We motored up every pass with out problems. I put a 14 tooth sprocket on front which I believe helped on the trip (switched it out in Baggs, WY). So consider the power equation: how much weight are you willing to sacrifice (adding more I mean) to have the horse power you want?
So the KTM 390 is not the unicorn my brother was hoping for. But I love this little bike. It's light enough to be very maneuverable on dirt tracks, has enough power to be fun, was flawless mechanically for the 3400 miles of the trip, and averaged over 57 mpg for those miles. I dropped it left and right and between the crash bars and luggage, it came out with nary a scratch (that I can see). I will say that I was nervous every time because that rear brake pedal just screams "break me!" But is it a Round The World bike? Heck no, it wasn't designed for that. But I feel I've proved it's a solid adventure bike, at least to my mind. It doesn't have the weight of it's bigger brothers, nor the expense. Ride it well, keep it within it's parameters and this bike will do the job and you'll have fun on it. I'm certainly not sorry I bought it and can't wait for the next adventure. Maybe one not quite so far away this time though.
Tom Clark
I'm a Senior Software Engineer at Intellitect, living in Spokane, Washington. I also do a little development work on the side. And I love riding motorcycles all over the country with my friends.
