NEED HELP / FEEDBACK / SUGGESTION BETWEEN 2017 DUKE 390 OR R3 (Whenever it launches Next)
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Currently Riding 200 NS since 2013 so its has been good 4 year and clocked 34,000 kms of which most of it is in Bangalore city (Daily commute to Office of 30 kms minimum daily running) I have done few long rides to places like Hoserly Hills and Ananantpur (longest trip of 400 kms plus)

After the last experience of Anantapur I realized that NS200 looses steam after continuous cursing for more than 2 to 3 hours.. once the engine gets too hot it does not pull in 6th gear at all...I had to red line in 5th gear and struggled to maintain 115 to 120 kmph

I recently changed my stock tyres to Michellin Pilot Street 110 (Front) and 130 (Rear) and i am loving it although the bike feels heavy and there is slight drop in mileage but inspires confidence in cornering and feels planted

So here's the thing

While I love my NS 200 in city I realized i either need an upgrade or a 2nd bike for my weekend highway runs which will evolve into touring some day

2017 DUKE 390 (What I think although I dont own one yet )
PROS
1. Total value for money package
2. Urgent initial pickup and torque
3. Decent mileage depending on the way we ride (hard / smooth) from 20 to 30+ kmpl
4. Excellent grip with Metzelers
5. Gorgeous looking TFT screen with lot of functionality
6. Drop dead looking LED head lamp unit with decent spread ( Although I feel R3 will be better here due to twin setup)
7. Comfortable seat compared to previous generation
8. Best in class ground clearance at 185 mm
9. Easy and cheap spares and multiple mods in after market l


CONS
1. Heat from engine and that loud radiator fan kicking in within minute of idling..(expected as this is BIG single with HIGH compression So can't complain
Actually i had posted an link in my earlier post where they showed the single radiator fan being replaced by a twin unit, not sure how helpful that is ?

I have to REALLY THINK HARD to find any other flaws unless i spend more time with the Bike in flesh

Also has one tried using the below ECU after market unit from POWERTRONICS ? Does this void warranty ?

[ATTACH]230365[/ATTACH]


YAMAHA R3
PROS
1. Better everyday rideability
2. Higher top speed than Duke 390 thanks to twin cylinders
3. Excellent Stock Headlamp spread in the night
4. Reasonably cheaper spares and servicing cost compared to Ninja 300
5. Better wind protection compared to Duke 390 thanks to Stock visor

CONS
1. High initial cost of ownership
2. MRFs dont do justice which need upgrade to Michellin / Perellis if we need to realize the true potential of R3
3. Lacks equipment compared to Duke 390 (ABS, Slipper Clutch. TFT , Ride by Wire...list is long)
4. Bad pillion comfort compared to Duke 390
5. Rear view mirrors are not great, hardly does the job


So all said and done I have couple of choice currently

1. Buy a brand new 2017 Duke 390
2. Buy a used R3 or wait for 2017 launch which I doubt will come with ABS..may be new graphics

Feel free to share your experience and feedback which will help me decide

Guys, a query. My ktm dealer has recommend to use only xtrapremium 91 octane fuel only in the bike. Have yours dealers or SVCs have recommend the same? Many petrol bunks dont sell xtrapremium in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. So can we use normal unleaded fuel?

On the other note, here is the link to owner manual on line version if the app is not working for anyone.

KTM - DUKE

No Ayush, it is not a compulsion to fill in extra premium high octane fuel. You can use that but only if you wish.

any one thinking abs is magical be all end all safety net that will save you from any situation and stupidity

Bajaj Dominar 400 survives a high speed crash with bus


it was abs equipped doing high speed behind a bus. couldnt even out break a bus.

My Bike is due for First Service.. I bought Motul 300V . However when i inquired in showroom they are ready to use the OIL i provide them but they are telling in service record it will be mentioned that engine oil is not used thus if any warranty claims, it would get affected .. any idea guys??

My Bike is due for First Service.. I bought Motul 300V . However when i inquired in showroom they are ready to use the OIL i provide them but they are telling in service record it will be mentioned that engine oil is not used thus if any warranty claims, it would get affected .. any idea guys??

Sir keep me included, would live to have all the accessories

hence, getting these installed on day one!!!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]230281[/ATTACH]

the sponge one with NO designs whatsoever tends to last longer & reduce vibrations..

any one thinking abs is magical be all end all safety net that will save you from any situation and stupidity Bajaj Dominar 400 survives a high speed crash with bus https://www.rushlane.com/bajaj-domin...-12239211.html it was abs equipped doing high speed behind a bus. couldnt even out break a bus.

I feel that the 300v is overkill.. a race/track oil for daily commute? it's too fine I feel.. some people of the older dukes had the issue of the oil leaking out of the engine packing.. so beware, I'm not sure if the same is carried forward.. safe bet - stick to 7100..

Are they compatible with any bike?

Guys, a query. My ktm dealer has recommend to use only xtrapremium 91 octane fuel only in the bike. Have yours dealers or SVCs have recommend the same? Many petrol bunks dont sell xtrapremium in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. So can we use normal unleaded fuel?

any one thinking abs is magical be all end all safety net that will save you from any situation and stupidity

Sir, People think ABS can let them survive any crash, but it's wrong ABS can give them a small window to save but doesn't guarantee that you'll not crash.

At the end alertness, good riding habits and discipline comes into play.

My Bike is due for First Service.. I bought Motul 300V . However when i inquired in showroom they are ready to use the OIL i provide them but they are telling in service record it will be mentioned that engine oil is not used thus if any warranty claims, it would get affected .. any idea guys??

Are they compatible with any bike?

Thanks jdev16, It has been good so far , few things to love about and some not ..overall the ride is good in the traffic as well i think the heating issue is bearable atleast in Pune traffic which is not as bad as Bangaluru. I took it for a short ride to Lavasa last Sunday and it was fun to ride reminded me of my good old RX100 days [emoji2] .The power delivery is smooth and Acceleration is fantastic. I do not remember coming down below third gear during assent. I found throttle response to be too sensitive but crisp..fun most of the times but pain in too much traffic. One thing really annoyed me is too much downshifting​.i mean I have to put it in 1st gear most of the times as 2nd gear is too tall for crawling speeds although you can play around with clutch but I do not prefer to put extra load on it. It's my personal view as I am coming back from CI Royal enfields which are low RPM bikes hence the behaviour and characters are different. I did feel the rear Breaks lacks the bite which will improve over the time although my bike had some troublesome clip in the rear Breaks.
It's a fantastic machine and I am not the one who bought it for fancy gadgetry .I come from Royal Enfields family Fuel gauge , Tachometer itself is like ab Rulaiga kya kind of feeling for me [emoji23] I know I am not going to use even half of them. to me it was the engine, handling and ABS and rest I can built over it. I wanted a touring bike and I think with few Mods it should be a worthy one[emoji56] .