[sachinwadhwani]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Isn't that how Team BHP was born? Out of the frustration with the bile spewed out by mainstream car reviewers on TV and magazines?

That's precisely why i love this forum. Truth prevails here.

[nasirkaka]

Relatively new for us bored city boys, Yes.

Not the case of the rural folk.

True, and thats adaptive human nature. We learn to make best use of available resources around our surrounding and live accordingly. Am sure you would have come across a viral whatsapp video of rural folks riding their basic motorcycles on mountains with pillions doing their daily chores, on a route which seven seasoned off-road riders would think twice about. For us, it may seem like a big adventure, for them its their daily routine mundane life.

But i doubt if KTM is targeting rural folks to do their daily commute on a 3.8L bike. Their target users are us, the bored city boys with some disposable income. And for most of us (barring some enthusiasts who have dabbled a bit into offroading world), including the journalists living in cities and plains of India, the 390 launch track is challenging and we need to be taught how to adventure. Else the result is out there for everyone to see.

[indianexplorer]

Just watched through the reviews again and noticed that NDTV did talk positively about the adventure attributes of this bike. Clearly, the journo has tried to do some keep off road riding and has also fallen at least once from the look of the bike.

[Romins]

The guy who reviewed 390 ADV after 800km ride, got his first service done and the cost was Rs 1515.

A fellow enthusiast in another forum got his BMW 310GS first service done last week for 5300 where labour alone was 3000.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Romins

The guy who reviewed 390 ADV after 800km ride, got his first service done and the cost was Rs 1515.A fellow enthusiast in another forum got his BMW 310GS first service done last week for 5300 where labour alone was 3000.

First three services are free with KTM. After that i think its 1200 bucks for the service labour.

[navpreet318]

Originally Posted by Romins

The guy who reviewed 390 ADV after 800km ride, got his first service done and the cost was Rs 1515.

A fellow enthusiast in another forum got his BMW 310GS first service done last week for 5300 where labour alone was 3000.

The first service for my GS1200 was 25K. What do you think they put in it, some magic potion? Nope. BMW service labour is exorbitant. And add extra for the home service and this is what you get.

Also KTM has a few free service labour initially. then on it will become expensive too. But not BMW expensive.

Though I don't find any justification for BMW to charge what they do. Just overpriced useless service. Have been doing my own since the past 7 years. No problems at all.

[Jaggu]

So I guess even Adam seems to have laid the bike down there but a balanced review, except he has conveniently avoided the adjustable WP shortchange for India.

http://youtu.be/jA7A1dBjwfU

[BANDHAV]

Spotted one today in Orange color. The bike has that quintessential Adventure bike stance. Penniers and all ,it can surely brush shoulders with GS and Tigers of the World alteast in looks department.

[Red Liner]

Interesting views from Adventure Rider.

For some bellyaching on here, let's reread 'Lost Roadies' excellent summation over and over and over for proper re-alignment: "I think this bike is going to be great for the sport worldwide. It is going to bring more people into the adv way of life, and more importantly more dealers worldwide to support real long distance travel.

Outside the typical bored privileged old white guys nit picking it’s faults compared to bikes that are twice as much, based on my experience in over 30 countries where people ride much lesser bikes daily, I know it will be a huge success and honestly don’t care what else is in the pipeline.
Riding a long ways a bike with 18hp and 4” of suspension will certainly change ones perspective on what is possible or needed.

I’m first on the list at my dealer for a 390ADV, which I paid for while in Vietnam riding, and after traveling around Asia on simple 150cc bikes on single track trails ..... would think are “tough”. Also after many hundreds of thousands of miles exploring North America on various bikes, this is all I will need.
It’s going to replace a Husaberg FE 570 and a BMW R1200R.
I will not be spending any money upgrading wheels or suspension, just getting a few basic things like HDB guards/w mirrors and some crash bars. Maybe see if I can take it down to Scott’s to get a damper mount developed.
That’s it.
The rest is fluff for people who need things to make up for a lack of riding skill. I don’t need anything else to ride this bike any way I have on my other bikes, street or off tarmac, anywhere I choose as fast as I choose. It ain’t the bike... if you aren’t racing. As the ex racer dude in the video show time and time again compared to the dirt n00bs.

With the money saved on making it “perfect”, if it can take a beating and be reasonably reliable, I will buy another 390 to keep in Asia to ride half the year."

Can the real racers here please stand up?

[balenopower]

I think KTM as a manufacturer is also to blame for the kind of reviews. If the bike isn't a hardcore offroader, why keep the first ride in a place like 90 degrees North which had the hardcore offroad trails. While Adam Reiman's videos show the journalists falling all over, there aren't any videos of Reiman falling during his recce of the trails when he tried it the first time. While most Vloggers and influenzas dont really get the idea of this bike, i think we are being a little too harsh on the journalists who did a fairly good job for riding a bike like this on such harsh terrain especially when both the bike and the terrain was new to them.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Interesting views from Adventure Rider.

Who is this? Curious, is there a link where one can check? Thanks in advance.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Who is this? Curious, is there a link where one can check? Thanks in advance.

Here it is https://advrider.com/f/threads/ktm-3...#post-39350421

Some photos to keep things going.

[drt_rdr]

Originally Posted by balenopower

I think KTM as a manufacturer is also to blame for the kind of reviews. If the bike isn't a hardcore offroader, why keep the first ride in a place like 90 degrees North which had the hardcore offroad trails. While Adam Reiman's videos show the journalists falling all over, there aren't any videos of Reiman falling during his recce of the trails when he tried it the first time.

Yeah, but it's KTM and marketing itself in an edgy way is the norm. "We're better than those other bikes because look at all the dirt here". I mean the primary target audience is the impressionable youth here after all.

But those trails did not at all look like hardcore offroading that needed big suspension, big power and big whatever else.

If those guys were on a Himalayan or even a Bullet on those same trails, I bet they would have had an easier time because of the low end tractor power of the things.

On a 390 engine, you'd need to rev up to the midrange powerband and keep it there to ride effectively offroad, but it only takes a bit more skill that's easy to develop, and comes naturally if you ride often enough.

As for Riemann falling, losing traction while carrying speed in a turn is not the same as clumsily stalling the bike and falling, or hitting a tree or something during low speed sections and falling. That looks more like a limitation of the tyres than a shortcoming of other dynamics of the bike or rider skill.

[AlQuazi]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Some photos to keep things going.

Attachment 1968466

Attachment 1968467

I'm digging those looks!

There's no denying the practicality of having zero weight on your handlebar assembly! Speaking from experience here since KTM are hardly the first ones to pull it off.

I beat them to it

Ugly? A lot!
But does it work? Definitely yes!

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

In-line with your thought, i am trying to convert my interceptor to a bike which can handlea bit of off road.

Do open a new thread on this if you can, would be a very interesting one to follow.

@all - let us please stick to the KTM 390 adventure and not get digressed from it here


Any updates on deliveries in Bangalore? I am trying to get some information regarding RTO approvals through some friends. As per dealer there was some silent protest by RTO officers due to some raids and that is causing delays. On the other hand, heard that one of the dealers is planning for delivery for 15th and folks have even gone and selected their bikes The silence and the wait is a pain after one has paid up fully!