re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

Went to check the 390(again) to the showroom today, and observed the bike closely (side by side) to the 200. The guy at the store said, he had driven it for a short distance and he felt like a jet with all after burners on shot of an elastic band holding it. He ways around 60 kg, that was enough to keep me
The seats on the 390 are definitely softer than on 200 and the same goes for the suspension. I sat on the both parked next to each other(jumped a bit) and could feel the softer suspension and seat immediately. What concerns me is the cost of the Metzlers upward of 21K which they said MRF's costing 8K are as good for almost all purposes.

So in short I would be able to safely overtake almost 99.50% of the vehicles on road whenever I want to.

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

Still no test ride available where I am so I have to ask here...
I'm just basically trying to figure out the character of the bike. I don't necessarily have to stay with D200's character, I can get used to little more relaxed style, but I personally prefer a strong pick up much more than high speed.

That's exactly why I asked that question. I had bikes with delayed acceleration and when I want to have a quick overtake it starts accelerating only when I already need to start SLOWING down because of another vehicle in front. Which isn't handy for such blitz overtakings. That's why I used the word "catapult", where most of the acceleration is at the very start, and you need to start slowing down literally before the overtake is finished.
But I suppose D390 will pull instantly too if in power band above 5k rpm. I guess, at least!


Yes, exactly.
From all I've read and some videos I've seen I'm getting an impression that D390 isn't that slow to pull, but it just FEELS like it has slower acceleration because it doesn't make much exhaust sound and fuss about it.
For example, ride in a Mercedes at 200 kmh on a highway, and it won't feel much different than Indica at 80 kmh.
Or ride a small 50cc TVS at 50 kmh and you'll feel you're going blazing fast. It's all relative.

I think test rides of all bikes should be taken with good earplugs to get an accurate impression. That's why I feel 2 strokes and Bullets are little over rated (2 stroke lovers, don't bash me for that, it's just my opinion and experience), just because they make much more sound about their acceleration, but if you look at the actual speed they don't go nearly as fast as it feels. D200 is little bit like this as well, it's quite loud when it pulls.
i have a feeling D390 just does it in quieter and easier way, so it just FEELS and SOUNDS like it's lacking a bit, but it doesn't. Or at least not as much as it might feel.


Yes, I'm well aware of the torque facts.
And I'm also aware you can tune the same engine differently to deliver the power in different ways, faster or slower, less or more, basically making the facts much more relative.

But yes, I agree, there's a lot of psychological feeling here in play because D390 delivers its power in a more relaxed way.

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

This is a completely wrong perception and Duke 390 feels and goes way faster than all the bikes mentioned above

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News


I think I was mentioning about Power delivery. Yes, D390 is way fast than the bikes mentioned above....

I said D390 feels like a CBR250 or a Ninja 300 rather than a grown up D200 relaxed and composed instead of aggressive and impatient.

Ok, to make it clear a couple of guys after having tested D390 and after having owned a D200, P230 and other bikes, were expecting D390 to be same like D200 but lot more power and torque to play with. (when i say same I mean the way it hits the red line, the way it makes power, the aggression)

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

Originally Posted by splus That's exactly why I asked that question. I had bikes with delayed acceleration and when I want to have a quick overtake it starts accelerating only when I already need to start SLOWING down because of another vehicle in front. Which isn't handy for such blitz overtakings. That's why I used the word "catapult", where most of the acceleration is at the very start, and you need to start slowing down literally before the overtake is finished.
But I suppose D390 will pull instantly too if in power band above 5k rpm. I guess, at least!

Duke 390 has amazing power. When you try a drag with D200, D390 will smoke it away. In traffic you can hardly find where the D390 is. It zoooooooms (you will be like, I just saw it going next to me, where it is now) It has amazing power from 1st gear. Its only how you use it. When I ripped the 390 properly, I felt like I am loosing the grip from the accelerator and leaning backwards. Its pickup is amazing. I took a proper test drive I am pretty sure that it has amazing pickup. From standstill in second gear it was like 1st gear in CBR 250.

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

I'm also saying the same thing that it feels faster than the three bikes mentioned. Back to back riding will make you feel that the other bikes are slow to move from standstill

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

And BTW, I had a look at D390 yesterday in showroom, and touched the Metz on D390 and MRFs on D200 to compare them.
OMG, those Metzelers are divine! So sticky! Pure bliss... They'll stick on ANY road. They make the bike much more desirable.

But then they'll make the ownership much more expensive with its huge price and shorter life. Paying 24,000 Rs every 10,000 km or so isn't cheap... It's 2.4 Rs for every 1 km!

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News


Gourab Bhai, you need to realise one thing. None of use are denying that fact. Yes, if you ride other bikes after riding D390 they feel slow.

For me riding my bike or driving my car is not only about 0-100 timings or How fast it goes, I mean top end. Yes, these 2 characteristics matter a lot, but, theres one more aspect that I look forward to, and that is driveability, the way that power and torque is delivered.

D390 with all that power and light weight will obviously be much more faster than the bikes we discussed.

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

I somehow get an uneasy feeling looking at all the talk here of overtaking, zipping, smoking, blitz, etc.
Those booking the D390, my humble request-
Do not, I repeat do not become bullies on the road just because you can. It has great power as someone said with great power comes great responsibility.
So please respect other road users when you ride it.

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

Exactly. For me it doesn't matter if we're talking about Duke 200, 390, 690 or 990. Of course D990 is far more powerful than D200 or D390. But if I like the way D390 delivers its power more than D990 does it I would enjoy riding D390 more than D990.
More power or faster or quicker doesn't mean it's a better bike... It's HOW it rides that's much more important, at least to me.

To some that might make this into a discussion about how powerful D390 is or not - it's NOT about it. We're just discussing and understanding together its power delivery, HOW it delivers its power. Independent of how powerful/fast a bike is. Discussing about a ENTIRE dyno curve, not it's peak point.
Knowledge and understanding is always good, especially for some who are deciding whether to book this bike or not, and especially due to lack of reviews and more information.

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

I'll take the D990...thank you...

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

Hmm, how many of you are buying this bike based on the slope of the so called Dyno curve, raise you hands. Oops, not many, heck not even few, aah there is one at least. I am amused by some here willing to write a cheque based on some data readings ..

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News


try to comprehend. it isn't that hard....and theres no need to take this conversation in any other direction.

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News

Enough already! It would be good if some international mag publishes D200 vs D390 dyno curves in the near future. But, folks here who have a contrary opinion as opposed to most others, are not going to change theirs (and rightly so). Unless they ride the bikes again and experience something different the second time.

re: KTM Duke 390 Launched in India at Rs 1.8 Lakhs: xBhp News


Guys...let's just put this pointless comparo to rest shall we!? I mean, pitting the D390 'gainst the D200, Ceeber and the ninja 300! The duke 200 n d cbr250 don't even stand a chance against the 390, leave alone the ninja 300. In terms of pure outright off the line acceleration and throttle response, the 390 would leave the other bike's of our market biting their own dust. The D200 is a sorta jack of all trades, master of none. It gets the job done, but likes to make a fuss bout it in the form of vibes and abrupt response and engine strain and redlining all the time(close-ratio cogs) and so on and so forth. The cbr250 is nothing but a joke after a 100kmph. It couldn't present itself as a rival against the good 'ol N250 itself which did the 0-100 dash in 'bout 7.5 seconds. So 'gainst the D390!? COME ON! The ninja 300 would outrun the duke390 in terms of speedo indicated top speed @ a 193kmph vs an electronically limited 160kmph of the duke390 but would again lose to it in the 0-100kph sprint and probably @ a quarter mile drag too. So, in the real world the duke 390 begs to differ and stand out on top. In fact, it actually deserves to be placed in a different class of its own, its own segment or genre