It's never worth it modifying a bike. It's a money pit to no end. Do it because it's fun.

As long as you're happy, who cares what other people think. The mod's are what make your KTM distinctive from others and in my opinion, it's totally worth it. I'm on my second KTM and the first thing I like to do is swap the exhaust for the Akrapovic slip on which is way lighter than the stock exhaust and offers better performance for the motorcycle. Aloha from Maui

truths... versys 300 rider, feel the same way, lighter bike tuned specifically to my preferences with more cash left to do time on the bike.

Great video, thanks! I can totally understand your point. I just ordered a ‘23 SW model with ca. 3k USD Powerparts upgrades. I’ve been commuting with a 125cc for years now. Though I have the A licence already, I do not want to jump to a bigger (200kg) bike right away. For relaxed on/off-road the 390 will be enough. I’d rather have a bike which I use 100%, than a bigger one which I can use only 50% of its capabilities. My skills are not there yet. You will always lose on selling a bike. It is not an investment, but an expensive hobby. 😉 Cheers, keep up doing the good videos!

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, I think so many people think they need more bike than they do. If you’re sticking to the street and easy stuff you can ride a behemoth but I believe only the most experienced riders can truly make use of them off road.

I had the T7 and the 390 adventure at the same time. The T7 was a great bike, but too tall and heavy for solo offroading safely. The wee KTM is a fun bike, and weighs nothing by comparison. The tech on it is far superior, and as a personal preference, tubeless tyres are much less hassle should you get a puncture in the middle of nowhere. I've done the pegs, skid plate, crash bars, heated grips and a few other bits to mine. The only area the T7 destroys the 390 is in travelling long distances quickly, even though the 390 can crack on a bit, there's no substitute for cc when in a hurry.

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

I think you hit the nail on the head. Bigger bikes are better on road, but if you want to ride challenging off-road terrain the 390 is better, especially if you’re alone. I actually think my 390 is as easy to pickup as my KLX300, perhaps being a little lower center of mass.

@Hutchie2112

Жыл бұрын

@@makmoto0606 KLX isn't available here in the UK. The nearest is the CRF300, which is horrible on road for any distance at all. I had the crf250l, it was ridiculously easy to ride offroad , but on the road getting to trails was no fun at all.

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

@@Hutchie2112 Absolutely agree, I wouldn’t want to go very far on the KLX300 on road. I’d ride the 390 anywhere, might not be as plush as the bigger bikes but totally fine. The 390 is fun on the road and with the KLX300 I can’t wait to get off the road.

@briangc1972

10 ай бұрын

My story is the same, except for me it is an Aprilia Tuareg 660 and 390ADV. Same story, the Tuareg is better and great everywhere except slow technical trails. The little 390ADV packs a lot of punch in a manageable package.

i think this is a great review. as long as the bike makes you happy and doesn't break the bank or more importantly your budget then its a win! looking at grabbing this as my first bike

@makmoto0606

10 ай бұрын

Go out and get one. The spoke wheel model is on sale at my local dealership and seems like a great deal!

When checking your list, lot of the mod done would be necessary on other bikes too

Good to know! This helps and I like that there are other folks out there that have the same thought process. I do the same kinda thing and use the excel sheets. My wife and I both ride 390’s it’s a fantastic ride. Trying to get our riding gear and luggage dialed before we get to deep into bike mods. I like your build. Thanks for making the video.

Great video. I know people who spend more on Starbucks in one year😂. You’ve made the bike yours, can’t put a price on that. 👍

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I think it’s quite the machine, and probably one of a kind now!

@briangc1972

10 ай бұрын

Now that is a great perspective. Great comparison.

I would add one more perspective if I may. The mods can be broadly divided into two categories. Those, which have to stay on the bike when you keep it/sell it (e.g., exhaust, skidplate or windshield.. ) and those, which you can move to the next bike (e.g. mirrors, .. ) I just keep all the original stuff from the second group and when i am going to get a new bike, i will just keep them and sell the old bike w the original parts which I kept after replacing them w mods. This will be a saving for the mods on the future bike. Also, I would not include the stuff which wears off (chain, tyres, .. ) into the list of mods: your chain will wear off after similar mileage on any similar bike, and most likely, you will also change tyres on any bigger bike etc. Last, there is category of riders who really do better (or are even obliged by law in many countries) to start w a 390 than going directly into something bigger. These people should not or can not purchase mid-sized bikes. Anyway, riding motorbikes *IS* expensive and their purchase, ownership and maintenance *DO* cost money - so i think that at the end, we simply derive most pleasure from riding them, not from getting a good reselling value on them. 😀

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Sounds good! Only point I would argue is the tires. Because it is an added cost to prematurely replace tires that aren’t wore out. I think the resale consideration is beneficial for some, but honestly I never considered that in other countries where they generally don’t have larger bikes (India), or in countries where there is a tiered license system, that in those places the resale value may be much better because a person will value those modifications and won’t be shopping against larger bikes like here in the USA. Thanks!

I try not to spend too much money on bike specific parts, unless it comes to suspension. Suspension is always money well spent because its a safety item. Otherwise you can ball out on luggage, handlebars, mirrors, etc as most of it can switch from bike to bike.

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like a good strategy. I think a decent part of my build could move to another bike. Thanks!

Definitely easy to fork out money on each bike you buy, I have 2 that both got double take mirrors, foot pegs, gear shifters, bags, racks, exhaust systems, skid plates, etc. UGH 😂

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Haha, yeah I’m just about to do the same by upgrading my KLX300 now! Good bye money.

Im planing on doing exactly this, getting the 390 Adventure and adding a bunch of upgrades,.. Still lighter and better than most others from what Ive heard.

@makmoto0606

10 ай бұрын

Great bike. So versatile and fun to ride.

This is a really excellent assessment and one I was trying to go over in my head before making a purchase. I was really drawn to the 390 adv and positive I didn't want a bigger bike. I watched a ton of videos and itemized all the mods I wanted to get. Then I went to buy one and any dealer within 300 miles wanted over $9k otd for a new one. And people selling them used wanted more than new msrp. And then I found a dealer with a 23 890 advr for $15,200 new otd with the tech pack. I figured I'd spend probably $3500 in mods on the 390 bringing me to $12500 and I would still have a 43 hp lighter bike with low ground clearance, no cruise control, and worse suspension. Only thing I could think I'd want on the 890 is a new skid plate. So... I own an 890 now... I still think the 390 would be better in a lot of ways and I wish dealers weren't gouging people on them. Either way I like what ktm is doing with their lineup.

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Surprised to hear they’re gauging on the 390, seems like it must be getting more popular. For the longest times my local dealer had last year’s model with a $1000 off. Excellent deal, but then again you never know what they charge for freight and setup.

@jorgeAK73

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I found a leftover 2022 390 for $8k'ish. But figured I'd still want spoked wheels.

Great breakdown on your bike and imo you’ve done the right thing by making the bike your own. Personally, it’s a weight thing for me with it being far easier to pick up than the GS’s etc I’ve had in the past.

absolutely agree with your must have mods, the handguards being chief among them imo. I had originally gone with touratech before I knew much about gear, and ended up regretting it. The guards themselves are stout but the bracket that secures them is not at all. the acerbis have been great, though. they hold up great, save your levers and dont bend out of the way when you need them

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Yep, my Acerbis have come out of many landings just fine and saved my levers and bars countless times. Only bummer was that I had to go with aftermarket bars to make them fit, driving up the cost.

@exceptico6156

4 ай бұрын

This. So this is why everybody is putting Barbusters? Because without additional work Acerbis won't work? What bars did you bought?

@Tyr1001

4 ай бұрын

@@exceptico6156 no aftermarket handguards will work right out of the box with the stock handlebars as far as i understand it. the stock bars are not of a standard dimension and have the fittings for the stock brush guards press fit into them. you could drill out those fittings, but one way or the other youre modifying either the handguard brackets or the handlebars themselves. all things considered, youre much better off with protaper or other aftermarket bars anyway so thats what everyone does

Almost every item on your list is something that would be required on any ADV bike. The only two items that may not have been required are the Andriani forks and the windscreen. I own the KTM 390ADV and an Aprilia Tuareg 660. I find for more technical and tougher trails, I prefer the KTM because of the lower seat height and lighter weight. On the highway, of course the Aprilia is far better. For fire roads, gravel roads, either will do. My list of mods for the Aprilia is similar to your list, including having the suspension reworked for my 178lb body weight. People assume that stiffer springs are a luxury item for advanced riding, but proper springs are necessary for every rider and most springs are much too soft for the average male rider.

@makmoto0606

10 ай бұрын

Great bikes! I agree, people are missing out if they don’t spend on springs for their weight.

Superb. Excel comes to rescue every time.

Depending on how and where you ride, upgrading the suspension is something to consider for sure. It is entirely possible to accidently run into something on the dirt that will blow your fork seals out because that's what happened to me. It cost me $450 to rebuild my front forks after i accidently came across some rough terrain that i didn't know was there.

@makmoto0606

8 ай бұрын

I think it is a great upgrade if you’re willing to spend the money on your bike.

Just found your channel. Great job on editing adding b-roll, spreadsheets. Etc.💪🎥🎬🎞👍 Your bike is a beast.🦍 btw I hope to ride again. Can't recommend falling off a roof. So I'm enjoying "riding" along for now. Looking forward to seeing more content 😊 Cheers from Florida 🌊🏖🌞🐊🦩 David

@makmoto0606

5 ай бұрын

Get well and get back on the trails!

Humm, my 390 mods: Rack + pizza box with back pad. Center stand. FuelX pro. Pivot pegs. Real cruse control, the best mod. Tall wind screen. Comfort seat, a must. End.

Anytime you "modify" anything you'll never get your money back. It's all about making it "yours" apart from all the others. As long as you can afford it, go for it. I've probably got close to $5000 in upgrades on my 2020 390, does'nt matter it's mine.

Depends on how you plan to use it . For me I just upgraded skid plate , radiator guard , windscreen, added pannier rack , and rear rack. Just traveling and motocamping some commuting.

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Yep. I think it would be a perfectly fine rig with the bare minimum mods I listed. Unfortunately I seem to always be looking at the websites for that next mod! I think in the future I only have plans for the rear spring upgrade, but no rush. Then it will be a super sweet ride.

@MotoCampAdv

Жыл бұрын

@@makmoto0606 yeah eventually I will replace that rear shock. Which one are you considering?

@MotoCampAdv

Жыл бұрын

@@makmoto0606 also I just ordered nicecnc flat foot pegs lol 😆 .

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

@@MotoCampAdv Hyperpro with piggyback reservoir. Just go the whole nine yards!

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

@@MotoCampAdv Please let me know how you like those pegs. I’ve looked at them, but never pulled the trigger. Would like to know how they level the pegs and change the ride.

Thanks for the video. I have a 2023 spoked 390 and decided to sell it after spending around 1200 USD on accessories. I ended up offering the accessories for FREE, and dropping the price of my bike, now at 1500km another 1000USD, so a total loss of 2200USD, and STILL there were no customers wanting it. The 2nd hand market for this bike sucks and I decided to keep it, at least until 2024 Spring, so I can get a 2024 version of maybe a Tuareg, Vstrom800, or Transalp 750. Maybe I'll fall in love with it, and decide to keep it for much longer. I mean it is lighter than most others, got all the tech, looks stunning, and basically doesn't use any gas to move. Plus I love it constantly whispering "rev me more, rev me more". I have to say I hate the supposed comfort seat from KTM Powerparts as it's no different than the OEM.

@makmoto0606

8 ай бұрын

Yes. I think I pretty much have to write mine off if I was to sell. Like you said the used market is not good for these, especially with new bikes on sale normally. I still will get lots of enjoyment out of it and would love to know what you think of a bigger adventure bike compared to the 390. I think it still has a lot of advantages.

@erkutgurun

8 ай бұрын

@@makmoto0606 Yes, it has a lot of advantages. But I cannot afford 2 bikes. And I'd really enjoy a little more power and a comfier seat so strongly thinking about either a Transalp, Tuareg, or Vstrom800. I could even consider a KTM790, but the standard one, not the R version. Which one would you pick out of my choices considering I do very minimal offroading, unlike you?

@makmoto0606

8 ай бұрын

@@erkutgurun from what I’ve heard I’d choose the Tuareg because it appears to be one of the best offroad bikes in the class. If the deals are good or can’t find an aprilia dealership, then a 890 would probably be next on my list.

@erkutgurun

8 ай бұрын

@@makmoto0606 ok thanks. We’ll see

@erkutgurun

8 ай бұрын

@@makmoto0606 890 is too expensive. 790 is now made in China. So although I love the way they look, I'm going more towards Japanese bikes. We have Honda and Yamaha services where I live and all other brands are 2 hours away. So I'm leaning towards the Transalp. But can't get the Vstrom800 out of my mind with the more low end tork, 20lt fueltank, and plush'er ride and the 220mm suspension. So we'll see.

paid 4200euro for 390adv from 2021 added chests crashbars windshield and some other things for like 300euro and its great

i always wind up with a lot of mods , more than most , spent that (+) on my 901 but the bike is now pure magic for real it is soo damn good it feels like cheating !! i think when im ready to trade again , which i hope is many years yet , this 390adv or something just like it will be my next move for a lighter easier to ride bike which was why i traded from the 1190r to the 901 as well... i might be OCD but i always (the last 4bikes anyway) do the intake/exhaust cat & cannister delete + tune to adjust mix , usually respring & maybe a revalve ,,but on this 901 i wen all out for the Tractive suspension as well..... and you are exactly right any bike you buy you will wind up modding to fit you

@makmoto0606

10 ай бұрын

I bet that 901 is great. I was really tempted by the expedition but still probably heavier than I’m looking for.

@justsomedude445

10 ай бұрын

@@makmoto0606 as i get older i will go lighter , i hope i can ride this bike for many years but my next bike will be likely the 390adv or if something else emerges in the meantime similar in size

@justsomedude445

10 ай бұрын

yes i spent way more $ than i originally intended to but this thing is pure magic @@makmoto0606

nice video , thank you

@makmoto0606

21 күн бұрын

Glad you liked it!

An you tell me what panier rack and risers you are using? The bar risers are something I need to do immediately. I already have a set of tusk pilot bags so it would actually be cheaper for me to buy a rack

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

These are the bar risers: a.co/d/eHnuQhh. They are for 1-1/8 bars so you need different bars. Panniers are: www.carpimoto.it/en-US/Bike_KTM_390-Adventure/51311_PL7711-Givi-PL7711-Specific-Pannier-Holder-for-Monokey-Cases-for-KTM-390-Adventure.htm

Thanks for doing this vid. Need to get a dual-purpose bike in Medellin Colombia and here bcs of tariffs all but Yamaha is super expensive compared to US prices. What did you do to the seat? I really don't like it at all and is super tall for me in city driving but I have a great city bike so don't know why I think about it. What seat options are available? thanks again!!!

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I have the stock seat, ergo two piece seat and the one piece, all from KTM. I don’t believe any of them make the seat height lower and the one piece seat actually raises it slightly. I think if you would like a lower seat height and don’t mind losing some ground clearance there is a lowering kit for the bike: www.ktm.com/en-us/parts---wear/powerparts/products.html?c1=0&year=2023&segment=Travel&model=F5375W7&product=1001980982

I have a Question. I try to look for that Ergo seat on the link you share and the page don’t have the option to buy it. Where exactly did you buy the ergo seat.

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

You can buy from a dealership or try this link: www.ktmperformance.com/ktmstoreperformanceparts/ktm-street-powerparts/390-adventure/seats

@hilerionewsrhr5313

Жыл бұрын

@@makmoto0606 thanks a lot I already order.

Hey Mak! How do you find Acerbis hand guards? I fond everybody buying Barbuster which are more expensive...

@makmoto0606

4 ай бұрын

Seem to hold up well. Only caveat is that I’ve had to cut the tips of my levers off because they curve in too much, but I think that might help them deflect better.

Yeah, the biggest draw for the 390 is the weight. I have a Himalayan and a 390 and although I love the Himi, the 390 is so much easier to handle if ... I mean WHEN I drop it or anytime I'm manhandling it over difficult terrain. The 390 is fast, light, inexpensive and good lookin'. If absolute power is not the top priority for your adventuring ... get the 390. ... I checked the T-Rex site. They had no engine guards for the bike. Where did you get yours? thx, good vid, S P.S.: Still rockin' the stock pegs?

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

I should have the link in the description for the engine guards. I emailed T-Rex asking them to put them under the 390 ADV, but they. Haven’t changed it. So they are under the Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen. Yep, still using the stock pegs and haven’t felt the need to dish out the crazy money for the aftermarket options. I find it fun that so many reviewers make a big deal out of the 390 pegs, but the pegs on the KLX300 are so much worse and reviewers just gloss over them.

@sdefiel3719

Жыл бұрын

@@makmoto0606 Oh! _There_ it is ... right under my flippin' nose. Sorry. So, these guards fit right? No drilling, explosives or trips to alternate universes to make it fit nice? Yeah, I drank the flat $200 foot peg Kool-Aid. It helps when you're on the trail, but the other 80%+ of the time on the road they get in the way. Thanks again, S

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

@@sdefiel3719 Yep, those guards bolt up perfectly, at least with T-Rex skid plate, not sure if they interfere with other skid plates. They would probably sell quite a few more if they moved them to the 390 page on their site. Enjoy!

The saddle is gorgeous, what brand please ?

@makmoto0606

6 ай бұрын

Ktm ergo one piece seat.

Hi, what helmet are you using? Thanks.

@makmoto0606

11 ай бұрын

Bell MX9 Adventure. www.cyclegear.com/gear/bell-mx-9-adventure-mips-helmet

May I please ask ? Is the quickshifter worth the money ?

@makmoto0606

6 ай бұрын

Probably not worth the money. I often prefer to clutch myself.

Just replace the front sprocket to a 14 and ride it. Or buy a 690.

@makmoto0606

Жыл бұрын

Sprocket is a great improvement. Thanks for commenting!

You should have gotten a CRF300 Rally instead. The KTM 390 ADV is a mistake and shouldn't have existed when you could have just gotten a Duke 390 and change it's tire.

@makmoto0606

8 ай бұрын

Don’t agree. 390 is great and having a klx300, those 300s are less powerful and enjoyable, and far less enjoyable on road. Thanks