How Much Power Does the 2022 KTM RC 390 Make?

KTM’s updated small-bore supersport on the Cycle World dyno.

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.

Horsepower and torque figures of the European-spec KTM RC 390 ran on the Cycle World dyno.Robert Martin Jr.

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.