KTM Duke 390 test

Menus

• Light is Right !
• The little Duke 390 is an amazing machine. Ultra light and very powerful without being radical, it comes to hunt on the lands of the Honda CB 500, well helped by a canon sale price. !
• Presentation
• In the saddle
• In the city
• Motorway and expressways
• Departmental
• Braking
• Comfort and duo
• Practical aspects and accessories
• Consumption
• Conclusion

Light is Right !

The little Duke 390 is an amazing machine. Ultra light and very powerful without being radical, it comes to hunt on the lands of the Honda CB 500, well helped by a canon sale price. !

The youngest of KTM has it all. The Duke 390 not only fills the gaping hole left between the 125-200 duo of the Duke 200 and the “big” Duke 690, but it also meets the criteria of the future European A2 license. In short, a pivotal machine to keep the owners of the eighth of a liter in the family (the Duke is at the top of 125 motorcycle registrations in Europe with 10,000 registrations in 1 year) and to attract the many future first-time buyers of the big cube license. Last but not least, the Duke 390 is KTM’s first “world” motorcycle. Understand by this that it will be distributed over the whole of the globe or almost, since the Mattighofen firm will sell it in 76 countries … an exceptional year 2012 with sales up 32% and a claimed status of leading European manufacturer thanks to its focus on the TT sector where it holds more than 50% of the market share !

Presentation

All KTM aficionados have wondered: is the Duke 390 more of a mini 690 or a supercharged 125/200? In view of the technical sheet, this is more the second solution that KTM seems to have favored since the Duke 390 uses the tubular trellis frame of the small one. It’s good for economies of scale, but KTM still slipped out of a specific twin-shaft single-cylinder with 375cc cubic capacity weighing just 36 kilograms. The dimensions are super square with 89 mm of bore for only 60 mm of stroke with a forged piston, a cylinder treated nikasil, a last generation injection and a high flow oil pump. The result ? 44 horsepower (35 kW) obtained at 9,500 rpm and 35 Nm of torque at 7,250 rpm. Despite this high specific efficiency, the service frequencies are set every 7,500 km. More surprisingly, if the power is below the limit set by the A2 license (48 hp), the Duke 390 will have to be restricted for young people allowed to 30 kW to respect the imposed weight / power ratio of 0.2 kW.kg , the “fault” at a full weight of less than 150 kg !

Peripherals have also been tidied up with a cast aluminum swingarm similar to that of the Duke 690, a 43mm diameter WP inverted fork (but not adjustable) and a 300mm diameter front brake clamped by a 4 radial caliper. pistons coupled to a latest generation disconnectable ABS. At the rear, there is also a signed WP element adjustable only in preload. Finally, note the great effort made on the original tire assembly, Metzeler Sportec M5, while a Kawasaki Ninja 300 is content with IRC with doubtful grip in the wet.

In the saddle

Those who like me belong to the increasingly closed circle of small riders (barely 170 cm) can praise the god KTM who concocted us a saddle height with small onions of only 800 mm high. Morality, even with track boots, we put both heels flat while keeping the feet slightly bent. What happiness! My very dear English colleague John Hurry, measuring 1.85 m at the withers, for his part experienced some difficulties in fitting his bristles under the notches of the tank. Basketball friends, go your way ….

On the other hand, we rant about the lack of adjustment of the levers when it comes to gripping the handlebars, which is moreover very pretty. Without going so far as to split off with wheel and eccentric models, KTM could have made the effort to integrate an adjustment by BTR screws, although tedious to adjust, but which would have only slightly increased the final sale price. Let’s continue with the little details that annoy the dashboard. We are entitled to a plethora of information: speed, rpm, odometer, trips, time, engine temperature, fuel gauge, remaining range, average consumption, kickstand indicator light, side …. but the whole is difficult to read (especially the tachometer) and the window dedicated to ephemeral information such as consumption is reset each time the ignition is switched off, requiring you to systematically fiddle with the buttons on the dashboard to fall back to the desired display.

KTM, great lord, announces that the handlebars are backlit (nice at night) but it is not said that this will compensate some buyers for the complaints mentioned above. In terms of finishes, we rub shoulders with the very good and the average. Nothing to say about the peripherals, all of excellent quality, nor the fit of the body parts or the quality of the hardware. On the other hand, the routing of the electrical circuit and its insulation stigmatize an assembly made an India in the giant Bajaj. The alter-globalists will be a little angry. Note all the same that our machines were pre-production copies, the quality of the beam may be revised upwards on machines sold in dealerships…. As for those who say that the KTM 390 may suffer from a Chinese level of reliability, they rest assured. All machines undergo very strict quality control at Mattighofen before being reinjected into the distribution channel. Okay, it’s time to get started. Pressing the right stalk and the small mono snort discreetly via a Buell-style silencer compacted behind the engine. Let’s go….

In the city

Raising the side stand is a snap. The clutch is a bit hard, the lever a bit far, but everything else helps make the Duke a real tool in the city..
The triangle saddle handlebar footrest – roadster type and not SM – is ideally designed for dwarfs and quickly puts you at ease, just like the gearbox which is quickly forgotten, even accepting to up or down gears without l using the right lever. A real plus. The single-cylinder also cuts a fine figure. Able to resume at 2,500 rpm on a trickle of gas in the first three gears, it even accepts shifting into sixth from 3,000 laps, or 57 km / h, but the pick-ups are too laborious to exploit this surprising flexibility..

After passing through a few towns (the test takes place in Salzburg, Austria, on KTM land), the Duke is naturally kept between 3000 and 6000 rpm before changing gears. The arrival of power and torque is gradual with a very smooth throttle response. We also find the same feel of the suspensions of the last Duke 690. Very soft at the start of the race thanks to the use of progressive springs, the 390 swallows without flinching the vagaries of the asphalt without transforming itself into a rocking horse. first braking pressed. Braking, too, seems to have been calibrated on the urban model (foaming) with a gentle attack on the first few millimeters of the race allowing deceleration to be measured to the nearest km / h. As for the setting on the angle, it is done effortlessly and – also – very gradually. The front axle does not have the ultra incisive side of a Ducati Hypermotard with a very closed caster angle, but the featherweight and reasonable size of the tires do wonders in traffic jams. So much so that you have the impression that you are riding the Duke 125 from which it is derived.

Motorway and expressways

As soon as you leave the cities, the Duke’s engine shows a radically different face as soon as you let the tachometer needle rise above 6500 rpm. Docile until then, it switches to turbo mode afterwards. The transition is surprising, if not almost brutal, with a needle that instantly races to climb the assault on the red zone. Admittedly, we are far from the lyrical flights of a full-size 600 Supersport, but the thrust remains surprising in view of the small 44 horses announced and gives the whole a real two-stroke character. Better still, the thrust does not collapse once it has passed the maximum power threshold of 9500 rpm and still pushes copiously until the switch 1000 turns higher. The only downside is that the throttle grip is far too long to take full advantage of the health of the mono and we often find ourselves twisting the right wrist more than necessary to get the most out of it..

Let’s continue with the good news with a gearing down. In sixth gear, the needle displays 110 km / h at 6,000 rpm and 130 km / h at 7,000 revs, which means that long motorway stages can be envisaged without risking seeing the connecting rod pass through the crankcase. At top speed, the Duke even gave us a nice 172 km / h without forcing before having to give up due to impromptu slowing down. No doubt, this KTM mono is in good health! Several large curves, not necessarily well coated, also showed that stability at high speed was much more akin to the rails bordering them than to the sausage enjoyed in the morning for breakfast. After this emotional sequence, the lack of protection means that we naturally stall at 130 km / h, a speed at which we start to feel some vibrations in the handlebars and footrests. Finally, note that if the suspensions are always distinguished by comfort, the consistency of the saddle – and especially the protruding edges of its triangular design – quickly stiffen the rear. It is all the more unfortunate that KTM announces an average consumption of around 3.8 l / 100 km. Combined with the 11-liter tank, this KTM Duke 390 can therefore easily consider passing the 300-kilometer mark before refueling, but we will come back to fuel consumption in detail a little later ….

Departmental

The Austrian departmentals having made up most of our test route, we were able to push this new Duke to its limits several times. And in this exercise, the 390 is more reminiscent of the last 690 than of the 125. The local asphalt, patchwork style, once again highlighted the surprising comfort of the suspensions. Miss 390 goes quickly everywhere without flinching or fidgeting while offering a very good reading of the road. The remark holds true for most modern roadsters, from the Honda CB 500 to the Kawasaki ER-6n, thanks to excellent front / rear tuning that makes the suspensions always work together, even under heavy stress. But the KTM adds large travel (150 mm), low weight and hydraulic control hitherto unknown in this price range. Serene in all circumstances, the Duke always puts its driver in confidence and allows many jokes. A minefield in the middle of a bend? We don’t cut! A bend that is closing? A little rear brake and we tighten the rope without sweating. The same goes for the angled brakes, which barely stiffen the whole thing and keep the fork in all its directional power. Yet the front end has neither the surgical precision of a Street Triple, nor the glued-to-the-ground side of a Monster. We could even criticize him for filtering the feedback a little too much. No, the efficiency and the fun here come from the light weight of the set. You’d almost want a few more canassons as well as a big handful of torque. Because to make the most of mono, you have to make sure you keep it above 7,000 laps or you risk feeling a little stuck out of the bends. Once integrated this parameter, this KTM will be able to show it to the machines of the higher categories as it seems easy in all circumstances.

Braking

Those unfamiliar with smaller engines may wonder where the BYBRE branded calipers came from. This is the Brembo range dedicated to machines under 600 cm3. And if the appellation is less prestigious, the stopping power is very present. The front element, a radial 4 piston, mated here to a 300mm diameter disc never showed the slightest sign of weakness. As noted earlier, the attack is gentle – probably so as not to scare off beginners – but the power is there without having to pull the lever excessively. Admittedly, the lever feedback is not phenomenal, but the standard Bosch two-way ABS more than makes up for the choice of the very basic master cylinder responsible for this phenomenon. Note also the quality of the rear brake, both powerful and dosable. A valuable ally on heavy braking, it is also perfect for closing a trajectory or simply for slowing down in an urban environment..

Comfort and duo

While we can only praise the softness of the suspensions, the saddle comfort is far from perfect. The firm consistency will not appeal to all hindquarters and the protruding edges of its design tend to cut off traffic, causing in my case tingling after minus a few tens of kilometers. Fortunately, an optional comfort saddle should help matters a lot. As for the space dedicated to the sandbag, it will be perfect for troubleshooting but little more. The position is not caricature and the grab handles are well positioned but the surface is small and the consistency of the same barrel as before. For short trips only.

Practical aspects and accessories

For the practical aspects, it borders on nothingness as on most roadsters. We have already mentioned the lack of adjustment of the levers and the space under the saddle can only accommodate one disc assembly. Fortunately, the KTM options catalog is well stocked whatever the need. Fans of customization will be entitled to a whole battery of stickers to affix to the tank and wheels, elements cut in aluminum and anodized orange and even a kit of LED diodes to be inserted on either side of the tank. Athletes can fall back on many protective elements ranging from wheel castors to hand guards, including crankcase guards and “racing” footrests, not to mention the essential Akrapovic pot. As for those who want to eat from the terminal, a luggage kit is available, as is a dedicated support for GPS. This small list is far from exhaustive but the curious can always consult the entire catalog online on the manufacturer’s website..

Consumption

The amount of gasoline consumed depends a lot on the pace adopted. At the start of the journey, the on-board computer sometimes climbed to over six liters of average consumption. After a reset and a less nervous driving rhythm, several machines posted fuel consumption ranging between 2.7 and 3.2 liters. At the end of the day, after a journey of more than 200 kilometers, some machines had largely exhausted their reserve while others announced a remaining range of close to 100 kilometers…. According to KTM, the average fuel consumption on a mixed route is around 3.8 L / 100 km.

Conclusion

The clientele that KTM targets with its Duke 390 is more or less the same as Honda with its CB 500, namely young drivers but also commuters, returning bikers and (a little) the fairer sex. It is not by chance that the Austrians have included in the specifications of the Duke 390 a reduced cost of use (consumption, maintenance, consumables, etc.) in parallel with a particularly attractive selling price of € 5,090 despite the presence of original ABS. A small tour de force when we know that the CB 500 is € 500 more expensive. KTM does not hesitate to say that without its association with Bajaj, in charge of assembly, such a selling price would have been impossible to achieve with production in Austria. However, the KTM is far from being a product at a discount with peripherals (brakes, suspensions, pneumatic fittings) of a much higher quality than what is usually seen in this price range. Moreover, we find more or less the same qualities as on the Duke 690: ease of handling, high-level handling without sacrificing the comfort of the suspensions, excellent braking, expressive engine in the towers…. Faced with the CB 500, one cannot blame it for an engine that is much less full, displacement requires. A defect largely offset by the enormous fun capital of the orange featherweight. After that, we obviously have to come to terms with the brand’s DNA, starting with a look that is anything but consensual and a policy of unique colors that may put off some. The network of only 88 dealers will also be a barrier to its distribution. KTM still expects to sell no less than 700 units this year with marketing starting this summer. A word of advice, if you see a model available for trial, take the opportunity, you will not be disappointed !

Strong points

• Grip and handling
• Quality peripherals
• Braking
• Price
• Fun and frugal engine

Weak points

• High power
• No adjustable stems
• Some finishing details
• Too long throttle pull
• Readability of the dashboard

Competitors: Honda CB 500, Honda NC 700, Kawasaki Ninja 300, BMW F 700 GS

The technical sheet of the Duke 390

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