The KTM Adventure 390 has been enjoying dominion in the affordable ADV-tourer segment. It is more feature-loaded than its closest rival, the RE Himalayan. While the Himalayan is considered more capable off the road, it’s the ADV 390 which blows it out of the park when it comes to overall performance and equipment on offer. But an old player with added features and a more affordable price tag has entered the game again. The BMW G310 GS might not have made an impact earlier, but its intentions are more serious in its BS6 iteration.
BMW has priced the BS6 G310 GS at INR 2.85 Lakh, undercutting the fierce Austrian by around INR 20,000. Now that the G310 GS is actually cheaper than the ADV 390, has anything changed in other departments as well?
| BMW G310 GS | KTM Adventure 390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 313cc, single-cylinder, 4 valve, water-cooled | 373.2cc, single-cylinder, 4 valve, liquid-cooled |
| Maximum power | 34 PS @ 9500 rpm | 43.5 PS @ 9000 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 28 NM @ 7500 rpm | 37 NM @ 7000 rpm |
| Transmission | 6 speed with slipper clutch | 6 speed with slipper clutch |
| Ride by wire | Yes | Yes |
| Wheelbase | 1420mm | 1430mm |
| Seat height | 835mm | 855mm |
| Front suspension | 41 mm Upside down forks, 180mm travel | 43 mm Upside down forks, 170mm travel |
| Rear suspension | Preload adjustable monoshock, 180mm travel | WP monoshock, 177mm travel |
| Braking | 300mm front disc rotor 240mm rear disc rotor Dual-channel ABS |
320mm front disc rotor 230mm rear disc rotor Dual-channel ABS |
| Fuel tank capacity | 11 litre | 14.5 litre |
| Weight | 169.5 KG | 172 KG |
| TFT Display with Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Traction control | No | Yes |
| Cornering ABS | No | Yes |
| Price | INR 2.85 Lakh ex-showroom | INR 3.05 Lakh ex-showroom |
Engine and performance
The KTM ADV 390 uses the same engine found on the Duke 390 in the exact same tune. So what you have under the seat is the manic 373cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine which churns out 43.5ps of peak power @ 9000 rpm and 37nm torque @ 7000 rpm. These explosive numbers make the ADV 390 the indisputable king in its segment as far as performance on tap is considered.
On the other hand, the G310 GS’ R’s 312cc, single-cylinder engine is now BS6-compliant and churns out 34bhp at 9,500rpm and 28Nm at 7,00rpm- the same figures as the outgoing model. However, the engine which is paired to a six-speed gearbox now gets an assist and slipper clutch as standard. The KTM ADV 390 too, comes with a slipper clutch but it also has a couple of more tricks up its sleeves.
Equipment
Being a KTM, the ADV 390 is loaded up to the brim with modern-day tech such as Traction Control, quickshifter, cornering ABS and a 5-inch TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity. Neither of these features are found on the BMW G310 GS. The inclusion of ride by wire in the GS’ BS6 iteration could have led to the addition of riding modes as well, just like the TVS Apache RR 310, but for some reason the German manufacturer ignored it. A cost-cutting measure, we assume.
Suspension and braking
Both the motorcycles are soft-roaders and aren’t particularly meant for trail bashing. They are mainly developed to go the distance and for some occasional off-roading. And that reflects in their cycle parts as well. Both get identical suspension setups with the front forks being USD units and the rear ones being mono shocks. But the Duke 390’s front forks are open cartridge units with bigger diameter. On the other hand, the G310 GS’ suspension offers more travel than the KTM ADV 390 but the difference is negligible.
G310 GS’ braking setup includes a 300mm front disc and 240mm rear disc. The ADV390 gets a bigger front rotor though with its 320mm diameter. Both the motorcycles get the safety net of dual-channel ABS. But like we mentioned earlier, the ADV 390 also gets cornering ABS!
Weight, fuel tank capacity and other dimensions
Both the motorcycles aren’t what you would call ‘bulky’ the G310 GS is the lighter of the two with its 169 KG weight as opposed to ADV 390’s 172 KG. The G310 GS might make less power on paper but it does weigh less too. It comes with a smaller fuel tank though and can only hold 11 litres of fuel. On the other hand, the KTM ADV 390 can swallow 14.5 litres of fuel. The G310 GS is more approachable of the two though because of its low seat height.
Also read: BS6 BMW G 310 R vs KTM Duke 390: Specs & Price Comparison
Pricing
The BMW G310 GS is now cheaper than the KTM ADV 390 and that came us a surprise for all of us. With its aggressive pricing, BMW Motorrad India might be aiming for higher sales number as compared to its BS4 counterpart. It also gives the potential owners of the ADV 390 a serious reason to reconsider again.