[Sutripta]

^^^
Blame it on us poor Calcuttans.

Regards
Sutripta

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

^^^
Blame it on us poor Calcuttans.

Regards
Sutripta

Well to be fair, Pune was always famous for being the RD city - Bangaloreans will violently disagree of course.

In my batch itself, there were 7 LTs and 4 HTs (one metallic black one being the one yours truly went straight on - while the road curved - at 120 kmph).

[Abhi_Automobile]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I am ok with the size bro. See a Duke 690 in the flesh - its hardly slightly bigger.

I really wish the tank were bigger though.

Or they offered loyal KTM Duke customers an engine upgrade (we'll take care of the "strengthened" chassis/suspension bit).

I love the orange. That's KTM.

Or offer us the white and black version of the 690 - that's really yummy.

My earlier statement was a typo. I wanted to talk about the wheels in Orange. My jury is still out on those. Of course, I like the bike in Orange. Its a KTM!

[Harbir]

I was turned off the new Dukes because the original was a supermoto and these are streetfighters, but since i am not liable to get a supermoto in India anytime soon and the KTM 390 is liable to a really fun bike to ride, I am quite excited by it.

The tank range will not be a problem for me. These bikes are extremely intense and optimized for maximizing heart exploding adrenaline rushes, not for cruising or touring. Nothing stops anybody from using any time of bike for any sort of purpose, but if my desire was to ride from bombay to delhi or delhi to leh, I wouldn't buy the KTM and I wouldn't expect it to satisfy those needs, even if it could meet them with a degree of discomfort on my part.

This bike will be a lot of fun to ride from Jammu to srinagar, and if the range is not adequate to complete the 300km, there are fuel stops on the way. The problem is the delhi-jammu ride on the KTM won't be a pleasant one, with or without a larger fuel tank. On the other hand, being able to cruise at 140-150km/h may make it a lot of fun.

My primary concern is whether the bike is adequately roomy for my 6'3" frame and size 12 boots to be comfortable enough to spend more than a couple of hours in the saddle at a time.

I can't wait to see this thing for myself.

[sids911]

Originally Posted by Harbir

My primary concern is whether the bike is adequately roomy for my 6'3" frame and size 12 boots to be comfortable enough to spend more than a couple of hours in the saddle at a time.

Size 12 boots? you gotta check out the rear brake lever on the KTM 200! bet you wouldnt be able to find it!!

If the 375 uses parts bin of the 200, then that brake lever is a PITA.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Harbir

The tank range will not be a problem for me. These bikes are extremely intense and optimized for maximizing heart exploding adrenaline rushes, not for cruising or touring. Nothing stops anybody from using any time of bike for any sort of purpose, but if my desire was to ride from bombay to delhi or delhi to leh, I wouldn't buy the KTM and I wouldn't expect it to satisfy those needs, even if it could meet them with a degree of discomfort on my part.

Agree - 200 kms on a nice fast bike is a decent range considering the intensity of the riding experience. It wont be like riding steady at 80 kmph. You would be stopping every 1.5 hours or so anyway, so might as well make it a fuel stop.

It is only on long expeditions that this would become an issue where fuel stops are few and far in between. However it is not advisable to do such trips without providing for emergency supplies and proper support. Its not like you would wake up in Tandi, fuel up, swing a leg over and ride over to Leh just for the heck of it.

[Harbir]

Originally Posted by sids911

Size 12 boots? you gotta check out the rear brake lever on the KTM 200! bet you wouldnt be able to find it!!

If the 375 uses parts bin of the 200, then that brake lever is a PITA.

Will have to see it. I find the rear brake levers on Indian market bikes typically unusable, seeing as they seem to be sized for farm tractors rather than motorcycles. For some reason, India has the very bad culture of relying on the rear brake and a reluctance to use the front brakes. Since the rear brake, because of the physics of motorcycles have very poor braking compared to the front, a huge amount of force is required at the rear brake to provide adequate braking, which requires very long levers, lots of travel in the pedal, and a big pedal to transmit that much force.

Because all my experience on motorcycles in the last 20 odd years has been on superbikes of some sort or another in the west, I am used to the more appropriate focus on the front brake. The rear brake is used only in two situations.

1. Usually, to stabilize the bike but not meaningfully slow it in a corner (gentle application only). With the most powerful bikes, the rear brake is in fact used when opening the throttle to accelerate to dampen the huge hit the engine would otherwise make and upset the bike.

2. Under emergency braking and other maximum braking situations when the front and rear are used together.

This kind of usage doesn't require the sort of plough sized rear brake lever that Indian market bikes have.

So the question is whether the KTM's rear brake lever is sized for the sort of use I am used to or the sort of use that Indian riders expect, or undersized for both.

Will have to see.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Harbir

The rear brake is used only in two situations.

1. Usually, to stabilize the bike but not meaningfully slow it in a corner (gentle application only). With the most powerful bikes, the rear brake is in fact used when opening the throttle to accelerate to dampen the huge hit the engine would otherwise make and upset the bike.

2. Under emergency braking and other maximum braking situations when the front and rear are used together.

Braking in gravel and broken road / off road conditions.

In India you do not need to go off road to off road.

[nitro.1000bhp]

The rear brake can also be used to tighten the line in mid corner if you find yourself running wide, provided it is applied gently otherwise expect a major high-side!

one of my friend who is also 6.3" sat on my bike and the thing disappeared under him. all I could see are 2 wheels sticking out at each end.

as for the rear brake I cant comment. You need to experience it for yourself. Take a test ride on the 200, the ergos are comparable.

[Harbir]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Braking in gravel and broken road / off road conditions.

thats a good situation to use the rear brake, but you don't need a honking huge tractor rear brake lever for this situation. The rear tyre will lock easily so braking is gentle to ensure the bike stays rolling and upright.

while rear braking is useful in the gravel/sand situation, it doesn't explain the heavy reliance on rear braking as the norm in India (most roads do not have gravel/sand on them all the time).

[Sn1p3r]

Isn't the compression ratio a bit too high for our highway/rural pump fuel quality?

KTM owners and experts, please share your thoughts.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by nitro.1000bhp

The rear brake can also be used to tighten the line in mid corner if you find yourself running wide, provided it is applied gently otherwise expect a major high-side!

+1. Trail braking is dangerous and can be disastrous. Use with extreme caution if really necessary. Ideally all braking, gear changes, throttle inputs/adjustments, etc. need to be done before the entry into a turn. Once in the turn, look where you want to go and the bike will follow. Power out of the corner gently but progressively.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

+1. Trail braking is dangerous and can be disastrous.

No man. I trail brake al the time while descending the ghats. You get a feel and it adds a lot to your control and how hot you can go into the next loop. Not to mention fluidity.

Originally Posted by Harbir

thats a good situation to use the rear brake, but you don't need a honking huge tractor rear brake lever for this situation. The rear tyre will lock easily so braking is gentle to ensure the bike stays rolling and upright.

while rear braking is useful in the gravel/sand situation, it doesn't explain the heavy reliance on rear braking as the norm in India (most roads do not have gravel/sand on them all the time).

Till I owned the KTM, I did not know how good a front brake can be. Or the balance / weight distribution of a bike. So maybe its not all down to us Indians alone.

P.S. Mods sory for the back to back posts. Please merge.

[nitro.1000bhp]

Originally Posted by ebonho

No man. I trail brake al the time while descending the ghats. You get a feel and it adds a lot to your control and how hot you can go into the next loop. Not to mention fluidity.

It can be dangerous nonetheless...atleast to a noob.

[niranjanrvce]

Originally Posted by Sn1p3r

Isn't the compression ratio a bit too high for our highway/rural pump fuel quality?

KTM owners and experts, please share your thoughts.

On the 200, poor quality fuel does make the engine splutter a bit. I got mine filled once on a small state highway somewhere in TN out of necessity and the bike chortled a few times on rapid throttle inputs. But it wasn't a big hiccup/concern and I still ride out without worrying too much about where I fuel up. I don't expect the 390 to be any different.