[doga]

Fantastic thread Dhruv. I am on the lookout for a competent garage and Zenngine looks to be one, however this seems to be Mira road where I'd probably never dare to go as I live in Navi Mumbai and the western part of Mumbai is like another state to me. I just shudder at the thought of dealing with congestion and the potholed Ghodbunder road.

I am in fact looking to get few things done similar to what you have. My suspension was giving me pain, so I did what you did, changed the shocker to the gen 2 unit and refreshed fork oil (not once but twice), but hasn't become much better to be honest. Every now and then I feel like taking the forks apart and see myself what's going on- I am putting it down to spring sag on the front and may be the valves getting knackered. I have fully rebuilt two Showa suspensions before (both telescopic and USD) so not really afraid of the job but work/family commitments and lack of a front hoist deters me. Currently scouting a replacement suspension from Zedling or the adjustable units from the newly launched ADV as I reckon it's better to go for brand new internals rather than hoping a new spring works on the existing fork.
Can you tell me if the improvement you notice is substantial in most Mumbai scenarios (which basically means very poor potholed roads). My suspension is unbearable on anything other than pristine tarmac roads.

I do have some paint chip and minor rust on the frame so looking to get that addressed. I was planning to just sand down he problem area and put some (matching) orange paint on it, but now thinking your method is better if also more labour intensive.

Again, like you, I am getting a low battery warning these days when the fan comes on for some time but usually goes away when the fan turns off. I recently got a new battery and alternator was replaced probably 1000-2000 kms ago, so I am hoping it's the reg rec, but a stator inspection probably is in the offing again!
I'd also like to get the head bearings changed like you did but unsure what to go for? Did you use the oem ball bearings or went for a tapered one from say All balls?

I totally agree with you on the difficult-to-work-on design of the duke. I guess that's the price you pay for a super compact package, but I also think the usual European ethos of not giving two hoots about the DIY home mechanic is at play here. Jap bikes are light and compact as well (when they want to), but they usually also keep in mind the 'wrenchability' aspect!
I recently replaced the chain and sprocket unit on my 390 to an RK unit myself. I couldn't understand why the left footpeg has to come out just so you could replace the chain slider wear mark bolt. This is what the svc guys do every time you get the chain replaced there. In their defense they get a pre connected chain but imagine every time three screw/nuts have to come out, including one from the swingarm, to replace a silly chain. And these are never torqued to spec after obviously. Given my chain had a master link which had to be installed, there was no real need to remove the footpeg and I eventually figured it's better to grind a link off, remove the chain, then loosen the other chain slider bolts, lift it a little and remove the wear marker screw.
What should have been a two hour job took almost double, but hopefully next time it'd be much quicker.
Do you mind if I send a message to exchange numbers? Would be great in case I need any info on the bike as you seem to have ample experience dealing with the usual duke issues?

[Dhruv Shetty]

Originally Posted by doga

Fantastic thread Dhruv. I am on the lookout for a competent garage and Zenngine looks to be one, however this seems to be Mira road where I'd probably never dare to go as I live in Navi Mumbai and the western part of Mumbai is like another state to me. I just shudder at the thought of dealing with congestion and the potholed Ghodbunder road.

Hey doga I'm glad you liked the thread , on Zenngine it is pretty far for everyone including me, I have to travel from Andheri West to Mira road, which is a 20 km one way trip, but worth it.

On the suspension part, I do feel a big difference compared to before. Also my weight is below 62 KGs, so the suspension has to work less, no personal attack on anyone.

When I consulted with the head technicians in the service centers about the charging issue, they directly said "change the wiring harness". A proper diagnosis needs to be done to zero down on the issue. I went with the OEM bearings during the replacement of the cone set, can use a Avenger or Pulsar cone set for the Duke.

Actually on ease of repair, the BS3 KTM's are easier to work on compared to the BS4 and BS6 ones.

Most welcome to send me a PM to exchange numbers to discuss the never-ending issues about the Duke .

Cheers,
Dhruv Shetty

[TheDarkKnight]

Hey Dhruv,

I am always in awe at the amount of information you include in your posts and looks like Zenngine should be the go-to garage for anyone in the western suburbs.

My bike’s coneset also looks like it has broken all thanks to the horrible roads this side of the city, and wondering if Zenngine also works on bikes like the Dominar?

Cheers

[Dhruv Shetty]

Originally Posted by TheDarkKnight

Hey Dhruv,

I am always in awe at the amount of information you include in your posts and looks like Zenngine should be the go-to garage for anyone in the western suburbs.

My bike’s coneset also looks like it has broken all thanks to the horrible roads this side of the city, and wondering if Zenngine also works on bikes like the Dominar?

Cheers

Hey TheDarkKnight,

Thank you for the kind words and about the Dominar, they do work on Dominars also. You can contact them if you want any work done.

Cheers,
Dhruv Shetty.

[sac23]

Well written thread.
You're really blessed to have a competent place to diagnose issues and fix it.
I also maintain a thread for my 2017 Duke 390.

Out of curiosity, do you have to keep topping up the engine oil between oil changes? Which engine oil do you use?

Regarding the lethargic nature of the 390 engine below 5000 RPM, I recently added a FuelX Lite module to my bike. It has smoothened out the low end jerks. It has also made the engine cooler as the radiator fan seldom turns on now. They told me that the module helps to prevent the bike from running a lean AFR which is set from factory for passing emission tests. It does not really make much difference if you ride your bike on higher RPM most of the time.

Also, my rear shock is making sounds and it needs replacement, so I am trying to find if the adjustable rear shock from Adv 390 would fit in Duke. Also, is there any difference between the mono shock of BS4 and BS6? I know that there are different model numbers for each models.

[Dhruv Shetty]

Originally Posted by sac23

Well written thread.
You're really blessed to have a competent place to diagnose issues and fix it.
I fit in Duke. Also, is there any difference between the mono shock of BS4 and BS6? I know that there are different model numbers for each models.

I'm glad you liked the thread , it is very rare to find such a competent place in this time and age.

On the engine, I do top up the engine oil every 1000 kms, around 350 ml goes, I use Motul 7100 and I have confirmed this issue with the guys at Zenngine and they say this this is normal for engines and oil. During the 3 year's of ownership, I have gotten used to the tantrums the bike throws, so I give a certain amount of clutch and throttle input depending on the speed, R P.M and gear it is in, to ensure the power delivery is as smooth as possible. Plus the usage is 80% open roads and the rest 20% city riding. When on open roads my R.P.M range ranges from 4.5 to 8.5 and I have set 8k as the first shift light on the console and 9.5 as the second.

On the rear suspension topic I will PM you once I do some digging about this with the experts.

I have briefly gone through your ownership review and it is well written.

Cheers,
Dhruv Shetty

[sac23]

Originally Posted by Dhruv Shetty

On the engine, I do top up the engine oil every 1000 kms, around 350 ml goes, I use Motul 7100 and I have confirmed this issue with the guys at Zenngine and they say this this is normal for engines and oil. During the 3 year's of ownership

Thank you for the clarification. Wishing you a lot of trouble free miles.

[ebonho]

Fantastic thread Dhruv. Loved reading through it end ti end in one go. Learned a lot. I'm not close to being as hands on as you though, and trust my mechanic to do whatever is needed. I do have a good feel for my bikes though and instantly know when something is off, and that helps in the diagnosis and treatment.

[Dhruv Shetty]

Small Update ODO Reading 33397

Observations on the refreshed suspension setup

1. While attacking corners, there’s more confidence in entering and exiting the corners this makes it more enjoyable in the twisties with long sweeping and tight curves while carrying more speed and little with more lean.
2. On Hard braking there is more stability in a straight line. Even while braking in a corner there is more confidence.
3. With the front forks height set to the first line which is for agility, change in direction is quicker with a little tap of the leg and slight nudge from the hand, at whatever speed be it as low as 20 and as high as 100+ it inspires confidence.
4. The downsides of this, the ride has become harsher compared to the previous set up in city roads except a few good stretches, there is a lot of shocks and bumps transferred throughout the body, basically while riding in the city I go through countless emotions which a lot of curses towards the roads.
5. All in all the front and rear suspension is well balanced now, which in turn has made it more comfy, enjoyable and provides confidence.

Wheel Bearings Replaced with some other small yet significant work done
Up with another update, this time a bit smaller one. Start of the year when it was living at Zenngine after the accident, I was given a head up that the front wheel bearings were on its way out and replace them next service. Fast-forward to September end, I was casually practicing sliding around in society ground and stopped in a safe place to admire the beauty, I noticed a unusual movement in the tyre. At this moment brain went “Oh well time to check remaining funds and book an appointment, few weeks later landed at my trusty FNG Zenngine. Did some timepass, hung the helmet in a safe spot, admired an CB1000F idling and bike wheeled in and set up on paddocks.
Went with SKF bearings as they weren’t available In KTM, including the stator motor cable and rear shock protector, we literally put an order for these two parts 3 weeks back, so irritating this is. During this time, I was riding the bike around and took it for a ride to Tahmini ghat with bad wheel bearings along with BHPian @TheDarkKnight

790 and Daytona chilling


Wheels removed and inspected and seeing the condition and was asked “How were you riding the bike with this”

Up on Paddocks and wheels off





Old bearings out



Rusty spacer which was cleaned later



The leaky bolt



Later on, my favourite big ADV appeared, the mighty Tiger 1200 it came in for a general brake service. As my memory serves me right, this particular specimen was one of the first 1200s to be delivered in Mumbai and have its first service done, where the SVC guys did not expect it to come in this soon. It is a huge bugger when seen in person, the owner takes it to work almost every day to office.





New bearings in





While the bearings were getting changed, decided to not take the chance and get the rear brake pads changed. The rear calliper got a basic service by cleaning, greasing and changing some worn out rubber boots. The one thing which irritates me the most on the bike is the left side engine casing plastic bolt which ends ups leaking after few months of changing the plastic bolt and gasket, decided to seal it with some rtv gasket sealant. In next year service I will get the left side engine casing replaced, as the engine will be getting its second valve clearance done along with other stuff.

Once all the work got done, got the billing done and this the first time I left the shop before 2pm and with a bill under 3k (smiley). whenever the Duke visits Zenngine, I spend the entire day and bills close to 10k or more, but worth it as I enjoy the company (smiley), sometimes interesting bikes and people come.

Some points on the Inty from a Duke owner

As there is an Interceptor 650 in my household which belongs to my elder brother and lucky enough to ride it for a good 5000 kilometers, I am sharing some thoughts on it.

The Inty and CGT 650 are capable machines, keeping the limits in mind this bike can be a very fun and relaxing bike to ride, if it is pushed beyond its limits there will be unease between the rider and bike, which is not a good feeling to have.

On the stock setup, it is enjoyable to ride in the range of 80 -100 kmph, beyond this point the stability and braking efficiency drops.

The ergonomics has been discussed widely on forums and videos, so no point saying much about it. In my observations me being a guy who is 5’10 or 5’11(I think), thin and weighs under 61 kilos, the seat starts getting uncomfortable beyond a point, say like 100 kms after this around every 30 kms I tend to shift myself around, stand for awhile ease the discomfort. But with all the faults it possess, I love and enjoy it with all my heart, especially that gorgeous engine note and that timeless design in Silver with spoked wheels.

Some pics of the beauty













Contd..

[Dhruv Shetty]

Contd from previous post

D.I.Y Service for the Duke

As Tali was nearing the 3500-kilometre mark on the service interval, this time due to being on limited funds decided to do it myself and save on labour cost. Took some pointers from the guys at Zenngine so I don’t break any bolts in the process like last time I attempted the service by breaking the Drain bolt and one of the oil filter housing bolt.

Parts acquired for the service.
1. Service kit
2. Motul 7100
3. Clutch cable
4. Clutch cover gasket
5. Rear Suspension flap (finally got my hands on it)


Let’s get down to the service. Got the bike in veranda portion of the house the day before. In the Morning got all the old oil drained out, cleaned out the strainers as KTM does not provide new strainers in the service kit anymore, the have increased from 470 to 481 in 2 years. Cleaned the surrounding area of the drainage bolts and bolts itself.

Getting her ready



Oil oil



Oil filter



Moved to remove the clutch cover to change the gasket and check the internals play and tolerances, cleaned the internal portion and clutch cover with a clean cloth and engine degreaser. Removed a Video and sent to Vignesh to have a look, came back with positive feedback.

Cleaned up clutch cover



A pic of the insides



A video of me checking the play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkVpgSbMsuY

With everything assembled back together without any bolt casualties, filled her up with fresh Motul 7100 cough Syrup. The amount of oil and condition which came out of the engine was around 900 ml including extra oil from the filter.

Fresh oil going in





The total oil which came out



After this took a 2-hour lunch break to regain some energy. Post lunch break removed the tank and seats swapped the dirty filters out

Old and new side by side



Replacing the Fuel filter is the toughest and involving part of the process, took me around 30 mins to do this.







Changing and adjusting the clutch cable takes some time, especially for me. If not done properly the cable gets stretched and tight when turned fully to the left. Took around 20 min to get it set.

Cleaned and lubed the chain, this time around I switched from Putoline tech chain to Bosch 140 grade gear oil, on the last application it lasted about 700+ kms, the downside to this method is for the first 10 Kms, the excess oil with spray all over the rim and the tyre sidewalls. This time took a soft sponge applied a good amount of oil and applied it to the chain my rotating the tyre by hand. After everything is assembled, let the fuel pump prime 2-3 times to check for and leaks, fired up the bike let it idle for 4 mins for the oil to reach places of the engine. Slowly increased the revs as the temperature rose, took her out for a good 20 min spin to see if everything is working as it should and no leaks.





In the next service
1. Brake service, will include front and rear calliper rebuild, new brake pads and swap the racing fluid with 5.1
2. Valve clearance, replace left engine casing , took a lot of damage in the previous 2 accidents.

Resprayed a particular portion of the frame

One and half a year ago I resprayed the first half of the chassis, I had messed up the finish on both sides especially the left side with an uneven finish, decided to rectify it later on. Since then it was holding up well but there has been instances where the fuel pump attendant overfilled the fuel tank twice and fuel all over the frame, it started to peel off a bit slowly and to accelerate it more Id given the bike for a detailed wash, some chemical was used and after this the paint started cracking and flaking off. So decided to respray the affected area and rectify the affected area.











The white and grey area on the frame is where the uneven patch was.



Gave the usual 2 coat white as base, 2 dark orange, 2 Light orange and 3 coats of clear.

The result







While the tank area parts were off, did some checking on the frame for any rust and its seems like I will have to get the frame fully redone by a professional once the bike hits its 13th year. The areas where the Chassis is starting to rust is where the air box sits, under the rear seat and relays mounting area. Redoing the frame is going to be an expensive affair.

An update on the Road 5s

In the span of almost 2 years and 10 thousands kms the tyre has held up very well, including a lot of spirited riding with 2 punctures one in the front and rear. the front has it in the groove and the rear has it bang in the middle

Looking at the tyres, i can get another 12k with ease.

Rear









Front







Contd

[Dhruv Shetty]

Contd from previous post

A quick spin to Pimpri Chinchward

To Test out the refreshed suspension I headed off to Pimpri, not saying Pune or ill get attacked by the Puneri Bhpians. Not going to say anything about the suspension as I already mentioned it in the previous post. The ride to Pimpri was cool, pleasant along with beautiful scenery all the way. In the entire ride I cleaned the visor about 10 times, the one thing which I learnt about my helmet was that it is very sensitive to balaclavas, the one which I had used was that on the return leg I was getting bad headache, so stop on the side and removed it when I wore my helmet, It was loose like it almost ruined the inner liner I was in a bad mood all the way back home, I had somehow got to shape slowly by massaging it, thankfully it is back to shape now.

The beautiful landscape



Some pics of Tali posing











Aftermath of the ride when majority of the muck dried off



A ride to Tamhini Ghat

The initial plan consisted of me, Bhpians Darknight and HirenMistery, Hiren dropped out due to some personal commitments. He had warned us that we may end getting lost with the roads which we did. We finalised the date which was 1st October. We both met up at Kalamboli toll naka at 6:45am, spoke a bit and decided put on the rain gear and set off.

On route to Tamhini we encountered all types of road, excellent, good, ok, and bad roads same for the return leg of the journey. Was enjoying the roads to the fullest.

Ready to head out



Waiting on Darknight



Deciding whether to wear the rain gear or not



Both bikes chilling together



Some scenery









At this point we were contemplating whether to go the full route or no as both the bikes fuel had run low, decided not to take the risk clicked a few pics and headed back and taking the wrong turn.



The wrong road which we took led us to this fuel stop



One of the worst roads I ever came across but it was scenic.







On the way back we stopped at a Subway had something to eat and headed home. All in all it was a interesting ride, a total 10 hours of riding.

The total time spent



A small breakfast ride to Khandala

Did a small breakfast ride to a Misal place in Khandala with my uncle, as this was his first ride on his bike, a Honda CB350 highness. This time i decided to take the Inty along as it does not get as much action as the duke.

As the Ghat section started I wanted to see how it handled the twisties, to my surprise it handled it pretty good for its setup.

The tasty Misal



Some snaps of the bikes











Until next time

Cheers,
Dhruv Shetty

[Dhruv Shetty]

And I hope one day somehow the first owner comes across this Ownership review and I can connect with him about the history of the bike .

[ebonho]

Nicely penned update Dhruv. A lot of work is going into refreshing every part of your bike. And you are obviously riding her hard and enjoying her to the fullest in the bargain while doing it, which is the icing on the cake. Translation: NOT a garage queen!

You said the wiring harness for our bikes is not being made anymore. Makes sense, as our bikes have now completed 10 years of their product lifecycle and the company is no longer obligated.

Could you tell us how much did the whole harness cost you? You may have shared it and I might have missed it, so my apology in advance!

Cheers, Doc

[Dhruv Shetty]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Nicely penned update Dhruv. A lot of work is going into refreshing every part of your bike. And you are obviously riding her hard and enjoying her to the fullest in the bargain while doing it, which is the icing on the cake. Translation: NOT a garage queen!

You said the wiring harness for our bikes is not being made anymore. Makes sense, as our bikes have now completed 10 years of their product lifecycle and the company is no longer obligated.

Could you tell us how much did the whole harness cost you? You may have shared it and I might have missed it, so my apology in advance!

Cheers, Doc

Thank you Doc for the kind words, the was never meant to be a garage queen

On the wiring harness part, i asked two KTM SVC they say the harness is still available. For the 2012 to 2013 models a particular relay has been discontinued. Wiring harness replacement is still in the list, a new harness is around 8 to 10k and 13k with labor.

Cheers,
Dhruv Shetty

[VijayAnand1]

Dhruv, the updates have been timely and glad to see the chassis being given some much needed TLC. Since you talked to Vignesh (the ZENNGINE) guy, did you by any chance talk to him about the oil consumption? If yes, would like to know his perspective..

As usual, a wonderful hearty log.

Cheers!
VJ