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**s1d** · 04-06-2014, 09:13 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by sriharsha_madineni View Post

Here's an update on my broken alloy issue:

I just got a call from service manager that Insurance is approved, they agreed to include tyre under insurance cover as well.

For warranty purpose, I was communicated that they need broken parts for impact analysis blah blah blah.

Does it mean they will keep your bike (i.e. the bike will be unusable since it will not have wheels) while they test, analyze n crap on your alloys ? You should be pushing for warranty, i.e. getting the alloys replaced under warranty and let them do their analysis on the broken ones.. they are just washing their hands off any possible quality issues that maybe present by pushing you towards insurance claim.
I have been reading that there have been a few such instances of alloys being damaged under normal indian riding conditions.. I think this should be highlighted in some sort of media so ktm/bajaj pays real attention to this. Why don't a bunch of you guys make a small video with pics of the various cases of damages and circulate it..maybe even have screenshots from various forums where users have reported alloys being damaged under normal riding circumstances.

I'm quite busy at office these days and I just want the bike back in running condition first. Should I opt for insurance or push for warranty?
It is this situation of ours (where we do not have the time to run around them) that gives these dealers an advantage to rip you off.
Infact I'm planning a trip this weekend to the incident spot to scavenge any broken parts at the spot.

I have been saving money to pick up a duke.. but this REALLY scares me off
Let's hope someone makes a good set of aftermarket alloys for the duke.. Come on alloy manufacturers are you hearing this ?? Cant someone make it at an affordable price

My comments in bold.. and what is more surprising is the front wheel, was the front suspension taking a nap or the alloys so pathetic they just crumbled like cookies.. duhh.. I am wondering if its the alloy that's 'structurally weak' or is there a design/mechanical flaw somewhere in the way the wheels are mated to the bike..

**The Pain** · 04-06-2014, 12:06 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by R-series View Post

Nice helmet there..can you post a pic of the helmet separately if you don't mind?

Thanks Bud. Its the LS2 Misfits helmet. Ive added a Rossi and KTM sticker on it.

Attached Files

**The Pain** · 04-06-2014, 03:16 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Chain Lube Review

Went to get the chain lubed at the Mumbai - Goregaon KTM service station at around 600KMs and was extremely dissapointed with how things are done.

The mech puts the bike up on a paddock stand puts it into 1st lets the wheel spin, takes a can of Motul chain clean and sprays the back of the rear chain sprocket. Without even pausing for a second, picks up the can of Motul chain lube and sprays it on the same location coating the chain with a mixture of cleaner and Lube. In the process getting the gunk all over my rear rim, chain guard etc.

I told him that he needed to wipe the chain down after using the Chain Clean, wait for a couple of minutes and then use the lube. However, he seemed to think what he did was the right way to do things and proceeded to show me that the chain was clean.

Purchased Motul Chain Clean and Road Lube this morning from my local spares shop (1010/- for both) and did the whole thing again. Correctly this time.

Do not have a paddock stand so got my building security guard to sit on the bike and move it to and fro as required to clean and lube the chain. Its extremely simple and i think its something that should be done properly at regular intervals as prescribed.

I think Bajaj needs to wake up and do something about the level of worksmanship and knowledge at their service centers or the KTM brand name will go to the dogs in no time flat. Have visited 3 service centers in Mumbai till now and found this:

Lower Parel : Seems good but extremely busy
Goregaon : Please read experience above
Ghatkoper : Seems good and the mechs there are very knowledgeable.

Anyone with any experience with the Service Center in New Bombay - Seawoods. Want to get my 1st service done someplace good. Thanks.

**R-series** · 04-06-2014, 06:20 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by The Pain View Post

Thanks Bud. Its the LS2 Misfits helmet. Ive added a Rossi and KTM sticker on it.

Cool, the stickers go very well with the helmet design. Gives some kind of psychotic theme with Rossi's dog lying down there

Love it.

**rick_7428** · 04-06-2014, 11:54 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Really cool stickers man... Ur helmet luks awsme... Where did u get those stickers ? Online or made them urself?

Sent from my RM-821_im_india_443 using Tapatalk

**The Pain** · 04-07-2014, 12:51 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by rick_7428 View Post

Really cool stickers man... Ur helmet luks awsme... Where did u get those stickers ? Online or made them urself?

Sent from my RM-821_im_india_443 using Tapatalk

Thanks Bud! The Rossi dog sticker i got in 2006 from the UK via a friend. Really good quality. Has survived being stuck on 2 helmets before this. I just peel it off from the old one and reapply on the new

The radium KTM one is from Ebay. Again very good quality and ships fast.

KTM Orange Radium Reflective Logo Sticker | eBay

**timuseravan** · 04-07-2014, 10:11 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by The Pain View Post

Chain Lube Review
Went to get the chain lubed at the Mumbai - Goregaon KTM service station at around 600KMs and was extremely dissapointed with how things are done.

The mech puts the bike up on a paddock stand puts it into 1st lets the wheel spin, takes a can of Motul chain clean and sprays the back of the rear chain sprocket. Without even pausing for a second, picks up the can of Motul chain lube and sprays it on the same location coating the chain with a mixture of cleaner and Lube. In the process getting the gunk all over my rear rim, chain guard etc.

I told him that he needed to wipe the chain down after using the Chain Clean, wait for a couple of minutes and then use the lube. However, he seemed to think what he did was the right way to do things and proceeded to show me that the chain was clean.

Purchased Motul Chain Clean and Road Lube this morning from my local spares shop (1010/- for both) and did the whole thing again. Correctly this time.

Do not have a paddock stand so got my building security guard to sit on the bike and move it to and fro as required to clean and lube the chain. Its extremely simple and i think its something that should be done properly at regular intervals as prescribed.

I think Bajaj needs to wake up and do something about the level of worksmanship and knowledge at their service centers or the KTM brand name will go to the dogs in no time flat. Have visited 3 service centers in Mumbai till now and found this:

Lower Parel : Seems good but extremely busy
Goregaon : Please read experience above
Ghatkoper : Seems good and the mechs there are very knowledgeable.

Anyone with any experience with the Service Center in New Bombay - Seawoods. Want to get my 1st service done someplace good. Thanks.

If you are lubricating at home, make sure the chain is hot when applying the chain clean and lube. When hot, the chain expands and both the cleaning and lubrication is better.
Also you can use car jacks to lift up the rear tyre, if you dont have a paddock stand.

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

Originally posted by sriharsha_madineni View Post

Already using it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]141342[/ATTACH]

Can you review the bag? This seems to be exactly what I am looking for.

**arunonline47** · 04-07-2014, 03:00 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Started the weekend with ride around 280 kms to muzhappilangad beach kerala , the handling was perfect , the braking system is pakka and the only thing bad about the trip was my sore seat and the hot climate

**viper3683** · 04-07-2014, 05:17 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by jitubhai View Post

thanks viper3683 ,only one doubt frd while runnin in i hav to worry about speed or i can touch any speed within 7500 rpm ,at a time of delivery said 70 km/h which is hard to maintain

Dont worry about the speed.

The indian version of the manual says 5000 RPM for the first 1000 Kms, i did not stick to it, i always took it till 7500K RPM...

You can even go upto the full RPM range, but do not stay at that RPM for more than a couple of seconds...

Keep one thing in mind, this is a KTM engine, so it wont screw up even if you accidently push it during the run in period...

Just dont lug the engine and no constant speeds...
Lot of engine braking in 1st and 2nd gear and cycling through all the gears with RPM varying all the time...

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

Originally posted by abhijeet080808 View Post

I would say it is the oposite. The way this ABS behaves is very different from a normal brake. The way the lever pushes back can be unnerving to a new rider. So, practise braking where the ABS comes on. It is easily reproduced by braking over broken patches, sands etc. Otherwise, when that emergency comes, the rider will get unnerved by the push back by the lever and that may cause him to back off from the brake.

I am talking about the slow speed scenario which can very well happen.
And i am saying that if ABS engaging all the time, then your braking technique needs to be changed.

Read carefully before blindly replying to posts.
This community is to help fellow riders and not confuse them.

**abhijeet080808** · 04-07-2014, 06:02 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by viper3683 View Post

I am talking about the slow speed scenario which can very well happen.
And i am saying that if ABS engaging all the time, then your braking technique needs to be changed.

Read carefully before blindly replying to posts.
This community is to help fellow riders and not confuse them.

Make sure you don't press the front brake lever very hard, because in such situations if ABS comes into picture, you might end up bumping into someone.... (speeds below 40)

What I wanted to say is that the above statement is a misconception. I would say, press the lever as hard as needed to stop your bike in a particular situation.

And in case you are not confident about using the ABS, practice triggering the ABS regularly such that you become familiar with it.

I guess the same advice applies to you too - Read carefully before blindly replying to posts. This community is to help fellow riders and not confuse them.

**'nYsus'** · 04-07-2014, 06:10 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by sriharsha_madineni View Post

Here's an update on my broken alloy issue:

I just got a call from service manager that Insurance is approved, they agreed to include tyre under insurance cover as well.

For warranty purpose, I was communicated that they need broken parts for impact analysis blah blah blah.

I'm quite busy at office these days and I just want the bike back in running condition first. Should I opt for insurance or push for warranty?
Infact I'm planning a trip this weekend to the incident spot to scavenge any broken parts at the spot.

Already using it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]141342[/ATTACH]

You must push for warranty. See the thing is, if you push for warranty, you will stay assured that the company knows and acknowledges the incident. That might help ktm, diagnose and resolve the issue by recalling their bikes and modifying their current production.

Also, god forbid, if tomorrow something happens to any one of us, ktm can not deny the cognizance of this incidence in case of a lawsuit.

I am just considering the bigger picture and all the odds.
Unknowingly, you might just be a blessing in disguise for other d390 owners.

Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk

**Ponnanna1** · 04-07-2014, 06:31 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

I have being reading a lot of Alloy Breaking cases with 390. I happened to be on a Orange day recently (2 day trip) where-in KTM conducted a session where-in they answered our questions. One rider did ask about Rims being weak to the head service Karnataka for KTM. He stated KTM has extensively tested the alloys and have found them to strong and they crack when there is a side impact on the rim at high force.

They also stated that the Rim can be made stronger will make the bike heavier and will take out the razor sharp handling and blunt the performance the key factors 390 are known for. Also confirmed that they have not come across any issues in Europe with regards to Rims cracking.

I read someone stating other bikes like Ninjas are not reporting these issues. The sheer volumes of Ninjas or other imported bikes is very less so it may not be right to compare. Also they could use expensive material for the bike to make the alloys really strong but will increase the cost majorly. Maybe they should provide it as an option since some are not comfortable will the current set of alloys.

The case in Hyderabad looks like a unique case, cause I have never seem any Alloy Breaking like that.

And yes the tyres do make a difference. If the tyre is a low profile tyre like current set, they will aid in handling and better control and reaction time, but will do little to absorb bumps..and will send it directly to the suspension and rims. Suspension being hard will transmit the shock all over to the rims and the chassis and the rider.

My take if you have thorough Bred Horse, we need to treat them that way. Bred Horses are expensive to buy and maintain and are prone to injury (purely because of the pace they run at). KTM 390 and other High performance bikes are Bred horses take care of them and they will fly when u ride them but will drink more fuel will be expensive to maintain etc.

**'nYsus'** · 04-07-2014, 06:45 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Ponnanna1 View Post

I have being reading a lot of Alloy Breaking cases with 390. I happened to be on a Orange day recently (2 day trip) where-in KTM conducted a session where-in they answered our questions. One rider did ask about Rims being weak to the head service Karnataka for KTM. He stated KTM has extensively tested the alloys and have found them to strong and they crack when there is a side impact on the rim at high force.

They also stated that the Rim can be made stronger will make the bike heavier and will take out the razor sharp handling and blunt the performance the key factors 390 are known for. Also confirmed that they have not come across any issues in Europe with regards to Rims cracking.

I read someone stating other bikes like Ninjas are not reporting these issues. The sheer volumes of Ninjas or other imported bikes is very less so it may not be right to compare. Also they could use expensive material for the bike to make the alloys really strong but will increase the cost majorly. Maybe they should provide it as an option since some are not comfortable will the current set of alloys.

The case in Hyderabad looks like a unique case, cause I have never seem any Alloy Breaking like that.

And yes the tyres do make a difference. If the tyre is a low profile tyre like current set, they will aid in handling and better control and reaction time, but will do little to absorb bumps..and will send it directly to the suspension and rims. Suspension being hard will transmit the shock all over to the rims and the chassis and the rider.

My take if you have thorough Bred Horse, we need to treat them that way. Bred Horses are expensive to buy and maintain and are prone to injury (purely because of the pace they run at). KTM 390 and other High performance bikes are Bred horses take care of them and they will fly when u ride them but will drink more fuel will be expensive to maintain etc.

I don't think you have been following the thing rightly mate, and i wish i was the rider who had questioned this to the manager.

We are talking about a bred horse, which might become fatal for you anyday, to make things straight for you. It doesn't matter how expensive the maintanence or oil leaks become on your 390, the experience of biking is all about growing old with it, working over it, and maintaning it. I do not complain about it.

However, for enjoying that life, you must be alive to see that. The moment the manager said that the alloys break when impacted sideways, the riders should have jumped him with questions.

There's no explanation for this. No reason can suffice to cause such a danger to life of riders and commuters on road. This can account to a case of palpable homicide.

I wonder why isn't there already a case on bajaj ktm for this. And since there isn't, and no judiciary has given such orders, deaf ears have been turned to us.

Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk

**THE46FAN** · 04-07-2014, 07:23 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

My 2 cents on the rims...KTM duke 125, 200 and 390s are basically street bikes. If you have seen the initial reviews, before the 390 was launched, a bunch of jurnos went to Austria and test rode the bikes there. They rode through the streets and twisties on tarmac roads. I guess we have a fairly good idea on how the roads are in Austria. So for maximum performance and fun they have made a light weight bike, with light rims and Metzelers. Duke 390 is NOT a go anywhere bike. So here in India, when we ride it, say at around 80km/h and out of nowhere we hit a pot hole(which is not in the script for D390) the rims will break, and Bajaj KTM will never compromise on their riders life or safety to reduce cost. I'm ready to bet my house on that.

**nelson_sanjoy** · 04-07-2014, 08:44 PM

First Short ride with my Mastiff

First Short ride with my Mastiff:

Yesterday me along with some Xbhpians did a small dash to Chitradurga from Bangalore . This was a pre-ride for ISG2G.

And Boy I was blown away by the performance. My all apprehensions about the bike went away once I hit NH4.
Its so easy to ride,control,brake with absolute no engine stress.
I had no issues of holding it @120kmph for around 50-60 kms (even with crosswinds). Or maybe its the Fazer Winscreen which I doubt.
I could hit a max of 155kmph which felt no where its max. Bharath aka [MENTION=9144]TEA[/MENTION]m_Torque was able to go past 170 kmph on his bike.

It never crossed 8 bars in my entire trip even in 40+ dregrees and gave me (ODO shown) 33 kmpl (100/3l) which is the highest I saw till date.

Tank Pad is an absolute must if you regularly ride with riding jackets . I avoided the tank pad stickers and got a plain 3M puffing done. (function over form)

The only & Only negetive :-
Small Tank Range

I had to refill once after Sira.

Bike Stats:
Avg speed - 80 kmph+
Kmpl - 33 kmpl (100/3l)
Temp - 8 bars constant
Max touched - 155kmph
Feeling - priceless

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KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

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