At first glance, these two bikes might
not seem all that comparable. After all,
the Kawasaki is a 500, and the KTM is a
390, but in reality, they are much closer in
displacement than their decals suggest.
The KLE500 is actually a 450 (technically,
451), and the KTM is a 400 (technically,
398.7), just a little over a 50cc differ-
ence. That's not a big difference. They are
similarly priced, too, with the Kawasaki at
$7499 and the KTM at $7699—just a $200
difference—and both are aimed at riders
looking for approachable, versatile adven-
ture motorcycles. So, we feel these bikes
are close enough on the major talking
points to compare, or at least to point out
their strengths and weaknesses, and then
you can decide which one is best for you.
Background Check
Before we head out, a quick background
check. The KLE500 is a new model for
Kawasaki for 2026, but the name isn't
new. Kawasaki introduced the original
but short-lived KLE500 in 1991;
welcome back.
The KTM 390 Adventure, meanwhile,
has been around since 2020, but the
more dirt-focused 390 Adventure R
arrived just last year. The R debuted as
part of KTM's completely redesigned
390 Adventure lineup for 2025. It quickly
earned a reputation as a strong off-road
performer, and we can confirm that—
we've been enjoying the 390 Adventure
family ever since its arrival.
Enough of the Chit-
Chat; Let's Go Riding
The first thing you notice after riding
these two bikes back-to-back is weight.
The KTM feels dramatically lighter, which
makes sense when you compare the
numbers. KTM claims 388 pounds fully
fueled versus Kawasaki's 430-pound
P96
RIDE COMPARISON I 2026 KTM 390 ADVENTURE R VS. KAWASAKI KLE500 SE ABS
Sometimes the KTM 390 Adventure R feels more
like a dual sport bike than an adventure bike.
