Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

During service its different, they charge it for the cleaning and washing but when you casually go in they do it for free.... if they have Motull lube in stock, they do that also for free

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Oh ok. May be they are taking money for Washing purpose. When I asked why I am being charged 100 for consumables, they said for Lube, clean and coolant top-up.
Not using Motul anyways.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Ohh.. Should've posted here earlier so we guys could have met at the event. :P

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences


I don't own a duke but I think we have found a clue. You said that you faced this problem recently 'after service' which implies that before service you bike was running fine. So , the only parts changed were the filters and 'spark plug'. Assuming that filters are doing there job, only culprit left is the spark plug. Possibly, the sparkplugs of certain batches are not working up to the mark that's why only some people are facing this problem and not all. And as we can see that your bike started stalling after the sparkplug replacement, so it's possible that their is something wrong with the sparkplugs if you are having this problem even after trying all the remedies.
( sorry if I sound dumb as I don't know much about the technicals as of now)

Sent from my iPhone using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Does any one knows the exact amount of fuel in reserve? Cause i did 40Kms after hitting reserve and Distance to Empty stopped showing any sign of kms it can cover as all bars of fuel meter disappeared ! I know running on low fuel can be harmful still was curious to know the exact fuel capacity of reserve , and its definitely not 1.5 ltrs as given in manual.
Even after this point i was able to fill up only 9 Liters of Fuel !!! After doing 40kms on reserve i thought it wld have max around half liter or so....

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Your city is blessed to have such a nice svc, here in mumbai apart from consumable they charged me 165 for claning and lubing with motul

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

They charge Rs. 200 in Pune

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

LOL... may be we are really blessed.. and today went to replace a broken bolt (Not lost but broken at the head) from my left crash guard, they replaced it for free of cost.. not even labour charges...

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Finally got the screw fitted back at Mekhri circle KTM. Headlight assy had to be removed. The rubber part was cut so new one was put in. Costed me Rs.8 and the job took ~15 mins.

P.: Whoever is taking delivery of 390 today from Mekhri circle showroom, the bike was emitting smoke from the exhaust. There were anxious moments and later SAs talked about some socket which apparently fixed the issue. If any of you have taken delivery from there, please check the bike thoroughly.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

We are too blessed,here they are charging 500/- for both cleaning and lubing chain with motul.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Duke 390: Samarth's Review of The Motor-cyclone of India


So, here we are... The bike I call "Motor-Cyclone". Duke 390. It took me 6 long years to shift to the 6th gear. And guess what, its a naked single cylinder. Despite being an avid admirer of faired sportsbikes, I never dared to own one. R15 felt too slow, CBR 250 too commuterish, Ninja slightly expensive and the list of excuses goes on and on... And somewhere deep inside, I feared that with a sportsbike, I'll lose my freedom to move around, park anywhere, etc. Maybe that was the bigger reason I never owned a sportsbike. I fear people scratching & tampering my parked bike, after it happened on my (t)rusty Pulsar.

And fate lands me in 2013, where the bigger Ninja is further out of reach in budget as it reaches 300cc, and a bike with faster acceleration than it, is costing half of it. Funny indeed. After 6 successful years on the Pulsar 180, I was thrilled at this idea. A Duke 390 costing 1.98 Lacs on road. Was it a dream? Not exactly.

And today, after 4 months it has completed 1 service and covered 1500 kms. Let's come to the bike straight. The bike looks like... well... like a Duke 200. Except that this bike has some differences:

• The handlebars on Duke 200 are slightly lower and sporty,
• The Handguards that come standard on Duke 390 are just an optional accessory for Duke 200, although let me tell you that the official KTM accessory has higher quality, compared to standard fitment on the Duke 390.
• There is no light & button for ABS on Duke 200 console, because so far it doesn't have ABS,
• The tyres are almost the same size but different brands: MRF Revz on Duke 200, vs superior gripping Metzelers on the 390
• The frame is painted orange and other visual differences can be seen in wallpapers though.
• The Duke 200 has 14/43 teeth sprockets and Duke 390 has 14/45 teeth. Both are on .520 pitch though.

But this is not all that's different between 200 & 390. I have ridden both motorcycles & I can talk about how they are different, on the inside. While the Duke 200 starts unleashing torque from 2000 rpm onwards, the Duke 390 takes atleast 3500 rpm for something substantial to be felt.
We all know that, so let's talk only the 390 for now.


This is one of my friends whose height is 5'7".


This is me, whose height is 6'1".


Riding it: Its morning. I switch on the ignition, by first twisting the key into "On" position, then switching on the "Kill Switch". Yes, that's right. The Kill Ignition Switch has been integrated with the console's lights, and the console won't light up till you put on the Kill Switch the right way, although indicators, horn and pass light switch still work. Talking about the "right way" reminds me that the Kill Switch's "On" position is inverse to the ones used in the Pulsars' so far.

Most guys stall up their first launch because they expect too much torque to be down there at 1500 rpm. One should rev slightly more than other Indian bikes to launch it. Secondly, one can do a throttle-less launch too, and for that one should release the clutch lever very slowly in the 1st gear. At this point, if you have a warning light on, for example, if your side stand is engaged, the engine will turn off. So, check the console before you ride.

The bike starts in few seconds easily, if the accelerator is left alone. Cold starts are not a problem. However, the bike switches off a lot during the ride, when you slow down immediately or so. Of course the low end torque is to blame, but the gearing may also be a reason.
In 1st gear, if you leave the clutch lever, the minimum speed you attain is about 10 kmph at around 1500 rpm. This figure is around 5 kmph for most Indian performance bikes, so that means there's a gap. So, if you're riding the clutch through a slow corner at 5 kmph, and you suddenly leave the clutch lever, the bike is sure to stall. And it happens so suddenly, you might fall. It is definitely frustrating, but not a big deal because technically it seems to be a normal thing.


Speed/ Performance: Performance is where this bike dominates the Indian scenario like no other. Just ride it and see... You will overtake cars in 1 second each when in powerband. You will dominate the road without even trying properly. You will screw other 250cc bikes convincingly in drags, without even exceeding the running-in limit for the first 1000 kms (that's actually the funny part). Most importantly, you'll actually reach your destination quicker than most things can take you, be it car, train, bus, other Indian motorcycles, or anything else practical. Just don't be shy of high revs. Even in running it, the manual allows you to go 7500 rpm, although I would recommend sticking to 5000 for first 500 kms.
A pillion is hardly felt as a load on the engine at most revs. An important notice: In most cases, the pillion might fall off even if you keep it under 5000 rpm. Grab rail might help a bit, but not so much at high revs. Try riding pillion yourself to get an idea. Be very careful, specially with girls. Do not make the same mistake as I did (Yes, a bad incident did happen to me involving a girl, but no, there wasn't an accident). Don't even think about crossing 4000 rpm, and be soft on throttle.

A firm named Race Dynamics has just brought Powertronic ECU for Duke 390, priced at Rs. 15,000... If you wish, you can check it out.



But that's not the reason I posted this in my review. There are also ORIGINAL Power & torque graphs with it:-





I'm not sure how reliable the above link is, but I think the power and torque graphs are roughly on the right path.

Can you see how below 4000 rpm there's very less torque? And how it keeps in increasing after 4000 rpm?
And the maximum rear wheel figures are 35.22 bhp (from 43~bhp) & 30.66 NM (from 35 NM) torque. Mild variations are of course, possible from test to test, but this gives us a broad picture.

Low end torque is truly not good though & the high gearing doesn't help much either. Even 2nd gear is almost useless below 20 kmph. 6th gear won't let you ride below 50-55 kmph. The revs under 3000 rpm are very much useless in higher gears, and you're better above it. Around 85-90 kmph is what we get at 5000 rpm in top gear. Above 5000 rpm, the power continues to increase till the max power spot. This is where you should be careful, specially in wet/ less grippy road conditions, and on worn out tyres.

Of course, talking about performance, the competition is increasing too. But this bike has nothing to worry. Let me explain what I mean. KTM has compromised some areas on this bike, just to make sure the performance is maximum. The bike has high compression ratio, high power, it heats up, its switches off a lot, etc but the performance is undoubtable.

We will see CBR 300/ 400R soon in India. While the 300R is again, no match for a drag with Duke 390, the 400 or 500 might put out 44-50 bhp, couple more horses than the Duke. So, the Duke loses? Not so soon, the 400 also weighs at least 46 kgs heavier than the Duke. Similar case with the CBR 500R and the Ninja 400R. Duke should fear the Ninja 300R though, although reviews online might suggest otherwise.

You will soon see many Indian performance bikes exceeding the 43 bhp figure every now and then, but I want to be honest: not many of them will weigh under 150 kgs (or cost under Rs. 1.85 Lacs Ex-Show). That's the biggest strength of Duke 390. A bike as heavier as a regular Pulsar 220 or Karizma, but putting almost twice the power. With a price tag of CBR 250R ABS. When you enjoy your Pulsar 220's mid range torque, then imagine... You probably have an idea how the 390 feels like.
And, this less weight of Duke assists it in a lot of different matters: not only performance, but braking, cornering, handling, etc.

Although, from the same stable, the KTM RC390 might just beat the elder brother hands down when it is launched. In that case, the only question you should ask yourself is: Do you really need the fairing? Think about it. It will increase costs, grab public attention, but it has some useful merits too.



Console: Console, despite being small sized, is one of the best I've ever seen. What this basically means is, that its one of the best in the Indian Scene. Its full digital, with few lights, and it displays engine temperature and fuel quantity as bars, and the fuel meter is pretty accurate & reliable. None like that Pulsar's meter which gives confusing readings. It has 3 keys: Mode, Set & the unmarked secret (ABS toggle) button.

Speedo response is very quick, like the RTR 180, probably even faster. It displays speed changes well, like 4-5 times/ second or so. Gear indicator is also there, and its dead accurate & never gave me a wrong reading, although once it just disappeared due to some confusion between neutral and 2nd gear.
Digital clock is there, and its very helpful especially on the morning commutes. A tachometer is "barely" there, as bars shown on the top side of the console window. They're hardly visible on the move and it becomes difficult to judge the numbers exactly.It is recommended that bikers stick a small white arrow sticker near 7500 and 9000 rpm so that they clearly see when to shift and all. A customisable red colored shift light is there, for which rpms can be set on which it: 1. Blinks and 2. Stays on.

Warning messages like service due, side stand on, engine malfunction appear in the middle of the console. On the ride, this area shows 2 different values which may be:

1. Minutes ridden (including the previous ride too, if the bike was stopped minutes ago only)
2. Average Speed,
3. Mileage in form of (100 kms in ___ Litre fuel)
4. Mileage in form of ( __ kms/ litre)

At any given time, you can see only 1&2, 2&3, 3&4 or 4&1. And this is toggled by "set" button.
Please note that Duke 390 has no Reserve knob system for fuel. In a way, its very good and saves you a lot of hassle of switching the knob all the time.
Instead, it warns you of "Low fuel" on your console, and you get a reading of "___ kms left" before the Fuel expires completely. At this point the abovementioned 1-4 indicators disappear (unless you click the "Set" button again)

Please note that any of these mileage/ speed readings are not real time. Instead they're based on the entire ride, and plus, they refresh every 1-2 minutes or so.

To put it short, if the tachometer was bigger enough to read properly, it would've been a 10/10 on the console. Its that good. It will make your Biking life easy, believe me on this one.




NVH:
Sound: Throaty version of Duke 200, and a much better version indeed, at idle rpm at least. This bike makes a lot of sound in closed areas/ parking lots. Its not refined (Like CBZ Xtreme, R15, etc) but more growling (like RTR, etc). I think it could be one of the best sounding Indian bikes for you, if you're into throaty & bassy sounds from the engine. High up the rev range, the bike starts sounding rev happy, like Pulsar 200 NS does.

I don't want to sound like I'm boasting, but I also heard Ninja 650's sound the same day, and I think the Duke's sound, (atleast at idle rpm) is definitely better.... I'm also a Ninja 650 fan if you guys remember me from the earlier days, but Duke "sounds" better, literally speaking.

Vibrations: There are vibes when the engine is set to operate at more load. Higher than required gear results in more load, and this means you will feel the vibrations increase when you throttle out again. Otherwise, through the rev range upto 7500 rpm, there are no particularly noticeable vibes. No Complaints here, if you're in the right gear.

Handling: The handling of this bike is quite neutral and controlled. It feels so much balanced in terms of weight. Its better handling than Pulsar 220, Karizma, etc. anyday. It remains more controllable at high speeds & low speeds both. I have ridden it with a Pulsar 220 back to back on a trip to Pushkar and while the Pulsar was lot more comfortable, its chassis felt ancient with not so controllable steering line, and lack of feedback about the road surface.
I can't be so sure saying the same thing about the R15 (v1) though: I think the R15 chassis felt rigid enough not to lose composure under pressure, back then. 3 years later, the Duke feels the same to me, so its hard to compare. However, Duke has controllable agility. It feels more neutral steering within the city. I've steered it even at 100 kmph and the frame maintains enough composure to suggest that there's more in store.





This is Duke 390 w/ P220 overseeing the famous Pushkar road valley in Ajmer.


Track testing between R15 and Duke 390 might present a different picture though, but again maybe that will be pointless as their weight and top speed differs?
Theoretically, it has every reason to better R15. The USD forks, the monoshocks, the mass centralisation, an expensive & performance tuned suspension system, etc are making their presence felt even within the city. You won't even need to cross 50 kmph to realize how obedient this bike is. Otherwise, yes, you can go knee down mostly on your first attempt. I did too (almost), only that I backed down after I realised that my knees don't have adequate protection. But this frame follows the imaginary line well, until you instruct her not to.

Brakes: The front one seems a bit spongy. Existing R15 owners might expect a better bite, on a 2 finger grab of the front brake lever, but will be disappointed. The brake needs to be pressed slightly harder than a biker would expect. Don't get me wrong:- this front brake is still more powerful than R15's front brake. The initial bite is missing though, and the brake needs to be grabbed well for the braking force to be unleashed. I brake using the middle & ring finger (2nd and 3rd finger) and it works fine for me in the city. In rare cases, even I might need to grab it by all 4 fingers.

Rear brake is as sharp as one would (again) "not" expect. I said "not expect" because, this is not a "softened down" version, like the one present in other Indian bikes. It definitely bites. You guys be careful with rear brake while ABS is off, am I clear? Press the pedal hard and it locks easily even on new tyres & hot, dry tarmac. That's how this rear bites.

I hope KTM addresses the front brake issue during a service by a recall, and makes it sharper and more responsive. Although once I switched off ABS, and did feel the brake getting a bit more sharper, although theoretically, there's no direct relation between braking bite and ABS.




Tyres: The Metzelers 110 and 150 section tyres are amazing grippers. Maybe its the maximum grip ever found on an Indian bike till now, I guess. I hardly lost grip during all these days, specially on cornering. In straights, I did lose grip while braking on bad surfaces.
On the road, the tyres are very good, for leaning, braking as well as fast riding. The rear tyre itself has a tread showing 5 levels of leaning from zero lean to extreme leaning. It goes on to say how hard-riding-focused these tyres are.
I guess, KTM must have made this choice, mainly due to the fact that Duke 200 with MRF's can carry throttle out of a corner, but if you throttle wildly out of a corner on a Duke 390 on MRF's, you might lose grip.

However, bikers have to understand that they can not get unlimited grip. Be very careful while riding & braking on floors, specially wet floors. These tyres just don't grip on wet marble/ granite flooring, and its typical of such slick tyres, so no surprise here for the sportsbiker. These tyres are still better than many others.
Again, if you have decided to cross the 7000 rpm mark in lower gears, do make sure that there is no mud/ oil/ sand on the road. Of course, ABS should be kept on, atleast on roads (if not racetracks), as it saves lives for real.

These are very good tyres, and these will save the newbie once in a while, but if someone is riding in a suicidal manner, then these tyres can't be blamed for the end result.



Switchable ABS: This piece of equipment has gathered a lot of attention. And for the right reasons. On a road totally wet with water, you just apply both the brakes full power and watch the bike stop in a straight line without losing control. All electronically. Amazing tech, isn't it?
Practically, it acts a bit mechanically on the brake lever/ pedal. It jitters on hard braking, you can feel it on lever/ pedal. You press the brake hard enough, and it jitters back against your foot/ fingers to loosen the brake. It actually works very well, specially at high speeds where you're almost on your own, on a non ABS bike. For those who want to improve on their braking skill, it can be switched off by press-holding the unmarked button below the "set" button on the console. Then it won't jitter back, on sensing an eminent tyre lock. Switch the ignition off and on, and the ABS is back to "On" setting.

It works well, and usually kicks in well before the tyre lock. Its obviously tuned to be safer on the road, and should do good even with MRF Revz tyres, the cheaper alternative in the same size segment, and the ones used on Duke 200.
An exception here, is during corners where it might kick in late enough, as to hear a very small rear tyre screech. Another exception is low speed braking. I think below 4 or maybe 5 kmph, it doesn't work. I noticed it when I was going down a floor slope, I could feel it kicking in, but when the speeds dropped down below a level, I had a sudden front brake lock. Barely escaped dropping the bike, but its not a big deal. Even CBR600R's ABS doesn't work below 6 kmph. The speed calculations can't be so precise as to work on every speed range, I guess. In any case, one must be careful at corners.

Some reviews mentioned that rear brake ABS kicks in very quickly. I politely disagree. I have discussed earlier that the rear brake of Duke does not appear to be a softened down version, like with most Indian performance bikes (like P220, RTR, etc.). It is the normal hard biting disc brake, I found. So, ABS kicks in earlier just because there's not enough grip for street level safety, that's it. I have ridden it with ABS off, and rear tyre was actually locking more than the front one, on hard braking even on the roads, leave alone less grippy surfaces. Its just scary riding the bike without ABS, I might add.

For street riding, this ABS is on the mark. For racetrack, yes, it will be safe enough, but the real performance potential may not be extracted on all kinds of tyres, for all kinds of riders. Of course, the funny thing is that even after locking up, different tyres behave very differently, so there can not be one ABS system for best performance for every tyre in the market. So, no complaints here at all. Thumbs up to KTM for introducing such a capable switchable ABS system on this streetbike.




Manual: The manual is really cool. I don't read Owner Manuals unless needed, but this one definitely grabbed my attention. So, what all does this manual contain? Almost everything a pesky owner might need to know.
Removing front & rear wheel? Yes.
Changing fuses? Yes.
Changing headlight bulb? Yes.
Checking all kinds of fluids in the bike? Yes.
Torque values for opening up chassis parts? Yes.
Adjusting throttle play? Yes.
Adjusting brake pedal play? Yes.
Adjusting shift lever? Adjusting Suspension's preload? Adjusting headlight for beam length? Yes, yes, yes!

Plus, all kinds of hazards, chances of damage, etc. are properly mentioned. This is actually a biker's manual.
Even though its not a proper workshop manual, it keeps you updated with info you must know, for the long term. I'm definitely impressed.



Category: They say its a naked bike which might make you think that it must be commuterish. Very less aspects of this screamer are commuterish. Let's focus on it while it is in certain roles:

Commuter?: Since my college is on an open back road of Ajmer through a jungle like area, I'm actually enjoying commuting on this bike. Its hellish fast and I love it!
But in most probability, YOU do not commute on a sparsely populated, smooth & heavenly back road, with open skies, a jungle, green grassy hills, lots of woods and a lake on the way to your work place, isn't it?

So, let me talk practical.
If 20-40 kmph is your idea of your daily commute, then instead of 390, get the Duke 200. You'll love it! And when under time pressure, you can still do 130 kmph on the junior Duke, which should be enough for most bikers.
Duke 390's lower 4 gears are well geared by modern standards, slightly tall only if not. But it seems the 5th and 6th overdo the gearing. Call it anything you wish, but after Duke 200, you guys were the ones demanding higher gearing. Be careful what you wish for, coz you might just get it, isn't it? You got it, on the Duke 390!

Anyways, Gearwise the lowest approximate speeds realistically possible (solo rider) are as below:
1st gear: 10 kmph, (no throttle)
2nd gear: 16 kmph, (no throttle)
3rd gear: 25 kmph,
4th gear: 30 kmph,
5th gear: 40 kmph,
6th gear: 50 kmph,
And these are the bare minimum speeds for a solo guy, as the bike's not too torquey at these speeds. To slot in the 6th cog, you would need to touch 50 kmph or so, at 2.5~ krpm. Which means lower gears mostly, and most of the time, all this would mean lower mileage, and engine heat troubling you a lot. Plus on even lower speeds & bad roads, the engine would be so responsive in lower gears, because you might need to lock in the 1st gear too, under 20 kmph mostly.
In any case, if you're ok with riding in lower gears & only slightly concerned about comfort, you can still get the Duke 390 for commuting.



Bottom line, if during your commute, you can maintain 60+ kmph speeds regularly, then 390 is a good... rather a great choice! It will remain relaxed & cool and will also return good mileage, around 40 kmpl if you ride smooth.
Can you believe it? 40 kmpl at 80 kmph. The Duke 390 is that good, if the speed can be maintained.

Otherwise, the smaller 200 will suit you better anyday. And even that can touch 130 kmph if the need arises.



Stunter?: Well, it doesn't have too much of low end torque. It switches off a lot, and may give trouble starting again if its heated up. Plus its gearing is biased towards the top end, although the first gear is useful for clutch assisted wheelie. Powerwheelies don't happen but you'll wheelie when red-line-shifting from 1st to 2nd and that's it. You'll also wheelie around red line, if you're with a pillion. Try at your own risk though. Stoppie can be done by switching the ABS off. If you want to attach a wheelie bar, it has to be long and strong, because the seat is not too long, so your 90* wheelie might end up a 130* wheelie, breaking the plastic rear mudguard, in stock form atleast.
It has potential to be a good stunt bike, being lightweight and all, but that would require extensive modifications. With the seats that small & a wheelbase feeling comparatively big, stunting won't make you feel as comfortable as for example, on a Pulsar 180. Plus, you can't sit on the Duke's fuel tank due to its shape and durability, while you can sit on Pulsar's tank (for example) even while its in motion.
Plus, its a 2 Lac rupees bike, and the bill shall be heavy, should something go a little wrong. Shared parts with Duke 200 is a good news, but the tank fiber area is very protruding and hence, vulnerable. Again Duke 200 isn't too cheap either.
Duke 200 might be a little better at stunting than this bike. Even better are Pulsars & RTRs. Clearly. Avoid stunting on the 390.



Tourer?: With a riding position which is not the most comfortable for tall guys, specially with that tank shape, it isn't a focused tourer. Although, it can tour with no big problems if small tours are your thing. But again: Tank range isn't the brightest either.
Lack of a proper windscreen will see you struggling with the wind, specially on the right side of 100 kmph.
With a maximum achievable highway mileage of 43 kmpl (6th gear, 70 kmph, 80 kgs of rider+luggage), the most length you can cover, without inserting key in the tank lid is somewhat around 430 kms, accounting for meter inaccuracies if any, and inconsistency in riding conditions & speed.
Rest is upto you. Luggage capacity is not too bright, so carrying an extra can of fuel is also a problem. The official KTM luggage carrier plate and the windscreen are quite costly items, but will definitely help in touring. However despite their premium feel, they shouldn't cost in thousands of rupees, is what I honestly feel.
The carrier plate is just a metal plate that will be installed in place of pillion seat, using frame attachments for grab rails.

Let me be clear. You can definitely tour on it, with some adjustments. Solo single day touring would be great on it. Don't forget to fill up the tank before the trip though.



Racer?: So, is it a racer? Yes, now we're talking. In fact, Ready to Race is the tagline of KTM, a phrase once famous for quite a famous bike: the TVS Apache RTR.
No joke: The 390 Duke has the engine, chassis, suspension, etc. that are quite suitable for racing. The lacking however is a proper windscreen & fairing to protect from windblast and gain aerodynamic advantage. No big deal though.
A small problem is that it heats quickly, so after racing for like 20-30 minutes, you may need to cool her down. Lap after lap, there might be inconsistencies in performance too, due to this.

Plus, let me warn you, the User Manual clearly mentions "KTM sport motorcycles are designed and constructed to meet the normal demands of regular road operation but not for use on race courses or offroad." Bummer! Although yes, this is all the regular legal disclaimer stuff and the bike is capable of more than what this line suggests.
However, its not in the international league, with not much adjustability for suspensions, gearing, etc. readily available. I wish KTM actually learns from Yamaha with their R15 Daytona kits, because this high capacity 373.2cc engine actually has more potential, than R15 has. Without additional parts, there's not much to do, just reduce the weight by removing lights, adjust the suspension preload and that's it.
On a national level racing, this bike has immense potential. You might need to go unofficial and grab an aftermarket exhaust, do some more weight reductions, some unofficial gearing & suspension adjustments, and you're set to dominate the Indian scene, unless you're competing against imported Sbk's.


(+) Merits:

1. The Power rush, the dominance it lays down. The 1 second overtakes that leave car drivers hornless.
2. The handling, so flexible and yet so much under the control of the rider.
3. The stock Metzelers that give loads of cornering & other grip. So much that for me, the ABS kicks rarely, that too mostly rear brakes only.
4. The highway mileage of 43 kmpl is amazing for such a big and sporty engine, that too with a speed of 80 kmph.
5. The console is excellent. Tacho could've been better numbered, but otherwise, the console rocks despite its small size.

(+-) Merits that are demerits, and vice versa:

1. The "slightly harder than average" suspension totally lets you "feel" the road. But on bad roads, this bike becomes a small pain. Even roads that you visually perceive to be smooth, turn out to be slightly bumpy sometimes.
2. Attention Magnet (in the small cities atleast) with small minded crowds. Looks are average to good in person, but this bike screams "radical" like no other bike can. There are sportsbikes, there are nakeds and then there is this unexplainable design of the Duke. It can gather unnecessary attention that a careful owner would love to avoid.

(-) Demerits:

1. Engine heating up is not an issue for my 5 kms ride to college, but it may be an issue for longer commutes. It is not an issue for tours though, as the engine maintains a good speed which aids in engine cooling. In bumper to bumper traffic, it is felt though.
2. Low end torque is not too strong. City mileage & riding factors suffers due to this (turns off a lot, too much gearshifting, etc.). Unstable idling is also a small concern.
   One might wonder whether KTM tuned it purposefully like that, just to maintain a selling reason for Duke 200? Could it be? Ok, maybe not.
3. Front brake lacks the instant bite that is expected from a Brembo-based setup (ok, Bybre, to be exact).
4. Rear seat is too small and uncomfortable for pillions. Plus, the high performance engine threatens them like anything. Luggage capacity is also doubtable.
5. Fuel tank is too low. I have filled up full tanks in under Rs. 650 every time, except the first time when it was around Rs. 750 or so. Its that small.

So, that's my honest review. I've kept it connected to the actual long term issues, i.e. things that actually matter, while avoiding nitpicking stuff like "the handguards are of low quality" (Solution: Remove them, get new ones from the KTM Probiking store, and they're high quality, simple). I've included pics that I've myself snapped. I've avoided pics you can easily get via google, like Console, etc..

And despite using a DSLR, I'm no professional photographer, so anyone is free to use my pics for non-commercial purpose, including sharing with friends. Just give proper credits if you're posting it in public, or your blog.

Conclusion is that right now there's just no match for KTM performance, given its low weight. Those wanting a performance naked for good price should get it ASAP. However, with a maximum power coming in around 9000 rpm, we expected it to be a street engine. But, I guess KTM made it almost a race engine.... So, you should be ready for it, before you decide for sure.

As far as the demerits are concerned, none are big enough to spoil your experience. You're likely to get so addicted to the power, that you'll forget its minor demerits. After all, who doesn't want to dominate the traffic so fiercely? And which bike doesn't have minor demerits here and there? Name any Indian performance bike, and I can list few demerits on the tip of my fingers. Come on, I'm getting a 44 bhp, 150 kgs machine in around Rs. 2 Lacs. I'd be an Idiot to complain about it, unless it just stops in the middle of nowhere without reason. Which hasn't happened so far. & probably won't.

Alternatives: Duke 200 is also a good choice and will be able to commute much better overall, with lower weight and more favorable gearing and engine tuning.
For touring, you can consider CBR 250R ABS at almost the same price, and it might give you some mental satisfaction of owning a Honda, maybe. But if you do get the CBR, don't expect the same engine and chassis performance, and don't EVER challenge a Duke 390 owner for a drag or any race, not even a new owner. Remember? To deal with a CBR 250, the 390 owner may not even need to cross 7500 rpm, its running in limit...
If you still want the same fast bike but in a different package, the RC 390 might be worth checking out, with almost the same engine and a fairing. And probably, RC might turn out more reliable as the company has experience with the 390 now.
CBR 400/ 500 from Honda might be worth checking out, specially if you want a faster option than CBR 250 and you're into touring too, something the 390 can do somewhat ok only.

We should not forget to thank KTM for giving us such a magnificent performance bike, in an era where we the bikers are an ignored minority. Think about it: Some companies are swimming in billions by serving the commuter market segment. Shouldn't KTM get a thanks from us for stepping in a segment that doesn't sell so well?
HMC or Honda might have anyday got serious money, but KTM surely got something one earns very rarely: Our Respects.

Any questions? Shoot a PM. Just remember, its just an honest attempt to clarify what the Duke stands for... And I'm still far from being an automobile journalist. So, kindly excuse mistakes if any... Thanks for reading.







A big Thanks to @RAM KHAJURIA (Ram bhaiya) for accompanying me in Jaipur like a true biker buddy, and making the purchasing day a memorable one.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences


Just wanted to confirm this I though the duke 390 had a 15/45 gearing?

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Do it yourself, why pay such hefty amount for such a small job. I use SAE90 oil for lubing but it has to be done every 10-15days. Its very economical and recommended by ktm.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Agree with most bits in the review except the switching off part. Rider needs to throttle it a bit thats it. Not an issue, after riding for couple of days, one gets the hang of it.

Realistic tank range would be ~250kms. Riding at 70kmph on a highway? Next to impossible I would say. Also, 6th gear needs atleast 70kmph and anything below it feels like lugging the engine.

Your bike looks nice and shiny. Did you detail it or you got it like that from the showroom?

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences


Guys I've a concern, in indian manual which we got engine oil is said to be 1.5 l but in manual which I downloaded from ktm US site it says 1.6 l. Also after servicing I was not able to see engine oil in oil window when bike was staright, on tilting it to the right a bit I was able to see (I followed the procedure mentioned in manual i.e. when bike is at operating temperature switch it off and after a minute check the level). So I added around 50 ml of oil and I think its performing better than before (may be just the feeling).

Do you guys see oil in oil window ?

Can there be difference b/w engine oil quantity in India and US/Europe ? (as same bike is being exported than why this difference, engine oil grade difference I can understand bec. of wheather but quantity is hard to understand)