KTM 390 SMC R Spotted Testing In India

Quick News Highlights

• The KTM 390 SMC R has been seen testing in India for the first time

• It features a similar design as the Enduro R, but gets smaller wheels

• Could be coming to India in the future

The KTM 390 SMC R has been spotted testing in India for the first time. The bike is manufactured in Bajaj’s Chakan plant, which could possibly mean the bike might come to India.

The KTM 390 SMC R looks quite similar to the KTM 390 Enduro R. It gets a similar dirt-bike/dual-sport look and styling. Featuring a raised beak-like fender, a compact headlight section and an overall sleek body profile.

But the 390 SMC R is a very different bike, and is built for a different purpose. Supermoto is a unique racing format which combines 3 different types of tracks. There’s the regular road tarmac, then a motocross style dirt track with obstacles, and lastly a flat track. Supermoto bikes are designed to deal with all 3. So the bikes are designed with versatility in mind. 

The 390 SMC R gets an inverted fork and monoshock, with long travel. Braking duties on the bike will be handled by disc brakes at both ends. In this regard, it is similar to the KTM 390 Enduro R.

But what sets it apart from the enduro is the usage of smaller 17-inch wheels. Judging by the spy shots, it is clear that the bike being tested in India gets spoke wheels instead of alloys. We got our first look at the 390 SMC R when it was spotted testing in Europe earlier. The test mule there was seen sporting 17-inch alloy wheels instead of spoke wheels. 

The bike is powered by the same 399cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine which outputs 46PS and 39Nm. We expect it to feature a few changes, such as a different engine tune to suit the Supermoto nature of the bike. 

Coming to features, we expect the bike to get a compact TFT display, like the Enduro R. It could offer riding aids like traction control and switchable ABS, which will allow for controlled slides on the tarmac.

The bike could be launched in India later, after the KTM 390 Adventure S and KTM 390 Enduro R. The bookings for both of the bikes have begun, for a booking fee of Rs 1,999.

The 390 SMC R is an interesting bike, and would be a very good addition to the KTM lineup. It will offer something to riders who are looking for the best of both worlds, i.e road riding and offroading. 

That said, the SMC R won’t be as capable as the 390 Enduro R when it comes to off-road riding, it will still be able to handle some light trails. Currently, supermoto as a sport is not that popular or even well known in India. So the 390 SMC R’s launch could ignite some interest in it as well.

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