Announcement

**Ezilkannan** · 12-17-2016, 09:51 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by B7ACKTHORN View Post

16.5k clutch overhaul, man that's a pretty low mileage, I hope by overhaul you mean, changing the clutch plates too. Do post a video of it, so we can get an idea of the what's really amiss. If you feel like the bike is overrevving post a certain RPM, considering the bike is moving during sudden throttle inputs, it's definitely a botched up clutch job or if we're hearing strange sounds, a clutch bell or bearing failure can be probable causes. Discretion advised.

Cheers!
VJ

Switched back to stock levers and this issue is now gone. But I still feel some vibes in the clutch cable when downshifting. Will change the cable and see if it fixes this too.

**B7ACKTHORN** · 12-18-2016, 12:10 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Ezilkannan View Post

Switched back to stock levers and this issue is now gone. But I still feel some vibes in the clutch cable when downshifting. Will change the cable and see if it fixes this too.

Okay, so had an aftermarket running all these days. Do keep at tab on the issue. It's advisable to change the clutch cable, and make sure your clutch cable clamp at the engine side is properly "IN" and nuts tightened. Keep us posted.

Cheers!
VJ

**Gunslingin_Ridr** · 12-19-2016, 01:37 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Is it okay/normal to hear a thud when downshifting at around 60 kmph from say 4th to 3rd gear when I mess up the blipping, like the twist will be within the play of the throttle?

**NitinGirish** · 12-19-2016, 08:42 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

I am getting "High Coolant Temperature" message on the console while riding in peak hour traffic (Bellandur-Rammurthynagar stretch) after three years of owning this bike.

To be fair, I've never ridden in this kind of traffic (different commute) for past three years.

Fan is functioning, radiator fins are not bent, coolant is between max and min level and I notice the coolant level also to be stable. The heat (and the bars) comes down once I open up the throttle and start riding around 60kmph.

Please suggest me what I should do? Will changing the coolant to Engine Ice do any good?

Or should I stick to my 30 year old RX for this commute? I want to use Duke for its better seats, suspension and lights but will not if it ends up damaging the engine.

**niku** · 12-19-2016, 08:45 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Gunslingin_Ridr View Post

Is it okay/normal to hear a thud when downshifting at around 60 kmph from say 4th to 3rd gear when I mess up the blipping, like the twist will be within the play of the throttle?

Normal only as far as I know. Happened for me too. May be I got used to it or sound got reduced, I don't know now. [emoji16]

**B7ACKTHORN** · 12-20-2016, 01:14 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Gunslingin_Ridr View Post

Is it okay/normal to hear a thud when downshifting at around 60 kmph from say 4th to 3rd gear when I mess up the blipping, like the twist will be within the play of the throttle?

Yes, thud when engaging the gear from neutral to first or when engaging to lower lower gears from higher gears when the engine is moving, you hear that thud, which is normal. As you said, throttle blipping eases the the engine to transmission difference, and helps engage smooth gears. Nothing to worry.

Originally posted by NitinGirish View Post

I am getting "High Coolant Temperature" message on the console while riding in peak hour traffic (Bellandur-Rammurthynagar stretch) after three years of owning this bike.

To be fair, I've never ridden in this kind of traffic (different commute) for past three years.

Fan is functioning, radiator fins are not bent, coolant is between max and min level and I notice the coolant level also to be stable. The heat (and the bars) comes down once I open up the throttle and start riding around 60kmph.

Please suggest me what I should do? Will changing the coolant to Engine Ice do any good?

Or should I stick to my 30 year old RX for this commute? I want to use Duke for its better seats, suspension and lights but will not if it ends up damaging the engine.

Absolutely normal. Nothing to panic per se. 3 years and no coolant warning itself is a good sign that the bike is more than defined. Yes, the hot putter hates bumper to bumper traffic and heats up pretty bad in such situations leading to high coolant related shut downs. She always likes to be on the move. If you commute in the same road, with the same traffic situations, I would suggest your RX, if you -- like you've said, take an alternate route with less traffic, then there should be no apprehension in using the 390.

Cheers!
VJ

**s1d** · 12-20-2016, 09:36 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by NitinGirish View Post

I am getting "High Coolant Temperature" message on the console while riding in peak hour traffic (Bellandur-Rammurthynagar stretch) after three years of owning this bike.

To be fair, I've never ridden in this kind of traffic (different commute) for past three years.

Fan is functioning, radiator fins are not bent, coolant is between max and min level and I notice the coolant level also to be stable. The heat (and the bars) comes down once I open up the throttle and start riding around 60kmph.

Please suggest me what I should do? Will changing the coolant to Engine Ice do any good?

Or should I stick to my 30 year old RX for this commute? I want to use Duke for its better seats, suspension and lights but will not if it ends up damaging the engine.

On a 390 this does happen at times. But again, if you haven't changed the coolant in the past 2 years, I'd suggest you first drain, flush and fill up with fresh coolant (the motul inugel expert or motocool expert would suffice). Also just get the radiator washed with a spray of water (not at very high pressure) so that if at all there is any muck lodged between the fins, it would be washed away improving the the radiators efficiency. The fan usually kicks in and keeps the temp under control (avoiding the 'high coolant temp' warning) - but again this depends on the ambient temp, traffic etc..

**chip94** · 12-20-2016, 12:08 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by NitinGirish View Post

I am getting "High Coolant Temperature" message on the console while riding in peak hour traffic (Bellandur-Rammurthynagar stretch) after three years of owning this bike.

To be fair, I've never ridden in this kind of traffic (different commute) for past three years.

Fan is functioning, radiator fins are not bent, coolant is between max and min level and I notice the coolant level also to be stable. The heat (and the bars) comes down once I open up the throttle and start riding around 60kmph.

Please suggest me what I should do? Will changing the coolant to Engine Ice do any good?

Or should I stick to my 30 year old RX for this commute? I want to use Duke for its better seats, suspension and lights but will not if it ends up damaging the engine.

High Coolant temperature is abnormal for a 390 these days. If your bike is a 2013/2014 model then it may occur. The ones post 2015 never heat up.

I'd suggest draining the coolant and filling it up with fresh Engine Ice or Equivalent Motul Coolant.

I'm running Engine Ice on my 390 and the heat bar stays 3 bars below the High Coolant Temp section. The bloody fan even shuts off during b2b traffic!

**NitinGirish** · 12-20-2016, 02:24 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by B7ACKTHORN View Post

Yes, thud when engaging the gear from neutral to first or when engaging to lower lower gears from higher gears when the engine is moving, you hear that thud, which is normal. As you said, throttle blipping eases the the engine to transmission difference, and helps engage smooth gears. Nothing to worry.

Absolutely normal. Nothing to panic per se. 3 years and no coolant warning itself is a good sign that the bike is more than defined. Yes, the hot putter hates bumper to bumper traffic and heats up pretty bad in such situations leading to high coolant related shut downs. She always likes to be on the move. If you commute in the same road, with the same traffic situations, I would suggest your RX, if you -- like you've said, take an alternate route with less traffic, then there should be no apprehension in using the 390.

Cheers!
VJ

Originally posted by s1d View Post

On a 390 this does happen at times. But again, if you haven't changed the coolant in the past 2 years, I'd suggest you first drain, flush and fill up with fresh coolant (the motul inugel expert or motocool expert would suffice). Also just get the radiator washed with a spray of water (not at very high pressure) so that if at all there is any muck lodged between the fins, it would be washed away improving the the radiators efficiency. The fan usually kicks in and keeps the temp under control (avoiding the 'high coolant temp' warning) - but again this depends on the ambient temp, traffic etc..

Originally posted by chip94 View Post

High Coolant temperature is abnormal for a 390 these days. If your bike is a 2013/2014 model then it may occur. The ones post 2015 never heat up.

I'd suggest draining the coolant and filling it up with fresh Engine Ice or Equivalent Motul Coolant.

I'm running Engine Ice on my 390 and the heat bar stays 3 bars below the High Coolant Temp section. The bloody fan even shuts off during b2b traffic!

Thank You Gentlemen.

I am going to try the alternative route for a few days. Once I find sometime, I plan to get coolant replaced as its never been replaced after I bought the bike.

Where do I source Engince Ice from? I am located in Bengaluru.

**chip94** · 12-20-2016, 02:26 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by NitinGirish View Post

Thank You Gentlemen.

I am going to try the alternative route for a few days. Once I find sometime, I plan to get coolant replaced as its never been replaced after I bought the bike.

Where do I source Engince Ice from? I am located in Bengaluru.

I pick up mine from a store called Let's Gear Up at HSR Layout.

**Mayankisme** · 12-20-2016, 02:27 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Hello all,
I got a query here. Since RC 390 is a mouth watering package, I shall be upgrading to it from CBR 250.
Is it a wise upgrade? My main purpose is touring and sunday morning rides apart from regular office commutes. I really like the R3 but the absence of ABS is a deal breaker in otherwise excellent motorcycle. I have a budget for 600cc but after riding a daytona 675 the otherday, its not very practical choice for everyday riding.

**s1d** · 12-20-2016, 03:08 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by Mayankisme View Post

I got a query here. Since RC 390 is a mouth watering package, I shall be upgrading to it from CBR 250.
Is it a wise upgrade? My main purpose is touring and sunday morning rides apart from regular office commutes. I really like the R3 but the absence of ABS is a deal breaker in otherwise excellent motorcycle. I have a budget for 600cc but after riding a daytona 675 the otherday, its not very practical choice for everyday riding.

So you want to move from a CBR250 to a RC and one of your main purpose is touring?!? Please define 'touring' from your perspective

The CBR is more touring friendly, i.e. ergonomics, practicality, refinement, fuel efficiency/tank range.
That doesn't mean the RC is incapable (the machine is, but is the human?), it's just that it has a very aggressive stance which many would not find apt for touring when it comes to ergonomics. There are a few folks (among the handful that truly 'tour') who use the RC for touring as well.. But most stick to using it for everyday use, weekend morning rides.
So, you need to first ride the RC thoroughly (rent/borrow one?) and decide if it really suits your need.

**Mayankisme** · 12-20-2016, 03:39 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by s1d View Post

So you want to move from a CBR250 to a RC .

Thanks for the quick reply.

I have ridden the R15 extensively and am kinda okay with the riding stance so RC won't be much of a problem here. The one and only grouse is tank range.
I have done mumbai-banglore, mumbai-goa, mumbai-jaipur on CBR and shall be continuing such trips on RC as well except the origin now has changed to Delhi NCR. I have ridden the duke 390 and was impressed with the overall offering but then I have a thing for fully faired bikes and their highway advantage over the naked ones. I shall anyway upgrade to 2017 RC but then just wanna confirm my choice of upgrade from the gurus here. CBR was a very wise decision after FZ so wanna continue the legacy here on.

Regards

**jeyessh** · 12-20-2016, 08:18 PM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by NitinGirish View Post

I am getting "High Coolant Temperature" message on the console while riding in peak hour traffic (Bellandur-Rammurthynagar stretch) after three years of owning this bike.

To be fair, I've never ridden in this kind of traffic (different commute) for past three years.

Fan is functioning, radiator fins are not bent, coolant is between max and min level and I notice the coolant level also to be stable. The heat (and the bars) comes down once I open up the throttle and start riding around 60kmph.

Please suggest me what I should do? Will changing the coolant to Engine Ice do any good?

Or should I stick to my 30 year old RX for this commute? I want to use Duke for its better seats, suspension and lights but will not if it ends up damaging the engine.

There have been instances where the fan slows down on usage.390 heating up in traffic is abnormal, so get the fan checked up once. Although temperature sensor wont be an issue, still better get it checked. My duke 390 has done 20k kms and have never faced the issue even when moving in worst b2b traffic.

**B7ACKTHORN** · 12-21-2016, 12:12 AM

Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Originally posted by s1d View Post

So you want to move from a CBR250 to a RC and one of your main purpose is touring?!? Please define 'touring' from your perspective

Needless to say, you got me there.

Originally posted by Mayankisme View Post

Thanks for the quick reply.

I have ridden the R15 extensively and am kinda okay with the riding stance so RC won't be much of a problem here. The one and only grouse is tank range.
I have done mumbai-banglore, mumbai-goa, mumbai-jaipur on CBR and shall be continuing such trips on RC as well except the origin now has changed to Delhi NCR. I have ridden the duke 390 and was impressed with the overall offering but then I have a thing for fully faired bikes and their highway advantage over the naked ones. I shall anyway upgrade to 2017 RC but then just wanna confirm my choice of upgrade from the gurus here. CBR was a very wise decision after FZ so wanna continue the legacy here on.

Regards

Originally posted by Mayankisme View Post

Hello all,
I got a query here. Since RC 390 is a mouth watering package, I shall be upgrading to it from CBR 250.
Is it a wise upgrade? My main purpose is touring and sunday morning rides apart from regular office commutes. I really like the R3 but the absence of ABS is a deal breaker in otherwise excellent motorcycle. I have a budget for 600cc but after riding a daytona 675 the otherday, its not very practical choice for everyday riding.

To put it simply, though coming to your point of riding stance "agreeabiliy" most find the aggressive stance of the RC to be a deal breaker as a dedicated touring machine. Secondly, each to his own, so if you find RC and the body position better than your CBR, then you've got yourself a really well capable tourer able to munch miles after miles. As you've mentioned and fellow member has mentioned, tank range can be a PITA and cumbersome and may require to pit stop frequently, but that's a good thing IMHO.

CBR is a relaxed comfortable tourer, RC is aggressive, in the face kinda tourer. Ride for more than 100 KMS on RC and see how it fares, that should give you a good ballpark as to how it feels.

Cheers!
VJ

Announcement

KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment