Not a bad bike then..... 
2025 KTM 390 Adventure
- Thread starter Eastmidsbiker
- Start date
What's odd is that after watching your video that said you've fitted the clutch and ignition protection covers, I ordered some and when I've come to fit them, they're fitted as stock.
A nice bimble around some Cotswold lanes.
Finally sorted some tyres. Stuck with the amazing MT21 up front - superb once you've scrubbed them in. For the rear I've abandoned the D606, which is unstoppable, but very noisy, in favour of a Motoz Tractionator Adventure - still an aggressive design but a bit more road friendly. Got 85 mph out of the bike on the m/way, which was stupid really as the tyres have only just gone on, however the setup is quieter than I thought it would be.
This bike is an absolute hoot to ride, on and off road. Seriously impressed. I've had loads of off-road bikes from trials to EXC to two stroke (never again), Freerides and latterly the Honda 300. This bike, in terms of fun factor and comfort (good to have both when one gets older) as well as having enough power to pop the front over stuff and take on some mild jumps - excellent. I think I said before that its so capable that I'm riding around with a grin all the time.
The only times I stalled it were my own doing. Wrong gear, on not quite slipping the clutch. The Honda wouldn't have stalled like this, but its perfectly manageable. I used to stall the trials bike way more and that was a PITA as it was kick start every time. Bar vibes - zero issue with that. Footpeg vibes - ok, I'll accept now that they're up there with the worst I've experienced, but only really when I rag it. But the bike invites you to rag it I'm told the bile will calm down after 1-2k miles when its all bedded in well. But I do think I'll be hunting for a solution to the vibey pegs - advice welcome as never felt the need before.
Couple of pics.
Finally sorted some tyres. Stuck with the amazing MT21 up front - superb once you've scrubbed them in. For the rear I've abandoned the D606, which is unstoppable, but very noisy, in favour of a Motoz Tractionator Adventure - still an aggressive design but a bit more road friendly. Got 85 mph out of the bike on the m/way, which was stupid really as the tyres have only just gone on, however the setup is quieter than I thought it would be.
This bike is an absolute hoot to ride, on and off road. Seriously impressed. I've had loads of off-road bikes from trials to EXC to two stroke (never again), Freerides and latterly the Honda 300. This bike, in terms of fun factor and comfort (good to have both when one gets older) as well as having enough power to pop the front over stuff and take on some mild jumps - excellent. I think I said before that its so capable that I'm riding around with a grin all the time.
The only times I stalled it were my own doing. Wrong gear, on not quite slipping the clutch. The Honda wouldn't have stalled like this, but its perfectly manageable. I used to stall the trials bike way more and that was a PITA as it was kick start every time. Bar vibes - zero issue with that. Footpeg vibes - ok, I'll accept now that they're up there with the worst I've experienced, but only really when I rag it. But the bike invites you to rag it
I'm told the bile will calm down after 1-2k miles when its all bedded in well. But I do think I'll be hunting for a solution to the vibey pegs - advice welcome as never felt the need before.Couple of pics.
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A local Vlogger 'Tha Biker Simon' has just picked up one from Travis at Judd Racing in Notts, doesnt look promising from a first ride perspective.
I have stalled mine a couple of time, but nothing like this so dont know if its a bike to bike difference or that I've learnt to ride around it.
I have stalled mine a couple of time, but nothing like this so dont know if its a bike to bike difference or that I've learnt to ride around it.
Watching Simon's video above again, you can see he's just revving the bike at standstill with the clutch in trying to make it stall, so whilst he can argue other bikes don't do it, I think he's trying to cause the stall so he can create some content.
Put the cheap Indian rack back on the bike and some small Lomo bags for tools just to see whether I could make it work, had to have a quick 30 minute shakedown ride in some Vale of Belvoir mud. This gives me an alternative luggage set up when out on the lanes.
Oh, no stalls
.
I've also firmed up the rear shock, I'm geting a bit of weaving at 70+ on knobblies, cranking the shock preload up calms it down. I think I need shock on max preload for my weight.
Talking of suspension, there is a WP suspension specialist thats about to fit the WP Pro rear shock and fork internals to a 390 Adventure R, really interested to see how well this works. It wont be a cheap upgrade, but I think it will push the boundaries of what the bike can comfortably do.
Put the cheap Indian rack back on the bike and some small Lomo bags for tools just to see whether I could make it work, had to have a quick 30 minute shakedown ride in some Vale of Belvoir mud. This gives me an alternative luggage set up when out on the lanes.
Oh, no stalls
. I've also firmed up the rear shock, I'm geting a bit of weaving at 70+ on knobblies, cranking the shock preload up calms it down. I think I need shock on max preload for my weight.
Talking of suspension, there is a WP suspension specialist thats about to fit the WP Pro rear shock and fork internals to a 390 Adventure R, really interested to see how well this works. It wont be a cheap upgrade, but I think it will push the boundaries of what the bike can comfortably do.
gspod if you look at the previous but one post (#185) where he's having the stalling issue, the video is of an Adventure R, but its obvious he's trying to cause the stall.
Yes, I've seen that, same engine, same engine mapping software. There have been reports on both the Enduro and Adventure.
Sat nav mount received from KTM, does what I want despite coming with no fixings. Does leave a small hole behind the dash but I’m taking it on trust everything in there is waterproofed. There’s not quite enough room to put my Samsung active tab there (mostly for Rallymoto) so that can go on the handlebars.
Shorter dark cable ordered to tidy it up !
Shorter dark cable ordered to tidy it up !
Yup.
He took a group out on the 390, CRF300 and Himmy 450 etc and all but one hated the 390, with one saying it wasn’t for sale in its current state.
Oh dear
Well if I were a betting man I'd say this sounds more like an electrical issue than the stalling issue. Battery connections (had this before)/earth/solenoid/loom. Is something kinked? Bad fuel? Dodgy map?
The blip blip stall is a bike issue that's known about and as I've said before I'm sure it'll get sorted. Every new KTM I've had pretty much, has had gremlins. It's one thing making a few pre-production bikes run, but it's only when production quantities start that multiple issues can show themselves. Every manufacturer is the same, even the mighty BMW! Remember the falling apart suspension fiasco anyone? Paint flaking off a £27k Goldwing anyone? Etc Etc Etc. People do seem to enjoy bashing KTM don't they. But this happens to every manufacturer. Personally I've fully expected to have some gremlins and always do with new KTM's.
The biggest issue I think is trying to locate the problems. These days they get plugged in and if the PC says 'GOOD' the dealer will have no choice but to wait on KTM. I have no doubt at all that some of these bikes that are very bad will be in some lab somewhere at KTM being examined to find the issues. KTM will never tell you that will they!! But neither will any other manufacturers!! Makes me laugh when I read all the 'should've bought Jap' comments. They may well be more reliable than KTM's but to assume Jap bikes don't go through similar issues is to be willfully stupid.
I will say this though - stalling is one thing. Having flame-outs at 5000rpm is another. THAT isn't good. That sounds like TPS or wiring. I would dump the bike at the dealer and leave it there until that was sorted. Sometimes that's the only way to get KTM to fix stuff. But again, that's true of every manufacturer.
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Yup, does seem odd.
Think I’ve had about 16 KTMs since my first in 1998.
Must say I’ve had very few gremlins on a new one .The earlier carbed bikes were brilliant. The initial FI bikes were a tad snatchy. My 990 Superduke in particular was a bit crap so I has it remapped at PDQ.
I think Euro 5/5+ etc has affected various manufacturers differently .
Fuelling on many of the twins is now a bit jerky at low revs.
The one real exception is my Vstrom 1050 which is perfect at all revs. But it’s a 20 year old motor that gradually been refined over the years rather than something more modern one that’s tweaked to the max.
But going back to the 390, there certainly seems to be a common issue with stalling , as it’s been reported everywhere including very trustworthy sources such as Nathan M.
I’m sure KTM will sort it but they should have really done that before putting it on sale. You’d think they’d have learned after the 790 cam issue was nearly their downfall, as the issue was only on a small percentage of bikes, yet their continued arrogant denial that anything was wrong saw it get blown way out of proportion .
Two of my local dealers won’t even take a KTM in now as a part ex,whatever the model.
Here's one solution that might be the cause. (He does waffle like a woman so I skipped to the "meat"
I think when it stalls at 5000 rpm, which is hard to believe, it won't be the plug. At idle - maybe. Who knows? Worth a bash. A plug change to iridium won't hurt the bike will it.
Not sure if KTM still do the 'throttle reset' thing. With ride by wire EXC/Freeride etc, you could start the bike without touching the throttle, let it run for a while, 15 mins from memory, turn off and back on and the ECU would reset the closed throttle to that setting. I think that's how it worked. Might be worth a try, but these bikes are probs next gen electronics.
Facebook post 30th October:
"Today I'm visiting the dealer installing original heating grips. The dealer says - yesterday they announced the release of new software that should fix the engine stalling and increase performance at low revs, so we'll upload it there. OK everything was ready and it still showed software version 1.09, I told the dealer the old software version. The dealer said that it was just the display version, the engine version is only displayed through diagnostics. I started the motorcycle, the first movement I immediately felt that the motorcycle did not tend to first reduce the revs after adding gas and then increase them, but the motorcycle immediately moved and noticeably better traction from low revs. Gradually everyone rode the motorcycle and everyone noted that it was going better, the rpms were more linear. The update was released in Europe and uploaded to Slovakia. It looks promising that KTM has finally done something about the problematic fuel map."
"Today I'm visiting the dealer installing original heating grips. The dealer says - yesterday they announced the release of new software that should fix the engine stalling and increase performance at low revs, so we'll upload it there. OK everything was ready and it still showed software version 1.09, I told the dealer the old software version. The dealer said that it was just the display version, the engine version is only displayed through diagnostics. I started the motorcycle, the first movement I immediately felt that the motorcycle did not tend to first reduce the revs after adding gas and then increase them, but the motorcycle immediately moved and noticeably better traction from low revs. Gradually everyone rode the motorcycle and everyone noted that it was going better, the rpms were more linear. The update was released in Europe and uploaded to Slovakia. It looks promising that KTM has finally done something about the problematic fuel map."
An hour out on Vale of Belvoir lanes this afternoon, it's more fun when its wet and sloppy !
Actually wondering if this isn't a new remap but the existing updated one. I think all UK bikes should've had that before delivery anyway. Mine has. I also have been wondering if its worth checking the valve clearances for tolerance. Might do that after first service. I'm 95% confident they'll be good to go, but no harm in checking.
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