Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

I just confirmed it from the manual that the clutch is mechanically/cable actuated.
You can read the same from the link posted on pg 26.

Some other info people mivht find useful.
The secondary gear ratio is. 15:45 (I am going for a 14t front from the duke 200 the day I get mine delivered)

Engine oil capacity is 1.6ltr SAE 15W50

Coolant capacity is 1.1ltr

The stock spark plug is BOSCH VR 5NE(People looking for a ngk irdium may start looking.)

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Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Happy Independence Day bikers...

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Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

I have done my part of the research and my plan to break-in is as follows:
- Change to mineral oil as soon as possible [which will help piston seal better and extract metal debris effectively during engine braking - applicable from old age to modern engines including nikasil coated etc etc..] and stick to mineral oil upto first 2k to 2.5 K Kms
- Ride the bike at varying speeds and gears but limiting to 7500 to 8000 rpm with ocassional bursts [5 to 10 secs] upto 10000 rpm for the first 1000 kms.
- Use the engine braking [to create vacuum] as much as possible to flush out the debris from cylinder wall
- Whack the throttle open '3/4 to full' untill I reach 7500 - 8000 rpm to load the piston rings with maximum pressure possible [for initial 100 to 200 kms].
- NEVER allow engine to over heat and allow it to cool down [3 to 5 minutes] after every 30 - 40 minutes of continous riding.
- Change of oil and filter between - 80 to100 kms, 500-600Kms and 1000Kms. Then at 2.5k move to fully synthetic [300v or 7100].
- Always allow the engine to idle for atleast 2 to 3 minutes before starting to ride - to warm the engine.

This is the third time I'm breaking-in an engine and during my previous two attempts, I strictly followed owners manual and was never happy with engine performance later. This time I have decided to stay in between motoman's method and owner's manual.

Please let me know if there is anything terribly wrong or missing in my points above.

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

My breaking in plan -

1. Keep the tacho dancing all the way up to the redline. But, no extended ride at the redline. These 2 things are anyways guaranteed inside city.
2. No lugging the engine at all.
2. While slowing down, downshift and let engine braking take over.

Other than that, breakin? What breakin?

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

@vidhya...wutz the concept in changing the oil filter 3 times before the first 1000kms? and i thought the break-in is only for the first 1000kms...isnt it? I was planning to go all out after the 1000kms...

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

My break in plan:-
Do nothing just ride normally till 1000 kms,then kaboom

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

[MENTION=63586]DukeDey[/MENTION]...After changing oil at 500kms, do i need to again change it at 1000kms or can i change it at 5000kms as normal 2nd service?

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

i changed the oil after 200 kms on my duke 200 and there was a lot of debris coming out. i could clearly make out metal shaving and small metal parts, and i think the earlier you change the oil the less those parts get grinded. with the 390 i will do if even earlier, within 100 kms.

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

If anyone has a d390 is possession pls send me a copy of your invoice. So that I can show it to my ktm showroom guy. Please I can't wait for my bike.

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Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

He is planning to give his bike a lot of love.
The more the oil changes initially the better the engine would be cleaned of all the debris and metal shards that would result from internal components rubbing against each other for the first time.

I would change it again around 2k kms and after this I would follow the usual service intervals.

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Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Why not changing the oil after a pdi

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Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

So does this mean i still have to follow the break-in method till 2000kms or can i start revving hard after 1000kms?

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

This is very good.
I've broken in 6-7 bikes so far, and they all had excellent performance.
I've found a softer version of Motoman to work better than full on Motoman, or when you follow the manual.
If you baby your bike, and not cross 5k rpm you'll just end up with glazed cylinder walls like 95% bikes, weaker performance and mileage, and shorter engine life.

First 100-200 km are the most important. Or in fact the very beginning, straight out of showroom.
That's where the piston rings set in (or cylinder walls get glazed) against the cylinder walls. So especially during this period it's important to bring the revs to higher rpms with full load, so there's a proper pressure of piston rings against cylinder walls.

You don't have to redline but go to some 8-9k rpm. Don't open the throttle fully, but open it gradually, reach some 9k rpm within 10 sec, and then start releasing it gradually with engine braking.
You can go all the way to redline as well, no problem. Just don't stay there.
Do this periodically with some normal riding between, with changing revs and gears.

Those who rather wouldn't want to push their new bike to 9-10k rpm can do the same but up to 7.5k rpm.

The owner's manual says 2 things: don't cross 7.5k rpm, and don't open throttle fully (that's why I said to open it gradually, but still to higher rpms).
R15's manual, for example, says "don't cross 7.5k rpm for prolonged time", which is more accurate.

Vary the rpms a lot, and also gears. Since D390 has tall gearing you better stick to first few gears in order not to lug the engine, which is the worst thing for breaking in the new engine.

Redline won't damage your engine, but it's the heat that can damage it.
Therefore, give it a break every 30-45 min, turn it off for 15 min and let it cool down.
Don't turn it off if the engine is very hot and radiator fan is working, wait a little until the temp goes down. Otherwise some coolant might overflow and get spilled. And if it does - wipe it off, shouldn't be a problem.
Duke's kill button kills the radiator fan and lights as well, unlike the kill button on some other bikes.

Of course, it's better if you can get a delivery during less traffic, so you can get to do all this.
If you live further away and need to do a highway ride upon your delivery then also do the same, stick to the side of the road.
Do not ride constantly in same speed and gear.

On my Duke 200 I changed the oil to Motul 3000 fully mineral oil in the showroom itself upon the delivery (it was filled with Bajaj SS oil), and bought 2 extra oil filters, which I then used when I changed the oil again at 150 and 500 km with street mechanics. You can buy several cans of oil beforehand for all those oil changes.

Changing oil only once before the first service is ok as well, in that case around 300 km is probably the best.
But definitely don't wait with oil change until the first service, all those metal particles that are released in first hundreds of km aren't good for your engine.

I changed the oil at 1st service (still fully mineral Motul), and only at 2000 km changed to Motul 7100 fully synthetic. Some people may want to go for even better synthetic Motul 300v for smoother and cooler engine.


Sorry, but not really a great plan.

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Cooll...everything's set....now where the f!@# is my Duke???

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

I did a lot of googling and oogling and most seems to recommend oil change during initial 100 Kms to remove any metal debris [as @DukeDey have mentioned here] so that they don't harm engine break in. Later another oil change during 500 to 700 Km. 1000km change will come along with free service. 2.5 k change to move to fully synthetcic. Most people in other blogs seems to agree that 70-80% break-in happens before initial 70 to 100 Kms and remaining 30 to 20% until 1500 to 2000Kms.

A good discussion can be found here - For those who did the MotoMan break-in on the street - ADVrider

I took a solo test ride of 390 last week and I agree with points mentioned by every one here.

- Amazing acceleration [but not neck breaking or frightening]. Managed to reach 125 to 130 kmph. [ISRO road near KTM Marathahalli. Road was almost empty.]
- Yes definite knocking at lower rpms and lower speeds. But this will not bother me due to my usual riding style as I always love to hear engine and exhaust note clear and loud and tend to ride at higher rpms. Moreover my daily commute to office will be on a to 7 to 8 km 6 lane traffic free [in fact I can say vehicle free sometimes] old madras road highway and another 6 to 7 Km 4 lane traffic less road . I hope I'll enjoy my ride on these roads.
- As I like to hear exhaust note, I noticed a turbo like whine while you ride at higher rpms as mentioned in one of the review and a sweet unique whine during engine braking [noticed in couple of YouTube videos too] from higher rpms [this was not noted in d200]. Exhaust note is definitely better than 200.
- Didn't notice much of the vibration in foot pegs or handle bar during my short test ride.
- I liked seating posture [I'm 178 cms tall] with recessed foot pegs and felt comfortable. I noticed a similarity with recessed foot pegs of new 2013 pulsar 180 but didn't feel the same strain on wrists in d390 as I felt on pulsar 180

- Pathetic horn sound. I guess even exhaust note at higher rpm was little louder than horn sound

& the wait continues....