This is the 350 cc version
For context, I have ridden this bike around 450 kms till now. That includes a 280 km trip from Chandigarh to Naldehra and around 170 kms in the city. I am a beginner rider, so I will just try to explain what I felt in simple terms.

Quirks (Can be negative points for some people, I personally don't mind them)

1. Gearbox could be better. It is not bad, but it could definitely feel slicker.
2. Engine braking is really strong.
3. Heat is almost always there in the city, even early in the morning. I once made the mistake of wearing shorts while going to the gym, never again 😅 On the highway though, I never faced this issue.
4. The throttle snaps back very quickly to its resting position. So while slowing down in traffic, if I suddenly let go of the throttle, the bike slows down quite a bit and the ride can feel choppy in stop-go traffic.
5. It is a tall bike, so lean angles feel exaggerated initially. Takes some time getting used to it.
6. The headlight is extremely strong, which I love, but I feel it could be adjusted slightly lower.
7. This is not a good sounding engine. It has that typical KTM metallic sound.

Cons (In order of annoyance)

1. Attention to detail and finishing

This is my biggest issue with the bike.

For the price KTM is charging, I expected much better finishing and attention to detail. What annoyed me the most is how little thought KTM gave to luggage mounting on a motorcycle they market as a "travel" bike. They do not even offer a proper accessory solution for it. That was honestly disappointing.

2. Fuel gauge

Acts like a Royal Enfield fuel gauge 😅
Keeps fluctuating all the time.

3. Front brake feel

Performance-wise the brakes are good, but the front brake lever feels too mushy. I am hoping upgrading to sintered pads improves this.

4. Seat comfort

The seat still feels like the foam has not broken in yet, so it feels quite firm.

That being said, it is still manageable. I used to rent the Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 a lot in the Himalayas, and on that bike my butt would go numb AND I would get actual lower back pain.

On the KTM, after 6.5 hours and 280 kms, my butt did go numb but I did not get much physical pain. I still plan to try the touring seat because I also want a bit more space for the pillion.

Vibrations

Vibrations are a funny topic on this bike.

One thing is very clear - around 5k to 5.1k rpm, vibrations are strong and everywhere. Seat, foot pegs, handlebars, everything vibrates and the engine feels strained.

But the good thing is that it is a very narrow band. I either rev past it quickly or shift gears to bring revs down. Personally, not a concern for me.

Below that rpm range, vibrations are much better compared to the older 399cc bike.

In the city, I honestly felt it was almost 100% better. On the highway I could still feel a slight tingle in my feet, so maybe more like 50% better there. Still a huge improvement in my opinion.

The reason I noticed it more on highways was probably because in the city I was wearing running shoes with thick foam soles, while on the highway I was wearing riding boots.

At around 6k rpm though, the bike genuinely feels smooth, which is around ~105 kmph in 6th gear.

Engine

The power delivery is surprisingly linear, very un-KTM like honestly.

But for touring, I think this is actually a very good thing because there is never a lack of performance.

It does not feel very torquey, but it is extremely tractable. Above 3k-3.5k rpm, any gear pulls properly. Even 3rd and 4th gear can pull cleanly from around 2.5k rpm.

Seat Height and Weight

I am 5'10, but I think I have a shorter inseam because I cannot comfortably flat foot the bike with a lot of knee bend.

Weight management is good while moving, but it is still a heavy motorcycle. While stopping, I need to consciously tilt the bike slightly left, plant my left foot and keep my right foot on the brake.

Once I stopped on uneven terrain and could not get my foot down properly. The bike almost went down, probably around 70 degrees 😅
I tried saving it but eventually had to let it fall.

Then I picked it up using the correct technique, but honestly it was heavy and I had to use all my strength.

I do not think this is a dealbreaker though. I just need more experience and better technique.

Suspension and Chassis

Suspension feels slightly on the firmer side.

It absorbs bumps well, but also lets you know it is working. The really impressive part is the composure and control it maintains at medium to high speeds.

On the way to Shimla I hit a deep pothole at around ~45 kmph, which is quite fast for me at least, but the bike remained composed and calm. That matters more to me than pure softness because I prefer maintaining a good average speed instead of constantly slowing down.

I think a lot of this confidence also comes from the chassis.

People who ride towards Shimla would know those nasty back-to-back speed breakers on the downhill section near the end of the hills. I did not slow down too much there either, just stood up and let the bike do its thing.

Tyres

Honestly, I am not knowledgeable enough yet to properly judge tyres.

But everyone says the Tramplers are good, so I guess they are good 😄

Ergonomics

At my height (5'10), I do not experience much wind blast or buffeting.

I remember Rishaad Mody saying the windscreen is too tall and blocks cooling air, but personally I never faced that issue.

Also, Sagar Sheldekar often said the bike feels cramped, but even after spending 6.5 hours on it almost continuously, I never felt uncomfortable.

From what I understand after watching Chris Birch videos, the standing ergonomics seem designed more for proper off-road standing technique rather than casual standing.

Final Verdict

In the end, I think this motorcycle has a very specific purpose - travel.

And honestly, I am happy I reached that conclusion because that is exactly why I bought it.

I genuinely do not care much about how it behaves in the city. I have big ambitions of touring across India, and right now I honestly feel I bought the perfect bike for that.

Thanks a lot for reading 😊 Hope this was helpful to someone.

I feel so lucky that my company allows wfh, and I can live in chd, it SO SO SO close the most beautiful place on this earth, the Himalayas. And MY GODDD, the road (NH5) till shimla is such such a good road, total 4 lanes good smooth roads, never ending twisties, and I can visit some really beautiful places and come back home on the same day to enjoy my sunday 😊

After watching so many reviews, test riding , reading so many articles finally the time came. Now the fun begins

First I want to talk about the 350cc engine in comparison to the 399 cc engine.

So for test bike I rode the 399cc engine because 350 was not available. And during the test ride vibrations before 6000 rpm were quite harsh. It was a DRRRRRRRR in the footpegs. But after 6000 (which was 100kms/h) it was smooth enough so I thought anycase 350 cc won't be worse than this. But today to the drive home I was SO SO surprised. The refinement below 5500 rpm is so much better than the 399cc. It is more of a sting. So i am very happy with my decision

The competition:

1.) Himmi 450: weight is too much, and after gst in anycase it's too expensive for me.

2.) Vstrom 250: The suspension travel is too less, I cannot learn basics of offroading on that

3.) Rtx 300: It might be a good bike but I am not buying anything from tvs ( tvs jupiter owner, trauma from their service center)

4.) Scram 440: I really like this bike, but whenever I drive it, it feels like I an driving something ancient (because it is 😅)

5.) Yezdi Adv: I don't think I need to give a reason 😂

Highlights on this bike for me:

1.) I am big believer of rider aids, especially in our country. I have a lot of ambitions to travel so I want that safety net

2.) vibration free at highway speeds

3.) the weight distribution is so good, it feels so light and gives so much confidence

Rest there are a lot of positive points which most journalists have repeated, I am not knowledgeable enough to decide for myself so I trust these opinions

1.) Excellent chasis 2.) Good suspension 3.) really good tyres (appollo trampler)

I am planning to post initial impressions also after 1st service

😊