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**Deathwing** · 02-21-2016, 07:13 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by kashishverma.46 View Post

Hey guys... I rode the 390 again...a proper ride of atleast 6 kms in mixed conditions...throughout the ride I felt a bit heat...but towards the end of the ride...the radiator fan came on and was working at full force....ND I my right leg is still hot after the ride....temp Gauge was 2 bars from the max.....is this normal for a 390..?? I am just worried about the reliability of the fan..? And is dere same amount of heat produced on the newer 2016 models..?? The bike I rode was new..a 2015 model...just worrying about the heat....The climate I live in is hot...about 35 plus now only in Feb...? NEED. UR help..as still juggling..b/w 200 or 390.
thanks in advance.

Depends on ur use mainly,the 390 will burn you b2b traffic but is right at home on longer n wider n empty stretches of road, depending on ur use, n what u looking for in a bike take it, if u plan for using it as a commuter, could be a challenge.

**kashishverma.46** · 02-21-2016, 07:31 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Deathwing View Post

Depends on ur use mainly,the 390 will burn you b2b traffic but is right at home on longer n wider n empty stretches of road, depending on ur use, n what u looking for in a bike take it, if u plan for using it as a commuter, could be a challenge.

Its just the heat..that kills it.. It will be mixed...not mostly b2b but below 40 kmph and the heat...and reliability of the bike in such conditions.

**xplod566** · 02-22-2016, 01:49 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Deathwing View Post

Depends on ur use mainly,the 390 will burn you b2b traffic but is right at home on longer n wider n empty stretches of road, depending on ur use, n what u looking for in a bike take it, if u plan for using it as a commuter, could be a challenge.

The 390 will burn your legs.add that with 35 degrees and you have a good recipe for burning your legs.at low speeds you can feel the extreme heat in your legs.d200 in such case doesn't heat much coz it has less power.
If you are cruising at a nice speed then you won't feel it.

**jack_daniels** · 02-22-2016, 02:56 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Veeral View Post

YO JD.

There is nothing such as rev limited in duke 390. Its just the gear shift indicator. Which only gives you indication to change gear at xyz rpm.
You can set the shift rpm manually.

Check this out

I don't think so. I think there is a rev limiter or sth. Bcoz prior to 1st service, the bike had really short gears. It was like 6 gears till 60 kmph must. But, in the 1st service, the svc mech tuned the ecu via the rear pillion seat terminal. He said he was "Increasing the rev limit from 5.5k to 7.5k". I asked him,"I thought the bike can do till 10.5-11k rpm". To which he replied, "No, we'll not increase the rpm for your own safety". [emoji15] [emoji15] [emoji16] [emoji16]
Anyways, afterwards the bike really freed up. With gears becoming really long. Like 2nd gear till 50-60 kmph. 100 kmph in 3rd-4th gear.

**s1d** · 02-22-2016, 03:15 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by jack_daniels View Post

I don't think so. I think there is a rev limiter or sth. Bcoz prior to 1st service, the bike had really short gears. It was like 6 gears till 60 kmph must. But, in the 1st service, the svc mech tuned the ecu via the rear pillion seat terminal. He said he was "Increasing the rev limit from 5.5k to 7.5k". I asked him,"I thought the bike can do till 10.5-11k rpm". To which he replied, "No, we'll not increase the rpm for your own safety". [emoji15] [emoji15] [emoji16] [emoji16]
Anyways, afterwards the bike really freed up. With gears becoming really long. Like 2nd gear till 50-60 kmph. 100 kmph in 3rd-4th gear.

It was probably the change in oil to motul..or maybe chain adjustment.. or just plain placebo

. the bike though will free up as it piles on a few more kms and you will be able to do a bit higher speeds in each gear more 'comfortably'
they cant restrict the rpm, they only check parameters (for example, checking if the fan comes on at the predefined temp) or read out/clear any fault codes using that grey colored T shaped device which they connect to the terminal under the seat.

**Daavy99** · 02-22-2016, 08:09 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by kashishverma.46 View Post

Hey guys... I rode the 390 again...a proper ride of atleast 6 kms in mixed conditions...throughout the ride I felt a bit heat...but towards the end of the ride...the radiator fan came on and was working at full force....ND I my right leg is still hot after the ride....temp Gauge was 2 bars from the max.....is this normal for a 390..?? I am just worried about the reliability of the fan..? And is dere same amount of heat produced on the newer 2016 models..?? The bike I rode was new..a 2015 model...just worrying about the heat....The climate I live in is hot...about 35 plus now only in Feb...? NEED. UR help..as still juggling..b/w 200 or 390.
thanks in advance.

I also drove a relatively new d390 (3500 kms) for over 30 kms in bangalore both on open roads and b2b traffic.

My experience as below:

1) insane acceleration on open roads.

2) very good brakes

3) heat was bearable

4) bike feels very light, short n nimble

Cons:

1) I had to constantly shift gears to keep the bike in power band in b2b traffic. That is a LOT of gears shifts.

2) the gears of the bike were precise but very very clunky. Difficult to find neutral

3) on red lights if I turned off the bike, the bike only started after multiple attempts with guys honking on my back.

4) seat was okay but won't call it comfortable

I own a RE TBD 500. After completion of the ride when I sat on my TBD it felt I sat on a sofa. The gears on my bike felt like butter smooth and much less vibrations. Given that RE is no yamaha you can imagine how d390 is like that it makes RE look better in few areas [emoji2]

Bottom line for me was this:

The bike isn't meant for relaxed driving. There is so much happening that keeps u on the boil.

**ananthu** · 02-22-2016, 08:10 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by jack_daniels View Post

I don't think so. I think there is a rev limiter or sth. Bcoz prior to 1st service, the bike had really short gears. It was like 6 gears till 60 kmph must. But, in the 1st service, the svc mech tuned the ecu via the rear pillion seat terminal. He said he was "Increasing the rev limit from 5.5k to 7.5k". I asked him,"I thought the bike can do till 10.5-11k rpm". To which he replied, "No, we'll not increase the rpm for your own safety". [emoji15] [emoji15] [emoji16] [emoji16]
Anyways, afterwards the bike really freed up. With gears becoming really long. Like 2nd gear till 50-60 kmph. 100 kmph in 3rd-4th gear.

Dude, the SVC guy was simply trying to sound cool or something. There is a limiter at 10.5k, that is for sure. But the SVC has no way of lowering or increasing that value. As i said before, you can try revving your engine in neutral and see if it crosses 7.5k. During all services the mechanics read out the fault codes from the ECU and run a diagnostics, that's it. If you don't trust our word for it, try revving your bike beyond that "limiter".

Also, how can the gearing become taller after a service? What you perceived was the change in smoothness after a fresh oil change, most pronounced after the first service.

I wish these SVCs would stop spreading misinformation.

**judebrent** · 02-22-2016, 09:51 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Daavy99 View Post

I also drove a relatively new d390 (3500 kms) for over 30 kms in bangalore both on open roads and b2b traffic.

My experience as below:

1) insane acceleration on open roads.

2) very good brakes

3) heat was bearable

4) bike feels very light, short n nimble

Cons:

1) I had to constantly shift gears to keep the bike in power band in b2b traffic. That is a LOT of gears shifts.

2) the gears of the bike were precise but very very clunky. Difficult to find neutral

3) on red lights if I turned off the bike, the bike only started after multiple attempts with guys honking on my back.

4) seat was okay but won't call it comfortable

I own a RE TBD 500. After completion of the ride when I sat on my TBD it felt I sat on a sofa. The gears on my bike felt like butter smooth and much less vibrations. Given that RE is no yamaha you can imagine how d390 is like that it makes RE look better in few areas [emoji2]

Bottom line for me was this:

The bike isn't meant for relaxed driving. There is so much happening that keeps u on the boil.

Some feedback after owning it for more than a month (inline with yours ) -

1) I had to constantly shift gears to keep the bike in power band in b2b traffic. That is a LOT of gears shifts. - Not really, once you get used to the bike, first and second is what you'd use more often than not in B2B traffic. Second takes to 35+ so it's sufficient enough.

2) the gears of the bike were precise but very very clunky. Difficult to find neutral - I till date never ever had this issue, not even once did I struggle to find neutral. In my Karizma and Apache prior to the D390, I had that issue.

3) on red lights if I turned off the bike, the bike only started after multiple attempts with guys honking on my back. - You shouldn't turn it off as the fan stops too and the cooling effect is lost. For normal signal halts, it's best to keep the engine running.

4) seat was okay but won't call it comfortable - Your bumb can pain on long rides, but seat foam or gel pads are an easy and cost effective mod* for added comfort.

I own a RE TBD 500. After completion of the ride when I sat on my TBD it felt I sat on a sofa. The gears on my bike felt like butter smooth and much less vibrations. Given that RE is no yamaha you can imagine how d390 is like that it makes RE look better in few areas [emoji2] - All bikes have their pros and cons as we know. Yes, the RE has better seats but is way more heavier and less flickable and powerful as compared with the Duke and is best if these bikes aren't compared

**RohIIT** · 02-22-2016, 10:34 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by jack_daniels View Post

I don't think so. I think there is a rev limiter or sth. Bcoz prior to 1st service, the bike had really short gears. It was like 6 gears till 60 kmph must. But, in the 1st service, the svc mech tuned the ecu via the rear pillion seat terminal. He said he was "Increasing the rev limit from 5.5k to 7.5k". I asked him,"I thought the bike can do till 10.5-11k rpm". To which he replied, "No, we'll not increase the rpm for your own safety". [emoji15] [emoji15] [emoji16] [emoji16]
Anyways, afterwards the bike really freed up. With gears becoming really long. Like 2nd gear till 50-60 kmph. 100 kmph in 3rd-4th gear.

How can a ECU tune (software) make changes in gear ratios (hardware)? .
Every bike is fitted with a rev limiter , otherwise engine life would be shortened considerably due to over revving.
Although one can limit the max rpm , but i doubt svc are allowed / can do that. But its not possible that they set rpm limit that low , given if its even possible.

**Serene George Thomas** · 02-22-2016, 11:05 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by jack_daniels View Post

Mine is the 32 pattern from dothediy.com. Actually, there are 3-4 patterns for the normal hazard light with differing speeds from slow to fast. Rest of the patterns are quite varied from ambulance type lights to slow dimming patterns, etc.[emoji4]
But, they are unnecessary imo. So, yes the 5 patterned lite version makes sense.

Did u ride on highways. It is regular mileage for highway riding. In fact, if it's 4-6 lanes expressway, then one can get upto 33-34 kmpl.

================================
Also, the SVC guys set my rpm limit at 7500 rpm. When I said if they'll increase it after 2nd service they said NO. The thing is my bike has freed up a lot after 1st service when the rev limit was set at 5.5k.
Now, in RC 390 thread they are saying their rev limiter is set at 10.5k rpm. So, does this mean Duke 390's rev limit is 7.5k rpm and RC's is set at 10.5k rpm? Can we increase our rev limit?

I rode on free roads that day as we were having a hartaal and there werent many vehicles on the road. I'd gone to munnar the weekend before. I didnt get such mileage even then. What ive understood is, for better mileage, its better to run between 5 to 7 k rpm throughout.

**ananthu** · 02-22-2016, 08:06 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Serene George Thomas View Post

I rode on free roads that day as we were having a hartaal and there werent many vehicles on the road. I'd gone to munnar the weekend before. I didnt get such mileage even then. What ive understood is, for better mileage, its better to run between 5 to 7 k rpm throughout.

I got an average of 34kmpl on my ride from Cochin to TVM and that was via the Kottayam route and not the NH47 route via Alappy. I made that trip in the afternoon too, so there was moderate traffic as well.

It all comes down to the speeds we are doing I guess. I was not exceeding 100 kmph on the highway sections and average was 70-80 kmph. Still taking it very cautious you see. 😀

That ride to Munnar must have been real nice. Haven't taken my KTM there yet, but will soon. 😉

**Harish Menon** · 02-23-2016, 07:14 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Hi guys,

1. I'm planning to get the fazer windscreen on my duke 390. Can someone suggest me a good mechanic in Thane/Mulund area or anywhere near by who can get this done? i tried asking around a few garages and they were clueless and apprehensive in getting it done. I spoke to the seawoods KTM and they were ready to install it but getting he holes drilled in the screen was something they weren't ready to do and I'm not exactly good at doing those mods i.e. drillling the holes on the screen.

2. Also,can someone tell me which would be a better choice of headlights for highway rides. Philips extreme vision or osram night breaker plus bulbs? I read through the forum and have seen multiple places where its mentioned that Philips one is better; just wanted a review of their performance on the highway.

3. I have Michelins as my rear tyre. What is the tyre pressure to be maintained? I keep it at 32 and I am observing fish tailing at high speeds. Its random and only happens at high speeds.

ODO : 20,040 and loving every kms of it !

**rocker** · 02-23-2016, 08:17 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Harish Menon View Post

3. I have Michelins as my rear tyre. What is the tyre pressure to be maintained? I keep it at 32 and I am observing fish tailing at high speeds. Its random and only happens at high speeds.

ODO : 20,040 and loving every kms of it !

Anything under or over 29-30 PS will give no good results. Experienced it.

**JacobJ** · 02-23-2016, 11:18 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by ananthu View Post

I got an average of 34kmpl on my ride from Cochin to TVM and that was via the Kottayam route and not the NH47 route via Alappy. I made that trip in the afternoon too, so there was moderate traffic as well.

It all comes down to the speeds we are doing I guess. I was not exceeding 100 kmph on the highway sections and average was 70-80 kmph. Still taking it very cautious you see. 😀

That ride to Munnar must have been real nice. Haven't taken my KTM there yet, but will soon. 😉

Hi,

How much time it took to reach from Kochi to TVM? Was the road better? I had gone till kottayam, it might be better than NH47 but not great though

**AngadV** · 02-24-2016, 01:18 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Hey guys, had a small problem, the bike starts making a phat-phat-phat repetitive sound, during deceleration on engine braking. It sounds as if it comes from the front tire but is probably from the engine. Pulling the clutch in stops the noise completely.I.e suppose I'm going at 60, if I use engine braking only, the noise starts, but if I pull in the clutch and coast to a stop, the noise is gone. Opening the throttle even a little bit gets rid of the noise.
Any clues about what this could be?

Thanks!

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KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

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