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-   -   The KTM Duke 390 Ownership Experience Thread (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/138082-ktm-duke-390-ownership-experience-thread-248.html)

Great. If this is a problem which is experienced by many of the riders, then it warrants a recall by KTM. We have a customer meet being arranged at KTM cochin this weekend where KTM representatives are supposed to attend. Hopefully I can raise these issues along with one of my unsolved.

@mithunvijayan,

You still holding on to that KTM :). I am surprised with the amount of issues you are facing with that 390.

And what happened to Dr..

Yes:) whats the choice, when it is so much rewarding, otherwise. And only one unsolved issue which is the stalling problem. I have learned to overcome it.

Came across this on FB. The fit seems OK, but I'm unsure about the quality or the finish. The person is asking Rs.3250/- for the clear visor and Rs.3750/- for the tinted one.

Any reviews?

The way this bike is degrading in shape and sound day by day is taking a toll on my head now .

Got the brakes serviced 3 days back , the issue was both brakes on application make loud squeal but that is tolerable. What is not though is the rear after running for 10/15km constantly squealed and quite loudly when leaned in . This was not only a consistent sound but loud and ugly enough to warrant that over a dozen fellow riders at signals etc have notified me of the same .

First two times they (by they I mean the service manager who is an illiterate brute ) turned me away saying dirt gets stuck to the pad and then cleans itself later. This week after contacting showroom owner , I got my brakes cleaned after waiting for 2 hours while the only worthwhile mech they have worked on a pulsar . Said it will fix the issue . 3 days and it has squealed without fail everyday , the sound level is less but then there is no doubt in my mind it is only a matter of few hundred kilometers before it reaches its earlier level ( it was obvious even at 60kmph turns through a MT helmet that is quite thick ) .

There was another characteristic of the bike that was annoying me but I had ignored so far - the bike's response to the same throttle input is different and while I have not compared with another bike , I feel their is an overall loss of power . There is certainly a loss of power at 3-6k rpm range . If you go WOT in that range , the bike takes a second or two and feels asthmatic . The response post 6k rpm is still immediate though not as hard or brutal as it was (or maybe I am just used to the power ) .

Why I say it responds differently though is sometimes even at 5k rpm , going WOT makes the bike shoot forward like it should while other times it reacts slowly . My understanding tells me a healthy engine should not respond in this manner.

Today however it reached a whole new level , open road ahead and I was cruising at 60 in 3rd gear (6k rpm I think ). I decide to go WOT but there is a complete loss of power accompanied with a weird hollow sound , the engine braking was so hard I was violently thrust forward(rear was off seat ) but a second later it regained power and shot forward( I had let go of throttle so not a violent acceleration ) . Tank is about 60% or more full so no lack of fuel issue .

My guess is and I hope it is an issue with fuel supply or throttle body instead of engine itself . Previously VW2010 in response to the loss of power in mid range had commented replacing the fuel filter helped in his case. In fact I had enquired about the same when I got the brakes serviced but they didn't have it on them and neither seem interested in obtaining it .

I am at my wits end now how to troubleshoot these problems , they are not minor niggle when you pay this much and the further running cost of 21kmpl . The SVC is aggressively turning me away and I am contemplating contacting KTM head office now though I expect nothing from these lot here . Anyone has any clue how a bike that has run exactly 2072km , filled only premium petrol( 91 octane only same as regular , SVC after sale strictly instructed to fill only premium ) from a company owned India oil pump ( the goto pump for every single luxury car and high capacity SBKs in town ) degrade like this . 2k km is nothing , it should be practically brand new after being attended to like that but it is losing power instead on applying throttle the way one is supposed to astride this bike !

ps: this is just a wild guess on my part but I believe the way the first service was carried out affected the bike . There was next to nil issues in first 1000km and right out of the SVC after service , not only did the bike felt the exact same ( Oil change in my bullet has a remarkable effect on engine smoothness , if I was not there when they replaced the oil , I would have assumed they have conned me ) but all these have developed since then . Between 1000-1500 km , there was a somewhat frequent stalling issue too (bike had never and I mean never stalled prior to service ) but this may be down to washing the bike 3 times in that period .

Write a mail to KTM India, stating your problems. And the attitude of the dealer. Also warn them that you will post it through social media and auto mags if they do not act. This should set the ball rolling. Contact fellow distinguished BHPian Karthikk for the KTM contacts

The immediate answers to your problems are change air/ fuel filters, clean spark plug, clean carbon deposits, replace oil, clean break pads etc etc. But since you dilligently take care of your bike, I think you must have already done this umpteen times. I guess it all boils down to the service dealer. Here in Cochin, the two bay service centre is being upgraded to 7 bay one. It is, as per them, the largest in Kerala. Most of the service advisors are very experienced in all kinds of KTM/ Kawasaki bikes.
One thing you can try out is to plan a long trip to the nearest metro and get a thorough check up done at the best KTM service centre. I also had these problems ( other than the powerloss) but everything got sorted out, eventually.

I own a Duke 200 and the only time my bike would not go Wot at the twist of a gear was when the fuel pump has gone bad. My bike has done close to 20,000 km's and it still goes wot in any gear. Never have I felt the lack of power or engine not responding.

I know KTM SVC guys are pain to handle, I would suggest write an e-mail to higher ups.

amitnandi @ bajajauto dot co dot in and copy in stefan.pierer @ ktm dot com

Even though I am still to get a response from Mr Nandi but D200 blink codes list but I guess he will respond to the issues you have on your D390. Assuming you are in warranty I am guessing SVC guys are trying not to replace parts in warranty, guess you should ask Mr Nandi for a replacement bike and then maybe he orders the SVC guys to replace the faulty parts atleast.

I am going to send a mail to them but don't wish to escalate the situation locally . My reason being the bike is roadworthy and I use and enjoy it as much as I can( try hard to ignore these when astride ) . However if tomorrow or next month the situation escalates to a level where I cannot ride it properly anymore then I would rather they cooperate with me than avoid me(though after the power loss incident today , a visit to SVC is priority no.1 ) . I kind of expected this behavior from them , their lack of manner and decency was apparent during purchase . The only reason I went ahead was because I will be out of this city forever in next 2-6 months .

No done nothing of those(other than brake related service ) even though they are something I will even pay for within warranty right now . You ask why ?

I asked them replace the fuel filter but they don't have one and on asking how long will it take to obtain it , said only possible if bike is not road worthy anymore. In a previous visit asked them to clean air filter and tighten chain but refused flat out saying I worry too much and how half the pulsars they sell don't come for routine service .

Here there are 2 bays but a grandtotal of maybe 2 dozen ktm in circulation so always empty . But no dedicated mech and workforce is shared with bajaj who are always attending to pulsars . The reason I called the SVC head a brute is because last visit I convinced the mech to leave the pulsar and attend to my bike but he came by 5 mins later and rudely reprimanded the mech while advising me to not disturb them . It was difficult for me to remain calm then .


Thank you for the email links , will forward a message to both . Yes bike under warranty cover , just 3 months and 2k KM old .

The inconsistent throttle response makes me think it is likely fuel supply / throttle body related . Surprising because the care taken into ensuring the bike is fed the best possible fuel available here . About a dozen SBKs here and none faced any fuel related issues . And they tour too so often fill up at other bunks as well . I stress on quality of fuel because it is difficult to find a reputable bunk within UP , normally you can take it for granted certain portion of kerosene is being fed as well .

That is good to hear. Any automobile's life depends upon the quality of service and maintenance. Hope that you recieve first class service in your next location. :)

Hi all

I am not a Duke 390 owner, and have not read the entire thread but budging in to share my two cents:

Few owners have complained about stalling issue with their 390's. It has also been pointed out that the throttle body needs to be cleaned to fix this issue.

The throttle body does not require cleaning at very small intervals. The stalling issue may have to do with calibration of the throttle positioning sensor and in process of cleaning the throttle body this tuning may be getting lost.

This sensor exists in RE Classic 500 and there is a video on youtube which describes the procedure of tuning this sensor as per some values provided in Classic 500 service manual.

The same may be applicable for Duke 390. Though I am not sure if this sensor for sure exists in Duke 390, so please excuse if this information is invalid.

Thanks
Adi

Hey buddy just yesterday I got this similar screen but in light smoked tint fitted onto my Duke 390. I got it from aliexpress.com for 2500INR. Got it delivered with free shipping option in 38 days to my residence in Goa via standard Indian post.

The screen feels solid and worth it for the price I paid for I. Haven't really gone on a proper testing to tell you the after effects but a short ride felt quite significant difference. Went to a speed of 115kph and it felt better at giving the rider confidence than the stock screen. Also the screen felt solid at that speed and when going through a slightly bad patch of tarmac :)

Shall post pics tonight.

Just got the MRA replica windshield for my Duke 390 from Aliexpress.com. Had to wait for 38 days to get delivered via China Post with free shipping option. Cost me 2500 INR. And yeah its light black smoke tint. Available in clear, mirror, rainbow and dark black smoke too.

Below are the pics of the screen.





Initial Impression

Screen feels solid from the first go. Worth the amount paid. Have to remove the number plate bracket and the number plate to get the screen fitted.

When fitting the screen with the allen key bolt may seem that the holes are misaligned. But don't worry screen has flexibility and fits properly. Have not used and rubber washers but gone ahead in using the already existing steel ones on the OEM screen. Used thread locker to secured the screen (not necessary as the bolts are quite long) for that extra precaution. Fit is perfect.

Did not have full blown ride to judge the performance but had a short run with speeds upto 120 kph. Felt the difference in confidence it gave a higher speeds. Shall update based upon ride to come and the feedback I get from my usage.

Overall I will say its a must buy for any Duke owner who is into touring. Worth investment :)

Hey, thanks for putting up a brief review of the screen. I have also been planning to get it, but couldnt find any information on the build and effectiveness. Do post your review after a longish ride. Can you confirm if there is there any rattling at any of the RPM range from the mounts of the screen?

You mean Loctite?

I revved the bike to redline in 3 gears and did not fond rattle of any sorts with the screen (have tightened the screws to the max)

Not loctite I used Anabond thread locker (blue coloured liquid)