[diaslemuel]

Hey Rohing

Congrats on the new Machine. May you have many safe kms

Answering some of your queries and i can relate to some as I have the Yezdi Adventure

Seat -Mine aint that bad but I will get my seat foam and leather changed to a better one from a seat maker, In Mumbai we have Imran at Andheri

No main stand - I miss this even more on the yezdi as it has Tube tyres. On my Ninja i never felt the need as it was tubeless and I carried a side jack just in case

Headlight is not very effective - I would suggest to get the Mad dog lights and their wiring kit and avoid splicing into any cable even for the relay. Take your time and get an adapter made between the Ignition connector or use a fuse tap. Dont splice any wire

The GPS -- even the one on Yezdi aint that friendly. Its a bit useful. I myself am looking at something like a portable android auto or crankshaft android auto which is a DIY

Fuel indicator - This maybe to prevent the fuel pump going dry. In Injection fuelling there is a pump which sends pressurised fuel to the injectors. It is good practice to avoid going below 3/4

Hearing some chain noise at low speed - just need adjustment and lubing

Bluetooth in your helmet get a Sena Intercome - advise 10s and above as its a one time investment

Any ideas on storage - I would suggest to look at Aluminum panniers and top box. Avoid Plastic ones they wont last that long.

[Malliketh]

Congratulations on the purchase and wish you loads of safe miles.

I got mine in early June too (same color) and clocked 1,400kms so far, so can dearly relate to your experience so far

Originally Posted by rohing

1. Quickshifter+/ error - Keeps popping up. I am not using the Quickshifter but still keep popping up. Need to go sort it out. But has no impact to the bike or the performance. Is this a common issue?


2. The blue tank area is a dust magnet!! What were they thinking?

Not sure how common this is. I haven't encountered it so far, seems like a sensor issue. Best to get it checked at the service centre. For the Blue color, the amount of questions and compliments I get for it is not funny. I think it really stands out. You can keep a small microfibre cloth handy. One swipe and you should be good.

Originally Posted by rohing

Other queries:

1. Phone connects via BT and shows who is calling but how do I talk - would any suggest BT helmets or any other idea?

As Neil highlighted, you would need a BT intercom setup on your helmet. I have been using FreedConn products (ordered through Alibaba). They have great battery life, waterproof and haven't let me down in my over 5 years of use. I just got their updated models 2 months back (including a camera) for around Rs. 7.5k landed including duty, which still remains much cheaper than any comparative product currently sold in India. Only Intercom (connects upto 6 people) with no camera came for Rs. 3k landed. Links below. However delivery takes around 2-3 weeks.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...60282fc2osJIC1

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...1f5c4521IyTmmm

However there is a caveat that I am yet to solve on my ADV 390. If my bike is connected to my phone AND intercom, I am not able to see who is calling me on the bike screen.

Originally Posted by rohing

3. Any ideas on storage - best pannier / rear box ideas? Would love rear box with cushion for the person in the back seat to lean on...

I am using an ASG 40 top-box with a back cushion. It sells for Rs. 7k which I find to be a decent price point. You would need to pay for a top-rack separately to mount it on. I have used it with a pillion on a 500km ride and a shorter 200km ride. She absolutely loved the comfort it provided. Also decent storage for weekend trip (for one). Pictures below for your reference.

Enjoy the beauty of the quick shifter post your first service.

Cheers,
Malliketh

[amods]

Congrats on the new ride. It is the best adventure tourer in my opinion which doesn't hurt the wallet.

Originally Posted by rohing

3. Seat - Butt pain after 200kms of riding. Have to do something to the seat to make it more comfortable - any suggestions folks? Please.... The Himalayan seat/seating position was better.

You may get gel seats/ride on air/ get a customized seat at Rao seat covers near Shivajinagar.

How is the low speed ride quality? Do share the on-road cost and break-up.

[Dhruv Shetty]

Originally Posted by rohing

The list below are my peeves but largely fixable::

1. Quickshifter+/ error - Keeps popping up. I am not using the Quickshifter but still keep popping up. Need to go sort it out. But has no impact to the bike or the performance. Is this a common issue?

4. No main stand - Really loved the main stand in the Himalayan. Having only the side stand is an issue - can a main stand be fixed?

Hey Rohing,

Congratulations on the ADV 390, it is a sweet bike you got, wishing you many happy miles ahead.

1.Coming to the quickshifter + issue, it could be your foot might be resting on the gear lever with light pressure, it happened with me on my friends ADV390.

4. A main stand can be fitted to the ADV as i have seen a few of them with a main stand.

Cheers,
Dhruv Shetty.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by rohing

Have to do something to the seat to make it more comfortable - any suggestions folks?

Easier addressed by taking a break instead of pushing yourself. >200km in one go, on what is essentially a compact motorcycle is a bit. A 10min break every 100 to 150km isn't going to do any harm. Its not just the seat alone, the body needs a stretch too. You're dealing with dust, wind, heat/cold when riding a motorcycle. You don't want fatigue setting in early, which will come in the way of staying focused and more important, enjoying the ride.

I have not ridden the 390 Adventure. As a past owner of the first generation Duke, the engine sure is capable for long journeys. I think they've done a better job with gear ratios for the Adventure to make it a bit more easy going. On time maintenance will be key for this high compression engine so stick to schedule and you should be good for the long haul with this motorcycle.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by rohing

Finally, taking this thread to a conclusion and turning into a ownership review.

Yep! I got the new 2022 KTM 390 Adv (one of the first in Bangalore) and it is awesome!

Firstly, I never ended up test riding the Honda and GS310. Why - got a very lukewarm response from Honda and owning a BMW and riding offbeat destinations never settled down in my mind.

Fantastic bike and wish you many happy miles of ownership. The GS 310 is a brilliant bike as well and you honestly cant go wrong with either of these. I’ve ridden one in hard terrain in the mountains (where we had a KTM 390 with us too) and it is EXTREMELY capable. As is the 390A of course. You can’t really go wrong with either of them.

Loved your informative posts objectively covering the pros and cons of the bike. Very useful and relatable too.

Depending on how adventurous your journeys are likely to get, I would suggest please do consider basic protective solutions for the bike. I’m thinking at a basic level, bark busters hand guards and an engine guard, radiator guard, etc (if you’ve not gotten them already).

5. Headlight is not very effective - not great for long rides. I need to get aux lights installed - any suggestions on the best brand and a nice place to do it in Bangalore?
.
.
I need to get a phone/GPS holder installed and use GMaps - any suggestions on the brand please let me know?

Do check three sources to my mind. Orion (hope Ive got the name right), Bigbadbikes online although their warehouse is in Bangalore so you can visit. Sean and his team are very helpful when it comes to guiding customers. LABS Mumbai (again online). Talk to Vivek who is extremely helpful in providing useful guidance to customers.

There are many solutions for lights and GPS holder depending on budget but for most such decisions my primary advise would be “Buy nice or else you buy twice”. See what meets your requirements best before making the choice. RAM mounts are excellent as are SP Connect. Mad Dog are brilliant well priced lights too and worth considering. As are Denali and Baja.

1. Phone connects via BT and shows who is calling but how do I talk - would any suggest BT helmets or any other idea?

Sena and Cardo are the two flagship brands with a range of products. I use both and while I find Sena more user friendly, the clincher is that Cardo is properly rain proof while Sena is a hit and miss in the rain. But then again, Sena is officially retailed in India (ergo, warranty) while Cardo though now easily available is not via official distribution channels. Take your pick based on priority and risk appetite (rain sensitivity vs warranty)

3. Any ideas on storage - best pannier / rear box ideas? Would love rear box with cushion for the person in the back seat to lean on.

Storage is a massive research subject as well. At a high level, I’d break it down into three parts.

1. Rear top box:
This is the most practical (IMO, subjective) companion for ready storage solutions and I use one full time, round the year on my Tiger. I really like this for daily riding convenience as well as the occasional sunday ride. For longer rides, your storage comes down to bags on the rear seat vs side panniers, with each having their own advantage.

2. Bags on back seat:
If you’re into solo touring, bags mounted on the back seat are a good option. My favourite option here is the Kriega US series for their modular lockable convenience. Do check them out. You can use one bag or more than one for a combination of storage solutions. The US 40 is their latest product which can do away with the need of buying multiple sized Kriegas. Shumi on his insta page has reviewed it a few times. Worth giving it a look.

3. Side panniers:
The big decision is soft vs hard panniers and both have their pros and cons. My personal preference would be soft panniers although I have only used hard panniers myself because these came with my bike.

My go to video for the pros and cons of soft vs hard panniers is the one below. This should give you the information to make the decision towards what suits you best.

https://youtu.be/TZTRVLwO51Q

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by rohing

Aside from this the experiences of TBHPian @RedLiner (2 months across the Eastern Indo-Tibet Himalayas | A KTM 390 "Adventure" | 2021 Report) and his travelogue to the NE played a big part in booking the bike. If he could take the bike to the places he took with no trouble then it should be OK. I never spoke to him, or commented on his log but his experiences made up my mind. Thank you!! Also thanks to @NeilJerico, @AutoIndian and others who were part of this short but effective thread on my bike buying.

you[/b]

Glad to have helped without actually helping lol!

PM me for information on the KTM riding fraternity.

You have too many questions, i pass the buck back to Neil lol.

Edit oh wow, saw all the responses. Just amazing, the quality of folks out here on the forum. Superb! The motorcyclist section is in good hands!

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by rohing

Finally, taking this thread to a conclusion and turning into a ownership review.

Yep! I got the new 2022 KTM 390 Adv (one of the first in Bangalore) and it is awesome!

Congratulations, great bike!

It took you 8 weeks, you say? Which dealer was it? The Mekhri Circle guys have promised me a waiting time of 45 days, minimum, for the 390 Duke.

[VW2010]

Use the KTM TFT for anything but navigation and music. Navigation also you can get it done via a secondary app and use gmaps on your phone and project.

KTM though sells it as Navigation inclusive TFT, it is a borderline lie as none of their apps work.

Headset and Phone will not work in tandem and hence you are better off getting a simple Bluetooth buttons and a use it for listening to songs or picking phone calls.

I have tried all combinations and realised that software is a good piece of waste.

You have two options in reality. Use only Navigation and use a proper Sena like headset for calls and music or forget TFT and use good headset for music with an external Bluetooth button and phone for navigation.

KTM has the TURN-BY-TURN Plus (TBT+) that can easilly be unlocked to the 390 but i don't think they want to give it to the lower end model.


I use Trun by Turn app from a developer which actually works. 85% reliable as sometimes maps go for a toss.

[Karthik Mathur]

Hi Rohing,

Congratulations on the purchase! The Adv 390 is one of the best bikes out there in this segment and I've enjoyed owning it for 2 years

My 2 cents on the some of the issues you have been facing:

1. Seats:
One trick that has helped me to feel comfortable and ride for hours is to sit as behind as possible on the seat, such that your tailbone is touching the raised portion of the pillion seat, almost like a backrest. This ensures you're right on top of the rear suspension. While coming to a halt, you can slide towards the middle of the seat which is the slimmest portion and aids in keeping both your feet on the ground

2. TFT screen - navigation
There is a free app, Turn-by-Turn-Navigation on the Google Playstore. The way it works is to forward the navigation instructions of Google Maps on the notification bar to the navigation interface of the screen. So you start navigation on Google Maps and you can see the turn notification on the screen, similar to how it is shown on the Meteor or Himalayan. One thing to note - this app requires access to all notifications so I give it this access only when I need to use. Once I'm done, I revoke this permission

3. Calls
I use a device from Route95 which has both call and intercom functions. I've used BTS2 device in the past with similar functions. These are quite cheap, waterproof and do the job. I'd recommend you go for a cheaper one at first instead of a Sena or Scala and then see if you are indeed making full use of its features.

The issue with pairing the phone to the TFT screen and an intercom device at the same time is that the call and audio is forwarded to only one device at a time. There are 2 ways to get around this
A. Switch on the bike and let the phone get connected to it. Then switch on the intercom device which would also get connected to the phone. Since Bluetooth audio forwarding works on a LIFO model, the phone will switch from the TFT screen to the intercom

B. Samsung phones allow you to manually select which device should have the media output. So irrespective of the order of connecting to the phone, you always have the control to change it. I guess this should be an Android feature but I'm not certain. Similarly, no clue about iOS.

BUT

When you accept a call on the TFT screen using the bike handlebar controls, the phone will switch over to TFT as the media output device and you won't be able to hear anything on the intercom device.

So you can see who's calling on the TFT but you need to accept the call on the intercom device (there's usually a button to do so). But that requires you to lift your hand from the handlebar and grope blindly to select the accept call button. So not very convenient but there is a way around it as well.

Most intercoms come with an auto answer functionality and it accepts the call after 6-8 seconds. So I just let it ring for a while, I can see who's calling on the TFT and the intercom picks it up automatically. This doesn't change the media output for the phone as well. Thus, you can answer the call and speak using the device.

But yes, if you wish to cancel the call and not pick it up, you probably have to use the reject call button on the intercom device.

4. Gel seats
I have used Feego for my previous bike and it is really good. You certainly lose out of the feel of the bike but the comfort is definitely improved, esp for the Street 750. It's a cheaper alternative to Ride on Air. I haven't felt the need to use it for the Adv 390 as I am happy with the seats.

5. Main stand
There is a guy in Bombay who makes the centre stand and quite a few people are happy with it. I haven't gone for it yet.

6. Accessories
As suggested by others, do get a radiator guard, saddle stays, wider footrests that aren't sliding forward, crash guards replacing or adding to the stock guards. There's also a side stand sensor bypass that will save your hide I'd the side stand gets damaged esp while transporting or on off road trails. The bike won't go into 1st gear if it detects that the side stand is engaged so this helps bypass it.
These can be acquired over time based on your needs and experiences with the stock bike.

Feel free to reach out in case you need any clarifications

[gharika]

Gel seats don't work, atleast not for me, the butt needs to get used to the seat, that's the best solution.
A wider seat helps but disturbs the dynamics.

[rohing]

Originally Posted by amods

Congrats on the new ride. It is the best adventure tourer in my opinion which doesn't hurt the wallet.


You may get gel seats/ride on air/ get a customized seat at Rao seat covers near Shivajinagar.

How is the low speed ride quality? Do share the on-road cost and break-up.

The on-road price for the bike was 4.08L and I got the insurance on my own. Sorry for the late reply and being non-responsive last couple of week in this thread: was down with C and probably got the bad version of it!

[NTab]

Originally Posted by gharika

Gel seats don't work, atleast not for me, the butt needs to get used to the seat, that's the best solution.
A wider seat helps but disturbs the dynamics.

Gel seats are not great for long distance riding also. It inhibits air circulation, and your butt will feel hot and uncomfortable after few hours of riding.

[pulsarmaniac]

I bought an adv 390 a week back. Few pointers and question from my end as well. I hope someone can guide me through.
1. Seat is hard indeed, not as much as the duke 390 but it is uncomfortable for sure. I added a gel pad to the seat. It's definitely better but only time will tell.
2. I use Parani intercom and i have my iPhone connected to the intercom as well as the adv tft. I can pick calls using the tft/handlebar switches and the audio gets directed to my intercom without any hassles. Same works for music too.
3. Chain noise is common. i've heard people getting it tightened every 6-700 kms. Also, lubing the chain every 300 km helps. I have done 600 odd kms in a week's time and have experienced it for sure.
4. I have an aluminium topbox mounted on a zana top rack. While it's quite useful to store stuff, I do have a couple of issues.
i. The mounting doesn't seem to be as sturdy as the one I had on my himalayan before
this.
ii. Handlebar tends to wobble above 60 kmph even when the topbox is empty. I would blame the lighter front end for this. But I would like to know if anyone else has faced the same. Also, is there a simple fix to it? Maybe adding a heavy enough crashguard in the front

[advstreak]

Originally Posted by pulsarmaniac

I bought an adv 390 a week back. Few pointers and question from my end as well. I hope someone can guide me through.
1. Seat is hard indeed, not as much as the duke 390 but it is uncomfortable for sure. I added a gel pad to the seat. It's definitely better but only time will tell.
:

Instead of gel seat get a mesh seat cover installed as done by shravansp24 seen here https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ml#post5386024 (Ownership Review | KTM Adventure 250)

Originally Posted by pulsarmaniac

3. Chain noise is common. i've heard people getting it tightened every 6-700 kms. Also, lubing the chain every 300 km helps. I have done 600 odd kms in a week's time and have experienced it for sure.:

Yup keep the chain lubed chain as much as possible. Instead of getting a fancy spray get a 1L of SAE 90 oil for lubing. It will settle after first few thousand kilometres.

Originally Posted by pulsarmaniac

ii. Handlebar tends to wobble above 60 kmph even when the topbox is empty.

Remove the top box and see if the handle still wobbles. If it does then there will be a problem with the cone set or your front tyre. Get them replaced under warranty.

Also, increase the preload on the rear to accommodate for the extra weight of the top box by a couple clicks.