KTM Adventure 390 Handlebar Riser Upgrade Review: SW-Motech Bar Riser
The KTM Adventure 390 (2021-2024) is great for street riding, but the stock handlebar setup can get uncomfortable pretty quickly, especially if you’re into long-distance trips or doing some off-road riding where you need to stand up. Basically, the stock handlebar sits too low, forcing you to lean forward more than you’d want to, making your rides tiring over time.
After checking out some forums and rider reviews, I went with the SW-Motech Bar Riser to fix this issue. It lifts the handlebars by about 30 mm (roughly 1.2 inches) without needing any adjustments to your existing cables—definitely a big plus.
Quick Specs:
- Stock Handlebar Size: Length 760 mm, Diameter 28.5 mm (References)
- Riser Bought: SW-Motech Bar Riser for Ø 28 mm bars – Height increase 30 mm, black finish
- Purchased at: FC-Moto
Unboxing – What’s Inside:
- 2x Handlebar riser bases
- 2x Top clamp pieces
- 4x Mounting screws
- 4x Rubber screw-hole covers
Important Installation Tip:
Heads up! You’ll want to use your original KTM top clamps, not the ones from SW-Motech, to make sure everything fits tightly. Using the SW-Motech top clamps resulted in a loose fit.
Installation Steps (Simple Version):
- Take off the original top clamps carefully and set the handlebar aside gently—keep an eye on your brake reservoir.
- Put the riser bases onto your bike’s mounts.
- Set the handlebar onto the riser bases.
- Lightly tighten one of your original clamps, adjust your handlebar to line it up perfectly center.
- Finally, tighten everything up firmly to about 20Nm.
Riding Experience:
- Off-road: Standing up feels way better now. My body sits more naturally upright, significantly reducing fatigue.
- Long-distance riding: After taking a trip around Taiwan (Just over 1000 km), the higher handlebar made the long stretches much more comfortable and relaxed.
Final Thoughts:
If you ride a KTM Adventure 390, I definitely recommend picking up a handlebar riser. The factory setup leans towards street riding, so longer rides and standing up off-road can feel awkward. Adding the SW-Motech riser made a huge difference in comfort and overall ride enjoyment.
And if 30 mm feels a bit too much for you, SW-Motech has a smaller 20 mm option available.
Thanks for reading, and ride safe!
