort and aggressive performance at the tap of a screen or the push of a button. This new generation of suspension tech now incorporates new stroke speed and travel sensors for finer tuning. Together with a new through-rod fork construction, WP is bringing massive tech to your suspension. This means the Suspension Control Unit can provide real-time damping-rate adjustments via the magnetic valves and opens the door to even more advancements in programming for things like jump detection when we get off-road. Again, get the Tech Pack, and you will have all the options Suspension Pro offers—things like Anti-Dive and full clicker-like compression and rebound adjustments.
Speed Control | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
The last big piece of advanced tech we’ll go over is the Bosch fifth-gen forward-facing radar and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC basic functions—such as speed changes at adjustable distances—are here, as are collision and distance warnings, but KTM incorporates braking into the mix. With braking assist, the ACC system will apply brake pressure if the system predicts you’re approaching traffic without enough braking pressure applied. If so, it will simply apply more brakes, and you can feel it at the lever. Also, the KTM system will slow you to a stop without any input from the rider. Additionally, the ACC on the KTM features group-riding modes and a hold function. In group-riding modes, ACC recognizes your motorcycle group in front of you and looks through them to the next object with a wider lateral profile (a car). The hold function keeps the adjusted speed relevant to a vehicle in front of you and suppresses automatic passing acceleration if you try to pass in a forbidden lane, like passing on the right (a legal requirement in some countries).
As most of our test riding was at an energetic pace on small roads, we didn’t experience a lot of ACC. But I did get it to stop in traffic, and it held my set speed while cruising smoothly and reacted to my adjustments easily.
Still Dizzy | 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review
I tried to warn you at the beginning. The 1390 Super Adventure S Evo is a lot of bike with a lot of tech, and I won’t blame you for getting spun out. And we didn’t even talk about the phone pocket, MapBox integrated navigation, the all-new headlight, and more. It’s almost too much. But after one ride, I’m convinced every bit of it makes the 1390 Adventure S Evo one of the most dynamic adventure-touring machines ever created.CN
2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Specifications
| MSRP | $22,699 |
| Engine | 75-degree V-twin |
| Displacement | 1350cc |
| Bore x Stroke | 110 x 71mm |
| Valvetrain | DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, KTM Camshift variable valve intake |
| Fueling | Electronic fuel injection (throttle-by-wire); 54mm throttle body |
| Electronics | Bosch IMU, multiple ride modes, customizable |
| Horsepower (claimed) | 170 hp @ 9500 rpm |
| Torque (claimed) | 107 lb-ft @ 8000 rpm |
| Transmission | Automated Manual Transmission |
| Clutch | Centrifugal clutch, no manual clutch |
| Frame | Steel |
| Handlebars | Tapered aluminum |
| Front Suspension | 48mm WP Semi-Active upside down |
| Rear Suspension | WP Semi-Active fully adjustable |
| Front-Wheel Travel | 8.66 in. |
| Rear-Wheel Travel | 8.66 in. |
| Front Brake | Dual 320mm w/ radial-mount, four-piston calipers w/ lean-angle-sensitive ABS |
| Rear Brake | 267mm lean-angle-sensitive ABS, switchable |
| Front Wheel / Tire | Cast aluminum / 120/70ZR-19 in. |
| Rear Wheel / Tire | Cast aluminum / 170/60RZ-17 in. |
| Rake | 27.4° |
| Wheelbase | 61.3 in. |
| Seat Height | 33.3-34.1 in. |
| Fuel Capacity | 6 gal. |
| Weight (w/o fuel, claimed) | 500 lbs. |
| Country of Origin | Austria |
Click here to read the 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo Review in the Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine.
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