The 2026 motorcycling landscape is full of bikes designed to be ridden on A2 licences, but the KTM 390 SMC R is one of only two supermoto styled machines we can think of in the category.
It shares a platform with the long running RC 390 and Duke 390, as well as the new 390 Adventure R, and is keenly priced – being £5,399 at the time of writing. That’s over £2,500 cheaper than Suzuki’s DR-Z4SM, the only other mainstream 400cc supermoto we can think of, pretty much putting the KTM in a class of its own.
There’s also a learner legal 125cc version available, costing £4,899, but for the purpose of this review we’re focusing on the 390, which uses the latest 399cc, 44bhp, iteration of the Austrian company’s well-proven single cylinder engine.
Originally derived from motocross bikes, supermotos are the kind of machines KTM built its reputation on back in the day, and although they remain a niche (and slightly impractical) form of motorcycling, street legal supermotos remain some of the simplest and purest form of riding money can buy.
On first acquaintance, the SMC R doesn’t look or feel like a bike costing £5,399, it feels way better than that. Supermotards are traditionally minimalist lightweights, essentially motocross bikes fitted with 17” wheels and slick tyres, and this KTM looks the part, sitting tall and slim and resplendent in KTM’s corporate orange livery.
Combined with its orange painted steel trellis frame you could mistake it for KTM’s bigger 690, while the 17” spoked wheels wear decent Michelin Power Sport 6 tyres, where budget bikes could be forgiven for being signed off on cheaper or even unbranded rubber. A large 320mm brake disc is actually bigger than the one you’d find on a 690 SMC R costing nearly twice as much, and you have to clock the subtle ByBre branding on the two-piston brake calipers to realise that this is a bike built to a cost.
Certainly the 43mm WP Apex open cartridge forks don’t give it away. They too look beyond what you might expect on a budget A2 bike and have a wide window in which to play around with the settings, with 30 clicks of rebound and compression adjustability through finger operated knobs on top of the forks. There’s 20 clicks of rebound adjustment at the rear, while preload can be changed using the good old fashioned ring at the top of the shock absorber.
Climb on board and the feel is a cross between traditional supermoto and naked roadster. The quoted 860mm seat height might look and sound intimidating to shorter riders, but the saddle is (as you’d expect from this kind of bike) narrow and the all-important ‘straddle’ means that even I (a short and stumpy 165cm) can get one solid foot down or two on my tippy toes.
In keeping with supermoto standards the dash is a slither of a thing, but TFT technology means that space can now be packed with loads of information. It might only be 4.2” but the dashboard is easy to read. The start up sequence, of course, flashes up KTM’s long-standing motto ‘Ready to Race’ but once that’s cleared there’s a decently big speed readout, gear indicator and rev counter, supported by the usual additional information, like clock and the selected riding mode. The positioning does mean that you have to actively look, rather than glance, down at the dashboard but it’s the nature of this kind of tall and upright machine, rather than a design flaw on KTM’s part.
The dashboard and left hand switchgear also facilitate the rider modifying the bike’s settings. There are two ride modes, Sport delivering a slightly sharper throttle response and less rider aids than Street, with the traction control and rear ABS switched off.
If you want to ride like the guys in KTM’s promo videos and photos (spoiler alert, that’s not me riding in these pictures!) there are dedicated Supermoto settings which switch off the traction control and ABS on the rear wheel – allowing you to slide the bike with impunity (on a track, of course). These settings don’t default when you switch the bike off, meaning you don’t have the faff of redoing your preferred modes every time you ride. It’s a good set up and an indication of how far ‘budget’ bikes have come in recent years.
If there’s something negative to say then it’s just that the 399cc engine can’t quite cash the cheques being written by the chassis and electronics. It’s not really having a go at KTM, it’s just the nature of the beast and in fact if anything it’s a complement. No one should doubt the Austrian company’s ability to build performance engines or aggressive motorcycles.
This is, after all, the ‘Ready to Race’ brand, which gives its products nicknames like ‘The Beast’ and ‘The Scalpel’ but even motorcycling’s most rebellious bike maker needs to follow the rules when it comes to Euro5+ and A2 licence regs. Thumb the starter and, like every new bike on sale today, there’s absolutely no drama.
That’s a good thing, I suppose, but I’m pretty sure there are some design engineers in Mattighofen who still weep at the thought of creating such an anaemic sounding and, dare we say it, mainstream engine.
The 399cc single thrums rather than roars into life. The clutch and gearbox is super light and, to be honest, there’s not a lot of character to the engine – although that’s a comment I’d throw at any A2 bike from any manufacturer.
Around town, it’s as easy as you like. The minimalist nature of supermotards mean they’re not very practical. KTM offer an accessory rack and top box as part of its ‘Power Parts’ range but it’s more a solo-with-a-backpack type bike. If you want something to load up with luggage, your friendly KTM dealer will no doubt steer you in the direction of a 390 Adventure.
Around town, that tall riding position is commanding and, combined with the light weight, it’s great for dashing in and out of heavy traffic. Motorways are a chore, the wide ‘bars and upright riding position means there’s no protection from the elements, while the seat is firm and not really designed for distance. Again, it’s not really any different to any other supermoto I’ve ridden over the years. For short blasts it’s as you’d expect, and the fuel tank only holds nine litres of unleaded anyway...
Supermotos have always been happiest down B-roads and this is where the 390 SMC R excels. That riding position gives a much clearer view of the road ahead than you’d ever get on a sports bike and, point-to-point, it’s probably as quick as any A2 bike out there – KTM’s RC 390 included. Despite my reservations about the motor’s lack of drama, it likes to be worked hard.
The 399cc single cylinder engine delivers just over 44bhp but the whole thing only weighs 161kg with a full tank of petrol. With decent suspension, good tyres and wide handlebars which make it a cinch to hustle down backroads, it’s a real hoot to ride. It feels so alive, like the lightweight 250cc two-strokes we rode in the 1990s.
Push it and the front feels light, but still in perfect control, and dancing with that six-speed gearbox is part of the fun. Our test bike had KTM’s accessory quickshifter, a £225 option, which enhanced the feeling of riding in an immersive video game. Those brakes, incidentally, also impress.
As a reviewer, my job is to try and think of the person who’s likely to buy the bike I am riding, rather than simply exposing my own personal tastes. This has become tougher in recent years, as fewer youngsters take to two wheels and us older guys move away from sports bikes. Far from trying to visualise what the SMC R would mean to a younger rider, I actually thought about how I would feel about owning one myself.
Middle aged riders are regularly downsizing and while there’s plenty of appeal for A2 licence holders, I think the SMC R also makes sense as a weekend plaything for older riders, who want something that doesn’t cost too much, and is smaller and more manageable, but who don’t want to go down the retro route.
I’ve ridden KTM’s 390 Duke, for example, and while it’s bike I have a lot of respect for I’ve never really considered buying one. Fun as it is, the ego probably wouldn’t allow me to buy a sub-400cc sporty bike, but with the supermoto I could absolutely see me proudly turning up at a bike meet and telling everyone how it brings back memories of the Yamaha TDR250 I rode back in the day.
It looks bigger than it is but doesn’t look like a 44bhp machine masquerading as a 200bhp machine. It’s well proportioned, well built and a bit of strategically placed black tape on the ‘390’ decal might even make passers by mistake it for an 890 or even 990!
And then there’s the price. Let’s be real, motorcycling is a hobby for many of us these days and the thought of a £15k plaything sitting in the garage isn’t really an option for most people. At just over £5k, the KTM 390 SMC R doesn’t feel like the same level of indulgence. I’d quite like to have one tucked away for that one sunny Sunday morning when I’ve nothing else on and just want to go for a ride. I wouldn’t feel as carefree about dropping 10 grand on a 690 SMC R!
If supermoto bikes aren’t your cup of tea then that’s understandable. KTM uses the 390 platform to create bikes in a variety of other flavours to meet most tastes. The issue facing those other 390s, like the sporty RC 390, the naked 390 Duke and the tasty 390 Adventure R, is that they operate in more crowded marketplaces and – as I already alluded to – they kinda feel like they live in the shadow of their more expensive siblings. If you want an A2 compliant street supermoto, then the SMC R really is your only choice (sorry Suzuki!). Even if you have a full licence, it really does feel like a credible option in its own right.
Out of all the models in KTM’s 390 range, in many ways the supermoto style really seems to suit the KTM’s single cylinder engine best. It’s not thumpy and aggressive, like I remember the bigger 690 to be, but it’s torquey and usable, and costs just over half the price of its bigger brother. It’s not a bike for everyone but if it sounds like a bike for you, you likely won’t be disappointed.
KTM 390 SMC R specification
Price: From £5,399
Engine: 399cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke. Four valves, double overhead camshafts
Power: 44bhp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 39Nm @ 7,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, chain
Frame: Steel trellis
Suspension: (F) 43mm WP Apex forks (rebound and compression adjustment), 230mm travel (R) WP Apex single shock with preload and rebound adjustment. 230mm travel.
Wheels: Spoked, (F) 17 x 2”/ (R) 17 x 4”
Tyres: Michelin Power Sport 6 (F) 110/70 x 17, (R) 150/60 x 17
Brakes: (F) 320mm disc, two-piston ByBre caliper, (R) 240mm disc, ByBre single-piston caliper. Cornering ABS
Weight: 161kg (kerb)
Wheelbase: 1,453mm
Seat height: 860mm
Fuel tank: 9 litres
Fuel consumption: 83.1mpg (claimed)
Service intervals: 6,200 miles/12 months
Warranty: 48 months unlimited mileage
Contact: www.ktm.com
Words: Paul Taylor
Photography: KTM/Rudi Schedl
