2025 KTM 390 Adventure

[Arsey]

Martin's a bad influence on me. I've been looking at these for the last couple of weeks since meeting a mate in Fowlers Bristol and seeing one there.

I should get it next week.

Yeah right .

I sat on it and thought it very nice .

Steve says -“ what do you reckon ?”

I reply “ I like it “

Steve turns to salesman -“ I’ll have it “

He really needed convincing

So he’s got this and a new F900GS coming next week !
At least he cancelled that 450 ERC turd !!

CF Moto shopping tomorrow

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

Martin's a bad influence on me. I've been looking at these for the last couple of weeks since meeting a mate in Fowlers Bristol and seeing one there.

I should get it next week.

Nice ! Health to enjoy. I did have an electronic throttle issue, but all sorted under warranty.

Nathan seems to have warmed to his.

 

[Kitsilano]

"nothing else will be spent other than...."

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

Mileage based service done today at 6,700 miles by Judd Racing in Nottingham. No issues to report. I also had cruise control installed which works really well. I received a bit of feedback from the service team on the state of the filter, as they hadn't seen one that bad, so maybe I'll change that more frequently. On the plus side the Airbox was clean and the other side of it was fine so it would just have restricted airflow a bit.

My front springs are in for collection now, so hopefully I'll get the front cartridges installed fairly soon. The bike feels so much better with the rear shock done, and I was having a blast yesterday on some backroads on the OEM E07 Mitas tyres which I've put back on for some road miles. It's great being able to change your own tyres, but I am disappointed that I've pinched far too many tubes in the process as I learn.

 

[Apex]

EEEK! Got the mileage out if that filter

Tube fitting: At the very least, in the area where the tyre pops back on, grease the tube with rubber grease and inflate the tube a bit but not too much. You probs know this already.

 

[drouper]

Just put a deposit on one, hopefully will pick it up next week.

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

Just put a deposit on one, hopefully will pick it up next week.

Congrats., let us know how you get on with it.

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

A couple of minor updates;

New chain adjusters courtesy of KTM Powerparts fitted today, I'm not a fan of the colour but they are a lot easier to line up with measurements being much clearer on them than the stock items which I thought were terrible.



Also I've fitted some new knobblies yesterday, self fitted and the rims have the evidence to show it . It does get a bit easier each time as I slowly improve technique.

I'm joining an ride out on Saturday in the Peaks, and will be doing some of the more interesting lanes like 3 Shires so looking forward to that.



If all goes to plan the Xplor fork cartridges will be fitted tomorrow, then I think that's me about done with mods on this bike. I will try not to be tempted by the Rally Raid tubeless wheels.....

Question I'm toying with now, would a 690 Rally be a better weapon for the job .

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

I had a terrible day on the lanes yesterday after having the Xplor fork cartridges fitted. I had planned to be on an organised tour of the Peaks at an 'Intermediate' level so expected it to be tough, but the bike just felt awful as did I. I did manage to tick off Jumble lane going up (off Houndkirk) which I've been meaning to do, it wasn't pretty but I didn't drop it or require any assistance and also managed to do 'Excelsior' up near Froggatt going up (and down) without dropping it. I've always been fine going down it, but dropped it last time I went up.

I was awful, the bike felt awful and the guys around me were clearly much more experienced than me and I wasn't happy with the bike.

The final straw was this episode, no idea how I stayed on other than benefiting again from the giroscopic gods.

I bid my farewell to the group after this, as didn't feel comfortable riding more technical lanes and was questioning my choice of hobby. The suspension itself is fantastic but its changed the geometry of the bike and put it on it's nose and it just felt so twitchy. As a part of the forks change they do raise the forks through the triple clamp, so I'm going to reset everything front and rear to base settings then start moving the forks down the triple clamps one ring at a time. I've just been out after pulling the forks through one ring, and it feels better, but not quite where I want it to be yet.

Ho hum, I guess progress is never linear.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I had a terrible day on the lanes yesterday after having the Xplor fork cartridges fitted. I had planned to be on an organised tour of the Peaks at an 'Intermediate' level so expected it to be tough, but the bike just felt awful as did I. I did manage to tick off Jumble lane going up (off Houndkirk) which I've been meaning to do, it wasn't pretty but I didn't drop it or require any assistance and also managed to do 'Excelsior' up near Froggatt going up (and down) without dropping it. I've always been fine going down it, but dropped it last time I went up.

I was awful, the bike felt awful and the guys around me were clearly much more experienced than me and I wasn't happy with the bike.

The final straw was this episode, no idea how I stayed on other than benefiting again from the giroscopic gods.

I bid my farewell to the group after this, as didn't feel comfortable riding more technical lanes and was questioning my choice of hobby. The suspension itself is fantastic but its changed the geometry of the bike and put it on it's nose and it just felt so twitchy. As a part of the forks change they do raise the forks through the triple clamp, so I'm going to reset everything front and rear to base settings then start moving the forks down the triple clamps one ring at a time. I've just been out after pulling the forks through one ring, and it feels better, but not quite where I want it to be yet.

Ho hum, I guess progress is never linear.

Who did the suspension upgrade?

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

Questioning

Who did the suspension upgrade?

It was JDL in Bingham, and I have no issue with the work done, and think the forks are doing what they should, I just need to sort the geometry out. To get a perfect sag max preload was also added to the front (despite the heavier springs which are the heaviest WP do for that model), and I've wound that off as not using all the suspension stroke to see if that helps as well.

I think pushing the forks back down the yokes will solve it, as standard WP say you should have 2 rings showing to bring the geometry back to standard (stock they are flush). JDL put it to three rings, which is within the tolerance of what is acceptable, but inevitably will make it more 'nosey'.

I'm not sure it was entirely the bike, as I just wasn't up for a challenge yesterday and wasn't attacking the lanes, but the bike just felt really twitchy. I'm taking it as an opportunity to learn more about how the changes I can make affect how the bike feels.

I will get it sorted.

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

Jumble lane

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Questioning

It was JDL in Bingham, and I have no issue with the work done, and think the forks are doing what they should, I just need to sort the geometry out. To get a perfect sag max preload was also added to the front (despite the heavier springs which are the heaviest WP do for that model), and I've wound that off as not using all the suspension stroke to see if that helps as well.

I think pushing the forks back down the yokes will solve it, as standard WP say you should have 2 rings showing to bring the geometry back to standard (stock they are flush). JDL put it to three rings, which is within the tolerance of what is acceptable, but inevitably will make it more 'nosey'.

I'm not sure it was entirely the bike, as I just wasn't up for a challenge yesterday and wasn't attacking the lanes, but the bike just felt really twitchy. I'm taking it as an opportunity to learn more about how the changes I can make affect how the bike feels.

I will get it sorted.

Suspension is a tricky thing to master and often involves some post work trial and error

I have had the suspension done in the Tenere 700 with Ohlins

I went with the recommendation from Ohlins and the front and rear springs were too hard
Seems people across the pond, were have same experience

Ohlins were over zealous with spring rates perhaps and I was at the very limit on static and rider sag on the original recommendation, with no preload

Dropped 0.5kg spring rate at each end and now perfect (but cost me a new shock and fork springs )

I took my KTM EXC to our local professional race KTM dealer and their mechanic took one look at me, ordered the KTech springs - nothing discussed

Serviced the suspension and fitted the new springs and revalved both ends

He just knew how to do it for me, as they ride & race every weekend in uk and Europe. Actually riding bikes counts for a lot in my book

It rides brilliantly now and you can go ride it how you want off-road-it’s far better than I am

 

[Eastmidsbiker]

Thanks @JohnnyBoxer It does seem a bit of a dark art and I'm conscious that my bike isn't well known, unlike an excf ! I'll just make small incremental changes and I hope by next weekend I'll have something that feels better (it's a good use of the headstock stand I had to buy as typical stands wouldnt work). I can charge over undulating ground much faster with the new forks and they are clearly better, but maybe I should have expected some post work trial and error !

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Thanks @JohnnyBoxer It does seem a bit of a dark art and I'm conscious that my bike isn't well known, unlike an excf ! I'll just make small incremental changes and I hope by next weekend I'll have something that feels better (it's a good use of the headstock stand I had to buy as typical stands wouldnt work). I can charge over undulating ground much faster with the new forks and they are clearly better, but maybe I should have expected some post work trial and error !

You always have to fine tune, after initial work and sometimes that involves spending more money agsin
It’s not a given science and sometimes a compromise is needed