2021 KTM 390 Duke review: Photos, details, differences from its predecessor

RU-MOTO rating

• Reliability
• Chassis
• Appearance
• Comfort

4.3

Verdict

The strong point of our motorcycle is the city. Despite the small cubic capacity, unlike charged sportbikes, the KTM feels confident thanks to its small dimensions and low weight. All these advantages have a positive effect on its handling. At the same time, the motorcycle does not experience discomfort in light off-road conditions. Of course, it will be difficult to surprise an experienced motorcyclist with this model. But for a beginner this will be the best choice.

Small, with an individual appearance, at first glance it may seem a little frivolous. In fact, the characteristics of the device, developed by engineers from the Austrian company KTM, are carefully balanced. This motorcycle is universal. It is ideal for driving in the city, will forgive you for light off-road conditions, and, if desired, will give you the opportunity to try yourself on an amateur track.

Black KTM against the backdrop of the lake

Appearance

Let's start our review of the KTM Duke 390 with the first impressions. The motorcycle looks stylish, especially in the dark orange coloring familiar to the brand. At first glance, it is no different from the younger KTM Duke 125 and this is almost true, because the changes in appearance are minimal. The sharp edges of the naked bike give the motorcycle a fast and rugged look. It’s nice that every detail is thought out to the smallest detail, so that together the motorcycle creates a single picture.

If you look closely, the main components and fragile elements are carefully packed into the frame or protected by protruding footrests and handles. This approach will allow you to save the motorcycle if it falls.

Motorcycle tuning

This device has significant potential for improvement and settings. At the same time, Duke owners rarely limit themselves to primitive styling; most often the following work is performed:

• You can buy a rear wing instead of the standard one on the KTM Duke 390 relatively inexpensively. After its installation, the bike is transformed and acquires a more sporty silhouette.
• Titanium mufflers are installed in place of the original mufflers, which have an increased service life and a completely unique exhaust sound.

• Experienced owners recommend an original design trunk for the KTM 390 Duke, which will allow you to transport small cargo.

True connoisseurs of fast driving reconfigure the fuel system, which allows them to add another 15 km/h to the maximum speed. The suspension is quite rigid and such an increase does not affect the stability and controllability of the device.

Installing a rack on a motorcycle

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The stunning appearance of the bike is mesmerizing

Motor and gearbox

The single-cylinder engine has a pleasant torque level and gives good pickup from the bottom. At the same time, the engine is revvy and, if necessary, easily “shoots” to maximum speed. Volume 373 cc, power 44 hp. The engine is powered by simple 95 gasoline, but the best thing is the consumption. In the “urban vegetable” mode, only 3.5 liters of gasoline will be consumed per 100 km.

Despite the presence of a balance shaft, there are vibrations and they are noticeable when driving slowly. The rest of the time you don't notice them due to extraneous noise and also thanks to the rubber pads under the legs.

Suspension

The 43 mm White Power front fork is an example of a sports suspension. Rear shock absorber from the same company with progressive characteristics and preload. The result is excellent handling, softness when going over bumps and sufficient rigidity for high-speed driving. Together with the motorcycle's low weight, this makes it extremely nimble. So much so that when you want to change your motorcycle to a more powerful one, you will definitely miss this nimbleness and behavior on the road.

The large suspension travel of 150 mm allows you to move comfortably on smooth asphalt, roads with potholes and even dirt tracks.

Photo and video

The new KTM 390 is presented at the exhibition

A motorcycle on the shore of a pond glistens in the sun's rays

Virtuoso on the wheels of a KTM motorcycle

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Good maneuverability on the road

Review and test drive of the KTM-390 motorcycle

Driving experience

When you sit on the KTM Duke 390 for the first time, you don’t experience any discomfort. On the contrary, everything seems very clear and familiar. The fit is classic and immediately hints that this vehicle is better suited to living in the city. After all, if you try to slightly reduce your windage, there is not much room for this. The knees begin to rest against the tank, and the fifth point is pressed tightly against the seat stop.

The steering wheel is comfortable, as are the switches on it. The handles have the expected effort on them and are fully informative. A nice touch is that all the indicators on the handles are illuminated. Regarding the KTM 390 duke, all owner reviews about the steering wheel are only positive.

I didn’t like the size and format of displaying information on the on-board computer screen. If the speedometer is clearly visible, then the tachometer will be visible only to the most eagle-eyed, as well as most other information. Now it’s clear why a blinker was installed, because if you rely on the tachometer indicators when switching, and not on your own hearing, then inconvenience may arise.

Advantages and disadvantages

The KTM 390 is smartly designed and offers balanced performance.

pros

• Comfortable driving position.
• Intuitive layout of controls.
• Informative instrument panel.
• Excellent braking system with ABS.

Minuses

• In short gears I force you to actively work with the gearbox.
• Price.
• A small number of dealerships.
• Problems with the plug.
• Frequent dashboard breakdowns.

Dynamic indicators

Road, city KTM Duke 390 2021 will give odds to most cars in the stream. The dynamics of acceleration to hundreds are within 5-6 seconds, and the maximum speed is slightly more than 160 km/h.

The sharp gas of the motorcycle constantly pushes you to twist the handle and rush to the point from the traffic light. For an experienced rider this is normal, especially after riding a sports motorcycle, but a beginner will twitch all the time, especially when moving smoothly in traffic.

Despite its low volume, the 2021 KTM 390 duke's reviews and videos point to its desire to lift the front wheel into the sky. We have verified this claim. The bike tries to get into a wheelie, even in 2nd and 3rd gears. Fortunately, its frame allows it to absorb such climbs, but even if you raised the front wheel in the air, just release the gas and the motorcycle itself will return to a horizontal position.

Competitors

The main competitor in this class is the Honda CB400. If you compare it AND KTM Duke 390, the technical characteristics of both motorcycles will be very similar. Honda noticeably wins in dynamics, due to a more powerful and more revving engine. 53 horsepower versus 44 – it’s an unequal battle. Here the Honda is better both in acceleration and in terms of top speed.

However, the 2021 KTM Duke 390 still has a couple of aces up its sleeve. This is the motorcycle suspension and its low weight. These two parameters turn the motorcycle into a standard of handling and behavior on the road in the city. Reactions to any change in trajectory are instantaneous,

Price

This model has been produced since 2013. In our country, it is sold through a network of official representative offices of the company. The cost of a new motorcycle in the showroom is 370,000 rubles. On the secondary market, the choice is quite large, but the spread is insignificant: the minimum asking price is 250 thousand rubles. The maximum amount for a two-year device is equal to the cost of a new bike.

Review of prices for a motorcycle model KMT 390.

Maintainability

Austrian motorcycles are exceptionally reliable. This is what you pay more for than other similar motorcycles. All kinds of consumables, such as pads, oil and filters, must be replaced regularly. Otherwise, the bike does not cause any complaints or expenses. An excellent warranty system will allow you to repair most faults, even after the warranty has expired. If we read reviews about the KTM 390 Duke, it turns out that for such a motorcycle even 100 thousand km is not the limit.

Possible faults

The weak point can be called the fork legs; quite often motorcycle owners complained about oil leaks. There are cases of failure of the instrument panel.

Some vehicles manufactured in 2014 have a factory defect in the drive sprocket. This malfunction does not have any external signs until the circuit breaks. The drive sprocket was replaced by official service centers under warranty free of charge.

Otherwise the motorcycle is quite simple and has proven itself to be a reliable piece of equipment.

Weaknesses of the KTM 390 motorcycle

KTM Duke 390 tuning

For those who suddenly decided that they were tired of the standard appearance of the Duke, the manufacturer presents its own tuning studio - KTM POWERPARTS. The company's catalog contains everything you need to customize a bike. From caps and switches to exhaust systems and seats. Almost any part of a motorcycle that can be unscrewed is available in several versions. Moreover, most of the modifications carry a practical load. The footpegs have improved texture for greater traction. Ventilated discs improve braking, speed chainrings increase top speed. A more detailed list can be found on the manufacturer’s website. You can't go wrong when choosing a KTM Duke 390 for tuning.

KTM 390 Duke 2021 review, results

Having carefully examined the characteristics and main features of the KTM 390 Duke, we can confidently say that this motorcycle is intended for:

• beginners;
• everyday driving in the city.

Any other use of it will be simply pointless, as fragile plastic elements can be damaged off-road. On the race track, its handling will give it an advantage in the corners, but on the straights it will lag behind the competition. It is a dubious option to send it on long trips. His main goal is to conquer the city streets. Here this daredevil feels right at home, allowing him to deftly maneuver in traffic and move around, keeping up with and even overtaking traffic.

For all young motorcyclists and those without enough experience, the bike will give a lot of emotions and allow them to roll in order to feel confident on two-wheeled equipment. The bike is “naked”, so if you fall, the damage will be minimal, ABS will not allow you to fall due to wheel locking, and easy controls will save you from an accident more than once. Finally, the bike has enough power to go fast, but not enough to kill you if you open the throttle carelessly.

Specifications

Hello friends! Today I will tell you my impressions of the KTM 390 with ABS. I asked him from the KTM representative for a long test drive.

The text version of the review will be under the cut. And so I’ll tell you a little about the performance characteristics of the motorcycle:

The motorcycle is positioned as a city motorcycle for the average rider. According to information from the Internet, it accelerates from 0-100 in 6 seconds. Previous models had problems: the plug was leaking, problems with the filter box (cracked), a weak circuit, the fan sensor was dying. According to the representative office, these shortcomings have been resolved in the 2021 model. How it will turn out in reality - we'll see. The model received a new “face” and tidy in the style of the new 1290 and 690. To be honest, when I saw the motorcycle in the parking lot I thought it was the new 690. It turned out that this was my experimental subject - almost scabies.

One of the interesting innovations is a light sensor, which not only turns on the low beam, but also changes the background of the dashboard to dark so as not to blind the rider. The headlight is now equipped with diodes. The light is very bright, at 200m it even dazzles a little in the daytime (distant). A huge plus for the visibility of the motorcycle in the mirrors.

Dimensions

In terms of dimensions, the motorcycle feels small, light and nimble. It turned out to be quite comfortable in a traffic jam, with the exception of the rear-view mirrors, which, like mugs, are flush with the car mirrors. The motorcycle is light, and at high speeds it wobbles slightly due to the lack of mass. But at 70-80 km/h it lays down and handles like a bicycle.

Brakes

I liked the brake system of BYBRE, a subsidiary of Bermbo that equips Indian-made motorcycles. There is an ABS system with the ability to turn off completely, or turn off the rear wheel. A nice bonus for a motorcycle in this segment.

Engine

The engine is single-barrel, very narrow and located slightly to the right. There are not very many relics in it (44), but due to its low weight there is enough of it in the city. It gains within 0-100 quite cheerfully and confidently. After 100, with noticeable weakness, it is possible to accelerate the motorcycle to 140, and after that - only as far as the road will allow. According to the passport, the top is 175 km/h, but I was able to squeeze out 162 km/h. The motorcycle is also equipped with an electronic throttle. Therefore, at idle the speed jumps a little. Interesting fact, the blinker asks to switch already from 6500-7000 rpm. Although all the engine juice is revealed between 7,000 and 10,000 rpm. Perhaps this is the firmware for the break-in period.

Suspension

It seemed a little harsh to me, but it handles light unevenness well. The motorcycle feels like it's stuck to the asphalt. Of course, this is not the top, but among the 400s, in my opinion, it is a very successful suspension.

Tidy

The “tablet” instead of the dashboard immediately catches your eye. All readings are displayed on it, including the gear indicator and blinker in the format of changing the color of the tachometer and indicator. There is a menu where you can customize the colors of the tidy, count errors, view lap times, and so on. You can also configure ABS modes on the dashboard.

General impressions

The shortcomings that were identified by me during the test drive are: the left plastic, which is attached to the tank, rattles disgustingly at low engine speeds.
After sharp braking (not emergency) from 120 km/h, the gear indicator stopped working. I tried to jump around and click through the gears, but it didn’t help. Restarting the motorcycle resolved the issue. The rear brake foot is very recessed down; I did not find any adjustments during a quick inspection. The saddle of the second number is very high and not very comfortable for the passenger. It brakes well, despite having only 1 brake disc. The rear gear lifts up from the clutch into 1st gear from 30 km/h quite simply. The gearbox works very smoothly, in the first it was even difficult to understand whether it was in neutral or whether it was 2nd gear. After an hour's drive I got used to it and there were no problems. The gears themselves are short, with the exception of the first - you can drive it up to 30-40. The fit was very comfortable for me, who is 176cm tall.

The motorcycle's dynamics are enough for the city. But of course I would like more. For a beginner, in my opinion, the motorcycle is quite suitable. The price tag of this device is 339,000 rubles. Yes, this is quite expensive in my opinion, and I would take a used city six hundred for myself if the question of purchase arose. But for people who don’t want to play a pig in a poke, or simply prefer new technology, it’s fine. The Bajaj Dominar 400 with a price tag of 250k will play good competition with it, considering that it is assembled at the same factory and is practically a clone of this motorcycle.

This was the test drive. I hope to get a BMW 310 in the near future and compare it with the Duke. Thank you for your attention.