When the Yamaha Tenere 700 came out a few years ago, it proved to be a genuine game-changer. After several years of adventure bikes growing bigger, heavier, and ever more complex, the Yamaha showed everyone what could be achieved with a lighter, more simplified ADV. It proved to be a stroke of pure genius as demand for the Tenere 700 quickly outpaced production.
The rest of the motorcycle industry took note, and in the subsequent years, we have seen one middleweight ADV after another getting launched. Just like riders found the limitations of the bigger full-sized adventure bikes that came before the Tenere, the limitations of what is possible on a middleweight have also been found. Instead of going to the extreme of building more dual-sport bikes, manufacturers have answered the call with a crop of smaller, more capable ADVs.
The Hottest Ticket In Town
CFMoto
What was previously referred to as the “entry-level” adventure bike class has since evolved into what is easily the busiest, most competitive space in the entire motorcycle industry. The formula is simple: 400ish engine + robust frame + off-road suspension = a competent ADV that offers dual-sport agility, big bike features, and enough wind protection to be tolerable on the highway. CFMoto came out swinging with the Ibex 450, which offers a host of great comfort features, fully adjustable suspension, and a potent parallel-twin engine that looks a lot like Yamaha’s CP2.
A rider standing up and riding the 2026 Kawasaki KLE500 through an off-road trail, front fascia viewKawasaki
Sadly, it is not proving to be quite as reliable as the Yamaha powertrain, as there are some reliability issues getting reported in other markets. If you want something more reliable, Kawasaki just released the KLE500. Its 451cc lump is also very much a known quantity. It is also a degree more competent on the road, thanks to its sporty steel trellis chassis, but with limited ground clearance, it is not quite as capable off-road. For a little more money, the bike in question offers the best of both worlds.
The KTM 390 Adventure R Is The Affordable Adventure Bike That Challenges The Tenere 700
MSRP: $7,699
Rider on a KTM 390 Adventure R speeding along an off-road trail, front third quarter cinematic rolling shotKTM – photographer: Tschann E.
The 390 Adventure R recently received a comprehensive update and came out with a very attractive price. Unfortunately, with the bike being made exclusively in India, the price almost immediately went up. While you most certainly do get what you pay for, it is now the most expensive bike in its class, which puts it at a pretty serious disadvantage. That said, the package is undeniable.
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Powered By A Proven Single-Cylinder Engine
Power: 44 Horsepower
2025 KTM 390 Adventure R skid plate close-up detailKTM – photographer: Tschann E.
The KTM 390 had something of an inauspicious start to life. The first-generation bikes were plagued with a wide variety of issues, all of which were sorted out by the time the first-generation Duke and RC went out of production in 2016. Since then, the single has proven to be perfectly reliable. The recent update saw the engine get an increase in displacement, going from 373cc to 399cc. Performance figures stayed the same because this had more to do with getting through Euro5+ emissions than anything else.
A Free-Revving Single
2025 KTM 390 Adventure RKTM – photographer: Tschann E.
Street-going singles of this size are usually pretty lumpy and slow to rev. This, however, is a KTM engine. It feels far more like a dirt-bike engine than a street bike engine. As such, it is free-revving, punchy, and way more fun than you might expect. It is still a single, though, and you will certainly feel all the not-so-good vibrations at highway speed. From the moment this powertrain made its debut, everyone wanted to see it being used for a more dirt-worthy platform. While the previous generation 390 Adventure certainly did it justice, the latest Adventure R has taken it up a notch.
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The 390 Adventure R Has More Features Than A Base Model Tenere
KTM
Yamaha just released the Tenere 700 World Raid, and in terms of features, that only matches the KTM. A bike that is almost $5k more expensive. The base model Tenere is actually comprehensively outgunned by this little bike, thanks to the fact that it comes with an IMU. This allows it to have things like off-road ABS, lean-sensitive, and traction control. Cruise control and a big TFT dash with smartphone connectivity are also standard features.
KTM
KTM’s off-road electronics are quite simply the best in the business, and even though you can switch both the traction control and ABS off, you won’t ever need to. You will almost certainly find a setting that suits your level and riding style. The fully adjustable WP Apex suspension is also best-in-class, and the 390 will shine more than you expect on a nice twisty bit of tarmac thanks to its sporty street-bike-derived steel trellis chassis. Even with all these features, the bike still only weighs 388 pounds, or 70 pounds less than the Tenere for those counting.
It Certainly Isn’t Pretty
Rider on a KTM 390 Adventure RKTM – photographer: Tschann E.
Any bike that comes out with “bold new design” in the marketing is usually just a nice way of saying “the bike we designed is ugly.” Saying the 390 Adventure R has a “bold new design” is a kindness it does not deserve. It is arguably one of the few things holding the bike back. It isn’t just a simple problem with the plastics, though; the proportions just seem a little off when compared to other bikes in this class. But the proof of the pudding is in the tasting, and by all accounts, it is a great off-road flavored pudding.
The design is not the only thing holding what is an objectively great little bike back. Bajaj needed to build these new 390s on a budget, and looking at any of the new bikes next to one of the previous generation bikes is telling. The frame has been tweaked, not to make it better, but to save money. These bikes are affordable for what they offer in terms of performance – the other bikes in their class don’t even come close – but they also look cheap. The build quality is not up to the high standards set by other manufacturers in this space, and it is hard to tell if they will be able to take the punishment adventure riders will dish out over a sustained period of time.
