THE STREETFIGHTER SLAYER

KTM has always been the brand that doesn’t flinch when it comes to giving India motorcycles with a motorsport soul.

- WORDS AKAASH BHADRA PHOTOGRAPHY ROHAN SONWANE

They gave us our first taste of high-compression single-cylinder power at a price point that didn’t break the bank. Since then, India has developed a palate for performance, and KTM has happily obliged. But now, the Austrian brand has launched something that might just flip the script entirely — the KTM 390 Enduro R.

At first glance, it’s a tall, lanky, hardcore dirt bike. And yes, it’s not for the fainthearted or the short-legged. But ride it for a few days in the real world — in Mumbai’s relentless traffic, over pothole-littered tarmac, or out on the highway — and it becomes evident. This isn’t just an off-roader. This is a streetfighter killer in disguise.

Same Core, New Identity

Peek under the Enduro R’s rugged exterior and you'll find familiar components. The 373cc single-cylinder DOHC engine — shared with the Duke 390 — churns out 44 hp and 39 Nm of torque. The trellis frame, the 6-speed gearbox, the ride-by-wire throttle, all carry over. But the way it’s packaged? That’s where things change drastically.

The Enduro R gets long-travel WP XPLOR suspension — 240mm of fully adjustable travel fronand rear. The 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels are wrapped in Metzeler Six Days Extreme rubber (or in India, more road-friendly alternatives). The seat height is an imposing 880mm, and the weight tips just under 160 kg dry. Yes, it’s intimidating — but that’s exactly the point.

Urban Jungle > Concrete Playground

Let’s start with where the Duke was once king — city streets. Indian roads are less highway and more obstacle course. Potholes, speed bumps, uneven surfaces, and craters the size of wading pools. The Duke 390, with its 150mm suspension travel, could survive them. The Enduro R glides over them.