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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-391.html)

Thanks. My rear Metz came with weights. Changed new tyre on my own as am now living in a remote village.

Was thinking whether it's really necessary. This cleared my doubts. Will balance them as soon as I get to city.

I think I need to balance front too because I recently changed alloy which broke on a plain ride 😂

I am looking for a bike over for the KTM Duke 390. Any recommendations will be appreciated. TIA.

What is your budget and any specific type of preference in ride style like - Adventure touring, Sports Tourer, Aggressive racing style, Naked etc so then I could share a few options.

I think you mean bike cover for Duke 390?

Sorry.. there was a typo.. I am looking for bike COVER for Duke 390?..

There is a branded cover sold by KTM which retails for 800 rupees. However, the quality is nothing to speak about. I am sure there would be better covers available.

The bike cover from KTM is quite good and mine is still going strong after 3 years. My bike is parked in open and with the cover always. And I am satisfied with the build quality of the same. If you are not to get into the hassles of searching in the market, get this.

Or if you love to have a premium feel, check the TPH covers website. That is an excellent investment. My friend has one for his HD48 and swears by it.

I would recommend polco covers.
It retails at 624INR and is water proof. There are other options available at polco website.
Attaching a picture taken just after a heavy downpour.

I got one from Bajaj service center. It is heavy duty one with treated jute on outside and plastic linning on inside. Don't remember the exact cost but it was around 600rs.

I got the KTM cover thanks.. The Pulco, it was difficult to figure out the difference between the models and the which size would fit. The TPH was just too expensive.. the cover might get stolen by itself! Thanks all!

Hi Guys,

Need some experienced Dukers to comment here :D

Update 1:
During my second free service @ 5500 odd kms, the svc fellow opened the front sprocket cover and removed huge muck & started the bike at the same time, I was paranoid because the front sprocket cover bolts are engine cover bolts, but the service guy told me that 2016 onwards removing those bolts wont lead to any oil leak as the 2016 duke engine design is different and it won't matter.

P:S: The cover was removed for the first time, muck was never removed earlier!

Update 2:
Regular once a week ride to office & everything is okay, then one sunday I did some hard riding at Lavasa and on return parked the bike, evening I found 2-3 drops of black oil/little sticky under the side stand. On checking I found that the oil had trickled down the side stand, I ignored this as the service guy told me its excess chain lube, this never happened before and I've been using the same amount of chain lube.

Update 3:
I've found that small rides wont make any difference but after long rides or hard rides I find 2-3 drops of blackish sticky oil under the stand.

Now, I read a lot of articles and most experts suggest that the chain lube though sticky tends to melt and liquefies due to heat from the engine. This then falls near the stand and is a common phenomenon. But this never happened earlier, is it because the muck was removed for the first time giving way to new lube??

What do you guys think? I've been checking the oil level after a small top up done (head valve cover was leaking oil) & its not changed, its been 600 kms after the top up.

Added 2.5" fork spacers to my 390 to improve ground clearance and seating position. Now the whole setup is much much comfortable over longer distances. Will be testing the bike over a 2.5k kms ride south next week. The bike now has a 213mm unloaded ground clearance. For some reason the ride feels softer.

The bike has 2" handlebar risers as well. One issue that ive hit is that the bike leans a lot on the side stand so I'll have to fabricate an extension of the side stand's base plate of about 1 or 0.5 inch.



Here it is compared to a stock duke. Notice how high the headlamp cluster now sits. Also, the difference in the height of the rear view mirrors is a clear comparison between heights. (Both bikes have TVS mirrors.)


Also, I'll have to admit the fender is mostly gimmicky and is worse at protecting the radiator in situations where it(this fender) is needed. Thinking of adding a stock fender with small extension plates, I'll still keep the fly mudguard too coz I think it looks cool lol.

In my experience, I get the splotches from chain lube but only upto couple of days after applying chain lube. How long has it been between your rides and lubing the chain?

After lubing the chain if I do a smallish ride then there's nothing, hard ride or a long one and I can see spots. I think its because after a long/hard ride the lube has enough time to melt and trickle which is not the case in a short ride, that's my analysis :D

The funny part is this never happened earlier, is it because the front sprocket cover was cleaned for the first time?

By the way, how many here have had a front sprocket shaft oil seal leak? or a gear change lever oil seal leak? Two places where oil could leak in that area.

P:S: I lube the chain after every 15 days, so its almost always wet. I ride mostly on weekends.

Please exercise caution to the new dynamics of the bike. The setup changes the front end dynamics all together. So it is advisable to get to learn the setup first before you take it head on especially into the corners. Not wanting to be a turndown, but have seen some good riders hit the dirt with such mods, so advising you to take it easy.