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-   -   My KTM RC 390 - Review and Ownership Experience (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/157742-my-ktm-rc-390-review-ownership-experience-2.html)

Sriram, congrats on acquiring this awesome machine. I just had a test drive today. I had a Duke 200 in the past which was sold due to some stupid mind games (one of the biggest mistakes in my life) and I'm looking for a replacement now. Once KTM, it's too hard to come out. How do you find Duke's front seat after sitting on RC? I feel RC's seats have better design compared to the Duke, probably due to the bike's styling.

How easy is the bike to ride in B2B traffic?

Thanks Sheel! We all deserve a proper 400RR that is revv-crazy and a very good top-end. Even a well priced 600 like ZX 6R would do :) - I am keeping my fingers crossed for a niggle free experience!


Thanks Astonite! Honestly, I find 200 to be even more fun than 390 in city. There is no replacement for KTM wrt to fun angle. If RC200 had ABS, I would have probably picked that up.

Duke's front seat is definitely softer compared to that of RC. That said, I don't have any back pain with RC390 compared to Duke on longer rides! I was expecting the opposite!

RC seats are hard, but the riding position and the ability to move during the ride and corners is much better in RC.

The bike should not very difficult in B2B traffic for taller guys (5' 8'' +) once we overcome the wrist pain phase! I have no problem with it at all.

Another point to note that Duke 390 used to heat up a lot in B2B traffic. I have never felt the heat in my legs nor observed it in the MID that the engine overheats in RC even in terrible traffic

Congrats Sriram! For sure it is one of the hottest bikes to hit the market recently.

By any chance - do you drive around the KR-Puram to Indira Nagar 80 feet road area for work? I spotted a 390 two days back and had snapped pics as well, but lost it while resetting my phone yesterday.

I felt it sounded a bit different compared to the Duke 390. A slightly more deeper exhaust node, though not too much different. Looked a bit small as well, but cant complain at the price it is offered at.

I'm 5'4" but never felt height being a concern in 2+yrs of my Duke ownership. Unfortunately, they don't make bikes for my height LOL. It's good to know that the fairings help in reducing heat. Try changing the coolant oil in your Duke to Motocool. There is one more which has been used by many Ninja owners but I forgot the name. Let me check and let u know.
Expect a ownership report soon. Just that I have to go through a month of waiting period at the most.

BTW, what's the mileage?

Thanks Crazy Driver!

Yes - I work in Bagmane Tech Park and I drive from Hennur Main Road - I hit the 80 feet road for lunch almost daily :D

It does sound a bit different from Duke. It definitely looks small from some angles. But, the bike is totally built to purpose - To shine on tracks. They have not made any compromise for it to be better on streets (I don't know whether to complain or not :D)

You are a true biker in spirit :thumbs up - Height, weight shouldn't matter much as long we are having fun!

The Duke no longer overheats (not as much as it used to, in the initial days) - I'll try switching to Motocool next time


I get 23 kmpl every fill. (Slightly better than Duke's 21 kmpl) - But I have not been pushing the RC390 as much as I push the Duke

Thank you. My daily commute to office would be 40KMS (up and down) out of which about 30kms will be in the highways. Can't wait to have fun :-)

Congrats Sriram! :)

I have noticed the battery cover misalignment earlier in a display bike in the showroom. Back then I hoped that the production bikes will have a better cover for it! I guess I was wrong. BTW, how is the slow speed nature of the bike? Still jerky like the 390 Duke below 4k RPM?

A lot of people will envy you :) - But, you might cover the highway section in 15-20 mins!

Thanks @man_of_Steel! I don't know if it is misaligned or designed badly :D I have no idea what the designers were thinking!

Surprisingly, this is not that jerky at all (Jerks are very rare and much reduced in intensity) - I think KTM worked on the fueling aspects as well in RC. But, I don't have a lot of jerkiness in my Duke as well. In Duke, I observe this mostly when the engine is cold, and not much when the engine is warmed up.

Duke stalled a couple of times when it was new - I am yet to face any stalling in RC.

In short, RC is more fun than Duke in slower speeds (once the rider gets used to the new riding position)

Sriram buddy, when I was looking for a 390, one of the potential sellers from Mumbai also bought a first lot RC. He was telling me that the RC does not have quite the same instant throttle punch that the Duke has. Have heard this from a couple of good riders in Pune as well (some of whom test regularly as well). Can you compare and comment, or maybe so after you've finished her run-in? I could well be wrong, but I have a feeling that more than the fuelling, they've played with the gearing. And yes, most do comment that the RC is smoother (less jerky) than the Duke.

Also, is'nt there a gap between this battery cover and the fuel tank which allows water to seep through?

Thanks for confirming! Always had this doubt. Glad that they worked on the fuelling aspects too.

Thanks. Don't you think 15-20mins will be a bit too much when that 15kms is at 4am in the morning? Haha.

Ebonho, the punch is still there but it is different. I'm not sure on how to phrase this in a technical standpoint, however I can tell you that the bike's fueling system has been modified to manage the weight gain compared to the Duke which in turn makes the engine feel more refined and not to lose the power. The difference is not night and day but yes, the difference is visible. Sriram can throw some light on this as my observation is strictly based on the test ride which lasted for about 3kms.

I would like to mention that the pillion seat is not worse as I expected it to be. Pillion was comfortable in the rear seat but be advised that if you break hard, you might end up hurting yourself (not badly as you may think). Can someone let me know how is the pillion seat compared to R15 V2?

Congrats Sreeram. It was great to read your detailed objective comparo. Apart from the lack of ABS, how did you find the RC 200 as a second bike for someone who already has a 390 Duke?

Congrats on the Non-Tandoor version of 390. Total VFM.

I haven't ridden a bike since Nov '08 after a crash on P180 but lately started commuting on Activa (occasionally) and got back in the riding flow. I was actually thinking of getting a 390 sometime in the future just to quench that thirst on weekends. Planning to exploit it on the tracks.

Soon after getting the news that I'm going to be a Pa-Pa, I'm again experiencing that fear on two wheels that kept me at bay for SIX-LONG years.

I envy your fun with the 390s—plural.

Congrats on the RC.

If I remember right, the thread on your Duke 390 was the first on Tbhp and here again one of the first for the RC.

We should meet up since I work at Bagmane Tech Park as well and I did see a RC clipping towards the exit of the tech park post 5p. I am sure that was you.

Hi Sriram,

Congratulations on your new family member. I really liked the way, you have spelled out the specifics in your thread.

I wanted to know your thoughts on the Naked and the RC version of duke. Based on your duke 390 reviews, where you had mentioned that, the engine heats up, i had enquired with the sales showroom guys and they mentioned that on the current version of ktm duke 390, (naked) they have placed the fan in such a position, which ensures, the heat does not get passed onto Rider's leg. Is that true?

I am close to 100 kgs and i am 5.10 tall. I wanted to check and take ur feedback on the wrist pain on the RC 390. To me i would be riding, more within city and my office is in ORR. So at times, have to encounter bumper to bumper traffic.

In this case, which one do you suggest, the naked version or the RC 390. I would also want to take my wife also along with me, for some rides as well. Let me know your suggestion whether to go for naked one or the RC.

I earlier had CBR 250 and due to my wrist pain, had to sell it off...