2025–2026 · Adventure · Buyer's Guide
Orange Attack With Dirt Teeth
This is the version of KTM's big adventure platform built to leave pavement behind. The 1350 cc 75-degree V-twin uses Camshift variable valve timing, so the 173 hp peak sits at the top of a spread that already pulls hard low down, with 107 lb-ft filling the middle. Spoked 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels, 9.4 in of WP XPLOR travel at both ends and 9.5 in of ground clearance define the geometry, and Brembo brakes and a revised frame carry it. Ride modes, cornering ABS and traction control run through an 8-inch TFT touchscreen.
Ridden hard, the R is what the spec sheet says: a tall, genuinely off-road-capable machine with touring equipment fitted, not a road tourer wearing adventure styling. Cruise control, heated grips, keyless start, navigation and a downshifter are all standard, so the transit stages are covered. But 547 lb wet and that ride height set the terms. It suits an experienced rider who will actually use the travel and does not mind spending evenings with tools, since the WP units are set by hand. If your priority is soft, effortless comfort over big miles, this is the wrong spec of the family.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 173 hp (127 kW) @ 9,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 107 lb-ft (145 Nm) @ 8,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1350 cc |
| Engine | 75° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 90/90-21 |
| Rear tire | 150/70-18 |
| Ground clearance | 9.5 in (242 mm) |
| Front travel | 9.4 in (239 mm) |
| Rear travel | 9.4 in (239 mm) |
| Wet weight | 547 lb (248 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.1 gal (23.1 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
Swing a leg over and the R states its intentions before you move. The seat sits high and flat, the bars are wide and tall enough that standing up feels like the natural position rather than a compromise. The V-twin idles with a hard, uneven beat that comes up through the pegs, and it stays present in your palms at cruising revs without ever turning numb or buzzy. Set the screen where you want it and highway pace is calm enough. What sticks with you after a long day is the heat coming off that engine every time you stop moving. On press bikes I also found starter buttons that stayed pressed in rather than springing back out. Sit on one before you sign, because the height and the reach to the ground are real considerations.
None of this comes from my own miles. It is years of rider talk: paddock conversations, riders stopping me at events, and what owners write once the novelty has worn off. What comes back on the 1390 R is lopsided: broad agreement on how it behaves, real unease about its long-term health.
The suspension dominates the conversation. Owners describe it staying composed over broken ground and holding its line when they raise the pace off-road. The V-twin draws equal enthusiasm for its spread of power and torque and the hard step in delivery higher up, which they read as its aggressive side. A handful mention how far the touchscreen customization goes.
The reservations run in a different direction entirely. Worn camshafts, engines that have failed and warranty claims owners felt went unanswered come up again and again, and that talk shapes how riders judge the brand. Everything else is scattered. Weight counts against you once the terrain turns to deep sand or mud, heat becomes noticeable at low speed or in hot weather, and a few riders want the front ABS switched off completely for off-road braking, which the system does not permit.
Excessive engine heat affecting rider comfort
Even with upgraded fans, the V-twin engine radiates considerable heat toward the rider's legs and body, particularly in stop-and-go traffic or hot climates.
Sticky starter buttons
During press rides, some units exhibited mechanically sticky starter buttons that did not always return to the out position after being pressed.
Where this KTM 1390 Super Adventure R pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the 1390 Super Adventure R is actually built for.
This is the big bike built for your terrain: 21-inch front, 9.4 in of travel, 9.5 in of clearance. Just know that 547 lb in technical sections asks for skill you have to already own.
Made for Bar M / Kane Creek · Imperial Sand Dunes · Johnson Valley OHV Area
It will happily string together Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge, and cruise control plus heated grips make the day easier. But this build leans dirt, and on 400-mile days you feel that.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Range from 6.1 gal is there and the touring kit is standard, so the miles work. Loaded two-up over long days is not what this off-road-focused spec was set up to do best.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2021
Raw Power, Proven Off-Road
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this KTM 1390 Super Adventure R. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2024
The Heavyweight That Rides Light
About the same used price as this bike at 1 yr
Competitor · 2023–2025
The Superbike That Tours
Roughly $10,800 pricier used than this bike at 1 yr
Same Platform · 2026
173 Horses, Fully Adjustable
Similar Character · 2024
The Long-Haul Competence Machine
Roughly $1,900 pricier used than this bike at 1 yr