In 9 Pics: KTM 390 ADV With Spoke Wheels vs Royal Enfield Himalayan

KTM has finally launched the spoke wheel, adjustable suspension version of the 390 Adventure bumping its off-road cred up by a significant margin. But how does it fare against the Royal Enfield Himalayan? Find out in detailed pictures.

In terms of design, the KTM 390 Adventure is quite sporty with sharp panels and edgy fuel tank extensions. Overall, quite modern, but that is not the case with its competitor.

With a totally old-school design, the Royal Enfield Himalayan has its own charm. The circular headlight and boxy shape are spartan and retro, and quite opposite to the 390 Adventure.

The 390 Adventure’s 373.2cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine screams performance, belting out 43.5PS and 37Nm. So speed and being fast are not an issue on this bike, making it perfect for the highways.

On the other hand, the Royal Enfield Himalayan’s long-stroke 411cc air-cooled engine (with an oil cooler) makes 26PS and 32Nm. These figures are not bad either. Sure, it might be slower, but it can still do decent speeds on the highway, and more importantly, the torquey nature of this engine makes it a breeze while going off-road.

Earlier, the standard KTM 390 Adventure with its alloy wheels and non-adjustable suspension made for a better adventure tourer than a proper off-roader. However, with the new spoke wheels and adjustable front and rear suspension, the ADV should be more capable on rough terrains.

The Himalayan, with its 21/17-inch spoke wheels and long-travel suspension, has always been a perfect Royal Enfield bike for Leh.

Even though the Himalayan is 12kg heavier than the 390 ADV (177kg kerb), its 800mm seat height is accessible for most riders and more suitable for beginners. The 390 Adventure, with its 855mm seat height, is more demanding in this aspect.

The KTM 390 Adventure takes the win in terms of features, offering traction control, ride modes, a quickshifter, cornering ABS, ride-by-wire and a TFT console with Bluetooth connectivity for call and message alerts and music selection and turn-by-turn navigation. 

The Himalayan, on the other hand, gets switchable ABS, and a semi-digital console with the Tripper navigation pod offered as an option on some variants.

Lastly, with the update, the 390 Adventure has become more off-road friendly, but that comes at a cost, as it is priced at Rs 3.60 lakh. The Himalayan, then, is much more affordable at Rs 2,15,900 (both ex-showroom Delhi). 

So if you’re looking for a capable ADV that can go fast on the highway and has good off-road prowess, the KTM 390 Adventure is the one to go for. But if you’re on a budget and don’t mind the relatively lower highway cruising speed, the Himalayan is a great buy.