Supersport enthusiasts have long revered KTM’s little pocket rocket. Punchy and nimble, the RC 390 gave track-day enthusiasts and canyon carvers a legitimate sport bike that didn’t cost too much to own and maintain.

When the latest model was first unveiled late last year, the biggest obvious change was the large fairing with its lizard-like appearance. Underneath the skin, however, the new bike comes with plenty of improvements to make it even more of a hard charger.

Proudly assembled here in the Philippines at the KTM plant in Santa Rosa, Laguna, the new-generation RC 390 comes with a fully adjustable, 43mm WP Apex open cartridge USD fork, a fully adjustable WP Apex rear shock absorber, lightweight aluminum wheels, and an electronics suite that includes traction control, cornering ABS with a Supermoto mode, and a Quickshifter+.

The proven, Euro 4-compliant, 373cc, liquid-cooled single-cylinder motor carries on, now with revised engine mapping and a 40% larger airbox for better torque and power delivery. A slipper clutch helps smoothen out downshifts, while the fairing has been carefully designed for optimal airflow around the engine to allow it to run cooler while you’re out doing those laps. Revised ergonomics has made the new bike slightly more comfortable than the contortionist-requiring setup of the old bike.

As with the other KTM models, the “Supermoto” mode disables the rear-wheel ABS if the rider prefers to slide into a corner. The Quickshifter+ enables both clutchless up- and downshifts for quicker shift times. An all-new TFT panel addresses common complaints about the old model’s dated LCD dash.

Factory Racing-inspired colors will get erstwhile RC 390 owners into the mood for track days, and KTM has priced it competitively at just P335,000. It’s now available at select dealers nationwide.