KTM 390 Duke India review, test ride

KTM’s 390 Duke performed like a dream during our first ride in Austria. Let’s find out how the 390 manages in demanding Indian conditions.

Published on Aug 13, 2013 08:25:00 PM

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The 390 comes with a tapered alloy handlebar, and illuminated, crisp working switches that along with a bright headlight prove attractive looking at night. Dog-leg shaped control levers and functional rear view mirrors are standard, these neatly mounted on rubber boot protected stalks.

There’s plenty of alloy, including a smart swingarm, several sub-frame sections and your brake and gearshift pedals. The 390 comes with split seats, a contemporary tail-fairing, slim brake warning light and outstretched number plate mount mounted above a tyre hugger.

Overall quality feels just as good on the Indian bike as from our ride in Austria, not surprising when you consider all 390’s are produced here at Bajaj. Likewise, fit-finish and attention-to-detail are also top notch.

The 390 Duke uses a liquid-cooled powerplant, a four-stroke, 373.2cc, single-cylinder engine with dual overhead camshafts driving a quartet of valves. The India bike uses an enhanced cooling system, for our torrid conditions and we’ve faced no overheating issues this far. There’s a forged piston and Nikasil coated cylinder for enhanced performance. Peak power output is a healthy 43.5 bhp at 9000rpm, and the 390 makes 3.57kgm of torque at 7000rpm. The 390’s six-speed transmission shifts smoothly at all times, with a well weighted feel. The gearbox operates in a one-down and 5-up, toe shifted pattern. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via an X-ring sealed drive chain. Unlike the 200 which is geared short, the close packed gear ratios on the 390 feel so much taller, making the 390 a more relaxed bike to ride. The bike scythes through crowded traffic effortlessly, with engaging of its top two gears inappropriate under 45kph. Best performance is unleashed by short-shifting up through the gearbox, keeping revs just under redline, in the meat of the wide powerband.