Danny Kushmaro at the performance of the Three Tenors (who are actually four)

These are the most important bikes KTM will launch this year.

They are not the most powerful nor the largest, but these are the bikes that are expected to drive the sales bonanza in the hot segment of bikes of this size, in Israel but also in regions where smaller bikes are common, such as South America and the East.

This comes after a difficult year of economic crash for the orange—or perhaps orange-and-black—Austrian giant, when the one who came to help was the Indian two- and three-wheeled giant, BAJAJ. Since May, Bajaj has poured almost $1B cumulatively, and recently completed the takeover of KTM, in an event symbolizing the decline of Europe and the rise of the East.

The story begins in 2014 with the first generation of the 390 in the first cooperation with Bajaj, and produced in India—motorcycles for the beginner, less experienced rider, efficient, relatively cheap bikes that do the job and, most importantly, sold well.

The point is that, how shall we say, mainly the model called the Adventure at that time did not demonstrate the design capability KTM has always prided itself on—and this changes dramatically in this generation. Meanwhile, the 4LC engine was upgraded, its displacement increased by 26 cc to 399 cc, adding another horse to the system that pushes the bikes to a total of 46 hp at 8,500 rpm, torque increased by about 0.2 kg·m, piston stroke increased, cooling system improved, new cylinder head, better air intake, and now there is also an electronic ride-by-wire throttle, a new frame with a removable subframe, ergonomic changes, wheelbase length adjustments, and more—three completely new motorcycles based on the precision launched a year ago.

Here is a leap forward that has produced bikes—and excuse the unprofessional word—simply cool, each one individually, machines with such joy of life that remind you again how fun riding a motorcycle can be.

So let’s ride already!

The first was actually the supermoto, a category that, let’s recall, started at the grassroots level with riders who took an enduro bike, swapped the off-road tires for street ones, stiffened the suspension, creating a light, lean, tough bike, all pure fun.

And that is the first feeling you get from this small supermoto; it’s amazing how, despite its modest horsepower, it can instantly lift your mood, even for an experienced rider, blow your mind with adrenaline, engage that thrill muscle, a bike that wants to fight—or as one young rider told me experiencing it for the first time—“Dad, tell me, what is this thing?!?”

It’s a bike that asks you to lift the front wheel, to slide the Michelin Power 6 tires a bit in a curve, a troublemaker that wants to take you for a fun day at a kart track in leather suit and tire smoke, a reminder of how much fun the combination of frame, two wheels, and engine can give—even with only 45 hp.

What’s particularly surprising about this bike is that, despite the fact it’s not supposed to be its domain, it can also be serious; if you don’t have a pampered rear, it can also take you on the highway. And though it’s certainly not recommended for regular use with this stiffness and no wind protection, there’s no fuel gauge, just a warning light that comes on a little early, and there are two riding modes—street and sport—that give more freedom and allow traction control and ABS to be turned off.

In summary: A real playbike, fun to be young.

This bike raises an existential question: Can a motorcycle called “Enduro,” a dual-purpose bike, actually serve as an enduro bike, to ride off-road with friends on real enduro bikes? In a world where bikes are designed to live only off-road, can a bike like this, meant also for street riding, join the pack?

Well: The philosophical answer is—depends.

The 390 is heavier by about 60 kg compared to the 350 EXC-F, they have similar horsepower, suspension travel differs by about 100 mm in favor of the off-road model, and mainly—a price difference of almost NIS 50,000!

Still—the modest R knows how to work off-road; you need to get used to the WP APEX suspension, which is less professional, and due to the engine character and gear ratios, it prefers faster trails. The main limitation is felt on slow technical terrain, where you need a bit more courage and throttle for obstacles. Still, you can definitely have fun off-road, and if you want to envy, go watch Johnny Aubert, two-time Enduro world champion, on YouTube; at the same time, you can take a friend along, as long as they don’t live too far away.

D.L.B imports the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, which costs a few hundred dollars more in the U.S. than the Enduro. Here, the dynamics changed, and actually, the Enduro costs about NIS 10,000 more than the Himalayan.

If you like—Enduro R is a retro type, reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s dual-purpose off-road approach of bikes like Suzuki 350-400 DRZ or the less common KTM 400 EGS.

There are two riding modes, Street and Enduro, including traction control that can be disconnected—on the rear wheel or both wheels for real off-road riding; ABS can also be turned off. Another advantage is lower maintenance costs than a professional off-road bike and service every 10,000 km.

In summary: Ride off-road with sanity, because in the end, it all depends on the rider.

With all due respect to the previous two bikes, this is the most important in the trio, the one expected to sell the most, a blockbuster.

Let’s start with design, because this is a huge step forward compared to the previous model, which, let’s say, was not the prettiest in class and with a 19" front wheel, had limited off-road capability. The new Adventure looks big, impressive, with a high windshield, dressed in combat colors of orange-white-black, and it really looks like, well, an Adventure.

Like a rally bike.

They took the Enduro R version mentioned above, added lots of plastic, a bigger tank, a sensible instrument panel, and a more comfortable seat, and we got the Adventure. Like the Enduro R—the larger bike prefers faster trails, and if you insist on forcing it into slow technical terrain, you’ll have to play a lot with the clutch and throttle. On the highway, according to foreign sources, it can challenge 170 km/h from below, feeling stable, safe, and well-built, although around 5,000 rpm there are vibrations, which is forgivable and quite expected for a single-cylinder engine of this displacement, and maybe it’s just excited for the adventure.

The Adventure enters the hot segment of modest bikes, an area already occupied by the bestseller, the 450 CFMOTO, and soon the BMW 450 twin-cylinder, which will presumably be more expensive.

The small Adventure R is the talented type that can do almost everything, solo or with a passenger, on the road or in the desert, city or village, and due to its moderate weight (and price) and gentle performance, it is very suitable for beginner riders (but others will also enjoy it a lot).

In summary: KTM’s next sales hit.