KTM 390 Adventure X Standard

Autocar India

•5w

The KTM 390 Enduro R is one of the most fun machines you can buy in its category today, but it comes with some compromises. You need to be okay with its tall 890mm seat height, 177kg kerb weight and tubed tyres. Coming to your questions, firstly, the 390 Enduro R is actually quite nice on the road. Day-to-day riding will become quite enjoyable, not to mention rather fast because of its tough, long-travel suspension and commanding ergonomics. You'll only need to be mindful of punctures and the lower tank range. If this is to be your only bike, then the Enduro might not be the most practical or user-friendly option. Taking it off-road might prove to be too much for a beginner, especially so if you find its seat height intimidating. An adventure bike like the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 or KTM 390 Adventure X will undoubtedly be more practical, capable and user-friendly on the road but will feel a little larger off it. Ultimately, it all boils down to two things. First, can you live with the seat height (both on and off the road) and second, are you willing to live with the compromises the Enduro comes with over its Adventure sibling?If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then you should go ahead with your purchase. Only an exhaustive test ride will help you figure out whether the Enduro will be the right fit for you.

Autocar India

•16w

The two options we would recommend you consider are the KTM 390 Adventure X and the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. Both have an extensive service network across the country and have aftermarket accessories galore available from both OEM and third-party providers. Plus, with their powerful, liquid-cooled engines, they will deliver more performance than your Honda CB350 H’ness, which will be helpful on your long tours.Do bear in mind that the Himalayan weighs more than the 390 Adventure X, and its size may be a dealbreaker if you are a shorter or less confident rider. We'd urge you to take a test ride of both and see which one fits your needs better.

Autocar India

•12w

The KTM 390 Adventure X will make for a good upgrade over your current Royal Enfield Scram 411. What you've mentioned about the KTM's electronic niggles can occur. However, these issues are sometimes sporadic and can also boil down to how you clean/maintain your bike. By and large, you should be okay with the KTM in the long run. You should also seriously consider the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 because it has a proven track record, by and large. Also, it has far fewer electronic aids than the KTM, which will also mean fewer things to go wrong. The Kawasaki Versys-X 300 is a stone-simple machine with only dual-channel ABS in the name of electronics, and it will be by far the most reliable machine in the long run. However, this bike thoroughly feels its age when ridden against the competition, and it only comes with wire-spoke wheels and tubed tyres, which will make fixing a puncture quite difficult. The TVS Apache RTX 300 is a phenomenal package, but it is still too new a platform, and you'll have to wait and watch what owners say about its reliability.

Autocar India

•18w

Considering you ride a lot with a pillion and in rural areas, where roads can suddenly disappear without warning, an adventure bike will suit your needs better than a cruiser. Under the Rs 3 lakh mark, you have the very capable TVS Apache RTX 300, and if you are willing to stretch your budget to Rs 4 lakh, then the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and KTM 390 Adventure X are our recommendations.If, however, you are determined to stick to a roadster/cruiser, then your best bets would be the Royal Enfield Classic / Bullet 350 and the Honda CB350 trio. These bikes will be available under Rs 3 lakh (on-road).Take a test ride of these bikes with a pillion onboard to understand which one serves you best.

Autocar India

•23w

Small fixes like thicker grips or heavier bar end weights will provide some relief for the vibration issue on your KTM 390 Adventure X. You can also look at handlebar dampeners, although that will be a little on the expensive side. Another option you can look at is changing your sprockets to change your gearing so that the zone you find yourself in the most is as buzz-free as possible. Do bear in mind that putting an aftermarket sprocket could void your warranty, and we'd best advise you not to do so on a brand-new machine.

Autocar India

•27w

The top adventure bike picks in this segment are the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, KTM 390 Adventure, and KTM 390 Adventure X. All offer strong performance, great comfort, and a great feature set.Another option is the Kawasaki Versys-X 300, which, though dated, remains a decent choice, especially after the recent GST revision has reduced its price.

Autocar India

•28w

Since you haven't specified your budget, recommending will be a little difficult, so we'll give you a variety of options. You should strongly consider the Classic 350/Bullet 350 from Royal Enfield, as well as any of the Honda CB350 models in the cruiser space. These bikes have lovely seating and suspension comfort and are good to ride inside the city as well as on the highway - so long as you don't go over 100kph too often.In the adventure bike space, we would recommend the KTM 390 Adventure X or the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.Both of these have genuine highway capability, loaded up with a pillion, and can also handle daily commuting with ease. The adventure bikes will be more expensive to buy and run compared to the simpler, retro-styled cruisers, considering they are larger, more tech-laden offerings.

Autocar India

•29w

While cruisers are generally believed to offer great comfort due to their sofa-like seating position, in reality, especially on Indian roads, the opposite is often true. With your hands and legs stretched far forward, your back bears most of the impact from the road surface.If rider comfort is your top priority, an adventure bike would be a better choice because of its neutral and spacious rider triangle and long-travel suspension.In this category, you can consider two options: the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and either of the KTM 390 Adventure models. If you plan to ride mostly on roads, stick to the lower X variant of the KTM. We recommend a thorough test ride before deciding, as both bikes are tall and heavy, the Royal Enfield more so than the KTM.