Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

Triplog Approved

Nice nice. But am bald and feeling bad now

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

nice [MENTION=11141]riazmomin[/MENTION].. the Duke pic is top notch.. do post soon..
[MENTION=38603]The Monk[/MENTION]..

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

[MENTION=11141]riazmomin[/MENTION], since you are probably the first one to have a lady companion occupy the rear seat on this bike, please give us the lowdown on the rear seat ride comfort. All the complaints you had to listen to and the compliments if any

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

Awesome pics @riazmomin.......you guys are making the waiting period more annoying and exciting at the same time.


Please post some more....and a detailed write up too.


I feel the front disc should have been mounted on the right hand side.....would've looked better.

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

Pics are orgasmic! Do post the ride report soon.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

I have been to Ananthagiri Hills (AH) quite a few times and this place is always amazing especially during monsoons and basically tourists free. @ravi@17bhp has been our Hyderabad explorer who had found many unknown locations that will just leave our mouths open.

Coming to the ride. We started off at 11:45 am and were just praying that it doesn't rain and stay cool. Just before the start, Fuel reserve indicator came up and I filled it up with 6 lts of petrol and would be good time to check mileage on little open roads.

Once done, we both hopped onto the bike and started off towards AH. After getting 390, my in-city average speeds have increased quite a bit . In 20-25 minutes I was at Langar Houz which is near to the city outskirts. Since it was raining since past few days roads were not in great condition in many parts. I can say 70% good roads and 30% bad. Once past the Moinabad which marks end of Hyderabad outskirts Roads were pretty good and tress on either sides made the ride quite cooler. With lush greenery on either sides and low sunday traffic I was able to manage 90-96 kmph at most of the times and not to cross 5500rpm.

We stopped aside to pickup some freshly picked carrots from the fields on the roads sides. They were pretty good for Rs 10 per KG. . Picked up a Kilo, My wife wanted to pickup some vegetables too, but decided to pickup while on return. We did not stop anywhere in between to click the pictures as we have started late and our main aim was to visits AH first and its surrounding landscapes.

We reached AH at 12.50 PM in exactly 70 minutes to cover 85kmph. Stopped for a while to pickup water bottle and some snacks (read Haldiram's version of kurkure and potato chips). We did not went down as it was sunday and there were quite a lot of visitors. This place is famous for its Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple and also know to be Starting point of River Musi that flows through Hyderabad.

Half kilometer away we stopped at our favorite view point of AH. It was quite windy out there. Stayed there for 30mins ate up few carrots and finished the snacks. This place is very very hot in summers, best time to visit is in monsoons only.

View over the land below from top of AH


Whole mountain range is of the Red soil



LS2 Helmet: Very happy with it till now


I could spot Kotipally resorvoir on the Horizon and due to past rains it was pretty full and update from Ravi that it is overflowing. Quickly had look at Google maps to check the distance and the route, it is approximately 25mins aways from the place we were. We both packed again and left to kotipally resoirvoir (KR) which was around 20-25kms aways. It has pretty small ghat section but the 4 or 5 corners are any bikers paradise. But sadly due to rains the roads were having some patches and loose gravel was around. So did not risk to take any cornering ( We had plans to click some Cornering pics). But the Road after that to KR were in very good conditions except for some odd patches.

There was a Huge S shaped corner which I could take at speeds of 100kmph along with my wife as pillions. She of course was scared to life :P during mid of the corner. After Dharur we need to take Right turn towards KR. This road is pretty small and will not be more than 8 - 10ft wide. But still 390 with its suspension on soft mode was breeze to ride on little bumpy road. Just before couple of KMs to KR. We noticed the side canal was overflowing and water was going over the road. The child in me wokeup again. We both stopped and took some pictures.

I washed the tires and rims of the bike (why to waste a chance to love your bike :P ).
Water was clean and fresh. Once can take bath if wished and quite a few people were actually



It was easier to splash water with my leg than Hands

Little fun around.









Yours Truly




Coming up Conclusion and Ride Impressions of KTM 390 Duke.

.
... I might be couple of years away from becoming bald :P

Thanks you. Will be posting in parts.

Sure, Will post in next part.

I wish that all of get this magnificent machine ASAP.

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

^^ Same thing I wanted to ask.....

My "to be" pillion rider is very concerned about it too, keeps cursing me for choosing this bike......please give a first hand review from your wife.

And happy to see you enjoying your ride...

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

Pillion seat is decent, but the grab rails usually cause the problem or sense of comfortableness. I will give more details on it on my next trip post.
And the pillion must hold on to the rider where has rider has to grab on to the handle (and his life :P )

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

Riaz Bhai.
These pics are Stealing my sleep.

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

hahaha...everyone wants to know about pillion comfort on the Duke! guess who is pulling the strings in each household? I test rode the Duke, but choose a 'used' CBR250 for comfort, ready availability and back then I didn't have a bike. But now, no one says I cant have a second bike Anyway, I am also officially waiting for the pillion review of the Duke 390.

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

Yeah [MENTION=11141]riazmomin[/MENTION], I too want to hear the riding comfort for a pillion on Duke 390.

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

The Duke's rear seat is almost non-existent.

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

Come to Hyderabad


I am travelling (by Bus) so might take a day more to continue the thread. I will conclude the ride and Duke's performance/observations in my next trip post

It is not that bad actually. Its the grab rails that usually causes the problem. A simple after market modification will resolve it or removing the grab rails.

Re: The Duke of Hyderabad - KTM 390 Duke

I am in Hyderabad itself
Will catch-up in G2g's.