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  • 3 months ago
We put the 2025 KTM 390 SMC R to the test to see if this $5,500 supermoto delivers real performance and everyday fun. Powered by KTM’s 399cc single-cylinder engine and built on the new 390 platform, the 390 SMC R combines sharp handling, adjustable WP suspension, and rider aids like Supermoto ABS and traction control. Whether carving up a kart track, ripping through city streets, or hitting twisty backroads, this lightweight supermoto promises big thrills for riders who want maximum fun at an affordable price.

Check out the story at https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/2025-ktm-390-smc-r-review/

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Sports
Transcript
00:00we're back at the office after riding the new 2025 ktm 390 smcr at the press launch in
00:07mirietta california we got to ride the bike both on a go-kart track and out on some twisty pavement
00:12does a 5500 supermotive still pack the punch that ktm promises and this is just one of four
00:19new bikes to enter the market based off of the 390 duke platform you have the 390 enduro r
00:24the 390 adventure r the 390 adventure x and now the 390 smcr all bikes deliver performance and
00:32value just this one is in a supermoto package the 390 smcr utilizes ktm's lc4c engine it's the same
00:39engine in the adventure r adventure x and the enduro r it's a 399 cc liquid cooled single ktm
00:47claims this thing makes 44 horsepower at 8 500 rpm and 28.8 pound-feet of torque at 7 000 rpm
00:55it's got a six-speed transmission with a slipper assist clutch and a ride-by-wire throttle system
00:59that gives access to an adjustable electronics package the engine is super quick revving it's
01:04got a super punchy hip straight off the mid-range and pulled super hard all the way to redline we
01:10rode this engine up at mammoth lakes california on the adventure r and the enduro r with a little
01:16bit disappointed with the bottom end performance but that was at you know 10 000 feet of elevation
01:22so riding the supermoto at near sea level definitely noticed a lot more bottom end response out of
01:28this lc4c engine but again this is really a mid to top end engine it works best when it's just
01:34screaming up towards the rev limiter and it's probably the best application in a supermoto package
01:40because around the cart track just connecting corners and running it up to the rev limiter before
01:44getting on the brakes for the next corner tight cart track setup it just works great the quick
01:49shifter is an aftermarket accessory i believe it's 274 dollars i would definitely fork up the cash for
01:55that accessory so the 390 smcr has two adjustable ride modes your street and sport both come with
02:01dedicated traction control and abs settings but you can adjust both traction control and abs in each
02:07setting so you can kind of tailor them to your preferences another thing that's nice about this bike
02:12is when you cycle the key your rider aids if you turned them off they stay disabled which is a
02:17really cool function and you can you can adjust ride modes traction control all that kind of stuff
02:24on the fly i just went from street mode with traction control turned on to sport mode with traction
02:32control turned off all without having to stop you just got to let the throttle close so pretty neat
02:38it comes with a 4.2 inch tft display this is the same display on the enduro r and it's really nice i
02:44mean it's like this rectangular small very sleek tft display but it gives you all the information you
02:50need and just it fits well on a supermoto or dual sport setup so sport mode obviously is a more aggressive
02:57throttle response less intervention with the traction control that's the mode we prefer very sharp throttle
03:03response right off the bottom it's very direct but street mode isn't very diluted it's not as punchy
03:09off bottom but again once you get into the mid range which is where this engine likes to be it pulls
03:14strong all the way to red line traction control and abs settings we had traction control off most of the
03:20day admittedly on a bike like this with good michelin power six tires didn't really get any intervention
03:26from the traction control except when trying to pop a wheelie and dropping the clutch the supermoto has a
03:32supermoto abs setting that disables rear abs and makes the front abs a lot less intrusive and that's
03:38the way to go on this bike especially on a go-kart track you could back it in cut slides coming into
03:44the corners you could do no stoppies and you just have really good braking performance with very minimal
03:49intervention from the front end and some other additional features include a usbc charging port as
03:55standard you have smartphone connectivity through the ktm connect app that gives access to music
04:01turn-by-turn navigation and you can take incoming calls the 390 smcr utilizes the same steel trellis
04:08frame as the latest 390 duke but it does have a different steering head angle different triple
04:14clamps different subframe mounts and just a little bit different rigidity profile for supermoto riding
04:20suspension components are wp to 43 millimeter apex open cartridge fork with 30 clicks of compression and
04:27rebound adjustment out the back is a wp apex linkless shock with 20 clicks of rebound adjustment and
04:34preload adjustment both ends offer just over nine inches of suspension travel having ridden this
04:40chassis before in the enduro r adventure r and the 390 duke which is a former 10 best winner i kind of
04:46knew what to expect this bike has very quick steering it's very agile but it still has really good stability
04:53it's a little bit heavier than maybe something like a drz 4sm but i feel like at times it actually
04:58makes it have more mid corner stability it's budget suspension it's an open cartridge fork so some of
05:05the mid corner damping control doesn't feel super refined but overall the suspension components offer a
05:11lot of hold up you know they're on the stiffer side so getting hard on the front brake the fork
05:15doesn't have too much fork dive hard on the gas the shock doesn't become overloaded on corner exit and
05:21they're adjustable so i was actually able to soften the bike up for my lighter weight on the supermoto
05:27track had really good performance both from the chassis and the suspension it's a sporty package and you
05:32can push it the biggest difference between the 390 smcr and the 390 enduro r is the wheels tires and
05:39brakes so the 390 smcr utilizes a 17 inch lace spoked wheel front and back with michelin power six rubber
05:47this is the same rubber that they put on the 390 duke and the husqvarna vitplin 401 these are premium
05:54tires on an entry level motorcycle that's something i've always appreciated out of the ktm group is
06:00that even on your budget friendly motorcycles you still get quality rubber and the braking package
06:06that's something that's always different between a supermoto and a dirt bike or dual sport they both use
06:11the same 240 millimeter rear disc and single piston vibrate caliper but what separates the supermoto
06:17from something like the enduro r is the front braking setup you have a larger 320 millimeter disc up front
06:24with a dual piston vibrate caliper this is actually the same unit pulled off of the adventure r and
06:30riding the enduro r and adventure r back to back i noticed how much better the performance is
06:35from the adventure r's braking setup they pulled that over to the 390 smcr and just a really good
06:41braking package super strong bike good modulation just what you'd want out of a supermoto whether
06:46you're on the track or on a twisty canyon road ktm's 390 smcr has a 33.9 inch seat height 355 pound
06:54curb weight it's got a 2.4 gallon fuel capacity and it's got the same width handlebars the enduro r
07:02but with a lower bend and a shorter 42 millimeter riser riding ktm's 390 smcr around the go-kart
07:08track was a great test of the bike's outright performance but in reality this bike is going to
07:13spend most of its time riding through the city or down the highway and it's great for that the engine
07:17is fun manageable but capable of running highway speeds the chassis is sharp the ergonomics are
07:22comfortable and it's a great package for going to your go-kart track or ripping up a local twisty road
07:28it's got adjustable electronics and adjustable suspension which are two features you just don't
07:33really find on a bike at this price point ktm's 390 smcr offers a lot for 5500 bucks and delivers on
07:39what their marketing promises a bike for riders who see every empty parking lot as a playground that's
07:45gonna wrap up this review of the 2025 ktm 390 smcr if you enjoyed this video hit the like button comment
07:52subscribe and thanks for watching
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