KTM Duke 390 review

• Published On: 4 April 2017
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KTM's second offering for India is an absolute hooligan! Here's a test ride of it.

The big-single 390 is a naked streetbike, produced at Bajaj's Chakan facility on the outskirts of Pune, India. The motorcycle promises a lot on paper, but what does it feel like on the road?

On the outside
This bike shares a lot with its smaller sibling, the 200 Duke. You can tell the two bikes apart from their colour combinations, and the 390 is slightly bigger, but it takes a keen eye to notice this right off the bat. The 390 is compact for its class, but don’t let that fool you – it’s a flamboyant, edgy and aggressive machine that’s full of modern tech.

Sharp angles and steep creases are everywhere. This bike has been lightened with anything excessive shaved away. This bike weighs an impressive 154kg only. The 390’s stubby front mudguard is sporty, while both orange wheels look really smart. The powerful headlight sits in a futuristic looking bikini fairing. The tapered alloy handlebars are near flat and gently pulled back, while the instruments remain a compact, digital readout similar to the one you get on the 200. However, it isn’t the easiest to read - much of its information, especially the cascading rev counter is cumbersome. The bike’s palm grips could likewise have been better, offering nice grip, but they’re pretty uncomfortable when you’re riding hard without gloves. The switchgear is illuminated and the buttons are easy to get used to and feel good to touch.

Overall quality is good, as are fit-finish and attention-to-detail on the new motorcycle.   

Power Torque
The 390’s engine sits exposed between a beefy, orange powder coated steel trellis frame, and its centrally located exhaust box peeps out from under the gearbox. The liquid-cooled 390 Duke comes with a four-stroke, 373.2cc motor makes peak power of 43bhp at 9000rpm, while maximum torque produced is 3.57kgm at 7000rpm. The gearbox offers six-speeds, a one-down and 5-up. Going through the gears is generally a smooth process. The 390 Duke does feel best when ridden hard, so short-shift up gears to extract the most out this engine.

Throttle response is immediate on the fuel-injected bike - there’s good torque, but top end power is strongest, so push the bike over 6000rpm to get the best out of it. The 390 provides seriously quick acceleration, and easily holds respectable cruising speeds. KTM claims the 390 can hit a true top-speed of 162kph in sixth. The 390’s new engine is impressive, always feeling smooth, vibe free and willing to rev.

From the saddle
Its riding position is back upright, but still sporty as your legs bend below the knees, similar to as on the 200. There’s enough space for even taller riders to move around in the firm feeling riding saddle. The 390 Duke feels nice and light to handle, always commendably stable and responding swiftly to steering inputs and weight shifts. This new KTM likes going round corners, and does so with a neutral, confident air.

The bike’s low-profile, tubeless Metzeler radial tyres work to provide tremendous grip; the 390 also comes with ABS. The Bosch 9MB, twin channel ABS braking system works like a dream. The bike gives you the option of turning off the ABS via a button on the instruments panel. Unlike the 200 Duke, on the 390 KTM has ensured the adjustable rear brake pedal is now more accessibly positioned.

Is it worth the money?
This powerful and refined KTM has all its bases covered. It packs a hefty punch – it’s a well-rounded performance motorcycle with all the ingredients to be a success.