2022 KTM RC 390 Track Review: Simply The Best

After first introducing it on the 390 Adventure, KTM has spent a good time fine-tuning the suite of electronic rider aids for the 390s. The Bosch 9.1MP IMU-aided electronics are unheard of in the segment. You can toggle through the settings via the familiar switch cubes, and some of these aids can also be configured on the fly.

KTM’s got the setting calibrated quite well. The lean-sensitive traction never intervened abruptly. It did in fact save my skin on occasion when I got a bit overzealous with the throttle. Plus, the Quickshifter+ finally works like a quickshifter should, and not behave like a gear shift aid when we first tested it on the BS6 390 Duke. It is still a bit glitchy, with the rider having to find the sweet spot, close to the limiter, to have it working seamlessly.

Shed Kilos To Shred More Rubber

We received a pleasant surprise at the track: the monoshock used on the Indian model gets both rebound and preload adjustability, like the European bike. Time constraints meant we couldn’t fiddle with the settings too much. Having said that, the non-adjustable USD fork remains a downer.

The hero of the new RC’s story is the weight savings achieved, especially in the unsprung mass department. There is still some ambiguity regarding the kerb weight of the previous model, so we can’t really tell you if the overall weight has been dropped or not. And I will have a separate story on the site clearing this confusion soon. But without fluids, this new-gen RC 390 manages to shed almost 6-7 kilos. Here’s where it sheds its weight:

Weight Savings

• Chassis: 1.5kg
• Wheels combined: 3.4kg
• Brakes: 0.96kg
• A little with the new exhaust system too

The handling gains, as a result, take the cornering game to a whole new level. The added sharpness and agility is what you would definitely expect from a bike that bears the ‘RC’ badge. What blows you away is just how effortless the process of achieving MotoGP-esque lean angles is on this bike. It is so easy to throw it into a bend and not scare you with its sharpness. This approachability is what will draw more buyers to the new RC 390, especially those looking at perhaps a sportbike which could do-it-all.

Considering that’s the intent, the Metzeler H-rated tyres are a welcome fit to this RC, because thank God it isn’t running the MRF Revz that the older bike came shod with for a brief period. Having said that, I would’ve hoped KTM India looked towards kitting this bike with Apollo Alpha H1s or TVS Protorq Extremes: both W-rated and far more grippy tyres than these Metz, especially for track riding.

Improved Controls

Even the small tweaks to the rider’s seating have played a part in enhancing the experience. For starters, the flatter seat allows riders to move around in the saddle fairly easily. Seat height remains constant at 835mm. Then there’s the way you straddle the bike. The larger fuel tank and its neat tank recesses provide a perfectly flat surface for riders of all heights to hug it properly.

Mainly, though, it is the raised clip-on handlebars that increase your sense of control on the 2022 RC 390. You aren’t leaned forwards as much, putting less stress on your back and wrists. So, pot-bellied riders will find it easier to get into a tuck. Track enthusiasts can drop the bars down by 14mm only, with the spacers available at the dealership.

The alcantara-like seat texture adds to the premium feel of the bike. And now juggling between a race cowl and the pillion seat would be far easier to do.

Function Dictates Form

The design of the RC is extremely polarising. The face is quite in your… erm… face. Perhaps a light smoke or a dark smoke treatment to the windshield would have improved the appeal (Thanks for this tip, PD). The MotoGP livery is smashing and I do also fancy the simple Electronic Orange/black option.

What I would add is that the view from the saddle is far far better than off it, because the colour TFT dash is lovely to look at. Also, this wind tunnel-developed aero-focused design deflects air around the rider brilliantly. Even when I wasn’t tucking in, wind blasts were very controlled and it was quite a windy day when we were riding.

While we get the reasoning behind the design, we aren’t too impressed with the way the bike has been put together. There are far too many inconsistent panel gaps, the most irritating one being the gap between the metal tank and the panel where you grip the bike from. There are a lot of different textures on the bike as well and that doesn’t lend it a cohesive feel. And the exhaust heat shield, with its faux metal finish, had paint blemishes that made it feel cheap.

Dopamine Blasts

After spending a good couple of hours with the bike, the 2022 KTM RC 390 has definitely been worth the wait. There are areas of improvement, some of which are quite easy to do by the buyer, like getting better tyres once you run the stock ones into the ground. The engine remains as explosive as ever with a dash of usability now thrown into the mix as well.

What should be celebrated is the handling package as it has transformed the bike from a one trick pony to a jack of all trades, and perhaps even a master of most. Would an adjustable front fork have helped? Yes, because it would allow me to tune the ride to my liking. But as its stock guise is, I am eager to take it out of the racetrack and into the real world.

There is the irksome bit about its price tag: Rs 3.14 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Paying Rs 36,000 more than the outgoing bike (even if the production of it was discontinued months ago) is pretty hard to justify. And the on-road pricing is nearing the four-lakh rupee mark, which would’ve been unfathomable for a KTM a couple of years ago. And yet, it is. The problem, as a result, is that the market now has a lot of players who offer a fraction of the performance but come with a lot more adjustability, nearly the same feature set, are solidly built and carry far lower price tags. Consequently, KTM has lost its trump card of offering great bang for your buck.

But you know what, the joy of riding the RC 390 isn’t lost but in fact doubled. And that’s what this bike is about. Providing dopamine blasts on each and every ride.