Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

I use to think i have gotten use to the pull this bike had ... But now that some guys mentioned it .. There indeed an difference after my 2nd servicing ! And yes it does feel tad smoother


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Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Hi Guys,

I've been going through the thread for a long time now. There are so many small issues, like slight vibrations, stalling etc that is stealing the thunder from this bike, insofar as the thread goes (on the negative side). I also read about a lot of elated owners, the day they rode the bike out of the dealer.

I've owned my KTM for about 3 months now. Being the guy that i am, i have done 2200KM so far. I commute to office (about 9kms one side) is the only thing i've done with the bike in the past 3 months and a once in a while trip to my parents' (25kms one side). I haven't noticed any of the issues recorded in this forum so far. I am a very happy & proud owner of a 390. However, i am not a fan of the exhaust sound. I would like to do some mods withe bike. For ex; i would like better headlamps. I wanted storage, for which i got a saddlebag from vaterra. It's a permanent fixture now.

Question to the able members of the forum are as follows.

1. Is it worth it to equip my bike with a new exhaust system for a better sound?
2. Are frame sliders better than stock crash guards? If yes, is there a specific brand?
3. Is there a self cleaning chain? Being the lazy person I am, i would hate to get my hands dirty.
&
4. (Geography specific) I am from Cochin and took the delivery from KTM Vytilla. However, i saw many people in the forum questioning their skills. Is it true? If they aren't competent, do we have an alternative?

I had a Pulsar 200 before. My graduation has been instant between the bikes. I am one bloody satisfied customer. Even if i have to tinker a little bit, i don't mind doing it once in a while. After all, the bike is what it is and not perfect like me. All these tiny sounds that you all have mentioned, either am deaf or haven't heard anything that caught my attention. Just before I wrote this, i took mine out for a spin just to make sure that i am not hallucinating and to double check. Nothing at all. Guess i am lucky?!

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

choice is yours, compromise weight distribution and handling and some mileage drop for better exhaust note???

keeping chain clean is always good for the ride.

try out trivandrum, they got knowledge and expertise, but wont do any magic unless you tell them firmly and stick to it.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Replies in the bold.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Thanks. They did disassemble the whole exhaust system and found nothing. They send the above video to their seniors. Ill get the new exhaust next week.

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Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

You cannot be farther from the truth. The sound won't get bassier/'beefier' with more kilometers. It'd becom 'tamer' if you like. The bass would lessen and the distinctive dukish 'metallic' tone would be much less noticeable as kms are piled on .
Has been the case with 200, would surely be the case with 390.

Also guys complaining about the slight lack of pull, yes this is mostly placebo but there may indeed be some loss. This can be due to the engine bedding in and the chain not having optimum slack as was the case fresh out of factory.

As the engine ages, the vacuum created during the strokes becomes weeker, which also explains the engine braking easing. This would result in some slight perceptible loss in pull and also the exhaust note getting tamer, with the latter more noticeable outcome.
Take a 5k-7k old 390 to the showroom and compare the note with a fresh stock. You'd be surprised at the stark difference.


So guys enjoy the note till it lasts

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

As you said the svc will replace it under warranty. I do not know the cause of the noise as it could be anything from something coming loose in the catalytic converter to a nut holding the silencer together. I guess nobody responded because 1) no one has faced this issue 2) you already said that the svc will replace the exhaust. At least that's why I didn't.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Hi guys, i finally brought home my 390 today, i was going through the owners manual, and it says that the chain slackness should be 5mm to 7mm which i think is way too tight. I checked the slackness on my bike and it's about 30mm. Can someone lemme know the correct measurements.. I had to pick my bike from the warehouse, rode it home with all the plastic and foam coverings, realized that it was the black colored one and not the normal colored one only when i was removing the foam covering and all. Also the odo was at 00000. The bike has run 46kms so far, and it seems that i will be going out for a few days, about 1200kms and can't decide whether to take my 390 or my access 125 scooter. Will it be a good idea to take my new bike? Cause I want to get the running in completed asap!

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

No, thats not it. Its just that some of us have been handed the other side of luck. There are thousands of D390 owners, but, you wont find everyone complaining. Mos of the owners who do not face any issues wont voice it out (some do, like yourself), since there is no doubt that its a bloody good bike. Maybe not as refined as the japs but an unparalled bike any which way you look.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Haha. The kids, after hearing the wife, is now calling the bike "Sheila auntie".

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Having someone to discuss the nuances are very very welcome. Thank you Legend.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Err! Something must be wrong with my ears then.

Done around 11000 kms till now and atleast I could hear the difference in the exhaust note. It is bit more pleasant than it was during its initial kilometers.
True is that the metallic tone is considerably less.


Any how, the breathing problem that my bike had appears to be slowly fading away. It is there but not as much it was before the servicing.
Still the ECU check is pending though.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

What is the hole at the underside of exhaust meant to do?

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Hi Guys,

Just returned from my 1st service from the Seawoods Navi Mumbai service center. Had the oil changed to Motul 300V 15W50. The bike runs extremely smooth with the 300v. Vibes are nearly non existant.

Had a question for all of you. I was under the assumption that during the 1st service, the rev limiter was raised to 9500-10500 RPM from the factory shipped 7500 RPMand that this is done by reprogramming the ECU during the service,

However, this was not done on my bike during the service and the guys there had no clue that they were supposed to do this either. I suspect they did not even have the tools to do so.

Can someone please clarify what is the correct procedure on this. When are they supposed to raise the rev limit?

Thanks

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

The rev limiter is just there to inform you that a specific rpm has been reached. Its more of like a warning and gear shift indicator. It does not in any way block you from revving the bike till redline (10.5K), where the actual rev limiter kicks in.
The rev indicator is set at two different rpms. When the first rpm is reached, the light starts to blink and when the second rpm is reached, the light will glow continuously. From factory the rpms set are 5000 and 7500 respectively. This is changed by the svc guys after 1st service to 7500 and 9000 rpm. However, to do so does not require any ecu remaps, but, can be done from the console by pressing some buttons. Hardly takes a few seconds. The details are given in the manual provided with the bike.