Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

I think I am pretty new on this forum to comment but fairly experienced when driving motorcycles so what I have experienced from different bike meets that I gone to, new guys (or boys) who are fascinated by big bikes are often the one who go berserk with their new toys and end up in fatality (also harming others). But that cant be generalized for everyone so if op stater wants to go for a big bike we have to assume that he is experienced enough to understand the road manners also I dont think anybody would be able to convince him to buy a 150cc bike when he has made up his mind to buy a 390 or 250 .

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

I understand the point of discussion going on and fortunately doesn't belong to those overenthuastic bunch of guys for whome bikes are just a tool to flaunt off (No offence). And I do understand riding manners, and consider myself a well mannered rider (atleast I try my best to be ). Although I haven't ridden anything over 15bhp extensively I think can handle it ( with some caution).
[MENTION=34365]DeVille[/MENTION] I agree pulsar may be better choice for we 6 footers but again bajaj would be adapting some cost cutting measures and may sacrifice on tyres, technology etc (ref pulsar 200 NS). Also we dont know (or is there any news?) That when pulsar 375 would be hitting the market. And being without a bike for a longer time is the last thing that I want.

After reading these views I was sceptical about buying quater litre ( or of bigger capacity ) bike.. But I am finding it very hard to resist . I feel like its better to become a responsible rider than to deny (read kill, yes you read it right ) my wish. And I believe that being in such forums do give a decent opportunity to understand the practical views of other riders and to learn by their experiences. (
Already learning)

One more thing. If I dont book the D390 now and book it on say 20th july by how much the delivery could be delayed. Can you give me some rough idea.

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Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

May I know what your real requirements are? Like.. what is the average running per month? where would you ride it(which city, what traffic)? Whats your usual speeds and what max you would want to run? Any touring plans etc?

The newer machines are very tempting... But, a wild cheetah(KTM 390) in a cage(city traffic) is worst than a ferocious dog in a similar situation.

Its ego wont allow it let others go past it. Either keep killing the ego daily or kill the desire to own such stuff once!! This is funny.. but reasonable

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

I'm 5' 4" of height... Would I be able to ride Duke 390 comfortably or should I rather go for a CBR 250R....?! Right now I have a CB Unicorn which i'm riding for the past 2 years.

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

Ride the D200 and check. You should be fine


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Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

Get the 390 Duke, don't worry you would be fine as long as you have a S5 head and $1000 riding gear. For the first 5000 KMS (6 months) never cross 60KMPH on the bike and practice a lot before you take it to congested roads. Always make sure to wear proper gear while riding, not just the helmet but complete armor like the motocross riders wear. Also get a good crash guard installed, you gonna hate if the bike falls and gets damaged. I would suggest you to take the bike early in the morning like at 3 or 4AM and practice riding. AFAIK 390 Duke has 'gentle' gearing and will be less likely to surprise you with sudden acceleration like the Duke 200, still be warned, this bike has some serious power. The gears last some time too before one needs to shift up unlike the Duke 200 (Think of CBZ Xtreme).

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

My requirements / intentions are as follows.

1. Mostly I would be riding in and around surat city.

2. I dont know exactly how many km I would cover in a month. It may vary from anything between 500 km and 1500.

3. I intend to do one day trip twice a month and some longer trips very occassionally.


And if I dont go with D390 or CBR250r, which bikes should I consider in sub 1 lakh catagory. I was thinking about "rtr 180 abs" mainly due to abs.


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Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

Go for karizma.. ktms are overkill for your requirements.

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

I agree with you on this one. Frankly, I see more of 100 cc and 150 cc bike riders do more stupid things on the road than CBR, P200 NS or Duke riders. And the super sports and super bike riders, they behave the sanest of them all. So at the end of the day it all boils down to the maturity of the rider. There's no rule which says that the 390 cannot be a learner's bike. I'd consider the 390 a more mature bike to ride on than the Bajaj Chetak I'd learned to ride on (It'd pop wheelies without much provocation due to the weight distribution).

A dear friend of mine started with the Yamaha RD 350 HT as his first bike (Yeah, lucky bugger!). He still remains one of the sanest riders I know. Buy whatever you think is right for you, respect its potential to harm others and yourself, wear proper gear, and most of all, don't be an a**. You'll fare well, enjoy your ride, and live long.

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

Reading your requirements I can say that both Duke and CBR are good to be with you. And that leaves it to your personal choice to choose one among these.

In case you are thinking of considering any other bike the most comfortable option is KARIZMA R (do not confuse it with the KARIZMA ZMR) in terms of city riding and touring with relatively less running cost and immense peace of mind. Take a test ride to check my suggestion and feel for yourself . You may even call KARIZMA R as the splendor of 200+ cc bikes due to its worth and reliability.

FYI, Karizma R kisses 100 kmph in third gear itself so it is not a really slow machine.

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

Really? I don't think it can do 100 in third gear, should be atleast in 4th or 5th for that.

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

AFAIK Karizma's first 3 gears are somewhat short and adequate for city riding and the 4th and the 5th are tall for cruising purpose. That's why some revs are lost while shifting to 4th from the 3rd. Most people ride it in 3rd gear at city streets all the time. I for one rode it with a pillion on 3rd gear on NH37, it wasn't until I reached butter smooth NH61 that I shifted to top gear.

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

I wasnt talking about riding comfortably in lower gears in the city. I just said that I don't think it can do 100 in 3rd gear, should be atleast in 4th gear or more for that even if you consider speedo errors.

Re: Is duke 390 suitable for me?

The Karizma R that I rode on Taj E-Way from Greater Noida to Agra was less than an year old and was in pretty good condition. I had achieved 100+ kmph (as per speedo) in the 3rd gear. Trust me, I am not blabbing brother . Infact you should take a ride this time to verify me