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-   -   The KTM Duke 390 Ownership Experience Thread (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/138082-ktm-duke-390-ownership-experience-thread-127.html)

Not sure if we can compare these two though its inevitable. Like with the 390 and the 300 comparison will happen but these two are different leagues.

In fact the 650 may belt better top end at the end of the day because of the riding position.

And considering how people are worried what 390 heat is all about, they will cry design flaw when they ride the 690 unable to understand or accept what these high revvers actually generate in terms of heat.

But for those who know the single's characteristics and have been relishing the 390 like me, will definitely end up picking the 690 over the 650 just for the sheer lightness, nimbleness and nakedness. Yes the stickers will be ripped of in that as well when i get one :)

Lightness is a huge plus on a bike when you ride off anything but perfect paved surface. And especially after a full day in the saddle. I cannot stress enough what a pleasure it is to ride a light bike versus a heavy one, leave along other performance considerations. Just the physical dynamics.

So is slimness when compared to something that's bulky and broad on the road, again a design trait of singles when compared to other different multicylinder configurations (probably not so much the V twins though - which are character wise torquier big brothers of the singles).

When the HELL is it coming over :deadhorse

However, if they do an adventure version of the 390, for say 25k more - would you still get the 690 for say 5L?

Guys, after 2 yrs wait, finally we got the 390 delivered to ride around. I just hope 690 takes its sweet time to come ( doc, pls dont kill me). Else it will confuse the life out of me, with day dreaming and all. I guess i will keep my focus and save for tiger. :)

It will be a 690 any day. Adventure version is never my option or taste. In fact i dont mind a litre naked bike :)

I thought you were interested in the 390 (recall your posts when I was testing it). Why did you not go in for one?

At 5 lacs I would take a moment and probably try for a barely uded N650 instead - whose resale values will tumble once the 690 is launched. That said, the 650s are already available at much more sensible prices in the used market compared to the 250s.

Adventures are nice, and a luxury one could afford in the West as a second bike, but for us here, where we would like a bike to do it all (not counting my Bullet here which I wil be keeping more as a sentimental thumper), given a choic, there is really no replacement for displacement and one cannot argue with a 30 bhp gap.

If the 690 Adventure (or even the SMR) comes out though, the decision would be REAL easy!

Bro if you waited for two years for the 390 by foregoing the 200, then we 200 guys have waited for longer by foregoing the 390. I request Bajaj not to delay and get the 690 out asap. At 3-3.25 lacs. And kill one and all players looking for entry into the 600 cc scene (slated to open up) once and for all with one single stroke. :)

Wow that is like Sweet Music. Are you sure it would be launched at that price tag without compromising anything on quality?

Quality is comparative :). And at that price it will be like the 390. But 3.5 is a dream. It wont happen. It will be on the upside of 4 or lower 5 L price.

My guess is 5.25 if launched.

I'm usually good with predicting Bajaj pricing. Sure? No.

Do not expect an Indian 690 to have the same quality as the Austrian one. That is not going to happen. Not just Bajaj, but any other MNC as well with operations here.

With Bajaj, based on my experience with them going back to my KB100 from my college days in the early 90s, you would do well to not wait for gremlins to get ironed out and actually buy the early lots of the bikes.

Especially for those where a foreign partner is involved ...... :)

Nothing against Bajaj. But one needs to realise that when we praise the company for being the best thing that happened to Indian bikers and biking on a budget, it comes with a price. If you pay a lot less than the competition, beyond a point even Bajaj cannot do that by magic.

Take the example of the Chinese alloys on the 200 and the 390. That comes at a price. Shod with proper KTM wheels, you would be looking at around a LAC EXTRA for just a set of wheels (minus rubber). You'd get the quality. How many of us would be willing to pay for that? Nobody knows the Indian biker better than Bajaj.

Of course what gives me and others a lot of consolation and confidence is that these same bikes are being sold abroad in the US and Europe and Australia - only Japan is missing from the top motorcycle markets. And without any changes (unlike export REs that are very different homologated for foreign markets). So its not like we are going to get an "Indian" 690 and the rest of the world will continue to get the "Austrian" one. Because I do not think that Bajaj would move the 690 production to India fully, if India was not planned as the global manufacturing hub for the bike. It would not make economic sense otherwise, or if it did, we would not then get the bike at any less than 6-8 lacs.

Bottom line is the entire world, but especially Europe, is in financial doldrums. Even the traditionally rich countries favoring big heavy powerful gas guzzling bikes, are looking for cheaper smaller more sensible bikes now. And no longer is it fashionable or de rigeur to turn your nose up at Chinese or Indian manufacturing, as in the old days. You'l still have some borderline racist folk make snide remarks about "Indian" KTMs, but at the end of the day the cash registers will be jingling with their own money, and both the top European players, first KTM and soon BMW (with TVS), have realized that.

I have a doubt..
Do we get the international colors of the duke 390 in india??
Same for the duke 200?
Thanks in advance.

There were no potholes as such but in all cases i was going down slopes

The 390 comes in only 2 shades internationally. White and black. Both are now available in India.

Regarding the 200, there are 3 shades in India, Orange white and black. And I am not sure if the Black one is sold in foreign markets.

Can someone please confirm if the black 390 comes with the white handguards or are the handguards now full black? Would really appreciate this confirmation, because the people at the spares of Sai Service here in Pune seem to be totally clueless on this.

A clear front on photo would be great!

If you refer to the post by junaid some pages back you will see it comes in black. White would really look off on that combo.