KTM’s entry-level supersport machine is getting a big upgrade for 2022 with the RC 390 getting a full aesthetic makeover plus much more for the coming model year.
Underneath the completely revised bodywork is an updated chassis including frame and suspension, with the single-cylinder heart now boasting Euro5 homologation.
Interestingly, bucking the normal routine KTM actually went about increasing the size of the RC 390 which has not only to given it a much needed new look but also optimises the aerodynamics at higher top speeds. This is thanks, in part, to a computational fluid dynamics design process according to KTM.
This new design has also optimised wind and weather protection along with enhanced heat management by using a combination of inner and outer body panels to direct airflow away from the rider.
Despite the larger bodywork, KTM has managed some impressive weight savings compared to the outgoing bike. An all-new wheel design accounts for a 3.4 kg unsprung weight saving over the previous generation, while the new ByBre braking system shaves off 960 grams. Even the frame sees a weight loss with a claimed 1.5 kg saving.
All up the 2022 RC 390 tips the scales at 158kg dry in full road trim. For the track fiends out there, the bodywork has been designed to be able to more easily swap out the road-legal bodywork for track only units.
For 2022, the 373cc single gets Euro5 homologation and thanks to a new airbox, more torque. Peak power figures are a claimed 42.9hp (32kW) with torque now 37Nm.
The suspension has also been hit with the upgrade stick with the 2022 model now featuring adjustable open cartridge WP APEX upside-down front forks up front – with 30 clicks of compression adjustment on the left, and 30 clicks for rebound on the right – witch the rear also gets a WP APEX shock with pre-load adjustment and 5 clicks of rebound adjustment.
Keeping the RC 390 at the pointy end of the tech race, KTM has included a selection of rider aids including SUPERMOTO ABS (which switches off rear ABS and rear wheel lift sensors), Lean angle sensitive Cornering ABS and Cornering MTC. There’s also the option to add KTM’s Quickshifter+ for clutchless full-throttle shifting.
Thanks to the addition of a TFT colour display, the RC 390 now allows riders to access important information at a glance, with the added flexibility of being able to tailor the display to show what they want to see. The display also automatically adapts its brightness to ambient light and like KTM’s other TFTs also supports KTM’s MY RIDE smartphone app integration.
KTM New Zealand expects the new 2022 RC 390 to arrive in the first quarter of 2022, with pricing yet to be set at the time of writing. However, KTM NZ has indicated that we are likely to see a price increase on the 2021 model thanks to all the additional tech packed into the 2022 model.
