Leisure motorcycling is huge across the world today, and nothing broadens your two-wheeled horizons more than an adventure bike. They're comfortable enough for interstate rides, they are confident enough in themselves to deal with broken tarmac and dirt, and they're usually over-engineered, which means they are very reliable. That last selling point also allows manufacturers to have a large profit margin on each of the adventure bikes they sell.It's little wonder then that the adventure bike space has a lot of options today, right from a small 300 cc single-cylinder machine all the way up to a 1.3-liter behemoth. You can't get everything right all the time, though, and a lot of modern ADV motorcycles trade in on-road ability for off-road capability. This is a niche that is waiting to be filled. A Big ADV Isn't Always The Answer BMW MotorradFull-size adventure bikes usually try to compete with traditional tourers, which means their brief states that they need to carry a rider, pillion, and their luggage for an interstate ride in comfort. This means massive size, heft, and stability on the highway in the wake of crosswinds and semi-trucks going the opposite way. All that size and weight is detrimental to agility.KTM via Rudi SchedlSo if you want something that is fun around a corner or even in the dirt, you're going to have to go smaller and lighter. Now, smaller and lighter is something KTM knows quite a lot about. Its ‘Ready to Race’ philosophy means that it derives its products from its long and storied racing experience. Still, the adventure bike that feels stable, comfortable, and surprisingly agile comes from a very unexpected direction, even though it is a KTM. The KTM 390 Adventure R Feels Stable, Comfortable, And Surprisingly Agile KTMIt is difficult to find someone better at the off-road stuff than KTM. It has cut its teeth on dirt bikes, motocross, and rally-raid racing, and has then moved to the street side of things. Its tagline is "Ready to Race," and it really does believe in it. All its products are light and powerful for their class. The 390 cc platform is one that has shown a lot of other manufacturers how component sharing can be maximized. Here, the 390 Adventure R chassis has the same origins as the 390 Duke, and then tuned for off-road usage. As a result, this is excellent off-road and surprisingly agile, yet stable and comfortable everywhere. A Competitive Base Price Underscores Good Value KTM - photographer: Tschann E.The 390 Adventure R sits at the top of the KTM 390cc adventure bike range. This variant is the all-singing, all-dancing adventure motorcycle that can keep up with a lot of dual-sport and enduro motorcycles with the right rider. The price might seem a little high at $7,699, but that's because of a price hike late last year, thanks to Trump's tariffs. Still, the 390 Adventure R is a very good value once you go through the hardware, electronics, and features in detail. Powered By One Of The Great Thumpers Out There KTM - photographer: Tschann E.Most adventure bike engines are retuned compared to their naked bike counterparts because adventure bikes require more torque rather than a high power figure. However, KTM has not touched the engine from the 390 Duke but has managed to make it work in the 390 Adventure as is. And despite what you might think, this single cylinder ADV can do it all.This is a single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with a DOHC head and four valves per cylinder. It displaces 399 cc and has a compression ratio of 12.6:1 and generates 44 horsepower at 8,500 RPM and 28.7 pound-feet of torque at 7,000 RPM. As you can see from the figures, this is a revvy engine, but it has just enough torque spread over the rev range to be useful for its application. This is mated with a six-speed manual transmission with an assist and slipper clutch and an optional two-way quickshifter. Brakes And Suspension Are Optimized For Adventure Riding KTM - photographer: Tschann E.With the engine being derived from the 390 Duke, it wouldn't have been a surprise to learn that the chassis of the 390 Adventure has a common starting point with the 390 Duke. This is also a steel trellis frame that uses the engine as a stressed member, but it is optimized for off-road usage and has a bolt-on steel subframe instead of the aluminum unit on the naked. This chassis works with 43 mm WP Apex inverted open-cartridge forks and a WP Apex offset monoshock with a split piston. Compression and rebound can be adjusted at the front, and preload and rebound at the rear. There is 9.1 inches of travel available at both ends.KTMIt needs to be noted that this isn't the WP Xplor suspension usually fitted to KTM's off-road motorcycles. Despite this, it is so good off tarmac that it could even challenge off-road giants like the Tenere 700. The brakes consist of a 320 mm front disc with an axial two-piston floating caliper. At the rear, there is a 240 mm disc with a single-piston floating caliper. The wheels are spoke rims with a 21- and 18-inch combination. They are not tubeless since this is the off-road-biased ‘R’ variant, and they are fitted with aggressive off-road-capable tires. Low Weight Means More Fun KTM doesn't usually release the length and width of its products, but we can get some idea of the size of the 390 Adventure from its 58.3-inch wheelbase. This is a bike that is big enough to carry a single rider and luggage comfortably anywhere, although a pillion might get a little uncomfortable over a long ride. There is one thing for sure: even the commute will turn into quite the trip with the 390 Adventure R. The seat is surprisingly not that high at 34.3 inches, given its immense 10.7 inches of ground clearance. Oh, and it weighs a light 364 pounds wet, which should make it great in the dirt. A Full Feature Set Gives It Great Value – And Makes It Easy To Ride Hard KTM - photographer: Tschann E.The 390 Adventure R is quite a unique motorcycle when it comes to its segment. It takes a lot of inspiration from off-road motorcycles; for example, the material that KTM has used for the body is almost identical to that which we usually see on dirt bikes. It doesn't feel as premium as a standard motorcycle, but it is extremely flexible and will not break easily, choosing to bend instead. The low-cost nature of a fall will make you fall back in love with true adventure riding. Another surprising thing is that the graphics and splashes of color you see on the body panels aren't paint or stickers; they are actually colored plastic in the mold itself. The engine guard and hand guards are standard on the R.KTM - photographer: Tschann E. There is a five-inch TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity and navigation capabilities. There is also a standard USB-C charging port. As far as electronics are concerned, there is a complete set available here, beginning with the by-wire throttle and six-axis IMU. That means you get ride modes and cornering functions for the traction control and ABS. Both these features are switchable, but the ABS can only be switched off at the rear. What is optional is the two-way quickshifter. In KTM fashion, it is just a software unlock that you need to pay for at the dealership, and it costs $275. Cruise control is another such upgrade and costs $90. Add these two features and the price of the 390 Adventure R goes beyond $8,000. There Is Some Very Stiff Competition For The 390 Adventure R CFMotoWe need to start off with the OG in this segment: the Honda NX500. Although it isn't a true off-road bike, as long as you stick to tarmac, it has everything that you want from an adventure motorcycle, including stability, comfort, and agility. It is also the elder statesman here with the most longevity. The value picks will be the CFMoto Ibex 450 and the Moto Morini Vettore 450. Both these motorcycles have ties to China, but the quality of them is very impressive. The Ibex, in particular, has been around for a long time, so it has a proven track record. It is our pick for the best budget adventure motorcycle so far this year.KawasakiKawasaki took a leaf out of KTM's book and developed the KLE500 with the help of the Ninja 500 engine. It looks very promising with the right wheel size and dimensions, and we don't doubt its versatility and long-distance comfort. However, it can get very pricey if you want all the modern features. The base price is $6,599, but the SE with the TFT display, LED indicators, and aluminum engine guard costs $7,499.Royal EnfieldFinally, there is the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, which is the value proposition if you don't want all that the KTM offers. It doesn't have a six-axis IMU, but Royal Enfield has really outdone itself, offering a thoroughly modern adventure bike on a budget. It has an engine that is low on power, but it has a by-wire throttle and Showa suspension. It weighs significantly more than the KTM, but that doesn't make it any less fun off-road - it is the most capable Royal Enfield off-road. You get all of this and a TFT screen with navigation via Google Maps for $6,599.Source: KTM USA