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KTM's go-anywhere 390 Enduro R is about more than its nameplate suggests

- By Ruman Devmane

It says something about us when you note how it's taken KTM 13 years to launch, in India, the kind of motorcycle that best represents its pedigree. To give you context, KTM had only been making Dukes for 18 years before it launched one in India. The RC series of faired sportbikes? Six; the RC-8 only came about in 2008. It has been making off-road bikes since 1953, though — a small matter of 72 years, that is, in which it has bagged over 340 championship titles.

With that sort of pedigree, KTM had no choice but to get its first road-legal enduro for India spot-on. For reputation's sake, if nothing else. India, meet the real KTM — at last!

R YOU FOR REAL?

Can I assume you're among those feeling short changed at not being offered the Euro-spec version of the Enduro R? I get why a lower seat height (by 30 mm) and ground clearance (19 mm) and lesser suspension travel (30/25 mm, front and rear) would upset you but, fortunately, post-furore, KTM has reversed its call. Whether KTM decides to offer the Euro-spec Enduro R as a variant or as à la carte paid upgrades remains to be seen but, all said, it's a fair and prompt resolution. Come, let's meet the 390 Enduro R now.

It's a cool, instantly desirable motorcycle and, perhaps, the first beautiful motorcycle KTM has placed on a shelf in India. Call me biased, though, seeing as I spent my formative years riding a friend's mid-2000s KTM 250 EXC-F which, therefore, makes me subscribe to the 390 Enduro R for pure nostalgia. Either way, it's not a bike that's polarising or offensive, unlike a few others in KTM's line-up. I'll call it the KTM equivalent of a pair of blue jeans you can't go wrong with.

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