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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-242.html)

I over estimated the life of the Metzellers. The bike's clocked 14000km and it is time to change. There is still some tread left but I can see small cracks developing in the middle of the tire. I don't know if I should put down 9.3k on a new rear. The front still has plenty of life. Its quite a bit to be spending so much every 14 months. I have to say that in this time I have had just two flats on the rear, none on the front. I think this is really good for what is a super soft compound tire. The bike went in for its first paid service on Tuesday and I got a bill of Rs. 4k. Had over shot the service interval by 1000km. The warning did appear on the console. Kept ignoring it. Rear brake pads required replacement and I had to change one of the engine mount bolts that are common to the lower bolt for the crash guard. The bill would have been a little lower had I carried the 800ml of oil sitting at home. I forgot. I now have close to 1.5l of oil sitting at home.

What are my options for a new rear tire and where in my city can I get them?

I can only think of cost being a prohibition.

Can't the stock metz be bought from Probiking service outlets? They ought to keep stock of tyres since these are usually not in stock in tyre dealers

The tire is available at KTM service. Cost is my problem. A shade over 9k every year is a pinch, atleast for me.

Thats cheaper than market price. last time i saw, the metz was retailing @ 13K in open market for the rear tyre.

Problem is there are not much options in the stock size of 390. If you are OK with 130 section tyre you can try the R15 V2 rear tyre which costs around 3.5K. But it may be inadequate for the raw power that the 390 puts down

There is the Michelin pilot street in 140 section . Dont know the exact cost but will be cheaper than Metz for sure.
http://motorcycle.michelin.in/twprod...oreProduct/326

Yesterday while I was returning from office, all of a sudden I felt that there was a loss of power on my D390 and the engine stalled. I waited for a minute of so and then tried to crank it again, I can hear that the starter motor getting engaged but the engine doesn't come to life. After trying to start for a couple of times, I waited for about 5 minutes and then cranked again, this time the engine started and it died again after 5 odd secs. Today when I tried cranking again, it starts but the engine dies out soon after starting. This is the 1st time I have faced this problem. The service guys also checked the bike and were not sure what was the problem.
Has anyone has faced a similar problem?
What could be the possible reason for this?

The speedo console and other electricals are working fine?

Is the MIL lit up?

First thing I would have done is to check the air filter and make sure it is clean.

Also get the electrical coils checked.

Mayte, I hope you are running enough oil. Can you check levels on the peep hole. Check with a warm engine else the indicated level is not accurate.

A friend recently bought the Michelin 140 for his Duke 390 for 3K abouts. He's happy with the tyre plus the sidewall is a bit thicker and thus less susceptible to rim damage.

3K?! No way. Michelin radials are not that cheap. The pilot sporty retails around that price.

Guys Ive messed up the service schedule and now my warranty is possibly void. I got the bike December last year, but in the first quarter of '14 I barely rode for about 1500 kms. The bike is just a stress reliever for me and I commute only by car. Till July '14 I had done only 1.8k kms. At the time of my second free service service, the bike was no where near the 6k kms indicated in the manual, so I decided to leave the service as I thought its not needed. Only recently did I realize that even if the bike stays idle, you have to change the engine oil after some time. My beloved bike is now running with year old engine oil, though I plan to change it either today or on Monday. I haven't spoken to the SVC yet regarding the warranty issues but I am pretty sure I dont have warranty now.

I have started doing justice to the bike only recently, clocked about 1.5k kms only on weekend rides in the month of October, November went idle but December again shows a lot of riding potential.

I am worried about having damaged the bike by skipping the service schedule. What should I do to remedy my mistake, and how can I really validate damages done, if any?

Since you've done the first service, it should not be an issue in terms of engine damage. The synthetic oil should be in ok condition, although it needs a change. Talk to the SVC guys. It's still very much in their control. Talking nicely should tide you over in case any warranty issues crop up. And stick to the future service schedule.

Guys , since my first service at 980km , there has been a noticeable hesitation/resistance in starting the the engine(current odo - 1412km ) .

The change is so abrupt and apparent that there is very little doubt in my head first service procedures had some adverse effect ( oil change - I was present in person , filled with motul motor oil , oil filter changed ) . Until now it was not really an issue though I was finding it irritating that a motorcycle with absolutely zilch starting issues suddenly should change like this . Basically it was taking longer to crank in neutral , often refused in gear ( prior to 1st svc , that has happened just a couple of time but in gear starting is rare as I always shift to neutral before getting off ) and sometimes refused in neutral for 2-3 attempts before starting - this may sound as no biggie and it isn't but I can't recall even once in the first 1000km when it didn't start in the first attempt in neutral.

Earlier today while out riding I got caught in light but consistent rainfall and after 5 mins I had to pull over to the shelter offered by a petrol pump to wipe my visor and wait it out if possible . After 5 mins when I tried to start it simply refused ( engine temp was 4 or 5 bars shy of maximum - it is cold here ), there was a feeble sound of the starter motor trying but no output . Maximum I held the switch on for was maybe 5-8 sec . Never applied throttle . Removed and keyed the engine again and tried but nothing. A chap there suggested to wait it out and try after 2 mins , I waited 5 mins and tried and after 3 attempts it started but stalled immediately as I attempted to ride off . Started and stalled again , it stalled a few more times on the way to home . Every single time it stalled while trying to crawl out of neutral - my throttle/clutch control is nowhere near that bad .

EDIT : I should mention I didn't fill petrol from the bunk .

just 15 mins back I decided to hose the dirt off the underbody and fenders/wheels before they dry out . Made absolutely sure not even a drop of water reached engine or the pillion seat / front console area . After the wash , the bike starts but sputters out within 2 seconds . I am not touching throttle or anything , it was simply sputtering out like a cold bullet engine does without choke applied . I got fed up and pushed it inside garage , tried one more time before leaving and it started fine .

Now all of this are not critical issues/events but all the same my bike as far as starting it is concerned is vastly different before and right after 1st SVC . This no gradual but a very abrupt change in behavior so the machine itself I doubt is to fault but more likely something these guys did during service . I had after a week of the service communicated the same to them and they said new engine oil requires a few hundred kilometers to "settle"(sound BS to me). I intend to communicate this incident to them tomorrow (SVC thankfully is on the way to the mall I visit every sunday ) but will likely be met with similar vague response .

Can members here speculate what they could possibly have done to affect the bike like this ? Air filter was not cleaned during first service but if filter was to blame , the change should be gradual and not abrupt . In general , how often should I get the filter cleaned
? it is a complicated job ? and is the SVC within their rights to charge me for one off jobs like this if I request a filter clean tomorrow ?

ps : Since I am discussing first service , I should mention I failed to notice any apparent change in engine behavior(as in smoothness ) , my only bike so far has been a cast iron enfield and after every oil change ,the difference is apparent in that bike but I have no experience with modern machines so really don't know how much difference I should have expected but I repeat I consciously failed to observe any change .

Did you change your petrol bunk at last fill up?

No .

Taken great care with petrol until now , always filled from a company owned , company run Indian Oil pump near my place and always premium grade( though that is 91 octance + additives ) .

Pumps in UP are normally suspect but this pump has a good rep. , was suggested by a harley owner who says the local SBK scene here as well as luxury cars frequent only this pump .