Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Heating is not a problem. And it cant be rectified in any 300+cc bike.
The bike stalling because of overheating is the problem.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

well it has never stalled on me, so far so good

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Have fun with the Bike bro
That reply wasn't to you.
There are people calling the Faulty Radiator Fan issue as Heat issue.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

oh alright, anyway i just came back a few days ago from lahaul and spiti and will share my experience soon

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Well, the bike does shut off in traffic, showing high coolant temp. Whatever the reason, be it a radiator fan issue or a coolant issue, end result is you are pushing your vehicle to the side while that skinny chick on a scooter honks at you, isn't it?


No bike should do that, Honda or KTM. My 2012 Cbr250R used to stall once a week, but always came back on instantly after the kill switch was cycled. Still, that's an annoying issue which I believe is fixed now.

I didn't get a concrete answer last year when I asked owners about the 390 2015 models. Do the new 2016 models overheat and shut off in traffic? Whatever the reason?

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Not even once, from snails pace in high traffic in the city to the most treacherous roads in spiti, it never shut off.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

The early/pre 2015 models were iffy with the radiator fan, which had a high probability of conking out causing over heating related shut downs.
Things have improved a lot since late 2015 and chances of overheating are very minimal these days. Please do not compare this with an activa or a cbr.
bottom line.. if it overheats (i.e.warning on console, not by the temp sensor on your calves/feet) it will shut down.. that's how its designed and these 390's run hotter than an activa or a cbr. it's their character.. hot n fun to ride
don't buy it if you can't put up with its occasional tantrum.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

None of the models overheat and shut off abruptly if used properly. People tend to switch the bike off when it is hot and the fan is running just to save some fuel. That is what causes the bike to shut off. The engine just overheats without anything cooling it.
Switching off the cooling system on a very hot engine and expecting it to not over heat and shut off isn't sane. My bike has stalled on me 2 times till now, both the times it was because the radiator fan got busted. It was replaced under warranty. And that is about it.
Cheers!

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

A very valid and important point ! More so on the ktm's , its better you let the fan go off before shutting down the bike.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

My opinion mirrors that of [MENTION=16602]s1d[/MENTION] and [MENTION=74210]thrustrev[/MENTION], I don't ride in Bangalore or Mumbai, but I have this arguably annoying ( annoying for drivers, but not for me) habit of staying in lane without filtering when the traffic gets really congested. And all I do is make it a point not to shut the bike off when the fan is running and I have yet not a faced a single high temp warning. In fact, I have not faced a single instance of "over heating". But then an engine that runs hot isn't the same as an engine that over heats (in my mind) and that is a distinction very few understand. Also to note it that I haven't faced any real issues, niggles, ohhh yes. But not issues that prevent me from enjoying the ride.
Another experience I'd like to share is that even REs are pretty hot to ride at really packed traffic and the sense of heat if heightened as the feet are right next to the crank case. Yes, the out right heat is less than a 390 by a noticeable margin, but they do heat up. I'm sure RE riders who ride one more frequently might disagree, but this is my experience after riding my friends TB 350 often in traffic. At the end of the day, most of these over heating issues are people expecting a 373 CC unicorn or people who just got a lemon of a radiator fan. The later are people I feel sorry for cause they are victims of statistics, the later are merely annoying. The initial batch did have its fair share of quirks, but the current gen product is about as refined as a bike (KTM bike) of this stature can get.
And the oil change too is a topic that people just don't understand, the oil won't last 7500 KM if you ride regularly and hard/commute. That being said, it is far more (if not equally) important to regularly check the level and top up when needed, as opposed to changing the oil at exactly 5000KM/7500KM. Doesn't mean you should keep topping up without a total change till 10,000km, if my opinion gives anyone that idea.

P.S if anyone here is waiting for the next gen Dukes and value a hassle free ownership, either wait a few months after it is released or get the current bike. The new one, no matter how much KTM/Bajaj have learned from the current bike, will inherently have more quirks than the current gen machine.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

That was some good information for prospective owners. Two years ago the owners I spoke to in person gave me the impression that KTM bikes aren't worth keeping after 3-5 years. I guess that perception is slowly changing.

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Another long term ownership here, been riding my 390 everyday for the past 2.5 yrs and the odo reads close to 25k, never faced any major issues apart from the broken rims.

Following are the frequent issues I faced.
Maintenance
Apart from these issues, my bike has mostly been fill it-shut it-forget it type.
Really happy with the overall ownership.

She is a keeper, won't be selling it ever. (Spares availability is the only worry)

Following are some of the stats, if you are obsessed with statistical data like me.








[MENTION=23793]mod[/MENTION]s: Bullet points are not working?

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences



Market maturity plays a large part in this perspective change as well. When the 390 was launched, it was expected to fill a lot of shoes. Tourers, off roaders and basically the whole of Indian biking community was expecting the 390 to be the "it" bike. That is too much to ask for no matter which company makes the bike. It only basically had the REs and CBR250R as true competition and there in lies the problem. When any bike is made to compete with a sport tourer and a classic thumper, when it is a sport naked by itself, things are bound to get confusing. Fast forward to now and we have the same bike, but more understanding of what it is meant to be and what it is. We have a purpose build adventure bike, a proper naked sport tourer, the faired tourer, the old thumpers', premium naked, premium faired tourer and a proper track focused super sport. With all these voids filled, the Duke can finally be what it is, a fun and fast street naked that is the best bang for your buck in most situations.



There goes my rant for the day. 😅

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

I'm riding a 2013 model (September batch) on Chennai Traffic and never the bike has switched off due to heat. I have done only 3000kms and the previous owner had done 9000kms. And yes few bikes of 2013 batch had stalling due to high temp issue which KTM themselves recalled and corrected something in the fan. May be the person who gave feedback to you hadn't done that.
Coming from someone who has crossed 1 lakh kms in Karizmas and didn't like Naked Bikes until I touched the 390.
Please dont compare the 390 to anything as there's no direct rival as of now.
I've a glitch though. My bike stalls when sudden downshifting from 6th to 5th at times which is due to the ugle throttle body. Thanks to me (for not using high Octane fuel).
Every bike is worth keeping for decades unless we dont ride them like test riders. 😝

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Nobody is comparing bikes here : all that matters is do the components last? Just because the fan fails doesn't mean KTM bikes suck or its a character of the bike. It just means the clowns who manufacture the fan need to step up the quality. Which they did.