How much of a headache is maintenance on the KTM 390 SMC R?

While KTM makes high performance machines, that usually comes with a more demanding maintenance schedule. As a supermoto, the 390 SMC R could need even more attention, because of its dual purpose nature and the possibility of aggressive riding. There are debates among owners about how much real world time and money it takes to keep the bike in top shape. There are those who worry about parts availability and the need for specialized tools, others that claim modern KTMs are more reliable than their predecessors. It’s often a discussion of comparing maintenance requirements to Japanese competitors or larger KTM models. European supermotos require a fair bit of commitment by potential owners, weighing the fun factor with the commitment needed to properly care for them, and the potential long term reliability issues.