KTM Duke 390

[CSV]

  mechwira said:

since every review says the 390 identical in looks and size to the 200, in fact i believe it uses the exact same body to house the bigger engine, i decided to get a close look at the 200 to decide once and for all whether i wanted the duke or just go ahead with the ninja.

 

the minute i sat on the 200, everything just felt wrong. its probably just me and not the bike itself, especially since i was on a cbr600 for the past 8 years.

 

an upright sitting posture i was already expecting, but the strangeness for me was more than that. the bike felt too tiny in front of my crotch, too skinny between my legs, and add that to the scrambler-like posture... dont say 2b bike, it felt like i was on a bmx bicycle about to do stunts on a ramp in some bike park. i didn have the confidence to ride this bike, its just not for me. i have to say though, i am not big-sized (1.68m tall) and even sitting on a cb400 or hornet250 did not make me feel as strange as i did on the duke.

 

but like i said, its probably just me. anyone upgrading from a 2b roadster like CBF or YBR or wateva, i think you'll instantly feel like you haven changed bike (until you throttle it on the road obviously).

 

but once i sat on the ninja300, everything felt instantly familiar and natural. sitting on them one after another, i knew that the ninja will give me the same confidence to ride the way i know, but the duke is going to take quite a bit of adjustment. but even if i get used to riding the duke, i dont think i'll be happy being on a bike with such tiny proportions.

 

as such, i placed a deposit for the ninja. yes i'm feeling kinda crappy to skip a bike that will surely outperform the ninja, but ultimately i cant place good money on a bike that i'm not sure will make me happy, and i know that performance is not the only thing that makes me a happy rider.

 

potential buyers should really, really sit on that bike first and think about it.

 

i think end of the day, it comes down to preference. some people like to lean forward, others like to be more upright.

 

you've been riding the cbr so it's only natural for you to prefer the Ninja. nothing wrong with that though, it is a solid bike with some nice features. ABS, Slipper clutch etc. i like the looks as well.

 

i've been riding standard bikes for quite some time so i naturally prefer the upright posture, plus, i dont think my wrist or back can handle being leaned over for extended periods.

 

but yeah, seems like the 390 is just a 390cc engine in the Duke 200 frame.

[revhappy]

Honda is launching the CBR400 in India, may be this bike will also come to Singapore, but not sure when.

But if and when it comes, it will be a good option

 

http://www.motorbeam.com/bikes/honda-cbr400/honda-unveils-pictures-of-cbr400-range/

[link]

Cant wait for the duke to arrive. Do they provide test ride?

[keyxblade]

  link said:

Cant wait for the duke to arrive. Do they provide test ride?

 

I saw 1 park outside CDC few days ago. it look exactly like duke 125 except it has bigger engine and the label is duke 390

[keyxblade]

  keyxblade said:

I saw 1 park outside CDC few days ago. it look exactly like duke 125 except it has bigger engine and the label is duke 390

sorry i remember wrongly. it should be a duke 200

[shinoda86]

lets pray that this duke 390 reaches our shores by end of june!!!

[link]

It will, i called to check already. Test ride will well be on the way as well/\,

[aiaichip]

I cant wait to test the bike!

[thechosenx]

I really hated the looks from the KTM 200 (Sorry) and always "smile" when i see a KTM 125/200 rider.

 

But WOW! KTM 390 specs are looking great! I would consider changing once it's out. 43HP, single cylinder it's good stuff, ABS and Metzeler M5 comes in standard.

[neojava]

wonder how it looks with a rearbox.. does it spoil the look ?

[jjongkp]

Any updates to this thread? Anyone test ride one yet? What does it cost OTR?

[mechwira]

the bike like becoming a joke leh. non-existent imaginary bike. i think its not dirtwheel's fault, it seems the problem is at its source. this had been my original first option for downgrade, and i'm glad i didn wait for its release to make my decision.

 

the bike has only arrived in India showrooms and nowhere else in the world. strangely even though its in India showrooms, a search on the net does not reveal anyone who has actually bought the bike. not that nobody wants to, it seems beyond the showroom display there isn any available for purchase.

 

something very strange is going on. at first KTM insisted on taking back every Duke390 to repaint the rims orange because they didn like the black that it came with. now some sites claim the india factory manufacturing the duke390 parts has an indefinite strike.

 

bottomline: nobody has seen this bike outside of india and people are beginning to give up waiting and exploring other options.

[mechwira]

-double post-

[jjongkp]

Maybe KTM was just testing the market interest? I'm actually considering it as an upgrade option!!

[mechwira]

check out the following news:

 

KTM/Bajaj claims production unaffected by strike, but production has slowed:

 

http://in.news.yahoo.com/ktm-390-duke-deliveries-unaffected-strike-183000557.html

 

and delivery to India only to begin end september, heaven knows when the rest of the world will receive them

 

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/ktm-390-domestic-delivery-from-september-end-bajaj-auto/article5029383.ece

 

and apparently KTM CEO claims the bike will only arrive in USA in 2014. you have to wonder if this applies everywhere else outside of India.

 

usually a 2013 bike is released in 2012. for the first time, i see a 2013 bike released one year later.

[jjongkp]

You're quite right. Makes me wonder if there will be quality issues even when they do start to ship...

[yogi]

  mechwira said:

the bike like becoming a joke leh. non-existent imaginary bike. i think its not dirtwheel's fault, it seems the problem is at its source. this had been my original first option for downgrade, and i'm glad i didn wait for its release to make my decision.

 

the bike has only arrived in India showrooms and nowhere else in the world. strangely even though its in India showrooms, a search on the net does not reveal anyone who has actually bought the bike. not that nobody wants to, it seems beyond the showroom display there isn any available for purchase.

 

something very strange is going on. at first KTM insisted on taking back every Duke390 to repaint the rims orange because they didn like the black that it came with. now some sites claim the india factory manufacturing the duke390 parts has an indefinite strike.

 

bottomline: nobody has seen this bike outside of india and people are beginning to give up waiting and exploring other options.

 

actually the bike is available for viewing (& test ride) at the dealer... (unless something has happened over the last couple of weeks)

[mechwira]

  yogi said:

actually the bike is available for viewing (& test ride) at the dealer... (unless something has happened over the last couple of weeks)

 

ok, i stand corrected about the bike's existence.

 

nonetheless, nowhere in the world is this bike available for purchase.

[dogfish]

So right now it's only pre-order?

[revhappy]

  mechwira said:

and apparently KTM CEO claims the bike will only arrive in USA in 2014. you have to wonder if this applies everywhere else outside of India.

 

usually a 2013 bike is released in 2012. for the first time, i see a 2013 bike released one year later.

 

This bike was launched 1st in Singapore, before India. The Singapore pricing was out, much before India pricing.

 

http://worldrapid.com/ktm-duke-390-launched-in-singapore-price-features-and-specs.html

 

Delivery wise too, Singapore delivery should happen before India delivery.

[mechwira]

yeah, well apparently 'launched' and 'delivered' dont mean the same thing. launched seems to mean available for order, and i know dirtwheel is taking pre-order coz they told me so.

 

has anyone who ordered the bike actually received it? coz a search on the net shows nobody in the world has actually received this bike.

[revhappy]

http://www.indiancarsbikes.in/motorcycles/in-india-ktm-duke-390-deliveries-to-begin-by-september-last-week-73174/

 

According to this article India delivery is expected in September last week. I am sure the Singapore delivery batch from the factory would have already been underway, but it may be stuck somewhere in the customs, lta clearance etc.

 

I remember the Pulsar 200NS too had some 6 months delay, compared to the expected delivery date. These new bikes always get delayed.

Edited August 20, 2013 by revhappy

[mechwira]

bro, you're not getting it: this is a GLOBAL delay. everybody around the world, from US to Europe to India itself, has been waiting for delivery of this bike for months now. KTM has a global pre-booking list of 1,500 and none of them has been delivered. this isn an issue of stuck in singapore customs.

 

and the idea that these new bikes 'always' get delayed? not really, unless apparently it involves bajaj....

[dogfish]

Just spoke to Dirtwheel on the phone anyway. Sounds like it will be at least another month before a)the bikes are in Singapore or b) we get a new timing on how long it will be delayed.

[mechwira]

  dogfish said:

Just spoke to Dirtwheel on the phone anyway. Sounds like it will be at least another month before a)the bikes are in Singapore or b) we get a new timing on how long it will be delayed.

 

disappointing right?

 

and i think this response is optimistic because even in India today apparently the dealers are cautioning pre-bookings with a three-month waiting period.

 

i mean i last enquired in june and was told pre-bookings open and ETA July. had i decided to take it up, i'd still be waiting by now until at least september. and honestly i almost did, until i changed my mind and got a ninja for reasons unrelated to this delay.

 

last i read, at this point in time all Duke390s produced by Bajaj are just on the way to KTM HQ in Austria, and only after this QC in Austria will they be sent to dealers worldwide.

 

KTM shouldn 'launch' the bike in showrooms and take pre-order unless they can confirm an arrival date. At least in USA they flat out say wont arrive until 2014. disappointing for US fans, but fair play nonetheless.