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KTM 390 Duke in the driving report (2017)

The curve rocket

In the fight for the hearts of the young and the young at heart, KTM ignites the next level: the KTM 390 Duke receives its Euro 4 upgrade. That consists of more than LED, TFT and ride-by-wire, as we were able to experience in Turin.

"The Corner Rocket" is what the Mattighofener call their KTM 390 Duke – the cornering rocket. And that’s hardly an exaggeration, as anyone who has been allowed to drive the three-hundredweight flea down a narrow country road will sign. The simple fact is that: in the A2 machine segment, no other machine offers such an ideal power-to-weight ratio. With 44 hp and 149 kilograms dry, the KTM 390 Duke operates exactly at the legal limit of 0.2 kW per kilogram. This is ideal for fun-oriented new drivers and is good for pinning the corners of the mouths of many a fun-oriented old hand. So if he gets involved in the experiment “less is more”.

KTM 125 Duke in the driving report

Euro 4 renewed

More space for adults on the KTM 390 Duke

Goal: the globally successful KTM 390 Duke produced in India is not perfect. In addition to not consistently flawless workmanship (you can get over it in view of the athletic price) and a somewhat doughy brake, we have so far had to complain about a rather lax basic setup of the WP chassis, which is more committed to springs than to damping. With the due Euro 4 fine-tuning, KTM has taken care of this and has also donated some other interesting delicacies. The engine is mechanically largely unchanged, but so much has happened in and around the sleek orange tubular space frame of the KTM 390 Duke that we can speak of a new motorcycle.

Visually, the KTM 390 Duke is clearly based on the recently polished Super Duke R. Crisp spoilers on the tank, which has been enlarged by 2.4 to 13.4 liters, fresh decor, a new screwed, deflated rear frame and a rear view that is just like the battle-ready Full LED face (!) Taken over directly from the same 1290 R. If it weren’t a worn-out phrase, you’d have to say: Looks damn grown-up. The author "liked" anyway.

Thumbs up for ergonomics too. The seating position is compact but comfortable, a little less upright, a little more aggressive than before. Not overly short-leg-friendly (830 millimeters seat height), but with a wonderfully slim waist and wonderful knees, the driver’s upholstery is pleasing. Pleasantly cranked and medium-wide, the handlebars are ideal to hand, and long Lulatschs confirm that there is much more space for the legs on the new KTM 390 Duke than on the previous model. attack!

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Allows absurd lines and wild course corrections

The 373 cubic single is well known and robust. After the 690 got a second balancer shaft, it is the last predator in the KTM portfolio and thus the last predator ever. But his swinging expressions of life are of a good-natured nature, more of a “typical punch” than an annoying tingling sensation. The anti-hopping clutch (adjustable lever as standard, also on the brake) is very easy to pull, with a gentle "plock", smoothly and precisely, the first and all subsequent gears engage. After we spent the morning on the 125, the maximum 44 hp and 37 Newton meters (two more than before, factory information) also feel damned grown-up. An impression that persists due to the nasty Turin city traffic as well as in the mountainous hinterland of Piedmont. The stew needs 3,500 tours in the higher courses for a carefree tour. From then on, he pulls vigorously through the city, where the KTM 390 Duke hardly knows any opponents thanks to its fast handling with a dedicated pilot in pizza delivery mode.

On easy-to-handle 110 or 150 tires in 17-inch format, sheet metal avalanches are curved around on the left and right and sniffed in the middle. A couple of traffic light starts with a small ones wheelie, a 20-kilometer stretch of the motorway (on which the little single does well, although he may not really be here) and whoosh, we are in the territory of the KTM 390 Duke : There, where little ones can and the smallest streets with tight and narrow radii and good asphalt, bad asphalt, to a playground for young dukes. You probably already know what comes next, but it is always worth emphasizing anew: With a small, light motorcycle, you can experience maximum, original driving pleasure in such terrain. Even more than the 690 Duke, which is also not exactly cumbersome, the KTM 390 Duke allows absurd lines, wild course corrections and generally a cheeky handling of cornering speed. Turning in, changing direction, straightening up, pulling through – it’s all child’s play.

The first tires remain Metzeler M5

As the first tire for the KTM 390 Duke, the developers continue to trust the Metzeler M5, no longer the very latest tire, but still a good one. Especially in the class where every penny counts and where world market rim protectors are also popular. The Metzeler steers in neutrally and has reliable grip all the way down, only when it is very deep does things get a little wobbly. The Duke’s procession is spiraling higher and higher, more and more engaged in the mountain landscape of Piedmont. The streets get more and more fragile, the holes deeper and deeper. The nastier the macadam, the better the little KTM 390 Duke gets. In an effort to achieve tighter guidance, the lush spring travel at the front was cut by eight to (still lush) 142 millimeters (still 150 millimeters at the rear), but KTM’s off-road DNA shines through.

For growth markets with bad roads, the little oranges have to be given a soft vote, a little too soft for fine Federal Republican tar tape or Federal Republican affluence buttocks. From model year 2017, however, the suspension compromise got a little tighter. With somewhat harder springs, a new fork and adapted shock absorbers, the KTM 390 Duke model year 2017 now shows the minimum level of damping and composure that was previously missing.

Ride-by-wire and new brakes

So far, an even more agile start of the single-cylinder KTM 390 Duke has not been missed, but it got it anyway. It is remarkable to what pearly, bubbly throttle response the ride-by-wire helps the stew. From the middle speed range onwards, the performance is not only gaudy, but also finely dosed, which in connection with the still noticeable significant increase in torque somewhere around 6,500 turns creates enormous entertainment value. Boredom? Nothing! It’s just fun to have the stew to your heart’s content. Fast, but not breakneck. A sporty, snappy soundscape rounds off the harmonious appearance of the unit.

The Austrians have also worked on the brakes of the KTM 390 Duke. After criticism of the stability of the brakes in the MOTORRAD comparison test, the 390 Duke recently received new sintered metal brake pads, the 2017 model now also features a disc that has grown by 20 to 320 millimeters. As a result, the system of the Indian Brembo subsidiary Bybre now decelerates as crisply as you would like it to be.

Disengageable ABS with Supermoto mode

The ABS on the new KTM 390 Duke is a small highlight in this class: it has a supermoto mode in which it only works at the front – young drifters are allowed to clap – and can also be switched off. Thank you, KTM!

The TFT display is also a small highlight. It is chic, easy to read and use, has a useful range of functions, can even be connected to a mobile phone via Bluetooth and then accepts calls or controls the audio playback of connected devices. Okay, the latter may not be a highlight for everyone.

Criticism? In any case, none of the workmanship of the KTM 390 Duke, which was a little better, is at least appropriate for the price. Only the fan, which howls terribly loud and does so terribly often in city traffic. This is a bit surprising, as the cooling circuit would have to be designed for a warm climate. Rework would be desirable here. Apart from that, the little duke appears to have been upgraded all around. 390 Duke: Great fun for a small thaler.

Offers used KTM 390 Duke

1000PS marketplace app

The A2-KTM is considered to be very price stable.

The Austrian curve rocket from Mattighofen is very popular in the A2 category, which is also evident from its availability on the used market. Many copies of the KTM 390 Duke can be found and the Duke is considered to be very price-stable when it comes to resale. Here is an overview of the KTM 390 Duke classifieds: used KTM 390 Duke in Germany.

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