UPDATE: Since compiling this overview, I have taken out the KTM
for a test ride. Please check out my
KTM 390 Adventure Motorcycle Review.
I have been reading up on the
KTM 390 Adventure SW which has wire wheels
and weighs in wet at
around 172Kg. I doubt very much that I would be taking it out on extreme tracks
and jumping it in the air, but for those rough B roads of the Lothians and
Borders of Scotland and for some green lanes up on the hills, it could prove an
excellent choice. Most of the reviews are very positive, especially the latest
reviews with the 2023 SW model, which has wire spoke wheels with inner tube
tyres.
Old Man - Requires a Lower Seat Height
I sat on the
standard
KTM 390 Adventure
the other day in a showroom. It was the version with tubeless tyres on
standard rims. I found the seat quite broad and coupled
with a seat height of 855mm, the toes of my feet (32"
inside leg)
just reached the floor. I must admit I did not feel it inspired
confidence, especially as I am used to flat footing my sports bikes.
There is a
KTM Lowering Kit for the
suspension which a KTM Dealership could fit for around £400.
This chap in the
video simply
fitted a new rear shock from the KTM kit and raised up the front
suspension forks in the yolk. However, he did not fit the spacers for the front suspension
forks that came with the kit. I am not sure that failing to fit spacers
is wise? Lowering the front suspension forks is apparently done
internally using spacers. In other words you are making the forks
internally shorter. However, there is another way to look at his
conversion. If you do not fit the spacers and simply raise the forks in
the yolk, the suspension fork internals remain stock but the front of
the bike is lowered.
Traction Control - Winter and Wet Weather Use
A lowered KTM 390 Adventure SW is a motorbike that I could use in the winter
months and on wet days. All it requires is
Oxford Heated Grips,
some
preparation with
ACF-50
protection spray
and some KTM accessories which I have listed further down the page.
Scotland is notorious for wet weather and the month of July (2023) has
experienced rain most days. The KTM 390 Adventure SW offers additional
safety on wet roads as it has MTC traction control with a lean-angle
sensitive system to assist in stopping rear wheel spins.
KTM 390 Adventure SW - Inner Tube Dilemma
For many bikers out on a countryside ramble on their KTM 390 Adventure
SW, the thought of an inner tube puncture inside a tyre and the
additional thought of
removing a wheel, tyre and inner tube to repair the puncture, especially
one on a
back wheel,
is problematic.
Also consider the tools they would have to carry to remove a wheel,
especially a torque wrench to refit it. However, with great care, it is possible to fix a puncture without
removing a wheel, especially if you can see a nail sticking in the tyre.
A tyre sidewall which is slashed open, effectively makes a repair
impossible as the tyre itself is unsafe to ride on.
Repairing an Inner Tube Puncture
Repairing an inner tube puncture without completely removing a
fully deflated inner tube from it's tyre or removing a wheel on a
lightweight KTM 390 Adventure SW should not prove that difficult.
More on the subject of
Repairing an Inner Tube at the
foot of this article.
KTM 390 Adventure SW (with wire spoke wheels)
KTM 390 Adventure (without wire spoke wheels and inner tubes)
Many bikers will prefer the option of the standard
KTM 390 Adventure without the wire
spoke wheels, and which has tubeless tyres, as shown in the image below.
I am more drawn to this variant of the bike as it would be easier to
plug a puncture if a large can of
Holts Tyre Weld
failed -
Pannier & Shoulder Bag
I sourced a left fitting
Motech Pannier Rail for the bike and a
matching
Legend LC2 Bag which locks onto the
pannier. There is also an optional
Legend Shoulder Strap to click onto
the bag when you are using it off the pannier. Check out the
Pannier Fixing Instructions. Some images of the left side kit but you can also purchase a right side
kit -
A comparison video on the KTM 350 SW Adventure -
The KTM 390 Adventure SW Parts page has a substantial number of options and my choices are the engine guard bars, an engine skid plate, a Scott Oiler kit and a paddock stand -
More Video Reviews -
Inner Tube Punctures -
Repair Kits
With regards to inner tube tyres, a couple of
Motul Tyre Sealant
puncture repair kits
(for larger wheels) can temporarily seal an inner tube providing the puncture is not
too severe - see how in the
Technical Support Sheet. This is a
temporary repair to get you to a garage or home for a permanent repair.
For a permanent repair of the inner tube, you will require a
Tyre Lever Set from KTM, an
Inner Tube Repair Kit from Halfords and a
Bike It CO2 Cartridge Kit with a few
Bike It Extra CO2 Cartridges, to re-inflate the tube
(perhaps a few times during the repair process). To
make life easier, a
Bike IT 90 Degree Valve Extender is a handy
accessory. If I purchased the KTM 390 Adventure SW, I would carry all of the
above, including the two Motul Tyre Sealants in a pannier bag.
Inner Tube Puncture Repair - Without Removing a Wheel and Without
Removing the Entire Tube
If you know exactly where the puncture is (say a nail sticking in
the tyre) turn the wheel (tyre puncture area) to where there is easier access. You can break one
side of the tyre beading with your hands or a tyre lever and remove the side of
the tyre from the wheel rim (without removing the wheel) then remove the nail
from the tyre, and gently pull out the fully deflated tube (only the section
where it is punctured) and apply the repair patch before carefully pushing the
the tube section back in and carefully push the tyre back on and finishing the
closure using the tyre levers.
Great care has to be taken in opening (or closing) one side of the tyre
and removing/replacing an inner tube as using the tyre levers the wrong way can
actually create another puncture by pinching the tube against the tyre rim or
the wheel rim. When refitting a section or an entire tube, you must ensure it is not twisted. Very often, after the tube is in place, a
partial inflation will assist in properly seating the tube before closing the
tyre.