KTM 390 Duke test: the duchess of A2 licenses !
The KTM 390 Duke is the Austrian manufacturer’s response to the new regulations for the new A2 license … but not only! After more than 1,500 exhilarating km on its handlebars, MNC fell under the spell of this exhilarating beginner’s bike. Test.
Pure sensations !
Despite an attractive price of € 5,115 (standard ABS), KTM has not cut corners on the equipment of its "moderately small" roadster. The dashboard of this 390 is particularly generous in information for a motorcycle of this price.
Apart from an almost illegible tachometer and the absence of the outside temperature, this instrumentation borders on faultless: there is a shift-light, a gear indicator engaged, a clock, a gauge, the engine temperature, the remaining autonomy, two trips and average consumption. The icing on the cake, the commodos are backlit: a very practical refinement absent on most motorcycles, including the most expensive !
The 390 Duke maintains exactly the proportions of its little sisters. The positive aspects that result are a featherweight (139 kg without the 11 liters of gasoline), a remarkable smoothness and a reasonable seat height of 800 mm.
Other side of the coin: if no stress is exerted on the upper body thanks to a sufficiently wide and curved handlebars, the legs and buttocks are wickedly cramped. The strongly retracted toe clips induce a sensitive bend in the knees, which will hurt those over 1.80 m. Likewise, the duo inevitably goes through a certain promiscuity !
Nevertheless, the 390 Duke is equipped with practical handles and a fairly honest independent passenger seat: the attention deserves to be emphasized. In terms of presentation, the bike is well finished and some parts flatter the retina (radial caliper, worked swingarm, etc.), but some electric wires and stickers deserve better treatment…
Urban … because it has to be !
Lighter than a lot of motorcycles and especially 125 cc scooters, the 390 Duke offers an almost immediate grip. Young A2 license holders will feel much more comfortable there than on a 600 or 800 cc bridged roadster and much heavier..
Only motorcyclists under 1.65 m will find the seat – thin but relatively comfortable – a little too high. The maneuvers at a standstill are only simple formalities and we only blame it for a side stand that is a little capricious to deploy.
Contact ! The mono delivers a metallic sound that lacks a bit of "trunk": to the ear, difficult to distinguish big acoustic differences with that of the Duke 125 … The first engages smoothly, but the start requires reinforcement of the clutch handle up to 2,500-3,000 rpm, otherwise the mechanics will knock.
We quickly realize that this 373.2 cc single-cylinder is piloted more in the revs than in the torque. Moreover, its red zone which starts at 9500 rev / min confirms its area of predilection: there is "whipping" in the air. !
This lack of flexibility makes the 390 Duke rather demanding in town: it demands to play with the gearbox and the clutch to avoid under-revs. Its carrying capacity is also almost zero, except for a tiny place under the passenger seat for a disc lock..
Driver protection is – as with all naked roadsters – non-existent. Fortunately, despite a small 11-liter tank, its reasonable average consumption (measured) of 4.1 l / 100 km allows a range of more than 200 km. Even when riding hard enough, which the motorcycle quickly prompts to do !
Because once integrated into its manual, the little Katoche shows off its formidable dynamic efficiency: between its narrow tires (110 mm at the front and 150 at the rear) and its lightness, the Duke 390 is a real bike. . But a bike that "potato" thanks to its sports engine !
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