[camitesh]

First service and a long ride touring update

Penning down a brief ownership review and a slightly long ride update on completing my 2 months and 3500kms with the KTM Duke 390 2024

First free service update:
With the year end break approaching, I booked the service online through KTM app with Ahuja Andheri Service centre in early December. I had a few issues to report as follows:

1. Clutch lever felt quite hard while down shifting. This happened randomly
2. After cancelling the left indicator manually, the blinkers would stop but indicator warning continued on the console wrongly. Had to switch on right indicator every time and then cancel it to stop the incorrect warning on console. This meant I ended up unintentionally signalling right turn for a moment
3. Squeaking sound from suspension over bumps
4. Engine stall at slow speeds
5. Chain rusting
6. Software update to latest version

The service was a swift one with the bike being delivered within two hours and an invoice of INR 1,930 (oil, filter, chain lube, consumables). However most of the above issues baring point 5 and 6 remained unfixed. I couldn’t test everything properly while taking delivery in the limited test riding space. I plan to take it back to them soon with some more critical issues to fix that have cropped up during the long ride as mentioned below

Long ride update:

With no dedicated destination, two other riding buddies and I started the ride and we ended up visiting Dholavira, Great Rann of Kutch and some beautiful coastal villages of Gujarat like Porbandar and Mangrol.

We covered 2,250 kms on this ride in 5 days and the following was my experience overall:

1. The engine and chassis combination is simply marvellous. The lightweight nature of the bike and that addictive power delivery gets you the best of both worlds. The beautiful concoction of just about enough power to scare the sh*t out of you if you are not careful at times and that sublime handling in almost all conditions is something I wish everyone should experience once.

2. I had read reviews of how one feels fatigued and tired from touring on the vibey and consciously demanding / engaging nature of KTM 390s. While I agree to some extent that this bike needs attention but it has been pretty accommodating and I didn’t feel too fatigued even after 700-800 kms in a day. I feel this has a lot to do with the lightweight nature of the bike as it hardly takes any effort to manoeuvre it around in traffic and it is razor sharp to slightest of your sub-conscious inputs. The shortened wheel-base and rake angle really worked wonders IMO. It almost feels like a toy bike at times with that low seat height. But one silly twist of right wrist is good enough to get you back to your senses while the traction control is working overtime to forgive you for your misadventures

3. The engine is amazingly refined at certain RPMs between 4-6k and cruising is effortlessly smooth at 100-120 on 6th gear with ample power on tap for overtakes even without downshifting. No buzzing hands were felt even after 150-200 kms of almost non-stop high speed rides. Things do get really thrilling post 7-8k RPM.

4. The adjustable suspension on both ends is pretty neat and I ended up adjusting it to my liking for highway and off-road duties on the go. Even in the softest of settings, the bike is still pretty agile on higways

5. The fuel tank range is another feather in the cap towards the touring abilities of this machine. With full tank, 450kms of indicative range was always displayed on the consolde and I ended up refuelling only between 350-400 kms once the fuel reserve warnings popped up. No false warnings ever on fuel indicator which is very important while touring.

6. For those who like the stats, 26.8 KMPL was the overall mileage during this ride with average riding speed of 66km/hr over 34 hours of riding in 5 days

7. The rider seat is hard and not touring friendly which is why I had my old air cushion seats which solved the problem for most part. 2-3 hours of non-stop riding was almost irritation free

8. The Metzeler tyres are getting better I feel as they are getting older. The cornering grip is pretty confidence inspiring and they don’t loose grip easily on gravels and sandy roadside which we found in abundance in Gujarat. In comparison I’m finding the Apollo Alpha H1s slightly lacking now in terms of corner grip but maybe that has to do with the CBR250r chassis. I agree to the thoughts mentioned by most reviewers about these tyres being more than adequate for most use cases unless one intends to use the bike mainly for track riding

9. I have always believed in getting 80-90% of stopping power from front brakes and that is how I have accustomed my riding style over the years. However, I feel front brakes on my KTM 390 are slightly less responsive in comparison to the rear ones. As a result, I have ended up triggering rear ABS multiple times while the front ABS has never been triggered so far during any hard braking scenarios. Have to get this rechecked once or I may just need to readjust my braking abilities more consciously biased towards front brakes. I did try the adjustable brake lever to all possible combinations to improve my reach to front brake and the response thereby but so far very limited success has been achieved.

10. The chain tension is holding up well and a quality chain lube (I use OKS chain lube) is lasting well over 700-800 kms.

11. I used an old Cramster magnetic tank bag and a Viaterra Elements tail bag. The combination was more than sufficient for one week of touring requirements and although it looked difficult, the small exposed portion of metal tank was able to hold the tank bag really well even at high triple digit speeds. Bike looks compact but has space for practical stuff

12. This may seem odd but I felt the wind-blast to be lesser upto 120 kmph in comparison to my CBR250r and I only felt the need to tuck in as I inched towards the top end of this bike’s capability. Came back and rode my CBR250r to reconfirm this. The weird extended tank shrouds are doing some aerodynamics jugglery I suppose

13. While the ground clearance is abundant with 180mm, I ended up scraping the underbelly on some average off-road terrain while reaching the famed Chipper point in Dholavira. This was largely my fault as I was over-confident on the ground clearance which caught me a bit off-guard. It’s off-road performance is nowhere close to my Xpulse 200 4V off-road but that’s not a fair comparison anyway. In isolation I really liked the handling characteristic of Duke 390 off-road.

14. While we were riding in comparatively cold environment, I had no problems with heating at all even in slow moving city traffic during afternoons. The coolant temperature hardly went above 90 degrees and I hardly ever felt the radiator fans going crazy.

15. Mirrors are decent enough but need to find some better alternative or mirror extenders for touring

16. There are lots of electronic features on offer but I hardly ever used anything. I didn’t even change the riding modes and completed the entire ride on ‘Street’ mode. The rain mode is really not fun even in city but I guess it’ll have its use during rainy days.

17. Having ridden most single cylinder sub 400cc bikes in India, I could say this is a very promising candidate for street+touring duties. The new 390adventure with this engine should be a really good option so please wait for it if someone is eyeing for a new touring bike below 400cc. While the Triumph 400s are really good in their own regard especially the Scrambler, I don’t regret cancelling my bookings for both the 400s and taking a leap of faith on this mini monster of a bike.

Now onto some minor and major disappointments

1. The vibey/rattling nature of bike did create some problems. Few components like the front number plate, right mirror, silencer pipe cover at front started getting loose and rattled at certain RPMs. Some easy DIYs fixed these but have to be conscious for these irritants on long ride.

2. The slipper clutch has become slightly unpredictable after the service. Most downshifts are butter smooth but the upshifts are jerky and felt rigorously at times even though I used the quick shifter only at high RPMs. I ended up using the clutch lever for over 50% of the ride.

3. The stock headlights and horns are terribly useless. Glad that I had my Maddox auxiliary lights which were crucial for the night rides although they need better positioning to improve the light spread.

4. There is a very irritating whining/grinding sound when I engine brake at about 100-80 kmph. This is very audible even under my nicely insulating AGV K6 helmet with earplugs. Based on google search and some YouTube videos, I read this issue may arise due to over tightening of chain slack, the slipper clutch components doing its duties to avoid locking the rear wheel while downshifting aggressively, new wheel bearings settling in etc. The chain slack is within the limits and the bearings should have settled in nicely after 3.5k kms but the noise just keeps bugging me everytime. Have to recheck this with SVC.
5. While returning back, noticed a small drop of oil leak and to my horror saw half the front left engine side drenched in oil and dust particles. Showed this to some local mechanics who confirmed its a busted seal somewhere on engine casing but nothing to worry about as long as the oil levels were holding up. I kept cleaning the engine underbelly to find the source of leak but couldn’t locate it. Luckily the oil level stayed above the required levels and the console showed no distress signals ever. The bike performance was good so decided to get this fixed in Mumbai rather than experimenting in Gujarat

Will report further after my visit to SVC in the next few days. Happy to answer any questions meanwhile

Some pictures from the trip

[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by camitesh

I have always believed in getting 80-90% of stopping power from front brakes and that is how I have accustomed my riding style over the years. However, I feel front brakes on my KTM 390 are slightly less responsive in comparison to the rear ones. As a result, I have ended up triggering rear ABS multiple times while the front ABS has never been triggered so far during any hard braking scenarios. Have to get this rechecked once or I may just need to readjust my braking abilities more consciously biased towards front brakes. I did try the adjustable brake lever to all possible combinations to improve my reach to front brake and the response thereby but so far very limited success has been achieved.

I might be wrong but I think this is a good thing. Too many manufacturers have a very conservative front ABS that turns the lever wooden with zero feedback. The fact that you could not notice the intervention is because of KTM's spicy ABS tune. This is the first bike to teach me what brake feel feels like. Of course with KTM QC, you never know if the ABS is not actually working until you lock the front lol. As long as the ABS light is off on the dash, enjoy the lever feel.

Originally Posted by camitesh

There is a very irritating whining/grinding sound when I engine brake at about 100-80 kmph. This is very audible even under my nicely insulating AGV K6 helmet with earplugs. Based on google search and some YouTube videos, I read this issue may arise due to over tightening of chain slack, the slipper clutch components doing its duties to avoid locking the rear wheel while downshifting aggressively

If it is tyre grinding noise when downshifting, it is what it is.

Do you have any engine reverberation sound with your earplugs and helmet on?

[Moose]

How does the new Duke 390 compare to CBR 250r in terms of engine refinement?

[camitesh]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

This is the first bike to teach me what brake feel feels like. Of course with KTM QC, you never know if the ABS is not actually working until you lock the front lol. As long as the ABS light is off on the dash, enjoy the lever feel.

If it is tyre grinding noise when downshifting, it is what it is.

Do you have any engine reverberation sound with your earplugs and helmet on?

Well i agree the brakes really do have a good feedback in comparison to my other bikes. All it needed is some additional bite force on front end for my liking. I’m open to opting for better sintered pads when it’s time for replacement so this isn’t a dealbreaker.

Not much reverberation is heard but this is surely not a helmet or earplugs related issue as the sound is evident even on other helmets and without earplugs. The exact sound can be heard in the video from this Youtuber at 2:13 and 8:33 seconds.

https://youtu.be/XMKsD4uos2w?feature=shared

Originally Posted by Moose

How does the new Duke 390 compare to CBR 250r in terms of engine refinement?

No comparison at slow speeds, CBR250r is smooth in comparison. However the cruising and top end engine refinement is really good in new 390. I can say as much that i have ended up with mild buzzing hands after a longish non-stop 150 odd kms ride on CBR250r but didn’t face this yet with the Duke390.

However please note that I’m comparing a nearly 12 year 70k kms old engine on my CBR with a brand new modern generation engine on KTM. So what is to be seen is the long term reliability and refinement of this motor in KTM.

On a slightly different note it reminds me of an old advertisement on Team Bhp where the CBR250r owner listed his bike for sale because it was simply too reliable. https://www.motoroids.com/interestin...d-reliability/ My experience so far with new Duke 390 tells me this isn’t going to be anywhere as peaceful ownership as my CBR250 and I’m mentally prepared for it

[Moose]

Originally Posted by camitesh

On a slightly different note it reminds me of an old advertisement on Team Bhp where the CBR250r owner listed his bike for sale because it was simply too reliable.
My experience so far with new Duke 390 tells me this isn’t going to be anywhere as peaceful ownership as my CBR250 and I’m mentally prepared for it

Believe it or not, I too sold my CBR 250r for just too boring. I had more fun and excitement on Xpulse 200 than my Cbr. In the end, my Cbr became a garage queen. Now, I'm leaning towards the Duke for my thrill.

[MonsterTorque]

Congratulations. The motorcycle looks gorgeous. Point 9, the back brake having a stronger bite than the front, is an issue for most of us who transitioned to the 390s. Your riding style will adapt to it.

[camitesh]

Originally Posted by Moose

Believe it or not, I too sold my CBR 250r for just too boring. I had more fun and excitement on Xpulse 200 than my Cbr. In the end, my Cbr became a garage queen. Now, I'm leaning towards the Duke for my thrill.

Most honda motorcycles lack character and CBR250R probably tops that list. (This statement may fit more appropriately in the 'controversial biking opinion' thread).

I have thought/still contemplating selling off my CBR250r and I already listed it once on OLX. The petty 40-50k offers for a virtually fuss free machine was the only thing that held me back. I still ride it every now and then but the 'non-exciting' nature of this bike has been amplified to another level since 390 Duke became its garage companion.

Originally Posted by MonsterTorque

Congratulations. The motorcycle looks gorgeous. Point 9, the back brake having a stronger bite than the front, is an issue for most of us who transitioned to the 390s. Your riding style will adapt to it.

Thanks buddy, it does look amazing indeed in person and I'm growing more accustomed to its polarizing persona as days pass by! Good to know about the brakes transition phase. I am hoping to get the braking feel better in some way possible, will update here from what I learn.

[VijayAnand1]

The engine oil leak photo you've posted sadly has been the Achilles' Heel with old Dukes. The sealant simply couldn't handle the heat and the vicinity you've photographed is mostly where the oil seeps/weeps on the older 390 counterparts which is the gear position sensor wire exit boot. In your case, it's the magneto wire exit boot. It's usually not a concern at least for the moment, but excluding this issue for a later date can exclusively turn this into a glorified nightmare that can end up consuming oil. It's simply a matter of re-sealing it with the right sealant and the sooner you act on it, the better.

Also with regards to the coasting sound at 2.13 and 8:33, mild whizzing with the clutch pulled in at speeds above 40 is perfectly normal and is common on any motorcycle as the transmission and drive train and still only partially disconnected. But if this sound is perceptible irrespective of the clutch engaged and disengaged and is prominent only especially during coasting with the throttle closed, perhaps it sometimes can be mistaken for the engine's intake growl, since the newer engine's intake snorkel tubing is placed towards the port of the bike, the significance of this cannot be overlooked. In all, this shouldn't be of a concern distressing one's late night sleep.

Good luck.

Cheers!
VJ

[yatesh.92]

Update 2: paid the booking amount of 10k on Christmas day for the orange colour. At the time of booking I told him that I'll make full payment only after PDI to which he agreed. 2 days later he called me again to remind that balance payment needs to be done to which I calmly replied that I'll pay as soon as PDI is done to which he said ok. 28th the bike was ready for PDI. Except for the mirrors, everything else was fine as per team bhp checklists. Tall riders like me (5'11" height) will have trouble getting a correct angle and might need to purchase extenders. Made the full balance payment of 3.62 lakhs and requested delivery on 31st December to which he gladly agreed.

Fast forward to the D-Day and he delivered the bike at my home since they offer this service and I opted for the same as it wasn't possible to visit the showroom due to other commitments. Some shots of the bike.



The silver Ignis in the background with the LTD sticker also happens to be my ride



Even my parents took a short ride in the society and my dad was pretty impressed. He mentioned that he could feel the power from the 399 cc motor

The handle felt slightly heavy and one of my friend who was also present mentioned that the front tyre looked underinflated and that turned out to be true. After we headed to the tyre guy near my society, his gauge showed 8 psi in the front tyre and 40 in the rear. Got it adjusted at 28 for the front and 30 for the rear. Haven't ridden much since then as the passing will be done this week as I wanted a 2024 registered vehicle.

Attended office on 2nd January and shared mithai with my colleagues. Buggers started teasing me, "you chose the wrong time to purchase the bike as you took delivery and now the truckers have gone on strike so issue with availability of petrol ." Luckily I'm currently heading to Bangalore with family for 2-3 days and bike will be under wraps till then. Hopefully issue should be sorted by the time I'm back in Pune. Will start acquiring accessories and riding once I'm back.

A close friend of mine who owned the gen 1 RC 390 took a short test ride in the society and below were his observations:

1. Engine is far more refined and acceleration is much linear. Absolute pocket rocket.
2. Rider seat is super comfortable for a 5'9' guy with a lean build. Even pillion seat cushioning is adequate.
3. Paint quality on some of the metal parts is really good. He could tell this given that he's been handling his family's power coating business for over a decade now.
4. Instrument cluster will easily attract scratches hence screen guard should be installed ASAP.

Hoping for some great memories with the new beast.

[kedar3223]

Has anyone managed to get the navigation to work on their gen 3 d390? Seems like a feature thats only present on paper

[scarn]

Got the delivery of mine today. The bike is a blast!! However, I'm a bit disappointed that the Navigation isn't functioning yet. The showroom staff provides vague answers like "It will be enabled in a month/KTM is launching a new app," does anyone here have information on when the navigation feature will be activated?

[ellusiv]

I never thought I would be making a post like this but unfortunately my 3 month old KTM Duke has suffered complete compression loss.
As I was decelerating to take a u-turn, the bike switched off and refused to start after that.

The service center kept my bike for four days before they intimated what the issue is. They called and asked if they can open the engine to find what the issue is and I am not sure what to tell them yet.
It blows my mind that a bike that was babied all throughout its break-in period and has never crossed national speed limits can suffer such a major engine issue.
I have raised a customer complaint with KTM India and I’m expecting a call-back from them at any point.
I made this post hoping that some of the members of this forum can guide me on what my next steps should be with this problem.

[kedar3223]

Originally Posted by Endless....

Look maa,new shoes 😁

Any updates on the performance of these tires? Looking to switch over to the same as my rides have increasingly started incorporating trail rides.

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by ellusiv

I never thought I would be making a post like this but unfortunately my 3 month old KTM Duke has suffered complete compression loss.
As I was decelerating to take a u-turn, the bike switched off and refused to start after that.

The service center kept my bike for four days before they intimated what the issue is. They called and asked if they can open the engine to find what the issue is and I am not sure what to tell them yet.
It blows my mind that a bike that was babied all throughout its break-in period and has never crossed national speed limits can suffer such a major engine issue.
I have raised a customer complaint with KTM India and I’m expecting a call-back from them at any point.
I made this post hoping that some of the members of this forum can guide me on what my next steps should be with this problem.

Sad to hear this. Any update on the root cause?

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

Thinking of picking up a Duke 390 sir? I think we will share the same garage then. Himalayan 411 in Common, You have the Wee 650 which I am thinking of buying and I have a Duke 390 which you are thinking of buying?

Sir, looks like it happened

Wife picked up a Duke 390! Orange all round. And what a bike!

The way it all happened...I'll share that some other time. But this bike is truly capable of being an extension to one's body!

Now to find a way to lean like that dude on the wall behind lol.