2025 KTM 390 Enduro R Review

KTM has officially entered a new market segment of value-packed off-road fun with the new 390 Enduro R, the first bike we’re testing from a heavily updated and expanded lineup of KTM 390s built in India as part of KTM’s long-term partnership with global motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj.

Photography by Simon Cudby

While KTM’s 390 series of approachable on-road bikes has been available in North America for a decade with the naked Duke and fully faired RC models, something as heavily off-road oriented as the new 390 Enduro R is relatively new (the 390 Adventure debuted here in 2020).

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But this little beast is something completely different than the Duke and quasi-off-road Adventure of 390s past. This is a purpose-built off-road bike. It comes with proper off-road-styled and -sized wheels, a new “non-Duke” frame and a development purpose to make it worthy of the off-road “R” badge.

True, it’s a dual-sporty, trail-bike-like off-road bike with a mellow suspension, a slick dash, adventure-tire specs, switchable ride modes, ABS, and all that, but make no mistake—this bike is just as focused on ripping dirt tracks as its bigger, legendary brother, the Austrian-built 690 Enduro R. It’s not a race bike, nor a race bike turned into a dual-sport like KTM’s other single-cylinder dirt-focused models sold here in North America.

Emerging markets like Asia and India live and die on efficient manufacturing economics. We are clearly on the receiving end of that here. And to just put the money factor out there early, this bike has a base retail MSRP of $5499 pre-tax, pre-fees and whatnot. Yes, really. That’s $149 more than popular smaller-displacement dual-sport options like the Honda CRF300L or Kawasaki KLX300. The KTM is impressively $1700 cheaper than the aged Suzuki DR-Z400S and $3500 cheaper than the new Suzuki DR-Z4S in its own displacement class. Complete specs and total performance divide these bikes more than price alone, so we’ll save the deeper comparison for an actual head-to-head shootout. But, out of the gate, it’s clear KTM is swinging for the fences with the price tag.

The 390 Heart | 2025 KTM 390 Enduro R Review

The blood pumper of the new KTM 390 Enduro R is an updated LC4c single with a 4mm longer stroke than the previous 390cc powerplant. The new engine configuration boosts displacement from just over 373cc to just under 399cc. Claimed peak horsepower remains the same at around 44 ponies at 8500 rpm, with the focus on improving torque via the longer stroke.

Torque claims on the new motor put it at 28.8 lb-ft at 7000 rpm, up from 27.28 peak torque from the previous gen. The engine attitude is controlled by a Bosch Engine Management System (EMS) with ride-by-wire throttle input beep-booping the electronic fuel injection. The engine also features a balancer shaft and an integrated slipper clutch to keep the bike’s “thumpy” manners in check on revs and rapid downshifts under load, respectively. Inside the gearbox is a six-speed transmission, capable of handling plenty of highway speeds at the top end and providing suitable manners for slow-going in close proximity to rocks, trees and towns. KTM’s well-received Quickshifter+ functionality is here, but it is sold as an option, not activated on the bike as standard. Official pricing for Quickshifter+ isn’t available at this time. For reference, it costs approximately $275 to activate it on the current 390 Duke. And I do mean “activated.” All the componentry for KTM’s buttery power shifting is already in the bike’s brain and bits, they just need to turn it on. KTM officials told us we ran a pre-production Quickshifter+ program on our press bikes during the launch.

The 390 Enduro R power delivery comes on slowly, but the power output doesn’t stop until you hear the rev-limiter. So, it has zero intimidation at roll-on from its soft purr but is capable of higher-rpm smiles for miles. Our Quickshifter+-enabled bikes were great to get the most out of the powerplant, pegging the twist grip and cracking through the shifts was the way to go to beat traffic (and our friends) to the next intersection. You should ride this bike high in the rpm range. Like, all the time. Just leave it up there and enjoy the ride. It makes power and torque above 7000 rpm, and that’s where it wants to be. It is especially happy going all the way to the limiter and will pull all the way there without so much as a misstep. The six-speed transmission has legs for days, so much so that I considered a more off-road-oriented final drive ratio. It could sacrifice some top-end speed if you’re only hitting dirt roads at a casual pace. However, as delivered stock, the gearbox spacing is nice, and the bike does not struggle to fill the gaps. The only miss in the power/performance segment here is the buzzing you feel in the grips and pegs as it winds up and gets down the road. The frequency into your hands and feet is high, so it’s noticeable as you cruise. You’re not going to stop a high-revving single from putting out some vibration, I know, but KTM could have at least put off-road grips on this bike to dampen the buzz and give their Enduro a better enduro bike feel at the controls. Instead, the 390 Enduro R is rocking smooth, harder and more generic street-style grips, a rare miss in OEM spec on this bike.

The 390 Bones | 2025 KTM 390 Enduro R Review

KTM styling is alive and well, with an often-described rally-inspired steel trellis frame in blazing orange, setting off the darker internals. This isn’t just about good looks; it’s a new unit, specifically designed for off-road use. Featuring a bolt-on, separate steel subframe (a sincere thank you from my future looping-out self), the new frame holds nine inches of suspension travel front and rear. Front bump business is handled by a 43mm WP Apex compression- and rebound-adjustable fork, while a WP Apex shock is offset and direct-mounted to the curved aluminum swingarm parties in the rear. The shock has a rebound-only damping adjustment with a manually adjustable preload lock ring on the spring.

Seat height is listed at 35 inches, right in line with the other bikes in this world. The controls feature a tapered aluminum handlebar, a metal 2.37-gallon fuel tank, and a wide, flat one-piece seat. Passenger pegs are standard, as are the quite legitimate off-road wheels in 21/1.85-inch up front and 18/2.5-inch on the rear. Stopping all this fun is a set of Bybre brakes, an Indian offshoot of Brembo componentry. The plastic shrouds and rear-fender cover combine in the middle to conceal a nearly toolless (one Allen key is required) airbox, fitted with an oiled pleated paper filter on the clutch side. The same is true for the throttle side hiding the shock. The result of the bodywork is a smooth, premium look for such an attractive price. A center-mounted underbelly muffler keeps the pipes compact and, honestly, cool-looking. The header is lightly covered by a deflecting shield as standard, but it’s nothing I would describe or use as a traditional “skid” plate.

Ergonomically, the bike is welcoming. Seat-to-peg distance is comfortable for the up-to-six-foot-tall crowd sitting down, and the bar-to-peg ratio is also fine for standing and enjoying the view. There isn’t much expectation of wind blockage here, but the headlight does kick highway-speed air over your helmet a bit.

One hiccup in the 390 Enduro R’s layout is the kickstand bulk and safety switch. If you’re rocking bumps off-road and standing, you can hit the kickstand with your left heel and activate the kill switch. I got it to cut power only when intentionally testing to see if it would. It can and does, and a fix is in the works, according to KTM.

The bike handles well. It is planted and stable on pavement with good front-end grip to push around town. It is equally confident off-road, especially when cruising the backroads and simple off-road sections we tested. As I mentioned earlier, it can also be pushed hard in singletrack land, with the little rascal hiding its actual weight quite well in the trees and sand-washes we explored.

Suspension performance is both impressive and somewhat disappointing. If you look at the specs, this isn’t a huge surprise. The 43mm Apex fork is very capable. It moved consistently all day without a standard-setting snafu to be found. I tried, but it didn’t bottom out uncontrollably or excessively. It also wasn’t harsh. Good work on that, KTM. The easy-access hand-adjust clickers on top of each fork tube are great at making on-ride adjustments, another kudos. I added two clicks of compression and opened rebound two clicks during my ride and was happy. I don’t know why, but these units come with 30 clicks of adjustments. That’s a lot. And I think it’s a lot that isn’t going to be used. Maybe make two clicks one click and have 15 total clicks? Just an idea.

The rear suspension is a disappointment, but only in the rowdier end of off-road use. The poor WP monotube shock with rebound-only adjustment doesn’t stand a chance once you get on the pegs off-road after being brainwashed by KTM for 20 years that all their bikes should be raced off-road (Factory KTM EnduroGP absolute badass Josep Garcia is their model for marketing this bike).

The shock is comfortable and fine around town, cruising on dirt roads and handling light-to-medium bumps at off-road speeds. But once you get your elbows up and your head down, the shock will bottom abruptly to the bump stop, then rebound quickly. Staying light on the pegs and keeping your butt out of the seat’s rebound range is a quick fix to avoid suffering in whoops and repeated hits, but the real solution is a new shock, which WP has on the menu via its Pro Components line. They also have fork cartridge inserts, but pricing information isn’t yet available. So, you can probably make this bike much racier than it is, if you feel you must. As a dual-sport option in the market at this price, the suspension is certainly adequate.

The 390 Brain | 2025 KTM 390 Enduro R Review

Ride modes are the headline here, with Street and Off-Road options available after a couple of button pushes. Selecting these triggers traction control and ABS in appropriate directions and adjusts power output/throttle response accordingly. Riders can disengage ABS completely as well. An important note is that the 390 Enduro R does not have an internal IMU measuring bike attitude or lean angles; therefore, the traction control and ABS are calculated based on wheel, vehicle, and engine speed. They are not lean-angle sensitive/specific. All of this is manipulated through some left-hand buttons and a very nice 4.2-inch, full-color, rectangular TFT display. This easily displays your speed and gear position while also providing at-a-glance information for your ride mode and ABS status. It can also connect your mobile phone to the KTMConnect system, allowing you to sync an in-helmet comms system to the bike and on-bar controls. Full LED lighting surrounds the bike, including Automatic Turn Indicator Reset (ATIR) blinkers. This turns your blinkers off after you turn. Thank goodness we have another motorcycle acronym.

All the tech built in does not go to waste. Traction control off-road is smooth and non-disruptive, although it is a challenge to get this bike to spin out of control at all on good roads. Likewise, the ABS system is good, and a button turning it completely off fits the Enduro focus here perfectly. The dash is nice and certainly an upgrade over some dot-matrix options in the space. Honestly, the ATIR is awesome when it works. I always leave blinkers on. This helps me not look like a dork.

The 390 Enduro R Ride | 2025 KTM 390 Enduro R Review

Riding the new KTM 390 Enduro R is fun. It delivers a great mix of mellow dual-sport cruising vibes and rowdy hooligan shenanigans. It can get down and rip around off-road, without a doubt, and I hit the limit: the stock tires will push in the tight and twisty singletrack we rode more than once. This tells me the bike has plenty more off-road chops in reserve, ready for more aggressive tires and more challenging trails or more aggressive speeds. But, why are we trying to turn this into a race bike already? I suppose it’s because KTM has programmed my brain to expect that if they build it, it’s supposed to be a race bike and should be treated as such. It doesn’t have to be that way; you can just ride the 390 Enduro R like a normal dual-sporty dirt bike and have a great time. You don’t have to stand up around mountain road turns looking for a drift (it will do that, though). You don’t have to jump it all the time. You could just ride it like a Honda XR400 and be happy. However, this is far more than that.

I have decent experience on KTM 390s and can attest to their durability and practicality. They are more utilitarian than competition-based, Austrian-built weapons, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing when you’re buying an off-road-focused dual-sport bike. And compared to the rest of the market in this price range and displacement size, they generally bring way more tech and features to the table. I think this bike does that in excess. You simply cannot find a bike with this many features for under $8000 in the 400cc world. And the bikes it’s priced next to are much more basic in many ways. This bike is manufactured in India, but you still get KTM engineering and Austrian-led development with final specs and durability tested and proven right in Cycle News’ backyard of Southern California. All that for $5400? That sounds like value to me.CN

2025 KTM 390 Enduro R Specifications

 

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