VOLUME ISSUE JANUARY , P101
valves to deliver smoother, more
torquey power. Once accelerated
past 6500 rpm, the intake cam
shifts sideways in 3-5 millisec-
onds to a higher-lift cam (+2mm
of lift), giving the engine a
deeper gulp for maximum power
into the top-end. This provides
easier-to-ride, emissions-friendly
fueling at lower speeds and
fire-breathing, wide-open perfor-
mance on demand.
The engine character is beau-
tiful. With so much torque on
demand, you almost never de-
sire more acceleration, and the
mid- to top-end pull is equally
impressive. But the bonus lies
in the slow-going, too. The bike
is simple to ride at a moderate
pace yet instantly responds to
aggression. It will go where you
dare to push it with ferocity.
And it can creep around parking
structures or urban congestion
with the ease of a mellow com-
muter. The fueling feels great,
and if there's ever an engine that
makes you feel both comfort-
able and frightened at the same
time, this is it.
I Frame Updates
While still mostly the same as
the previous generation, this
1390 enjoys some serious beef-
ing in the stiffness realm. Ac-
cording to KTM, steel frame tube
diameters and wall thickness
combined with the stressed
engine as a frame component
increase stiffness in longitudinal
(+13%), lateral (+23%) and tor-
sional (+73%!) planes. The goal
here is to boost overall stability.
And the result was evident in
