Team-BHP - The KTM Duke 390 Ownership Experience Thread

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Originally Posted by gharika (Post 3894258)

Maybe!! My particular use case does not justify spending 3 times the amount for 50% increase in CC and power though it definately has better power to weight at the cost of 33% decrease in fuel efficiency. Top speed is not a factor as even the Duke 200 has more than Indian safe limits.
The only things I would like to improve in the 390 is a bigger fuel tank and a radiator that does not roast my legs :)

I'm getting delivery today, will report back briefly on experience with Pune marketyard KTM and a very brief description of the updates by bajaj to the 2015 model

hi team,

need some guidance please, i got my 390 a week ago and have done around 300+ kms till date.i am facing a particular issue with this machine. At lower RPM, at low speeds, in lower gears (say about 20-40 kmph,1st-2nd-3rd gear or even in 4th gear at around 2-3.5k Rpm) the bike flutters slightly while holding the throttle constantly usually in traffic (the feeling you get when there is no fuel or the bikes run out of fuel.) even with full tank of fuel, and if i decrease the throttle it tends to engine brake and tries to slow down drastically, but when reved up it feels normal and moves forward like a maniac.
i am worried as i have never ridden any other 390 to compare plus in the initail days due the excitement i failed to notice this behavior of the bike.

please enlighten me thanks.

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Originally Posted by alias (Post 3896064)

This is the normal behaviour of Duke 390 in lower revs. It has to do with spotty fuelling at lower rpms. The sudden slowing down of bike is the relatively high engine braking of the 390cc single in action. You'll get used to it. There are certain piggyback ecus available which may fix the low rpm fueling.

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Originally Posted by b16h22 (Post 3896117)

hi,
thanks for the reply.
i personally prefer to keep the bike (electrically and mechanically) stock, so is there any other way i can get this sorted out, its really annoying during traffic conditions.
regards,

^^ hey alias. Congos on the new machine

Under 4k rpm, the bike will be snatchy. It's just the way it is. I too own a 390 and have ridden it for around 20k Kms now. Some pointers:

- you will need to slip the clutch in traffic. Takes away a lot of that jerkiness
- if you are going to be in low rpms, you should not be in a gear higher than 2nd. The bike will let you know of its dissatisfaction with pretty audible chain slap

You will find that the 2nd gear is actually a great tool when filtering through city traffic. Just learn to slip the clutch. Should be much easier for you with the light clutch action as compared to the older 390s

Hope this helps

Urban-nomad is right. I've done a 140 odd kms and I can tell you it is just loads of fun once you get used to it. I've to slip clutch too, and its nowhere near as painful as on the older dukes than on this one with the slipper clutch with the light clutch action..

Sidenote- the experience with marketyard KTM- excellent. There's a guy there called Rohan. He's been very helpful and easy to deal with. Kept me posted about everything on a near real-time basis.

As far as the bike is concerned, it is a treat. I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

PS- I was right about picking up the black for myself. I just love the contrast..will post some pictures if anyone wants to see..(I know there's so many pictures here already 😊 )

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Originally Posted by alias (Post 3896064)

Hi Alias,

Congrats on the new mean mahcine! Don't worry about the snatchy behaviour of your Duke 390 at lower RPM's as being a recent 2015 Duke 390 owner I agree with urban nomad and bh1622.

This would improve considerably if you use Speed 91/93/97 Octane fuel regularly. But I would like to warn you about the insane performance boost with the high octane fuel :D over the normal petrol, which will tempt you to blast past the RPM limit set during your engine break in period.

Wishing you a wonderful time ahead with your DUKE! If you haven't tried speed 97 fuel, please try it with a tank full of pure speed 97 (no mixing with normal petrol). The joy cannot be explained in words:thumbs up

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At lower RPM, at low speeds, in lower gears (say about 20-40 kmph,1st-2nd-3rd gear or even in 4th gear at around 2-3.5k Rpm)

Except in First gear, i dont see any reason why you are riding at 2-3K RPM In higher gears. Ideally you have to be above these RPM or down shift. And in first gear the torque will take care of the movement and you just ride above these RPM and try to upshift above 5K.

Riding style will change compared to your other machines. The range is between 5-9K where the power has far linear and max out put delivery.

I usually shift down below 5K rpm and up after seeing the red light begging to be shifted up. There is not much change while changing fuel but make sure its a reputed gas station to ensure there is not much dust particles.

General advice is first gear use the torque in back to back traffic or half clutch you way through first gear. After 5K RPM or so you can freely upshift but ensure at higher gears you are not at LOW end of the RPM where you will be forced to half clutch your way to maintain higher RPM for the engine.

Don't get me wrong but why would you be in a higher hear than 1st/2nd gear in heavy traffic? So far I have only managed 3rd gear only once, in faster moving traffic (I'm a noon with a Duke 390). I agree on the riding style change part. It took me a few kms to get it down in my head that the 390 red lines at 10k rpm, so the engine going to 5k rpm is no sweat. It takes a while to get used to that if one has been used to smaller bikes/REs.

Besides, if you have a new bike, its important not to lug about at low rpm and high gear, you're better off keeping it between 2.5-6k rpm. Senior folks, do correct me if this is in any way different for the Duke.

Snatchy throttle response at low speed is a bummer, but you'll get used to it fast. Just try to use it daily for at least a week or two before you consider other points to diagnose if there indeed is a real problem.

PS- anyone else who's recently bought a Duke 390 in Pune? How has your experience been with your dealer and your bike?

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Actually he meant is the engine stuttering even at higher gears but lower RPM. In theory its simply trying to run the bike like a bullet but thats not going to help. This is a hard rev engine.

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esides, if you have a new bike, its important not to lug about at low rpm and high gear, you're better off keeping it between 2.5-6k rpm. Senior folks, do correct me if this is in any way different for the Duke.

Technically or mechanically its not going to impact as modern engines with ECU's will kill the engine if its going to be straining the engine in the form of lugging. Engine stuttering or growling on load is different to lugging. The 390 will switch off when one tries to lug it. Even at higher gears the only way to move forward at lower speed is to ride half clutch increasing the RPM which indirectly removes the load on the engine and puts pressure on the clutch.

I would recommend a two finger throttling with index and middle finger over the brake levers to moderate the throttle. This helps a bit to control the RPM. The throttle is not actually snatchy. But with the 2016 KTM i am sure the ride by wire will help. Reports suggests we may not get ride by wire to keep the cost down. That will be a bummer.

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Originally Posted by alias (Post 3898369)

thank you all for the wishes and for the advise.
i am still getting the feel of the bike, i use it for daily commute and thats where i have to ride it in slow moving traffic, hence in lower rpms
now will try and use it in 1st and 2nd only.

I have done around 11 K on my bike, most of which are in the city only. I use my bike for commuting between work and home. It was difficult for me in the first few weeks in traffic. Then I got used to it. Earlier my bike used to heat up a lot, would switch off most often and would make all kinds of noises. I dont know if I am using the right gears or not, but now it doesnt heat up much. Neither does it switch off, nor make weird noises. One thing you do as you go on riding a 390 is to work around its problems and eventually fall in love with it.

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Originally Posted by Red Liner (Post 3898429)

Does anyone have the price list for the KTM power parts available in India? Especially the ergo seat...

I checked with KTM marketyard and they didn't have a copy at hand. Saying that the new updated one is yet to be made available. I can't recall where I read it but I think the ergo seat should run you about 10k or slightly higher.

If I get my hands on the new powerparts catalogue, I will let the forum know and if possible put up some pics. My next visit to KTM marketyard is due in a couple of hundred kilometers 😀

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Originally Posted by alias (Post 3896192)

There is nothing you can do to change the nature of this beast. You have to accept that its not going to run like any of the lower capacity motors or the twins. Just keep the RPM in the 4000-7000 range and it will be alright. As recommended by others on the forum, second gear is your friend with a bit of clutch in traffic and I hope the slipper clutch of the new models help there. I ride a Sep 2014 390 so my experience with the clutch is different. Its heavy and a PITA for heavy traffic.