That’s the KTM 390 SMC R and if you’re rubbing your eyes in disbelief, don’t worry, you’re not the only one! The idea of a 390-based supermoto has existed since the arrival of the 390 Duke a decade ago, and KTM has finally made it happen.
It has also made it absolutely worth the long wait – or at least the pictures seem to suggest so! A derivative of the 390 Adventure R, the 390 SMC R features characteristic supermoto styling, done to perfection given KTM’s experience and expertise in this class of motorcycle. It’s got 17-inch wheels at either end, around which the show bike featured Michelin Power 6 tyres.
On the hardware front, the 390 SMC R gets a trellis frame (which it shares with the Adventure), an adjustable USD fork, wire-spoke rims (not tubeless-spec at the moment), an underbelly-style exhaust and, of course, a monoshock. Its party piece is – you guessed it – the 399cc liquid-cooled engine it borrows from the current-gen 390 Duke.
It’s likely to feature a less comprehensive electronics package as compared to the Adventure, seeing as the latter is what you would expect more versatility from. A giveaway of this is the visibly smaller TFT dash and a more minimalist joystick on the left switchgear pod. The SMC R will, of course, feature riding modes, a quickshifter, switchable ABS, traction control and perhaps a few connectivity features as well.
We don’t expect it to produce any less than the 45 bhp the Duke produces although we do hope it’s shed a bit of weight as compared to the latter, which currently weighs 168 kg (kerb). What also remains to be seen is how KTM will choose to price and position it; we think it seats neatly under the 390 Adventure range, which means it could sport a starting price tag of roughly Rs 3.25 lakh (ex-showroom) when it is launched in India.
Right, who’s signing up for sideways Sundays, then?
