The character of a V-twin engine is unmatched in the motorcycle world. Sure, a parallel-twin with a 270-degree crank has similar benefits, but the OG is still the OG. So wanting one makes total sense as an enthusiast. However, the number of V-twins has been decreasing steadily. That means finding a specialized tool can become hard if you don’t know where to look. This gets particularly worse if sport bike speed and touring comfort are your priorities, leaving you with just one Austrian motorcycle to take home.
Sports Bike Speed Is Tough To Find In The V-Twin Segment
Buell Motorcycles
Look at the big sports bikes, and you’ll find a common way they go about producing serious power. The engines are all high-strung, compact, and rev to the moon, with most of the power concentrated above 10,000 RPM. Things are completely opposite on the V-twin side of things. More often than not, low RPM grunt takes priority here, along with large capacities rather than modern engine tech. The compression ratios are under fairly chill, too. All that means if you want sports bike-like speed from a V-twin motorcycle, you’ll be left with a handful of machines to pick from.
And Touring Comfort Narrows Down The List Further
2026 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide STHarley-Davidson
Club touring comfort to that requirement, and you end up walking an even tighter rope. After all, all the comfort-centric V-twin tourers follow the traditional route: massive bodywork carved of steel, near-1000-pound weight figures, and understressed engines. So you will get comfort, but not sports bike speed. What do you do then? Wave the white flag and pick another engine configuration? Well, there is a solution from an Austrian brand with brilliant know-how of touring comfort and technologically advanced V-twin engines.
The KTM 1390 Super Adventure S EVO Is The Epitome Of V-Twin ADV-Tourers
KTM/Rudi Schedl
We’re talking about KTM, which has introduced the new do-it-all 1390 Super Adventure S EVO. This is one of the most advanced adventure-tourers you can get your hands on today, so you’d better believe touring comfort and tour-centric technology are both in heaps here. At the same time, it utilizes KTM’s flagship engine: the LC8C 1,350cc V-twin. This is unlike your usual V-twins, featuring a whole lot of modern tech to produce over 170 horsepower and 100 pound-feet.
If this doesn’t cut it, the next best thing is the Buell SuperTouring. It has Buell’s Rotax-derived 1190cc V-twin engine with 185 horsepower. That’s more power than the Super Adventure, but this is a more basic bike everywhere else. Oh, and orders opened not too long ago, without any official confirmation of delivery dates.
A Sub-$23,000 MSRP Makes The Super Adventure S EVO Value For Money
KTM 1390 Super Adventure S EVO doing a wheelie on a trackKTM/Rudi Schedl
Being a flagship adventure-tourer, the Super Adventure S EVO has a premium MSRP of $22,699. But that only tells half the picture. You see, the KTM undercuts all of its comparable rivals by a hefty sum. For reference, the Ducati Multistrada V4 S sells for $29,995, while the BMW R 1300 GS breaches the $28,000 mark if you want similar equipment. The $23,795 Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer is the closest rival in terms of price, but it still doesn’t match the equipment of the KTM. Speaking of which, here’s a deep dive into what the KTM gets you for the price.
An Advanced V-Twin Engine With Camshift Tech
KTM/Rudi Schedl
The LC8C engine is arguably one of the USPs here. It takes the usual V-twin approach by using displacement to its advantage, but sprinkles some tech wizardry to make its case even stronger. Chief among these bits is the new Camshift technology–same as the 1390 Super Duke R Evo. This is essentially variable valve timing with two cam profiles, meaning better low-end tractability and a harder top-end punch than conventional setups. It also helps promise a mind-boggling valve check interval of over 37,000 miles.
A KTM 1390 Super Adventure S riding in the dirt at a racetrackKTM/Rudi Schedl
This Camshift, in tandem with larger 60 mm throttle bodies and a new 10-liter airbox (over the 1290 setup), helps produce 170 horsepower (173 PS) and 107 pound-feet. The latter trumps all of its rivals by a fair bit, and all at lower RPMs, too. It’s even 20 pound-feet higher than most flagship superbikes. In the real-world, keep it pinned long enough, and the S EVO will take you beyond 150 MPH with ease.
Automatic Transmission And Radar Bring Unmatched Touring Abilities
While the VVT is impressive, the bigger headline is KTM’s AMT (automated manual transmission). A centrifugal clutch only engages as the RPMs rise, letting you roll off from (and to) a stop without using a physical lever. In the meantime, an electromechanical shift actuator works with the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) and ECU to shift gears as fast as you would with a quickshifter.
Comfort, Street, and Sport modes are present to let you tweak the shift aggression, while a Manual mode gives you full control via the foot lever (a small plus considering bikes like the Africa Twin DCT have paddles). The entire package will surely help make life easier during long days in the saddle.
KTM/Rudi Schedl
The Super Adventure S EVO is also loaded everywhere else. You get a front radar that enables active cruise control and collision detection to make freeway riding effortless, while the six-axis IMU enables all the necessary rider aids. These comprise traction control, wheelie control, five ride modes, cornering ABS, and engine maps. You can access these via the eight-inch TFT, tucked under an adjustable windscreen. TPMS, keyless ignition, and phone connectivity are standard as well.
Long-Travel Semi-Active Suspension Lets You Glide Over Anything And Everything
Action shot of the 2026 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S EVO leaning down a corner.KTM/Rudi Schedl
If you’re unaware, KTM’s ‘EVO’ tag usually brings with it semi-active suspension. And that’s the case with the Super Adventure S EVO, too. Long-travel WP 48 mm USD forks and a WP monoshock are present, both offering electronic adjustment and 8.66 inches of travel. If you don’t want to adjust things, you can choose between the four semi-active suspension modes (Comfort, Street, Sport, Rain). All of these adjust the damping rates with magnetic valves in real-time to react to surfaces and rider input. You can also adjust settings via the TFT.
KTM/Rudi Schedl
The advanced suspension attaches to 19/17-inch alloy wheels, where the front wears 320 mm discs with Brembo monobloc calipers. A Brembo master cylinder is present, too. This should be plenty for you to shed speed fast, considering the S EVO weighs 502 pounds wet without fuel. The saddle height is tall, though, with the lowest setting being 33.34 inches. KTM’s special trellis frame with an aluminum subframe wraps things up.
Source: KTM USA
