Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Experience on cbr is more than enough. I am coming from cbz xtreme

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

While you all are waiting for the deliveries of Duke 390, here i am waiting for the Duke 690..
Its 2-3 years before i would be able to buy one on my own.. I'll be waiting for it then..
Now don't kill me for this..

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Me too!
Don't kill me either but I think both D200 and D690 are more fun than well behaved D390.

But then, there's that red Ducati Monster, it's like a red hotness my eyes always lust for.
Need to save some more dough for that though...
One day.

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Ya, exactly.. KTM had made such an awesome image with the D200 that a simple thought of D390 used to make our mind crazy.. But now that its out for us, the aggressive into your face attitude has somehow not been given full justice.. They shouldn't have done this..
well, the Monster is always there.. But thats premium.. somehow most can't maintain such rides, including me..
one day.. Inshallah..

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Even I love the fun factor provided by the 200 more than the 390. I was asking myself why, even though the 390 is way faster accelerating with a better top end. I thought and then I thought some more. I have read all the reviews of the 390 and then some reviews of even bigger bikes. The thing with the reviews is that all of them suggest that the ktm is all about fun. You can't go wrong with it, so why did I not enjoy it as much as the 200? I was immediately able to make out it was faster from the word go but still.

Then the explanation I was able to give myself was may be its because we are not able to use the full potential of the bike within the city. Its not like wring the throttle whenever and wherever irrespective of the gear you are in and the bike shoots ahead. On the duke 390 you have to be in the right gear all the time otherwise expect the bike to resist and then if you are in the right gear the power when you go full throttle is so much that you end up braking because of the traffic. I guess it comes with every big bike, it'll happen with the duke 690 too. World over the 690 has been praised for being a fun bike but so has been the duke 390. Just that Indian cities would just not allow that, not meant for a bigger bikes.
I remember watching a ninja300 review, where the owner also had a street triple and he commented "I enjoy the ninja way more than the triple simply because I can just ride it like I like it without worrying too much about the gears or the overwhelming power" Its just our Indian roads where we can't enjoy a bike like the 390. All the big bikes have such power delivery where the first gear stretches long and that is how they should be to be able to utilize the power, the ducati monster for example cannot be geared like the duke 200. Try riding one for the first time and you won't be able to enjoy it to the fullest, simply because you would be dealing with all that additional weight, way more power and a constant tussle to be in the right gear. Even teh monster has tall gears where the initial gears last for quite some time and gear shifts are no where as frantic as the duke 200's. You cannot get a character like the duke 200 from a big bike, or to put it otherwise you would get a similar character but that cannot be utilised on our roads. Thats exactly what is happening with the duke 390. People would only start enjoying when they get used to the power on tap, the weight, they would have to hone their riding skills to be able to use to bike like its meant to be: its a big bike afterall and all its traits are like one. On the 200 it was like plug and play, it gave us all the acceleration in every gear(Owing to its shorter gearing), was feather weight and in short we were able to use all that it had to offer. Not like this on the 390.

No one here has ridden the 690 afterall how can we comment that the experience would be as much fun as the 200? Its all from the reviews, right? But then all the reviews and road tests point at the ktm 390 as a bike full of all the fun you want. The duke 390 has been ranked a better bike than the N300 based on the fun quotient and then the ninja owner enjoyed his ninja more than the triple which according to the reviews is one of the biggest hooligans on the road. So, guys are we getting it? The 390 has a lot to offer just that not in our Indian condition or that we are not as good riders yet to be able to use the full potential of the 390.

I simply love the 200 and I still booked the 390 knowing that it'll make me a better rider. Would teach me throttle control, choosing the right gear etc. The everyday rider would enjoy the 200 more but a seasoned rider would enjoy the 390 more. I want to be a better rider.

Like shumi from overdrive said "Its a brilliant bike, just not for everyone"

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

This motor beam guy is sick!! I gave him advised him on the 390 and n300 he felt offended and started saying " if you have problem y dont to do it? "
Is this kind of reply we expect from a blog which was started from 2008 ?
I guess they are turning out to be 'MEMES' of our automotive industry.

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Hi people, spoke to the store manager as well as the sales executive today after some 10 days or so, couldnt stop myself. They still dont have a clue on delivery date. He told me he will let me know once the first lot is dispatched even if its 12 midnight. He also says that deliveries have begun in North India and also Bangalore has given some 10 deliveries so far. 28 days more for the 90-day period. Im really starting to lose interest and will remain the same until i get the call from the showroom regarding the delivery.

Please suggest me on some different number plate models for the 390. Thanks.

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

I got call from KTM manager who handles KTM sales affairs in South India because of an email I wrote requesting him about delivery.

As per his information, they will start sending the first lots to South India by end of first week and we may get our bikes delivered during 2nd week of September. More waiting... :-(

He also told that we have 90 day waiting period and all...which I guess KTM / Bajaj is using to their advantage for now.

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

I am told Btm ktm (Bangalore) has received 2 bikes for sale. I already did the full payment, can probably get it by this week itself else definately by mid next week .. fingers crossed ..

Sent from my M030

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

[/MENTION] and I had a similar discussion after watching a N300 vs 390 vs CBR500 video review.



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Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

another useful link

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

As you have booked from KTM BTM, what was your booking queue number? Would you please tell me when you booked the bike and made full payment?

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Very well said. I agree with most of it.

However, not all bigger bikes are tall geared. D690 isn't. And maybe that's why it would be more fun than D390. Even N650 will pull easily and nicely straight away, but it doesn't have that crazy character and lightness a Duke has, so it's a more boring bike even though it's 650 cc.
And yes, we simply don't have good enough roads to enjoy that power.
The more power a bike has the less you can open it, especially in city streets. Street Triple has plenty of power, but that might be its minus in city streets.

I remember the moment when I was riding E6-RN (much more popular street version of Ninja 650, basically the same bike but without front fairing) on a hilly road and I couldn't open the throttle much because the road didn't allow it. And then I was overtaken by a much smaller bike which was having a blast, going at full throttle, enjoying it much more than I was.
That's when I realized that each bike has its its own purpose and road, be it a race track, a highway, a great or crappy country roads, a city street, or a dirt road. It's not all about having more power. Riding a powerful bike slowly isn't much fun.

I simply can't have much fun with a too powerful bike in not so good roads I have around me. And I really didn't want to own a more powerful bike and after 3-6 months of honeymoon to end up keeping it mostly in a garage and buying a second smaller bike for everyday use. Which I'm sure will happen to at least some of future D390 owners.

BTW, I wouldn't really say a more seasoned rider would enjoy D390 more because it has taller gears and you have to be in a right gear. Yes, you have to be more aware of gears and rpms, and have to be careful not to shoot into a back of the bus as it happened to the test ride D390 in Bangalore some time ago, probably because of the exact same reason you mentioned, the bike probably accelerated slowly initially and then accelerated too much when opened little more.
Yes, it'll teach you to be more careful with gears and D390 power delivery, but the thing is that is different in each different bike.

How each bike accelerates, D200 way or D390 way, is just a personal preference, regardless of it being a small or a big bike.
A new yet to be released Super Duke 1290 is all about massive torque with ultra lightness, they say it should wheelie in any gear at any speed, while being capable to be ridden slowly around little streets. Sounds like a big bike with a small bike fun!

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Had a chance to take a 20 min test ride of the 390. Left with mixed feelings and the booking hanging in the balance.
1. I get that it doesn't really feel like a D200 big brother. The bike has a different character.
2. Pottering around town will be a pain if I don't change my habits. With both the CBR and the 220 i had a very usable third gear. No such thing here.
3. The braking was spot on at unmentionable speeds. However, I would have wanted a bit more bite considering the speeds this bike does.

I was looking forward to a hooliganish city bike but this seems to be more of a super fast highway muncher. Have to give my booking a serious thought now.

Re: Duke 390: Long Term Ride Review

Mine is the first booking in btm. Did it with santhosh(previous manager) as soon as he opened the showroom on 26th. Was waiting outside for him to arrive ..LOL.
Did the payment yesterday.
I did not pay the road tax though as I plan to get it done in Udupi. Costed 700 for temporary registration.
I am requesting for the bike ASAP but they seem to have a lengthy process to follow before they can deliver. Hence taking time till weekend is what Mohammed(current manager) said.
I asked him about other showrooms, whether they have received bike and if so how many, but he claimed that he didn't know.

Sent from my M030