Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Yes I too feel Cylinder kit pricing is high, everything else is moderately pricing for the performance it offers,
I somehow suspect it's made very differently or imported directly from Austria or something else, but I held both D200 and D390 Cylinder blocks in my hand at SVC to compare and definitely the D390 block felt double the weight of D200 block and build so much stronger overall.

Like I said the old Cylinder Piston were just fine and would've easily ran for another 15-20K kms, it's only being changed due to the damage to inner walls from the failed valve and worn out timing chain, the valve got cut off and damaged it.

Usually all KTM 390 needs a valve shim checkup/adjustment anywhere from 15K-20K kms interval based on how you ride and timing chain/cam replace/checkup at every 25K kms. Which I had not done and was about to take up in next 5000kms service interval, sadly it failed on me before that next service.

Yes, if the ₹6000-8000 valve and cam job would have had been done earlier, it would have saved me a full cylinder piston change for another 15-20K kms.

This is the reason I tell to every person who has just started his work career or to those college kids who are buying from the parents hard earned cash after pestering them to refrain from buying a 390 and stick with KTM D200/RC200, 390 is fun on paper, it looks tempting at around cheap 3L price for a bike with 373cc engine with around ₹10-15K EMI per month, but the bikes needs a lot of passion, time, commitment, stable career and income to maintain this baby in it's best shape, it can make a person go bankrupt otherwise.

Good thing is I already I knew what I was getting myself into and prepared for it. Long back even before I got the bike, I knew price of full cylinder kit and still decided to get my feet wet

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

WTH! KTM is seriously milking the 390 Owners. Cost for Cylinder kit is exceptionally high. How old is your bike and how much miles does she have on the ODO?

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Initial parts estimate list from SVC, I've checked the current state of the old parts and I feel nothing is being changed unnecessarily, all the below parts have worn out or almost close to end of life.

Estimate

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Thanks for the support , will hope that everything is back to factory specs soon.
The job is yet to be started on the bike, as factories were shut due to lockdown last 2 months, most of the parts stock is very low and there are only few complete Head assembly available in my city, so trying to gather all parts before jumping into the job.

I have 2 questions.
1. Is there anyway to salvage the Head with a re-seleve or re-facing or anything? The reason I'm asking is because as per the SVC repair manual KTM updated the 390 Head post 2017+ model and it has a new valve spring design and it'll be little different from 2013-2016 models. Old version is no longer available from 2 last years as a spare. But they said it should not a deal breaker and new one should be a direct fit on older models aswell. (I know KTM updates design of part to only to improve it, so I think new one will be better)
I've attached the differences is new vs old head which I found on Google Images.

2. I don't understand why exactly the 390 Cylinder assembly cost ₹13K MRP from KTM , even a Duke 200 cylinder assembly costs only ₹3000-₹3800 change MRP part and I even confirmed MRP and saw the actual spare part in SVC for Duke 200/200NS, I know 390 comes with extra Nikasil cylinder coating. I don't see anything extra when I held it hand and feels like just any other cylinder piston block. Just the coating should not bump up the cost so high!
Is it that KTM is just trying to milk the cows while they can? or the cylinder assembly is manufactured using a whole different procedure or is it the metal used is completely different?

New 2017+ Head vs 2013-2016 Head differences

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Congratulations Kiran! You MSted it in style! And congratulations on bringing it back alive. FWIW, nothing can come close to what this machine has to offer. Hope you take it easy after the head job.

Cheers!
VJ

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Had similar kind of breakdown on road. Had to call my brother since it was an isolated patch on highway around 10pm.

Mechanic had strictly asked not to try starting it. So, Kawasaki helped in towing RC390 that night [emoji28]
Through a rope and all, that was fun too. Haha

Got it fixed in next 2 days, piston (something around it) was gone due to the insane load I had always put on this sweet machine.
Damage was around 8-9k (saved some because of good rep at svc)

Same as you :
Not mad, still believed in this bike but yes felt sad because of what had happened to it.

KTM is so cheap to maintain, we get full freedom to abuse it. Haha
What can I say, last year I even got a Duke 390. KTM [emoji817]

Attaching a frame out of video I had made while towing haha. [emoji51]

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

So finally the inevitable happened, the engine imploded! Was driving in 3rd gear at around 6-7Krpm then did a half throttle upshift dragging the clutch to 4th gear ( I call this the Money Shift), I heard a "tak" sound from the head/engine area and that's it the bike lost complete power, but wheels did not jam and bike rolled to a stop after depressing the clutch, so I knew at this point that bottom end was fine as there was no wheel lock and it was the cylinder/head.

Tried to crank the bike again and bike a 0 compression and could all I hear was only the starter motor sound, called up my service center and I personally arranged a well trusted local towing company "Rescue towing" for towing the bike and dropped it off at the SVC,
Thankfully this happened only 11kms away from the SVC within a crowded city center limits during afternoon and not somewhere in a remote place during a ride or in my native. Which saved me a lot of money for towing from a remote place and not getting stranded.

Next day, SVC has opened up the engine head and cylinder block, I went to take a look and I could not stop laughing at the point, I had never seen a engine blown like that

I let pictures do the taking.









Bottom end seems to be completely fine, no issues here. No play in the crank or no worn out bearings. So saved from a full engine rebuild.


One of the exhaust valve has completely broken off and forged into the piston and you could also see the stuck valve on the piston has hit the head and damaged the head and cylinder walls aswell, this happened because the cams timing slipped when I did the shift at high rpm and the valves went out of timing due to this, an exhaust valve opened at when piston was at TDC and jammed itself inside)
P.S. (Timing chain was already weak, I could hear a little tappet and grinding judder noise from last 2000kms, to solve this I had just replaced only the tensionor few kms back to solve the grinding sound at low rpm, probably brand new tensionor with weak old timing chain din't go well as planned)

So, the bike now needs half engine rebuild. Head is completely gone so needs a new head and valves, new piston and cylinder block, new intake and exhaust cam lobes, gears and guide cover set. Approx initial cost to wallet tally is at ₹30-35K

Rough Parts cost
Head ₹6000
Cylinder Block and Piston at ₹13000
Cams ₹2000 per set(intake and exhaust)
₹500 per valve
₹2500 Miscellaneous Head and Valve cover gaskets, springs, tensioner, timing chain and guides etc etc.
Clutch is also at 60-70 stage(so if we include this while we are at it, another ₹3500-4000)
₹1250 New Oil

Rough Labor cost
Hear Overhaul ₹3500
Cylinder block Overhaul/Replace ₹2500
Valve lathe and lapping ₹1000
Clutch Overhaul ₹1500

My initial mixed feelings about this right now. This too shall pass.
Am I angry, No!
Am I disappointed, No!
Am I sad, Yes!
Am I happy, Yes! For all those miles till now the bike covered and the joy that came along with it, the way it has performed all those miles and the way it has handled all those aggressive riding style and those eargasm joyful upshifts and downshifts sound!
Will I continue to Love this bike, Absolutely 199% Yes!

But hey, at the end of the machines need TLC and they too breakdown just like humans and it gives back in-return what we give to it with smiles per mile.
With a bunch of new parts fresh from KTM/Bajaj factory , It'll be all happy and riding again! I still say its the cheapest bike you can buy for highest smiles per rupee (even after factoring in a half engine rebuild)!

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

You are right,
It's mainly due to camber

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

here it is, my [emoji7]

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

The images will always be compressed. But, just post whatever you can.


Cheers!
VJ

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Lol [emoji23], i posted one, but looking at the pic quality it was an insult to my machine.. so removed it

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Welcome to Tapatalk. [emoji28]

KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Not able to post high resolution pic. Not getting any option

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience

Yes, i ll monitor it for another 500-1000 kms. If things continue to be same then probably i hv to address it to service center guys

Re: KTM RC 390 Ownership Experience


It also does so due to road camber, roads are not always flat they are mostly midly ^ shaped, so when one part of the tire is pressed on the opposite side of the road camber, one sided tire wear occurs. It also occurs due to uneven tire pressure, uneven damping characteristics, fauly bearings etc. But, they show their faults eventually. Now that you've done your tire balancing, give it week to see how it fares. But mostly shouldn't be concern.

Cheers!
VJ