EICMA 2018: KTM 390 Adventure NOT Unveiled

Disappointed.

Now, that's an understatement about how we are currently feeling about EICMA 2018 and the KTM 390 Adventure.

No, KTM did not unveil its entry-level adventure motorcycle at what is the biggest motorcycle show in the world. It concentrated its efforts on the 790 Adventure instead. The latter, as most of you would know, isn't coming to India. At least, not in the near future.

Why so disappointed?

Well, for starters the 390 Adventure has been a Unicorn; not the one from Honda, but the white horse with a horn that little girls dream about and have plush toys of. We had heard about it. We even paid attention to some speculated specifications. And, when some overly excited enthusiast with a flair for sketching drew up one, we almost believed it.

But, it all began to fade. And just when everything seemed lost, and we were gravitating towards the pricey BMW G 310 GS, bam! KTM announced the 390 Adventure was, in fact, real. And, it would be launched in 2019. Bubblies were popped, laddoos were distributed, and all of us got down to figuring out when would be the right time for KTM to unveil the motorcycle, if not launch it.

And unanimously, across various media houses, among motorcycle enthusiasts, and in virtually all motorcycle chat rooms, it was decided that EICMA 2018 would be the D-day. But, of course, KTM, wasn't part of any of these discussions. So, today, when we all waited for the 390 ADV unveil with bated breath, the Austrian motorcycle company, not only did NOT unveil the bike or a concept around the 390, it didn't even whisper anything about the bike.

Therefore, disappoitment, of epic proportions.

The India connection

So, where does this leave us now? Well, the cynical amongst us, who have lost all faith in KTM's plans of launching the 390 ADV, will go ahead and buy something else. The ones who are disappointed, would be cribbing about an EICMA 2019 unveil. After all, all KTM said was that the bike will be launched in 2019. But, it didn't say when exactly. And December 2019, is 2019 as well.

However, the optimist amongst us, believe the 390 Adventure will make its global debut in India. And it won't happen in December. It will happen sooner, most probably in the first half of 2019. And so, even though all seems lost - again - we remain hopeful.

And, if it is anything like the 790 Adventure, well, it might still be worth the wait.