The KTM RC 390 has been a staple of the small-displacement sportbike category since its inception in 2015. Following a few years of growing long in the tooth while other competitors like the Kawasaki Ninja 400 and Yamaha YZF-R3 have excelled, KTM has given the 2022 model a major rejuvenation aimed at increasing performance while maintaining a budget-conscious platform.
The RC 390 is the only supersport model available from KTM in the United States market, while the smaller-displacement RC 125 is offered in foreign markets. The RC 390 is powered by a liquid-cooled 373cc DOHC single-cylinder engine, which benefits from a 40-percent-larger airbox, all-new exhaust system, and dedicated engine mapping in 2022. Also new is a three-directional inertial measurement unit, which allows for lean-angle sensitive Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC) and Cornering ABS—a first for this category. The chassis also gets a major revision.
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Ahead of an upcoming test of the 2022 KTM RC 390, we ran the updated supersport on the in-house Cycle World Dynojet 250i dynamometer, recording horsepower and torque figures. The RC pumped out 40.16 hp at 8,850 rpm and 24.36 pound-feet of torque at 6,880 rpm, which is right on par with the previous iteration that we last tested. However, it’s important to note that our test unit was a European-spec RC 390 with roughly 1,200 miles of track testing under its belt.
