After spending time with both the KTM 390 Adventure and 390 Enduro separately in issues #553 and #554, we came away seriously impressed. Both bikes punched well above their weight, delivered far more versatility than we expected, and quickly had us saying the same thing: these would make brilliant entry-level machines, and not just for beginners, but for riders who value confidence, comfort and usability over outright aggression. They’re unintimidating without being boring, capable without being demanding, the kind of bikes that quietly make a lot of sense.
But there was one question we couldn’t answer ourselves. If you’re new to riding, returning after time away, or simply want a lighter, friendlier platform, which one actually works better? The Adventure or the Enduro? So instead of overthinking it from an experienced rider’s point of view, we handed the keys to Linda and let her decide. Here’s what she thought.
Q: We had two KTM 390s here, one Adventure and one Enduro. Same platform, same tyres, same core bike. But they rode very differently, didn’t they?
A: Yes, they did. The Enduro felt much closer to traditional dirt bikes, like what I’m used to riding on singletrack and dirt roads. The Adventure, with the screen up front, felt more suited to road use and dirt roads rather than tight off-road riding.
Q: So even though they’re mechanically very similar, the Adventure felt more road-biased to you?
A: Yes. I think that mostly comes down to the bigger tank and the front screen.
Q: Did you notice the weight difference between the two?
A: I did notice the weight difference, but I think it was more about the physical appearance. It was my first time on an adventure bike, and when I first hopped on, I realised that the front screen doesn’t move with the front wheel. That took a few minutes to get used to, and I found I couldn’t do as tight turns.
Q: So was it more a confidence thing? Did the Adventure immediately feel like a bigger bike, like you were sitting in it rather than on it?
A: No, not really. I loved the seating position on both bikes. The height, the suspension, I loved all of that. I was probably just more careful because they weren’t my bikes and I didn’t want to damage them. But I loved how zippy they were. They stopped well, started well, and they ticked every box on my personal want list for a motorbike.
Q: Comfort-wise, did being able to touch the ground play a role?
A: Most definitely. That gave me a lot of confidence.
Q: That’s a big difference compared to older KTM EXC dirt bikes, which are quite tall and have you on your toes.
A: Yes, exactly. I’m not an experienced rider, and being able to touch the ground with both feet while still sitting securely on the seat gives me confidence. And the seat itself, the size, width and shape, it was perfect. Very comfortable.
Q: What about the controls and ergonomics? Bars, levers, overall feel?
A: Everything felt comfortable and neutral. To be honest, I didn’t really play around with the controls. I just let you set them up and focused on riding the bikes.
Q: You rode them on the road, around the farm, through forest trails and singletrack. Did that give you a good cross-section of riding conditions?
A: Definitely. And I loved that. We rode tracks we hadn’t done before, which was amazing. They’re very good all-purpose bikes, not just dirt bikes. And having both bikes meant we could constantly swap between the Adventure and the Enduro on the same terrain, which was really helpful.
Q: The Enduro felt more dirt-oriented to you?
A: Yes. I actually would’ve liked to ride pillion on the Adventure behind you because it looked like it would be comfortable. I did sit on the back while stationary, but the demo bikes didn’t have pillion pegs, so we couldn’t test it properly.
Q: These bikes sit at a lower price point than the EXC range. Do you think that affects quality?
A: Not at all. I don’t think people should see the cheaper price as lower quality. In fact, I felt it ticked more boxes than some bikes that cost more.
Q: They do come with a lot of electronics, traction control, ride modes, ABS that can be turned off. How did you find that?
A: The switchgear was good, and both bikes had great displays. Personally, I preferred the smaller Enduro screen.
Q: What about the engines? Did you rev them much or just let them lug?
A: We tried both on the highway. On the Enduro at 90–100 km/h, I noticed a bit of front-end wobble. It was a very windy day, so I don’t know if the wind caught the front mudguard or what. But when I jumped on the Adventure, it sat comfortably at that speed and felt much more stable.
Q: So wind protection was a big factor?
A: Yes, and not just wind protection. I didn’t get that wobble on the Adventure. On dirt, though, I preferred to go faster on the Enduro.
Q: Why was that?
A: I think I was nervous about the bigger tank on the Adventure. I kept thinking, if I slid out, would it squash my leg? I just felt more comfortable pushing the Enduro off-road.
Q: On paper there’s only a 5 kg difference, but in reality there’s more once you add fuel. Did you feel that?
A: Yes, especially in ruts, twisting through corners, climbing hills and descending. You definitely notice the extra weight on rough dirt roads.
Q: Did the engine ever feel underpowered?
A: Not at all. It was plenty of power for me. The really zippy bikes can be scary, you touch the throttle and they take off. For an amateur like me, this was perfect.
Q: Did you enjoy revving it?
A: Yes. I tried different riding styles, holding gears longer, revving it out, changing early. The dash telling you when to change gears was cool. No matter how I rode it, it just kept pulling.
Q: You didn’t realise it had a quickshifter at first?
A: No! Once you pointed it out I thought, what’s going on here?
Q: But you liked it?
A: Yes, I did.
Q: And the brakes?
A: I didn’t push them too hard, especially on big downhills, but they felt good.
Q: Suspension? Too soft?
A: No, it was perfect. I sat down a lot, rode for three to four hours at a time, sometimes twice a day, and never got sore. The suspension was very comfortable.
Q: So overall?
A: Big thumbs up.
Q: Enduro or Adventure?
A: It depends how you ride. We don’t do long adventure trips, we drive somewhere, ride singletrack, then drive home. Based on that, I’d choose the Enduro.
Q: Would you buy it?
A: Yes, I would.
