[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Meanwhile, went for a pleasant ride today with a fellow RC390 owner. We exchanged for a while. He was quite blown away with the engine. Tractability and therefore roll on acceleration, were two things he clearly called out. In comparison, he felt it was extremely light, therefore requires a firm hand (only metaphorically). I can't believe I'm saying it, but a bit of added weight would help out on the highway. Especially against cross winds.
The RC is extremely well balanced. Actually works really well out on the highway. The windscreen and aerodynamics makes the speeds appear far slower than actual.

This is exactly why I want a RC despite everyone telling me "its a race bike bro, dont sacrifice your back". The duke is too wheelie prone on crests and bumps at highway speeds. No 399cc RC this year though. why KTM why.

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Got some accessories. Will share feedback on them soon.

Would love to hear if your windscreen fixed the buffeting wind noise coming from the mirrors and how easy it is to tuck under that screen.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Hey Endless!
I see you run some block pattern tyres. Which ones are they and how's your experience been? And why, if I may ask?
I feel for touring, the block pattern makes sense. Doc, weigh in too please. You have also toured extensively with those type of tyres I believe.

I recognise a rider in love when I see one. And when its someone else's girl, its even naughtier.

The two orange beasts look so sexy lined up like that man. I could never get used to rhe RC. Rode it only once. Quite gingerly in the twisties of Lavasa. The Gen 1 RC. I kept feeling I will be thrown over the handlebars. Lol I am so comfy in the puppy dog sit up and beg stance of the Duke. And mt knees are bent exactly like yours. And never once have I felt uncomfortable or cramped even over 1000+ kilometres days.

Yes, I did have block pattern tyres on my Duke which I put on more to conserve my brilliant German Metzelers than for any advantage accrued from them itself honestly. In hindsight, even with the roads then (they are so much better now 7 years of development on) I would have been better served putting on a pair of harder wearing similar profile (to stock) road biased tread tyres that were significantly cheaper for a set.

Something like the CEAT Zoom Rad X1s for 6-7k a set. Or even the bias ply Michelin Street 2s for under 6k a set. These I'm talking for long tours, where there is serious cross country mile munching across states. Not for shorter hilly tours like coorg or munnar or konkan etc with a lot of delicious twisties close by.

I was never happy with the Ceat Vertigo Sport even on my Bullets (with smaller wheels for track) and the same on my KTM. It was always skittish under power, even slightly leaned over, and just would not hook into and out of corners. So your whole riding changes to keep the bike more upright and throttle smoother and more gradually. On tarmac.

As an aside, the CEAT Secura Sport and Dunlop Jap Unigrips that came in 19 inchers for old Bullets, while block partern, were a whole lot better than the Vertigo Sport. In fact the Secura Sport was a popular front tyre for Bullet rally racers, keeping thecrear as the trusty MRF Nylogrip. But I digress ...

The Michelin Sirac Street (a rear tyre, flipped around, old school style) in front was much better. In fact I loved it. But it involves raising the front fender.

End of the day, unless you are rich big bike riders, like my close buddies with Triumphs and Ducatis, who on a ride to Ladakh ship off road tyres to Manali, and ride till Manali on tarmac tyres, change to off road tyres (admittedly they actually did off the beaten path mule tracks with near zero tarmac), finish the mountains on them, and then change back to road tyres back in Manali and ride back to Poona. Ditching the nearly gutted off roaders back in Manali.

Unless you are them, and plan to start and finish the ride on one set of tyres, pick cheap, hard wearing, tough sidewall, puncture and cuts resistant road tyres for the ride, because 90% of your ride will be on paved tarmac roads, and riding blocks will always be a compromise on them. Whereas these road tyres ridden by a good rider can do pretty okay on most off road stuff we see in India. Provided of course you do not ride like a retard.

Your ride will be more comfortable, faster, safer, with much better feel and feedback from the road, and less noise and much better fuel efficiency as well. Saving you not an insignificant amount in overall tour fuel costs at the end of the ride.

Cheers, Doc

[Endless....]

[quote=shyamg28;5721736]Hey Endless!
I see you run some block pattern tyres. Which ones are they and how's your experience been? And why, if I may ask?
I feel for touring, the block pattern makes sense. Doc, weigh in too please. You have also toured extensively with those type of tyres I believe.QUOTE]

Post # 136 should answer your question. These are Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR front and rear. I like the go-anywhere capability these tyres bring to the table. I do have a tendency to veer off highways into no man’s land, hence these block pattern tyres. Also, in Bengaluru, any road has the potential to become an off road trail

[scarn]

One strange thing that I have noticed is that the SVC guys are putting 1.7L oil in the engine whereas in the owners manual it is written that engine will take 1.35L(1.5L while overhaul) which is pretty weird. I will check the engine oil level soon to see if it is overfilled or they are putting 1.35L and charging for the whole 1.7L. Might be the reason so many people reported that they can see the engine oil frothing and other issues.

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by scarn

One strange thing that I have noticed is that the SVC guys are putting 1.7L oil in the engine whereas in the owners manual it is written that engine will take 1.35L(1.5L while overhaul) which is pretty weird. I will check the engine oil level soon to see if it is overfilled or they are putting 1.35L and charging for the whole 1.7L. Might be the reason so many people reported that they can see the engine oil frothing and other issues.

Happened with a friend's 390. I noticed full oil level in the window even with the bike on sidestand and found that it was overfilled by over 300mL. Upon complaining, SVC admitted that they filled the whole 1.7L of Motul 7100 like the old 390. Seems to be a glaring communication/training gap along the chain.

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

This is exactly why I want a RC despite everyone telling me "its a race bike bro, dont sacrifice your back". The duke is too wheelie prone on crests and bumps at highway speeds. No 399cc RC this year though. why KTM why.
...
Would love to hear if your windscreen fixed the buffeting wind noise coming from the mirrors and how easy it is to tuck under that screen.

The RC seems to be a phenomenal machine. It's not my category of motorcycles. And I don't think I can get away with doing even 10kms without neck pain and body pain and what not

About the buffeting, I didn't face any to be honest. We added the windscreen as a way to sustain longer highway runs more so than anything else. Don't need that much wind all the time. That said, yet to fully test this windscreen out, will provide feedback in due time.

Originally Posted by ebonho

I recognise a rider in love when I see one. And when its someone else's girl, its even naughtier.

Doc ssssshhhhhhhhhh

Originally Posted by ebonho

The two orange beasts look so sexy lined up like that man. I could never get used to rhe RC. Rode it only once. Quite gingerly in the twisties of Lavasa. The Gen 1 RC. I kept feeling I will be thrown over the handlebars. Lol I am so comfy in the puppy dog sit up and beg stance of the Duke. And mt knees are bent exactly like yours. And never once have I felt uncomfortable or cramped even over 1000+ kilometres days.
Yes, I did have block pattern tyres on my Duke which I put on more to conserve my brilliant German Metzelers than for any advantage accrued from them itself honestly. In hindsight, even with the roads then (they are so much better now 7 years of development on) I would have been better served putting on a pair of harder wearing similar profile (to stock) road biased tread tyres that were significantly cheaper for a set....
Cheers, Doc

Thank you for this. I'll see how it goes on the stock and when it's time to change, definitely keep this on my mind.

Originally Posted by Endless....

Post # 136 should answer your question. These are Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR front and rear. I like the go-anywhere capability these tyres bring to the table. I do have a tendency to veer off highways into no man’s land, hence these block pattern tyres. Also, in Bengaluru, any road has the potential to become an off road trail

Thank you! I've been wanting to try out the STRs myself, albeit on another motorcycle. The cost and their lasting duration isn't allowing me to actually go for it lol.

Meanwhile, wife and I headed out for a short run recently. Potato quality pics is all I have.
The Duke's lights seem fine when there's no oncoming traffic. But once there is, everything goes for a toss. I sense a set of aux lights would be needed, just same as most other motorcycles I think.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Thank you for this. I'll see how it goes on the stock and when it's time to change, definitely keep this on my mind.

Thank you! I've been wanting to try out the STRs myself, albeit on another motorcycle. The cost and their lasting duration isn't allowing me to actually go for it lol.

You could look at a set of these new Reisse tyres that everyone seems to be singing praises of. They come at a very competitive price point too. The other budget option for a block type dual purpose tyre "set" till these came along were the Ralcos. Never got down to trying them myself.

I thought about it some more and think that maybe we will not see this the same way. Because I am a pure street bike rider. I have never and never wanted to ride anything else. Adventure or Super Sport. Nakeds are my scene. What I have always ridden.

Whereas you are coming off of two big-gish Adventure Bikes. One the VStrom and the other the Himalayan. They both feel and handle and ride very very different to a tight street fighter naked.

So maybe you will not miss the intuitive sharp handling of the Duke as much by shifting to dual purpose tyres. Or maybe you will (if you ride the Duke long enough ... which I believe is inevitable). No way to know unless you try it yourself I think.

For me personally, what I gave up by shifting to dual purpose tyres was way too much to justify what little I got back. Seen against the whole spectrum of riding, and not just one specific segment.

And from what I hear, if your stretch to 10+ k you get very decent Apollo and TVS tyres. Even CEAT and MRF have come out with their own W rated road tyres now.

Honestly, the Duke can carry and pull off being a dirt bike.

But she feels in her element and soooooo much better as the street fighter that she was built to be.

Cheers, Doc

[scarn]

Originally Posted by scarn

One strange thing that I have noticed is that the SVC guys are putting 1.7L oil in the engine whereas in the owners manual it is written that engine will take 1.35L(1.5L while overhaul) which is pretty weird. I will check the engine oil level soon to see if it is overfilled or they are putting 1.35L and charging for the whole 1.7L. Might be the reason so many people reported that they can see the engine oil frothing and other issues.

Checked today and unfortunately I think they overfilled mine too as I can see the oil almost completely covering the window which is way over level only after starting it once and immediately checking after it I can see it at correct level which I don't think is the correct way of checking oil level. Will go to SVC first thing in the morning tomorrow. I have ridden it more than 500km after the first service and I hope there aren't any issues forming because of it.

[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by scarn

Checked today and unfortunately I think they overfilled mine too as I can see the oil almost completely covering the window which is way over level only after starting it once and immediately checking after it I can see it at correct level which I don't think is the correct way of checking oil level. Will go to SVC first thing in the morning tomorrow. I have ridden it more than 500km after the first service and I hope there aren't any issues forming because of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdq9ylbp8IQ

says you are supposed to warm the engine up and rev it a little for a minute before checking oil level.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by scarn

only after starting it once and immediately checking after it I can see it at correct level which I don't think is the correct way of checking oil level.

Don't know if things (how to check engine oil level) have changed for Gen 3, like the fill volume, but for Gen 1, this is exactly how you are supposed to check.



Cheers, Doc

[scarn]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Don't know if things (how to check engine oil level) have changed for Gen 3, like the fill volume, but for Gen 1, this is exactly how you are supposed to check.

Attachment 2575297

Cheers, Doc

I should have written it better. I meant checking immediately after running it rather than waiting for a couple of minutes. Even then, the level was above the top marker. I just hope I am making some mistake while checking the levels, like tilting the bike too much or something. Never in my life have I wished to be proved wrong so much. I will be taking it to the SVC today, as there are a few minor niggles that need to be sorted out too.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by scarn

I should have written it better. I meant checking immediately after running it rather than waiting for a couple of minutes. Even then, the level was above the top marker. I just hope I am making some mistake while checking the levels, like tilting the bike too much or something. Never in my life have I wished to be proved wrong so much. I will be taking it to the SVC today, as there are a few minor niggles that need to be sorted out too.

The engine casing is a maze of oil lines and channels. You have to give the circulating oil time to settle. Just enough time. Not overnight on a cold engine. So the "operating temperature " and "one minute" are both key recommendations. As is bike off the stand, perfectly upright (this is really key, because even a slight tilt you can see a visible shift in the oil level window).

Cheers, Doc

[scarn]

Update: Went to the SVC, and they said that the amount written in the Owner's manual is not correct. There is no way a 390 will take the same amount of oil as a 250, and the oil levels are correct. Furthermore, they said 300ml is a lot of extra oil in a 400cc engine, and there is no way I could've ridden 500 KM without any issues arising from overfilling. It does look OK when put into a paddock stand too, which gives me more confidence. Got the panel gaps fixed too.

He also mentioned that they haven't received any update regarding the navigation feature, even though I showed him the app. There is an insane lack of communication between KTM and its SVC, I feel.

[ebonho]

Paddock stand is not the correct way.

Cheers, Doc

[scarn]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Paddock stand is not the correct way.

Cheers, Doc

Oh! that makes sense actually but even with the bike leveled straight without it, it seemed fine. Only after 40-45 minutes the oil went above level so on the operating temps it seems fine. But again it is just KTM and there lack of communication about anything with these new dukes.