Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Thats scary to hear!! good to know that u r doing fine.
there seems to quite a few rim cracks being reported, especially on the 390. Some pages back, it was discussed that incorrect tyre pressure could be one of the probable reason for rims cracking, as the rims were tested and certified ok under their typical testing procedures.
Was curious to know a bit more in detail about your incident. What king of terrain were you on? how big was the stone? was it a head-on impact? what speed roughly were you doing? when had you last checked the tyre pressure and any indicative idea about the tyre pressure during the time of impact? did you get time to slam the brakes? what happened immediately after the impact, as in how did the bike behave? the most bewildering is if the impact was on the front wheel, why did the rear too crack? sorry for so many questions, and sure answers to these would be helpful to all here.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

I went to my hometown from Hyderabad on Saturday. It's a 800 kms to & fro trip. On return journey While traveling at 80-90 kmph, was about to overtake a lorry from right, a car was speeding behind me honking wildly. I thought I'd let him go and I'll pass from the bike lane. I veered to left and bang before I knew I hit a rock. Nothing happened for few milli seconds and suddenly bike started wobbling widly. Somehow Slowed it down to stand still.

A few bikers coming from behind stopped and informed me that the wobble was so wild, even they wondered the bike didn't fall. I'm guessing, maybe the weight of the saddle bags helped and I didn't panick, that might have helped as well.

Anyways got down the bike to inspect, was expecting bent rim, but to my horror big chunk of rim had broken on both wheels and was missing. Rear tyre was badly punctured beyond repair.

Tyre pressure was 28 front and 33 rear, before start of journey.

Lifted the bike on to a mini truck and took it all the way to Banjara hills KTM, Hyderabad, 90kms from where the incident happened.

Visited the showroom in the morning, they want me to go ahead with insurance claim and they said the issue will be discussed with KTM officials and decide whether to replace under warranty or get it done under insurance.

Bent rim is fine, but broken rim is least expected.

This is the 4th 390 issue in our hyderabad group in the last couple of days. Clutch got fried in one, Gear lever fell off during trip in one, Another 390 was brought in a mini truck while I was at service. He had some issue with rim as well.

I'm at office right now, I'll post the pics later.


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Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Guess KTM has quality issues as well.... and i thought it was bulletproof!

KTM Duke 390 - Touring with pillion

How good is the 390 for lets say loading a pillion and 50 kgs of luggage and traveling across the country? I'm getting great reviews of the bike for in city riding and short sprints, but no one is giving me any info about the touring capabilities of this motorcycle?

I have posted this in another thread but im also thinking of certain mods. ie a bigger tank made out of metal. and a much more plush seat. is that possible?

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Very sorry to hear about this. Sigh!..Dont know why KTM wants to play with quality of stuffs. But, I dont think rims on a pulsar have shown any such vulnerability.

Anyways glad you are fine. Do let us know the outcome.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Pulsars didnt produce 43 bhp

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

I think there are a few whose rims have broken at as low as 50kmph...

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

43 horses gives you the power to reach a certain speed more effectively than 20.. more or less. A pulsar a D390, and a blade travelling at 40 will be having similar force with them. (similar because of the weight difference, otherwise same).

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Guys, i understand, it is completely normal to defend the bike, it is the apple of the eye for us as well. I have been saving my ass up to get one.

However, none of this is going to solve the fact that the quality of rims is poor.
[MENTION=35854]chinmayakar[/MENTION], as per this incident, the speed was 90kph, and i can assure you, a pulsar 220 never gets a cracked rim at these speeds even.

A humble request to one and all duke owners, talk to ktm about this.

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Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Even my gear lever fell off during a weekend short trip... and that too after second day of 1st free servicing ! I hv seriously started to doubt the quality aspect of this bike :|

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Gear lever falling off might be due to the ASC guys forgetting to tighten the bolts after service. They might have kept it that way expecting to set it to the height that you are comfortable with.
Nothing to do with the quality I suppose. Its quality of worksmanship.

G1

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Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

thats what u call turning blind eye.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

There have been a few cases of broke spokes now for the 390...

Cracked rims is pretty common in duke 200....

A while back a similar case had come to light wherein a collision with a scooty occurred at around 50 kmph and the spokes simply broke off...

I agree that the alloy wheels are designed to crumble upon heavy impact so as to minimize the damage... but the spokes are giving off at much lower speeds and force in the 390.... that really troubles me...
People are getting cracked rim upon running into surprise potholes....

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Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

There is no such thing as crumple zone in alloy wheels it was created by company executives like yamaha to save their faces and so that they can easily wash their hands from inferior quality alloy.
Such quality of alloy is not at all acceptable.
Not sure if its same across D390 or in a particular batch as I've been in some big potholes at speed of 80kmph but alloy was fine. After reading such news I'm scared to ride D390 as it should be ridden.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences


that's a touchy response. hope you realize one human life is worth much more than the "reputation" of the D390.

if it's been happening to D390 owners on multiple occasions then then it's a serious issue that must be attended to.


make sure you voice your concern. literally.
i've had a friend get major parts replaced on a 400km old pulsar replaced coz of the issues he had. (coz it was a one off issue with that particular bike)
the guys bajaj (in this case KTM) will give in. guaranteed.

don't opt for insurance. insist on the wheels being changed under warranty.
it's just plain stupid for rims to crack/break on just one specific kind of bike.
it's even more stupid of Bajaj/KTM to even suggest anything but replacement via warranty.


sure. but this incident happened at a speed at which a Pulsar 135/150/180/200 can achieve too.
it has nothing to do with BHP.

sucky quality is sucky quality. irrespective of if it's a bad batch or the rims are way to brittle altogether.



I've been keeping my eye on this thread because i'll be in the market for the Pulsar CS400 once it's out.
So the build quality issues (not just the rims) of the D390 are of concern to me.

.