Stop! Don’t Buy an ADV Before Seeing the New KTM 390 Adventure R
KTM India is gearing up for one of its most important launches in years. After constant requests from adventure bike enthusiasts, the company will finally introduce the 390 Adventure R in January 2026. Bookings open in a few days, with deliveries expected to begin early next month. For riders who felt the current 390 Adventure wasn’t rugged enough, this is the variant made specifically for them.
The 390 Adventure R has been engineered with a clear focus on off-road capability. It gets a massive upgrade in suspension travel, now at 230mm at the front and rear. This alone puts it in a different league compared to the regular variant. The wheel setup also becomes more purposeful with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoke-wheel combination, allowing better control over rocky, sandy and uneven terrain.
Ground clearance jumps to 272mm, making the R variant far more trail-ready. The bike also drops weight, coming in 6kg lighter at 176kg kerb, which should make slow technical sections easier to tackle. What remains unchanged is the 398.6cc liquid-cooled engine producing 45.3bhp and 39Nm, but this motor has always been strong enough for mixed touring.
While pricing hasn’t been revealed, KTM is likely to position it slightly above the standard model, mirroring international trends. For riders waiting for a true entry-level off-road machine, the 390 Adventure R finally brings that global-spec capability to India.
