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**B7ACKTHORN** · 03-20-2015, 01:10 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by NitinGirish View Post

In that case, periodic service chart mentioned in the owner's manual should have made a mention of it. I rather have "less silicate" coolant than risk replacing coolant every few months. Less the A.S.S/mechanics work on the bike better it is.

Not all are interested to know the chemistry of the fluids manufacturers use in their bikes, Nitin. The manufacturers are more concerned on the PM that we carry on our bikes and at the right time, which would include, oil change, fluids check up, top up etc.

Less silicates, more silicates green dye, yellow dye, isn't gonna appeal to 85% of the masses, all that a company cares is maintenance done on the bike at the right interval and at the specified time period. Now it isn't to say that's a bad idea, but in an era where we have manuals which more or less resemble a journal complied by a redneck, I think we're better off it and stick with what the manufacturer says.

Cheers!
VJ

**timuseravan** · 03-20-2015, 09:49 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Some answers inline:

Originally posted by P3T3R View Post

Questions:
- Till now whatever I have read of the thread, there seem to be small niggles and quality issues. Have thing improved in the last year?
The niggles are really very small. What happens is that only people with problems post here - how many times can you post the bike is running fine without any issues? And even then Bjaja/KTM have taken feedback and improved in a lot of places.
- Like many of you, my experience with the dealer was not so good. Has KTM done anything about the complaints regarding the dealers?
Drop an email to KTM regarding the dealership. Atleast in Pune all the dealers/svc are very good.
- The only alternative for the Metzelers are the Pirelli and Michelin. Any other options? I heard that MRF has launched some performance tyres for the 390. Any reviews?
Michelin Pilot Street seems to be the best wrt price/performance. Check out: Which is the best tire for KTM Duke 390? - RiderZone
- What's the average life of the engine before it requires a re-build.
No one knows. AFAIK no one has reached the limit.
- I spend 4 months in India and 4 months abroad. So the bike will remain unused for 4 months. Any issues with that?
Possibly battery drain. But as long as it is kept covered, it should be ok.
- Does the bike have a standard OBD2 port? I would like to connect a Bluetooth adapter to use the Torque Pro App on my mobile.
Its a custom port.
- How's the new slipper clutch compared to the old one?

My apologies if any of my questions have already been answered in pages 319-577. Thanks in advance.

**nasirkaka** · 03-20-2015, 12:27 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Yes sir, use only water in an emergency (even if its drinking or tap water).. otherwise stick to the recommended coolant.. adding a little water even to a premix is not going to cause any issues. Our bikes are filled up with the castrol radicool which is yes a 50:50 mixture. The ratio could vary from one brand to another, hence read the label on the product and use accordingly.
More adventurous guys could try straight water (distilled, tap, mineral, spring, river), water wetter, bed wetter, engine ice etc ..

while we are on the coolant topic, the coolant level on my bike seems to be dropping swiftly and regularly and its started to worry me. In the last three weeks, the level is come down by about 2.5 cms. I dont think i had any drop in coolant level for the 1st years of ownership. No visible leaks, engine oil colour seems to be muddy brown. coolant reservoir cap is nice and tight. I spoke to service engineer and he gave some reason like, if you ride the bike hard and long distance, the level goes down. ( i have not changed my riding style since i got the bike). What are the options i have for a proper diagnosis? will we have to remove the casing to look deeper? should i replace the old coolant with new and see if it helps? bike is been running fine otherwise, just the coolant level going down is worrying me.

**krish2778** · 03-20-2015, 12:42 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by nasirkaka View Post

while we are on the coolant topic, the coolant level on my bike seems to be dropping swiftly and regularly and its started to worry me. In the last three weeks, the level is come down by about 2.5 cms. I dont think i had any drop in coolant level for the 1st years of ownership. No visible leaks, engine oil colour seems to be muddy brown. coolant reservoir cap is nice and tight. I spoke to service engineer and he gave some reason like, if you ride the bike hard and long distance, the level goes down. ( i have not changed my riding style since i got the bike). What are the options i have for a proper diagnosis? will we have to remove the casing to look deeper? should i replace the old coolant with new and see if it helps? bike is been running fine otherwise, just the coolant level going down is worrying me.

Drain the oil, and inspect its color, if you see a ting of green in it, then it is seeping into the oil sump.
Now lets say its not the case, then either your oil is beaten up and is heating too much making the coolant to work overtime and evaporating. So fresh engine oil could give more insight on this. Also when oil is new color changes to oil is more easy to understand, if at all there is any leakage.

Cheers
Ride Safe
Krishna

**social** · 03-20-2015, 01:17 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

I have a problem of the speedo showing 0 every now and then (when the bike is moving). The potential solution seems to be replacing the Stator Coil but the A.S.S is adamant that it is working fine and nothing is wrong with it.

The only problem is that I can't reproduce the problem at will (and hence the A.S.S. people ignores this).

Any pointers how to get it replaced under warranty.

**AmitRavi07** · 03-20-2015, 02:06 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by social View Post

I have a problem of the speedo showing 0 every now and then (when the bike is moving). The potential solution seems to be replacing the Stator Coil but the A.S.S is adamant that it is working fine and nothing is wrong with it.

The only problem is that I can't reproduce the problem at will (and hence the A.S.S. people ignores this).

Any pointers how to get it replaced under warranty.

If you have gopro or can arrange it from somewhere or rig a camera to capture the speedo, you can then go for a small ride and get the issue recorded. Take the video clip as proof to the ASS, they won't refute it.

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

Originally posted by nasirkaka View Post

while we are on the coolant topic, the coolant level on my bike seems to be dropping swiftly and regularly and its started to worry me. In the last three weeks, the level is come down by about 2.5 cms. I dont think i had any drop in coolant level for the 1st years of ownership. No visible leaks, engine oil colour seems to be muddy brown. coolant reservoir cap is nice and tight. I spoke to service engineer and he gave some reason like, if you ride the bike hard and long distance, the level goes down. ( i have not changed my riding style since i got the bike). What are the options i have for a proper diagnosis? will we have to remove the casing to look deeper? should i replace the old coolant with new and see if it helps? bike is been running fine otherwise, just the coolant level going down is worrying me.

Happened to me, in my case the coolant was seeping into the engine and evaporating leaving no traces. It stumped the service engineers for quite some time as my coolant level would drop slightly every 15-20 mins. They changed by engine head and replaced all gaskets, which solved the issue. If you are also not able to detect the coolant leak anywhere, then this could be a probable cause.

**nasirkaka** · 03-20-2015, 02:15 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by krish2778 View Post

Drain the oil, and inspect its color, if you see a ting of green in it, then it is seeping into the oil sump.
Now lets say its not the case, then either your oil is beaten up and is heating too much making the coolant to work overtime and evaporating. So fresh engine oil could give more insight on this. Also when oil is new color changes to oil is more easy to understand, if at all there is any leakage.

Cheers
Ride Safe
Krishna

Wishing if there was a simpler test like a litmus paper or a preg test kit. Couple of drops of engine oil and it tells if there is coolant mixed..

All this started after the last service. Will try and get intouch with Autoservice and hope they will be able to help me out. will check engine oil colour and also get the coolant completely replaced. Damn! there goes my weekend.

Also, these days, i feel the bike is heating a bit more (not sure if its my mind playing game). The temp bar shows usual operating temp, but bike feels much hotter. Also the weather is getting hot.

**krish2778** · 03-20-2015, 03:16 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by nasirkaka View Post

Wishing if there was a simpler test like a litmus paper or a preg test kit. Couple of drops of engine oil and it tells if there is coolant mixed..

All this started after the last service. Will try and get intouch with Autoservice and hope they will be able to help me out. will check engine oil colour and also get the coolant completely replaced. Damn! there goes my weekend.

Also, these days, i feel the bike is heating a bit more (not sure if its my mind playing game). The temp bar shows usual operating temp, but bike feels much hotter. Also the weather is getting hot.

Well, there are ways to check , but not sure how effective it is as i have not tried any of these methods.
Refer these links

Testing Oil for Coolant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8duzWvjBzY

Testing oil for coolant contamination with a primitive splatter test

AGCO Automotive Repair Service - Baton Rouge, LA - Detailed Auto Topics - Coolant in engine oil

Glycol In Lubricating Oil - Detection, Analysis and Removal

Glycol is the main content of the green coolants, i think @B7AKTHORN has explained that in detail in this thread, will make things easier for you.

Cheers
Ride Safe
Krishna

**Panini** · 03-20-2015, 03:55 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Hey, just a few questions, you guys.
I bought a Sept '13 390 (10K km, all free services exhausted) used a few weeks ago. Does warranty on parts extend to the second owner too, or is it only available to the first owner.
I spoke to a KTM guy in Bangalore and he told me that technically the warranty can only be availed by the first owner (is this true). For this reason I haven't yet got the bike registered in my name.

So,
Question 1: the bike stalls a bit, so I'm thinking of having the throttle body cleaned. Any idea how much this would cost?
Question 2: I have the speedometer temporarily showing zero issue. Apparently it is due to a faulty stator coil. Would this also be covered under warranty?
Question 3: How much should I expect to have to spend if I do or do not have to pay for these two issues? And how much does a regular service typically cost?

Question 4: Is there a good mechanic near ITPL/Whitefield/Brookefield/Hoodi (East Bangalore) who I could safely go to for issues, or is a KTM showroom the only option?

TIA

**wrecker** · 03-20-2015, 04:07 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Anyone who bought 2015 duke 390 did you face any problems that are mentioned by others? like

1)Abrupt stopping of engine
2)Over heating
3)Leaking engines oil.
4)Breaking alloys.
5)Low RPM vibrations.
6)Heavy clutch and short gears

I think it is too early to ask these questions but as i want to buy it so i want to make it clear :|.TIA.

**nadz11.ns** · 03-20-2015, 04:49 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Panini View Post

Hey, just a few questions, you guys.
I bought a Sept '13 390

Isn't warranty period for one year only ?

**s1d** · 03-20-2015, 05:37 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by social View Post

I have a problem of the speedo showing 0 every now and then (when the bike is moving). The potential solution seems to be replacing the Stator Coil but the A.S.S is adamant that it is working fine and nothing is wrong with it.

The only problem is that I can't reproduce the problem at will (and hence the A.S.S. people ignores this).

Any pointers how to get it replaced under warranty.

There is another way to directly check the stator coil, here a snapshot from the workshop manual of a Duke 200.

Ask them to perform a similar test on the 390 (if they do not know how, then ask them to refer to the 390's workshop manual). It could be something as simple as a loose connection/improper ground.
If they refuse to cooperate and diagnose this issue, drop in an email to bajaj/ktm customer service (customerservice@bajajauto.co.in , [email protected] , info@ktmindia.com)
Otherwise if you have a go pro or find a way to record/capture this behavior on your mobile cam, then show that to the asc

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

Originally posted by Panini View Post

Hey, just a few questions, you guys.
I bought a Sept '13 390 (10K km, all free services exhausted) used a few weeks ago. Does warranty on parts extend to the second owner too, or is it only available to the first owner.
I spoke to a KTM guy in Bangalore and he told me that technically the warranty can only be availed by the first owner (is this true). For this reason I haven't yet got the bike registered in my name.

Read this:
http://www.ktm.com/in/faqs.html
Is the KTM manufacturer's warrant still valid after the motorcycle has been sold?

Yeh, the dealers will bullsh*t you all day long to make a buck or skip doing their jobs. You also have a PM from me.

**Panini** · 03-20-2015, 06:22 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Wow, you're awesome s1d. I replied to your PM before I saw this.

Thanks. I'll have a look at the respective section in my owner's manual, to see if it's available there too.

Originally posted by s1d View Post

There is another way to directly check the stator coil, here a snapshot from the workshop manual of a Duke 200.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]176352[/ATTACH]

Ask them to perform a similar test on the 390 (if they do not know how, then ask them to refer to the 390's workshop manual). It could be something as simple as a loose connection/improper ground.
If they refuse to cooperate and diagnose this issue, drop in an email to bajaj/ktm customer service (customerservice@bajajauto.co.in , [email protected] , info@ktmindia.com)
Otherwise if you have a go pro or find a way to record/capture this behavior on your mobile cam, then show that to the asc

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

Read this:
KTM FAQs
Is the KTM manufacturer's warrant still valid after the motorcycle has been sold?

Yeh, the dealers will bullsh*t you all day long to make a buck or skip doing their jobs. You also have a PM from me.

**social** · 03-20-2015, 07:01 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

[MENTION=63108]AmitRavi07[/MENTION] and [MENTION=16602]s1d[/MENTION] Trying to arrange for a gopro.

I'll also ask the service center guys to check the stator coil. I have already written to KTM and infact I got a call from Pune today. He asked me about the problem and told me to expect a call from the service center in the next couple of days. Let's see.

Thanks for the suggestions

**s1d** · 03-20-2015, 09:30 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Owners Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by nadz11.ns View Post

Isn't warranty period for one year only ?

Nope, its 2yr or 30000km which ever comes earlier.

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KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

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