2026 KTM 1390 Super Adventure R Review

Oh, for the love of horsepower.

At no point in my life did I ever wish to have a claimed 173 Austrian ponies plowing away under the family jewels while ripping through the Southern California desert, but here we are.

Photography by Simon Cudby

That level of go is absolute overkill for 99 percent of the riding you or I will put the new KTM 1390 Super Adventure R through, but it’s nice to have it all the same. It’s out with the old 1290, in with the new 1390.It should come as no surprise that KTM has built such a beast. The company has been locked in a battle for big-bore ADV supremacy with neighbors BMW and Ducati for the last five years or so (and the last few decades if you’re talking just KTM and BMW). And the arms race for outright power bragging rights is now firmly in 1000cc superbike territory, which is a lot to have to put through a Dunlop Trailmax Raid rear tire.

There are very few components on the 2026 1390 R that were there a year before. Engine size has been jacked up, and you now get variable valve timing that was first seen on the 2024 Super Duke R.

The chassis’s been revised, the bodywork is all new, and the electronics are ground-up redeveloped via the massive rally-style eight-inch touchscreen tower tablet. Resplendent in a new blue, orange and white colorway, the 1390 R is a monster of a motorcycle, capable of almost any on- or off-road riding you could throw at it. It’ll out-travel most travel bikes, and out-ADV most ADV bikes. That’s a hard trick to pull off.

The centerpiece of the 1390 is KTM’s latest version of its LC8 V-twin. Displacement increases 49cc to 1350cc, achieved through a 2mm larger bore at 110mm and a 71mm stroke. Output is claimed at 173 horsepower with 107 lb-ft of torque, numbers that put the 1390 firmly at the top end of the adventure-bike performance spectrum, even ahead of the Ducati Multistrada V4 S. Despite those eye-opening figures, KTM has ensured the engine remains manageable in demanding off-road terrain where precise throttle response is essential.

One of the key technologies helping achieve that balance is KTM’s Camshift system, which introduces the variable valve timing that debuted on the Super Duke a few years prior. The intake camshaft can move laterally between two different cam profiles depending on engine speed and load.

At lower rpm, the system uses a milder cam shape, reducing valve lift and duration to improve smoothness, torque delivery and fuel efficiency. When revs climb above 6500 rpm, the camshaft transitions to a more aggressive profile, allowing the engine to breathe more freely and unlocking stronger top-end performance. The result is an engine that feels tractable and predictable when navigating technical trails yet still delivers immense acceleration when the rider opens the taps on tarmac roads (or off-road, too).

It’s one big electronic maze because you have up to eight possible ride modes to meter torque delivery, which can turn the 1390 from a fire-breathing trail terror into a bit of a wet noodle for sedate, wet-tarmac riding.

At your command via the brilliant touchscreen eight-inch TFT tablet-style display, you have Rain, Road, Sport, Off-Road and Rally (if you opt for the full Tech Pack—see sidebar at end of page). Rally mode will give you the full 173 hp but taper the immediacy of the throttle response, making for a 500-pound pussycat of a bike on loose topsoil and tight trails.

The wild part is you still have 173 horsepower at your disposal, and as I found out a couple of times after getting too complacent, the 1390 will still bite you hard if your mind isn’t on the job. The motor has so much power all through the rev range and will even pull fifth-gear (yes, fifth gear!) power wheelies, which is something I’ve never experienced before, even on factory-spec superbikes.

Yet despite that incredible number, the way KTM has massaged this monster of a motor to deliver—for the most part—unintimidating power delivery is truly impressive. The go is delivered to the rear tire via the six-speed ’box, but, and this really sucks for a bike costing this much, it doesn’t come with KTM’s Quickshifter+ system as standard fitment. It’s another damn thing you have to spec up in the KTM aftermarket catalog.

At least KTM has upped its manufacturer warranty to four years on the 1390 R. Valve clearance checks are now 37,200 miles, so it’s possible the first owner won’t even need to do them before they sell their bike onwards.

The 1390 is a massive motorcycle, but the first time you sit on it, its sheer size doesn’t quite take over your senses as you’d expect. With a base seat height of 34.6 inches, the 1390 carries its size with an ease that belies its heavyweight looks.

KTM has reconfigured the rider triangle to give the pilot a little more breathing room. The handlebars are 15mm wider on both sides, with the footpegs lower by 8mm and wider by 10mm. You can purchase adjustable footpegs from the KTM aftermarket catalog, but our test bike came with the stock pegs. The same goes for the seat.

Although the 6.1-gallon gas tank is the same as on the 2024 1290 R, the 1390 R’s bodywork has received a nip-and-tuck to direct hot air away from the rider and reduce buffeting at freeway speeds.

To that end, KTM has increased the screen adjustment by an extra six-tenths of an inch to 28 inches in total, but if you’re over six feet tall and you’ve got the screen at its highest setting, you will likely get the oncoming air plowed straight into the peak of your helmet, and it’s not a pleasant experience. The best practice I found was to have the screen at its lowest setting with the air hitting my chest and just deal with the wind blast.

In constructing the new tubular steel chassis, KTM stiffened it all around to the tune of 13 percent longitudinally, 23 percent laterally, and a massive 73 percent increase in torsional stiffness, with the wheelbase stretched an inch to 62 inches, helping the 1390 to maintain stability at high speeds.

Despite its physical size, the Super Adventure R feels extremely nimble when you’re up and moving, particularly once you’re standing on the pegs.

Suspension is supplied by KTM’s own subsidiary WP in the form of Xplor components developed specifically for serious off-road riding. Up front is a 48mm upside-down fork offering 9.4 inches of travel, matched by a WP Xplor PDS rear shock with the same travel.

Both ends allow adjustments for compression, rebound and preload, giving riders the flexibility to tailor the setup to their weight, riding style and terrain. The long-travel suspension plays a crucial role in the bike’s off-road capability, helping it absorb large impacts and maintain traction on uneven terrain. You can even jump the 1390, as I found out on the test.

The combination of a light-on-its-feet, big-bore ADV and the brilliant WP suspenders underneath it translates to a superb ride in rough off-road expeditions. It’s such a great feeling as a rider to use the bike’s weight and the rebound stroke to float from one berm to the next on such a big bike, it almost feels like surfing, and when you keep the nine-stage Rally traction control set to level two so as to allow you to kick the rear wheel sideways when needed, it is indeed a good time on the 1390 R.

Braking hardware comes from Brembo, as expected, with twin 320mm discs gripped by radial four-piston calipers up front. The system is supported by cornering ABS that uses data from the six-axis inertial measurement unit to adjust braking intervention based on lean angle and riding conditions.

Off-road settings allow riders to reduce or disable rear ABS (such as in Rally mode), enabling controlled slides and improved braking on loose surfaces while still maintaining protection on the front wheel. ABS can’t be switched off on the front, as it has been for a while now.

Multiple ride modes allow the rider to alter throttle response, traction-control intervention and other electronic parameters depending on conditions. Street and Sport settings provide sharper responses for paved riding, while Off-Road mode softens throttle delivery, allows greater rear-wheel slip, and limits you to 100 horsepower. For riders seeking the full-fat experience, Rally mode is available as an optional feature, enabling detailed tuning of traction- and wheelie-control levels, as well as throttle behavior.

That’s where I spent most of my time, switching only back to Sport mode on the tarmac because it allowed me to use cruise control. The electronics package has been expanded significantly compared to earlier generations of KTM’s adventure bikes. That massive eight-inch TFT touchscreen display dominates the center of the cockpit, presenting navigation information, ride settings, and connectivity features in a cleaner, easier-to-understand way than ever before.

Riders can link their phones through KTM’s Connectivity system if they wish for stuff like calls and music control, but you don’t have to pair your phone to access maps, which can be downloaded for the region you’re riding and accessed offline. The only thing is that it won’t give you access to live traffic information, but if that doesn’t bother you, being able to use maps in the middle of nowhere with zero phone signal is a big plus for real ADV riders.

Additional electronics include cruise control, tire-pressure monitoring and keyless ignition. If you start really up-spec’ing the 1390, you can get the radar that enables adaptive cruise control and forward-collision warnings.

Despite KTM’s penchant for selling aftermarket add-ons, the base machine is incredible. There are very, very few things the 1390 doesn’t do exceptionally well, from tight, walking-pace dirt corners to 80-mph tarmac sweepers and everything in between.

It’s highly unlikely you’re going to spend over $21K to get one of these in your garage without going for the Tech Pack, and at least then you’ll have everything KTM throws at the 1390 at your disposal.

It’s also highly unlikely you actually need a 1390 to do any of the riding we’ve done. The company’s 890 Adventure R will do it all and for a much lower price, but that’s kind of missing the point. The 1390 is the biggest off-road beast you can buy, and its size means you’re extremely comfortable and have more power than anyone could reasonably use. That makes it a fantastic touring machine—although you’ll probably go for the 1390 Adventure S if that’s your jam—but being able to traverse all manners of terrain like you can on the 1390 R makes for a very compelling argument.CN

So, you want a 1390. Here’s what else you need

I know, I know. I get it, but KTM isn’t budging on this. Just like BMW and Ducati, you don’t buy a big bike anymore with it all included in the sticker price, but at least when KTM gives you everything for under $1000 extra, it’s a lot cheaper than the other two.

My test bike came with the Tech Pack, which gave me access to the quickshifter, Motor Slip Regulation, Engine Brake Control, Hill Hold Control and the Rally mode that has nine-stage dynamic slip assist (traction control).

That’ll cost you $959.95 at your local KTM dealer, and then you’ll have the full-house 1390 R experience. If you want to go even further, you could spend another $800 and get the radar fitted for radar-assisted cruise control and front-collision warning. I’ve ridden it on other bikes, and it works great, but I’d probably leave it out on the 1390 R, as mine would be full off-road.CN

2026 KTM 1390 Super Adventure R Specifications

VIDEO | 2026 KTM 1390 Adventure R First Ride

Click here to read the 2026 KTM 1390 Super Adventure R Review in the Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine.