By not copying its competitors, KTM has more headroom to develop new bikes. Take a look at their approach to MotoGP racing.
After success in the lower classes, KTM took on the MotoGP category in 2017 with a bike built from scratch. While other manufacturers were using Öhlins suspension and box aluminum frames, KTM was willing to tackle an extraordinarily steep learning curve with a unique approach.
Trusting its vast experience with chromoly steel tube frames, both off-road and in road racing at the Moto3 and Moto2 levels, KTM became the only manufacturer with a steel-framed MotoGP bike and the only manufacturer to develop its own suspension for that bike in-house with its WP forks and shocks. While KTM hasn’t won a MotoGP championship yet, it has come a long way to the point where it has now won races with both factory team riders Brad Binder and Miguel Olivera.
What does any of this have to do with a budget-priced 373cc single-cylinder sport bike tested by MD at the Streets of Willow race track in Southern California two weeks ago? Quite a bit, actually. Read on.
At a U.S. MSRP of $5,799, the redesigned 2022 KTM RC 390 is priced roughly the same as an ABS-equipped Kawasaki Ninja 400 (depending on the paint scheme chosen for the Kawasaki). MD fell in love with the Ninja 400 when it was introduced by Kawasaki in 2018. In fact, it was named MD’s BOTY that year. The performance offered by the nimble twin cylinder machine was a big step up from the 250s and 300s offered by other Japanese manufacturers at the time. This new RC 390 from KTM, however, takes a big leap ahead of the Kawasaki in terms of the standard features and technology offered.
The Ninja 400 has non-adjustable suspension, except for spring preload on the rear shock. The 2022 KTM RC 390 offers compression and rebound damping adjustment on the front fork (30 clicks of each), as well as rebound damping adjustment and spring preload adjustment on the rear shock. As discussed below, the KTM suspension performs at a level way beyond that of the stock Kawasaki units.
Moreover, the 2022 RC 390 now has its electronic rider assist features informed by an IMU. This allows for lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, which are features found nowhere else in this displacement/price category. Until recently, IMU assist for these features was found only on top-drawer sport bikes and nakeds.
Other changes/upgrades for 2022 include a TFT color instrument display and a concerted effort to lose weight, both sprung and unsprung. KTM claims a very significant 7.5 pounds of weight was removed from the wheels and brake rotors. The front brake rotor is now bolted directly to the wheel (removing the traditional carrier). Another 3.3 pounds is removed from the frame. Although overall weight is up slightly, the lighter wheels/rotors promise benefits in acceleration, stopping and direction changes.
The RC 390 also features new bodywork that KTM claims improves aerodynamics and rider comfort by, among other things, directing engine heat away from the rider.
Ergonomics were also an area of focus in the redesign of the RC 390. The rider seat has much more padding, and the knee area is narrower and shaped to allow the rider to move easily fore and aft. The fuel tank is a larger 3.6 gallons.
KTM is not claiming an increase in engine peak horsepower, but does describe an increase in torque resulting from a new airbox design, which, along with a revised exhaust system, moves substantially more air through the system.
All of these features and technological enhancements look great on paper, but what is the new RC 390 like to ride? Does the revised suspension work well? What about engine performance and the new braking system? Do the ergonomics work on the race track and the street for more mundane activities, like commuting?
The RC 390 has reasonably comfortable ergonomics for a sport bike. More upright than traditional sport bikes, the adjustable bars don’t place too much weight on the wrists, but put the rider in a semi-aggressive position for track days and attacking canyons on the road. The new seat seems particularly comfortable and the seat/peg distance reasonable given the ground clearance requirements for a bike of this nature. It is nice to see a TFT display panel on a bike in this displacement category, which provides a dramatic improvement in brightness, contrast and legibility.
Clutch pull is easy and gear engagement positive. The engine makes good mid-range torque and decent top-end. Dyno charts indicate peak horsepower is very close to the Kawasaki 400 (down one or two horsepower), while torque in the meat of the powerband exceeds that of the Kawasaki.
Fuel injection tuning is spot on. The ride-by-wire throttle response is predictable, and there is no problem opening a closed throttle mid-corner.
The revised frame and suspension are a real highlight. KTM actually allows a rider to adjust the stiffness and flex of the frame by adding or subtracting frame bracing. MD didn’t play with this during the press launch, obviously, but the stock chassis settings worked very well with the WP suspension.
We started by testing the stock settings which were a bit too soft for track use. The fork responds to compression and rebound adjustments quite well … even a click or two of the 30 step range can be felt by the rider. We stiffened the fork with a few clicks of compression and rebound, and added just one additional step of spring preload to the shock while also slowing the rebound out back.
The experience KTM has gained racing with its own WP suspension is clearly benefitting its production motorcycles, including for sister company Husqvarna. MD is currently testing a Husqvarna Norden 901 (stay tuned for that report), which also features WP Apex suspension units. The stock adjustable WP suspension is getting better and better.
Heavier and faster riders who plan to ride the RC 390 aggressively at the track may need stiffer springs and/or more damping, but the stock units (when adjusted) worked well for our 170 pound test rider.
The bike changes direction with very little effort, as one might expect given its claimed 342 pound dry weight, and the new, lighter wheels. At the same time, the bike remains stable, and tracks well through corners (another benefit of the good suspension) and down the front straightaway. The handling is hard to fault.
The single, front 320 mm brake disc gripped by the four-piston caliper provides surprising stopping power and good feel. Combined with the rear brake, even at track speeds there is good control slowing down the lightweight machine.
The six-speed transmission offers a good spread of ratios that compliment well the 43 horsepower (claimed) single-cylinder engine. As stated earlier, shifts were positive, but the optional Quickshifter+ was not working well on down-shifts (which were a bit clunky). On up-shifts, it worked fine. We know KTM is capable of producing an outstanding Quickshifter system, because we experienced one when we tested the recently introduced 1290 Super Duke EVO. This feature on the RC 390 could still use some refinement, however.
Our only other complaint is that the stock tires were not ideal for the racetrack where we tested the bike. Admittedly, the Continental ContiRoad rubber should be fine for street use, and even canyon riding. For hard track use or racing, however, more aggressive tires would be of great benefit.
After one day at a race track, MD can conclude that the redesigned 2022 KTM RC 390 is a fun, lightweight, reasonably priced motorcycle with class-leading suspension and rider assist features. This is a lot more bike than most competitors offer in this class, and should prove to be a fun, accessible ride for novices, while still entertaining for experienced riders who enjoy an ultra-light, flickable machine. For additional details and specifications, visit KTM’s web site.
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