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KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

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  • #10456
    Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

    How to find out whether the clutch plate is worn out? My bike has run 18K Kms and the clutch seems very light and need constant clutch cable tightening.
    Live to Ride!

    Comment

    • #10457
      Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

      Originally posted by Skanda View Post
      How to find out whether the clutch plate is worn out? My bike has run 18K Kms and the clutch seems very light and need constant clutch cable tightening.
      18k is relatively low mileage for the clutch plates to wear out (unless it was ridden hard).
      does the bike rev up more compared to speed it gains ? poor pick up ?
      do u notice any change in rpm vs speed (for e.g. say earlier it used to do 100kmph @5500rpm and now it does it at 5800rpm)
      any burning smell ?

      Thread in the adjuster nut on the handlebar side almost all the way in, and then reach out to the clutch cable adjustment on clutch side at the engine and set the free play by making adjustments here. Then maybe a bit of fine adjustment at the lever end. Ride for a few days and see.
      Whenever you decide to replace the clutch plates, just make sure the friction plates are soaked in oil at-least for a few minutes before installation (don't install them dry!) and also get new clutch springs.

      Comment

      • #10458
        Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

        Originally posted by Skanda View Post
        How to find out whether the clutch plate is worn out? My bike has run 18K Kms and the clutch seems very light and need constant clutch cable tightening.
        Check the clutch cable, it could be in its way out as well. As the threads break, the cable starts stretching to its breaking point.

        Comment

        • #10459
          Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

          Originally posted by s1d View Post
          18k is relatively low mileage for the clutch plates to wear out (unless it was ridden hard).
          does the bike rev up more compared to speed it gains ? poor pick up ?
          do u notice any change in rpm vs speed (for e.g. say earlier it used to do 100kmph @5500rpm and now it does it at 5800rpm)
          any burning smell ?

          Thread in the adjuster nut on the handlebar side almost all the way in, and then reach out to the clutch cable adjustment on clutch side at the engine and set the free play by making adjustments here. Then maybe a bit of fine adjustment at the lever end. Ride for a few days and see.
          Whenever you decide to replace the clutch plates, just make sure the friction plates are soaked in oil at-least for a few minutes before installation (don't install them dry!) and also get new clutch springs.
          Nope, don't see any of these. I don't ride too hard as well. I mostly ride between 4K to 8K RPM most of the time and redline once in a while. Planning to drop it to service but don't like to get duped. Thanks for the tip on friction plates!
          Live to Ride!

          Comment

          • #10460
            Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

            Originally posted by tripping_billie View Post
            Check the clutch cable, it could be in its way out as well. As the threads break, the cable starts stretching to its breaking point.
            I had replaced the cable when the bike was around 12K Kms.
            Live to Ride!

            Comment

            • #10461
              Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

              Originally posted by Skanda View Post
              How to find out whether the clutch plate is worn out? My bike has run 18K Kms and the clutch seems very light and need constant clutch cable tightening.
              How often do you need adjusting the clutch cable? The clutch cable can be adjusted in two places, one near the clutch yoke and the near the clutch case. The one near the clutch cable is effective for adjusting both freeplay and clutch friction point. Also make sure the ring nut near the clutch yoke is tight after adjusting the clutch. If that ring nut is loose, it will loosen the cable.

              One interesting point worth mentioning is that the clutch cable adjuster nuts near the clutch housing has two nuts on one end instead of two nuts on the opposite which makes for a perfect adjustment like on many bikes, but in the Duke series it's a miss.

              What I'd suggest you is add another nut which acts as another lock nut here in the circle marked and then adjust it accordingly, it shouldn't budge.


              Click image for larger version Name: DSC06990.jpg Views: 1 Size: 89.0 KB ID: 1963715

              Keep your observations posted.

              Cheers!
              VJ
              Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl 'Will you marry me?'
              The girl said, 'NO!'


              And the guy lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles and watched sport on a big screen TV, went fishing and surfing, and played golf a lot, and drank beer and scotch and had tons of money in the bank and left the toilet seat up and farted whenever he wanted.


              THE END

              Comment

              • #10462
                Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                Originally posted by B7ACKTHORN View Post
                How often do you need adjusting the clutch cable? The clutch cable can be adjusted in two places, one near the clutch yoke and the near the clutch case. The one near the clutch cable is effective for adjusting both freeplay and clutch friction point. Also make sure the ring nut near the clutch yoke is tight after adjusting the clutch. If that ring nut is loose, it will loosen the cable.

                One interesting point worth mentioning is that the clutch cable adjuster nuts near the clutch housing has two nuts on one end instead of two nuts on the opposite which makes for a perfect adjustment like on many bikes, but in the Duke series it's a miss.

                What I'd suggest you is add another nut which acts as another lock nut here in the circle marked and then adjust it accordingly, it shouldn't budge.


                [ATTACH]245190[/ATTACH]

                Keep your observations posted.

                Cheers!
                VJ
                It was working fine for thousands of Kms and now a days I feel it needs adjustment for 500 to 800Kms. And no matter how much I adjustment, I don't feel it's right. I tried it many different adjustments for few Kms and none of them feels ok. I make sure both the nuts are locked tight and the cable have never gone lose after I locked the nuts. It's just I feel that clutch lever is somewhat wrong and I don't know why.
                Live to Ride!

                Comment

                • #10463
                  Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                  Originally posted by Skanda View Post
                  It was working fine for thousands of Kms and now a days I feel it needs adjustment for 500 to 800Kms. And no matter how much I adjustment, I don't feel it's right. I tried it many different adjustments for few Kms and none of them feels ok. I make sure both the nuts are locked tight and the cable have never gone lose after I locked the nuts. It's just I feel that clutch lever is somewhat wrong and I don't know why.
                  Okay, try this method. With the front wheel against a wall. With the clutch condition as it is, make sure the bike is warmed up and in third gear very slowly engage the clutch, the bike should stall in a few seconds, if you feel rpms going up and down and bike mildly juddering, without stalling, your clutch plates are weak or are probably worn, that's one. Secondly, check the clutch actuator rod spring, if it's weak, the clutch will feel spongy. Apart from this, if the clutch springs themselves are weak, you'll lose clutch slack pretty soon, but that's the last straw. This much, I can speculate.

                  Do keep your observations posted here.

                  Cheers!
                  VJ
                  Last edited by B7ACKTHORN; 11-12-2018, 09:50 PM.
                  Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl 'Will you marry me?'
                  The girl said, 'NO!'


                  And the guy lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles and watched sport on a big screen TV, went fishing and surfing, and played golf a lot, and drank beer and scotch and had tons of money in the bank and left the toilet seat up and farted whenever he wanted.


                  THE END

                  Comment

                  • #10464
                    Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                    Originally posted by B7ACKTHORN View Post
                    Okay, try this method. With the front wheel against a wall. With the clutch condition as it is, make sure the bike is warmed up and in third gear very slowly engage the clutch, the bike should stall in a few seconds, if you feel rpms going up and down and bike mildly juddering, without stalling, your clutch plates are weak or are probably worn, that's one. Secondly, check the clutch actuator rod spring, if it's weak, the clutch will feel spongy. Apart from this, if the clutch springs themselves are weak, you'll lose clutch slack pretty soon, but that's the last straw. This much, I can speculate.

                    Do keep your observations posted here.

                    Cheers!
                    VJ
                    Thanks for your valuable information [emoji1]. Will check this and keep you posted.
                    Live to Ride!

                    Comment

                    • #10465
                      Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                      Originally posted by B7ACKTHORN View Post
                      Don't give up on 'er yet. You can try the newer 2017's master cylinder coupled with the SS brake pads that should work well. Is it spongy, yes, they are spongy for the most part. Do we have to live with it, yes. This is considering a thorough bleed of the older fluid and air from the system. A system will feel spongy if the brakes are not bled and air inside irrespective of replacing the master cylinder or brake pads.
                      Thank You, Vijay. Is 2017 master cylinder direct fit? What is SS brake pad?
                      A lone amateur built the ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic...

                      Comment

                      • #10466
                        Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                        Originally posted by NitinGirish View Post
                        Thank You, Vijay. Is 2017 master cylinder direct fit? What is SS brake pad?
                        SS means semi sintered. Semi sintered offer the best of both metallic and organic compound blended as opposed to fully sintered metal pads. The newer Dukes do come with semi sintered pads for effective braking and the MC is a direct swap to the older Dukes. Even the pads are a direct swap.

                        Cheers!
                        VJ
                        Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl 'Will you marry me?'
                        The girl said, 'NO!'


                        And the guy lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles and watched sport on a big screen TV, went fishing and surfing, and played golf a lot, and drank beer and scotch and had tons of money in the bank and left the toilet seat up and farted whenever he wanted.


                        THE END

                        Comment

                        • #10467
                          Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                          Originally posted by B7ACKTHORN View Post
                          How often do you need adjusting the clutch cable? The clutch cable can be adjusted in two places, one near the clutch yoke and the near the clutch case. The one near the clutch cable is effective for adjusting both freeplay and clutch friction point. Also make sure the ring nut near the clutch yoke is tight after adjusting the clutch. If that ring nut is loose, it will loosen the cable.

                          One interesting point worth mentioning is that the clutch cable adjuster nuts near the clutch housing has two nuts on one end instead of two nuts on the opposite which makes for a perfect adjustment like on many bikes, but in the Duke series it's a miss.

                          What I'd suggest you is add another nut which acts as another lock nut here in the circle marked and then adjust it accordingly, it shouldn't budge.


                          [ATTACH]245190[/ATTACH]

                          Keep your observations posted.

                          Cheers!
                          VJ
                          This might have been done so that on turning the handle there is no stretch in the cable casing. If you fix the nut on both sides of the mount, turning the handle fully towards left will pull on the cable.

                          Comment

                          • #10468
                            Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                            Originally posted by gharika View Post
                            This might have been done so that on turning the handle there is no stretch in the cable casing. If you fix the nut on both sides of the mount, turning the handle fully towards left will pull on the cable.
                            Lovely catch gharika. things I love in xBhp. Actually it doesn't. When you turn the bars, the cable sheath moves very slightly, like up and down, and there is no stretch whatsoever. A nut here would mean, this wiggle is arrested and helps more finer adjustment of the cable.

                            Cheers!
                            VJ
                            Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl 'Will you marry me?'
                            The girl said, 'NO!'


                            And the guy lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles and watched sport on a big screen TV, went fishing and surfing, and played golf a lot, and drank beer and scotch and had tons of money in the bank and left the toilet seat up and farted whenever he wanted.


                            THE END

                            Comment

                            • #10469
                              Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                              Originally posted by Skanda View Post
                              How to find out whether the clutch plate is worn out? My bike has run 18K Kms and the clutch seems very light and need constant clutch cable tightening.
                              If you really want to surely know without if's else's, when you leave the bike for service and once all the old oil is drained out, just before filling new oil ask them to open the clutch case and check the plates if they are not burnt and how good are the pressure plates and friction plates, grab plates.

                              If you have friction plates that are worn out, pressure plates or grab plate has lot of grooves then it's time to get a new set of only clutch friction plates or whole clutch assembly.

                              This is how I have checked 2 times till now when SVC has asked me to replace the clutch, and found out that replacement was not required and only needed adjustments after cleaning.
                              Bajaj SuperFE 150 - Forever in my heart
                              Bajaj Discover 135 DTSi Sports - 2009 to Current
                              KTM RC390 - 2015 to Curr​ent
                              TVS Jupiter - 2016 to Current

                              Comment

                              • #10470
                                Re: KTM Duke 390 - Ownership Reviews and Experiences

                                Originally posted by B7ACKTHORN View Post
                                SS means semi sintered. Semi sintered offer the best of both metallic and organic compound blended as opposed to fully sintered metal pads. The newer Dukes do come with semi sintered pads for effective braking and the MC is a direct swap to the older Dukes. Even the pads are a direct swap.

                                Cheers!
                                VJ

                                Left my D390 last morning at KTM Banaswadi and made the service advisor know my unhappiness with the brakes. (without being rude)

                                Picked it up this morning and rode it to work and the brake feel is back The lever feels exactly like how it did when the bike was new. I cannot say the same about bite though. I think its not quite up there like it used to be five years back. But nothing too disconcerting.

                                All they did was bleed the brake. Did not charge me anything for this work.

                                SA also said something about me being used to hard brake earlier when the spring was hard. Now that the MC and spring have been replaced I am not getting used to the new feel. Didn't make sense to me but who cares as long as the lever feel is back!

                                May be in future I will consider the newer MC and SS brake pads. For now I don't want to spend anymore on this issue as I have already spent on replacing MC.
                                A lone amateur built the ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic...

                                Comment

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