[wolfy]

so the RD350 - duke 390 comparo discussions begin eh.

Congrats on booking the 390 howler. I agree with you and agree with Tommie, who you disagree with(?).

I love my RD. "Will keep her for the rest of my life blah blah" kind of love. Have owned the RD for 7 years now and counting. I love wrenching on her, tuning her up, fixing the niggles and when she is set up, I love the rush of riding a well tuned RD350. And then the cycle repeats. Infinitely.

I love my duke 200 too. Have owned her since March 2012. Fantastic little motorcycle. As good as it gets for a single cylinder, 200cc, four stroke motor. Cheap as peanuts to own and maintain. Handles like a dream. Does commuter duties (through some of the worst roads and traffic scene in bangalore. Day after day after day), have ridden the himalayan circuit and a track weekend among other little runs around bangalore.

I see why the comparo comes up. As a nation, we have been chewing on the RD for the last effin 30years as our performance bike. Chewing and chewing and chewi..

You have folks wanting an arm and a leg for fake spares, people wanting 1.5L and above for an RD with no papers and probably doesnt start.

in 2013, us starving Indians can finally walk into a showroom and get a bling bling new bike with the same (or better) performance than the old queen. So yaay to that man. The comparo is but obvious. No more Gujri trips and scavenging through fake junk with a reducing bank balance to enjoy the kick of a well set up motor. I am not even getting to all the hoops you have to jump through to get a fitness certificate from the RTO officials. Not getting into the RD mechanic scene, not getting into worrying about parking your RD and looking away lest it gets stolen. It's more than performance now. It's about having the power at your disposal without having the constant fear about all these things.

You will enjoy the 390 more. I would like to hear your thoughts maybe after a few months or years of your 390 ownership. Assuming you have a well set up RD too.
Cheers!

[ebonho]

Its the same story with every Bullet and RD owner man. Maybe we should start a mutual cry on each others shoulder commune.

Only rule being we ride to the meets on our Dukes.

More than a year ago, when we were doing the same internet tp waiting for our 200s, I had predicted that this is the first bike in a very very long time that would appeal to the old school afficinados (Bulleteers and RD boyz alike) and actually appeal to them enough to want to consider owning and riding one.

The 200 did make a dent to an extent, but with the 390 now, the floodgates seem to have really opened.

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Its the same story with every Bullet and RD owner man. Maybe we should start a mutual cry on each others shoulder commune.

Only rule being we ride to the meets on our Dukes.

More than a year ago, when we were doing the same internet tp waiting for our 200s, I had predicted that this is the first bike in a very very long time that would appeal to the old school afficinados (Bulleteers and RD boyz alike) and actually appeal to them enough to want to consider owning and riding one.

The 200 did make a dent to an extent, but with the 390 now, the floodgates seem to have really opened.

I guess it all depends on location. I see more RE's here than 200 etc. On my daily ride to office ( 45kms two way), I see maybe one 200 every other week.

Gotta check how many booking they took at the Tvm centre.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by jkdas

I guess it all depends on location. I see more RE's here than 200 etc. On my daily ride to office ( 45kms two way), I see maybe one 200 every other week.

Gotta check how many booking they took at the Tvm centre.

I agree with you. Those who are having the new Bullets will still take some time. Their bikes are still new, as is the enthu. I am talking about the old Bulleteer crowd, that has been there done that for close to a decade now, and you can see three right here.

Eitherways I am glad in a way that there are still only 11,000 odd Dukes out there and a sighting is still a novelty. I really do not know whether it will be more of the same, less or more for the 390. Lets wait and see.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by ebonho

But equally look at to where technology has evolved.

Doc,
With all due respects to your lines, I would actually disagree with your statement above. 2-Strokers were given the step-motherly treatment way back in the late 70s & early 80's all across the globe (India has been an exception for reasons galore which has already been discussed earlier). This directly inhibited their technological improvements. Am sure you would have heard of the last mohican (Aprilla RS 250) which was last produced till 2002 made out a whooping 72.5 HP at the crank. Now do you think the KTM 390 or Ninja 250 will hold a candle to this bike?

Having said all of the above, yes its time we move on with the new world the KTM 390 does sound to be a very good alternative for the RD owners and yes it will whack the RD on a straight line cause the majority of existing lot have forgotten the punch.

Like the French say " the king is dead long live the king".

PS: Sorry if am being a bit emotional; My RD will go along with me.

PPS: Am seriously considering the KTM 390 Vs TB 500.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Doc,
With all due respects to your lines, I would actually disagree with your statement above. 2-Strokers were given the step-motherly treatment way back in the late 70s & early 80's all across the globe (India has been an exception for reasons galore which has already been discussed earlier). This directly inhibited their technological improvements. Am sure you would have heard of the last mohican (Aprilla RS 250) which was last produced till 2002 made out a whooping 72.5 HP at the crank. Now do you think the KTM 390 or Ninja 250 will hold a candle to this bike?

We are all having fun bro. I am well aware of the pet peeve of all the 2-strokers. And believe me, I sympathize.

If you want to have a fair comparison you need to compare the Aprilia RS 250 not to the KTM 390/Ninja 250 but to the KTM RC250R.

Respectively:

140 kilos vs 82 kilos

55 bhp vs 50 bhp (we are talking factory specs here http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/bi...250-1994-2004/)

138 mph vs 145 mph

I am not finding the standing quarter mile time for the RC250R, but for the RS250 it is 12.8 seconds. But with a 60 kilo weight advantage, the KTM will definitely be quicker. Much quicker.

Enjoy!



Attachment 1105491

[wolfy]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Like the French say " the king is dead long live the king".

PS: Sorry if am being a bit emotional; My RD will go along with me.

PPS: Am seriously considering the KTM 390 Vs TB 500.

Nice to see the RD boys here.
We are all emotional about the old super star.
Mahesh, about the ktm390 vs tb500, from an rd + bull + ktm owner, get the ktm mate. Unless of course, this new bike's sole purpose is to tour with a pillion. If it is, then get the duke mate. Tour with the pillion on your fine RD.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by ebonho

55 bhp vs 50 bhp (we are talking factory specs here http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/bi...250-1994-2004/)

Attachment 1105492

Mate,
Thought that the RS 250 made 72.5 HP at the Crank and 64 at the rear wheel. Was referring to this link though

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mod...rs250%2000.htm

Attachment 1105491

Originally Posted by wolfy

Nice to see the RD boys here.
We are all emotional about the old super star.

Yes mate something which I can use for short spins/city usage.

[tharian]

Saw two of the KTM Enduro 350's today at Indiranagar KTM showroom. Does not look like display pieces to me. One had a temp reg on it and had just come back after a short spin.
The 390 as well had come back after a short spin . The test ride bike will be coming in a week to ten days time which I feel will be along with the first batch of bikes to be delivered.
The Enduro had a very soft and bassy exhaust note which is much better than the Duke's. It looked like a Akropovic muffler which would have looked and sounded good on the 390. Hopefully it is an optional part for the 390.

Regards

[AbelAFC]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Eitherways I am glad in a way that there are still only 11,000 odd Dukes out there and a sighting is still a novelty. I really do not know whether it will be more of the same, less or more for the 390. Lets wait and see.

Where is sighting a Duke a novelty? :o there are so many here in Bangalore! I see a few every hour. I'm sure there are 50+ Dukes in my college parking lot.

[invincible7]

I for one believe that now with the KTM 390 available right out of the showroom, it will certainly impact the resale value of an RD350 which was sky rocketing to heavenly glory in past few months/year.

RD350 has a league of its own and yes a well tuned RD will be more than fun to enjoy for someone who is a 2 stroke junkie. But it certainly comes at a cost where parts availability is always a question for the owner and more to it is the genuine parts being available off the shelf.

Atleast some of the poser boys who have this legend of a bike will surely sell them off and hook on to the new fun available off the shelf, and more good for the 2 stroke junkie who always wanted to have the legend in one's garage.

I for sure would love to have both of them in my garage if I can and keep the 2 stroke fever always ring dinging my nerves.

[Steeroid]

Folks who own an RD, stop comparing. Go out and buy the Katoom.

I know I will - as soon as they bring one out in Black. Happy to wait.

[imp!]

Originally Posted by tharian

Saw two of the KTM Enduro 350's today at Indiranagar KTM showroom. Does not look like display pieces to me. One had a temp reg on it and had just come back after a short spin.
The 390 as well had come back after a short spin . The test ride bike will be coming in a week to ten days time which I feel will be along with the first batch of bikes to be delivered.
The Enduro had a very soft and bassy exhaust note which is much better than the Duke's. It looked like a Akropovic muffler which would have looked and sounded good on the 390. Hopefully it is an optional part for the 390.

Regards

390 back from a ride at ktm indiranagar? Are you sure? They aver the non availability of ANY 390 bikes.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by imp!

390 back from a ride at ktm indiranagar? Are you sure? They aver the non availability of ANY 390 bikes.

I did not get the last sentence.

The Enduro and 390 were taken by the showroom guys for a spin and parked on the showrom floor after .The test ride bike will arrive later as mentioned in my previous post.

Regards

[21Archer84]

Originally Posted by tharian

I did not get the last sentence.

The Enduro and 390 were taken by the showroom guys for a spin and parked on the showrom floor after .The test ride bike will arrive later as mentioned in my previous post.

Regards

Was just wondering What this 390 that was taken for a test ride doing at the store if it was not a test ride bike? Does someone at the store own it or was it something similar to what the doc has shown?