Dakar-inspired GasGas 400cc ADV Spied Testing

A couple of weeks ago, spy shots of a radical-looking, off-road focused prototype emerged from Europe. Since the overall design language of the prototype looked very similar to the KTM 450 Rally Factory Replica, it was assumed that this prototype was the 2024 KTM 390 Adventure R. However, new spy shots indicate this test mule to be a GasGas road-legal, Dakar-inspired 400cc adventure motorcycle.

Expected to be launched by 2024, this would be GasGas’ first road-legal adventure bike and follows the SM700 and ES700 supermoto/enduro road-legal bikes that were unveiled in April 2022. This bike will also feature a lot of bits you’d typically find on a KTM, like WP Suspension and ByBre brakes, similar to the Husqvarna Vitpilen and Svartpilen.

The biggest change, however, is the fact that the bike will reportedly be powered by an all-new 399cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine, that’s being developed by KTM. As a consequence of larger displacement, the motor could produce more torque and power compared to the current KTM 390 Adventure’s 373cc engine that makes 43.5 PS and 37 Nm. 

More importantly, the resultant increase in torque should massively improve the bike’s mid range performance. For European markets, GasGas could offer a detuned version of the ADV that complies with the A2 licensing norms. Moreover, the larger displacement will also ensure that the engine runs less stressed, which will in turn improve its reliability. 

This new GasGas adventure bike is a serious off-roader as it packs WP USDs at the front, and an offset monoshock in the rear while rolling on 21-inch D.I.D DirtStar rims at the front and 18-inch wire-spoked wheels in the back that are wrapped in chunky knobbies. Also spotted were new rotors coupled with an axial caliper, that’s completely different from any of the current bikes. The motorcycle also gets a tweaked trellis frame and a sleek rear subframe.

The instrument console on the prototype looks the same as the TFT display currently present on the 390 Adventure. The finish seen on the prototype suggests that it is past its R&D stage, and hence we could see the production version of this bike at the 2023 EICMA in Milan followed by an early 2024 launch.

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This GasGas adventure motorcycle could be the first motorcycle to sport the upcoming bigger heart. That said, it will certainly not make its way to India. Similar motorcycles in India would be the upcoming Hero Rally 450 and Himalayan 450. The latter was spied on test multiple times and the latest spy shots have revealed quite a few new details, which you can check out here.