[ff1609]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Not only KTM dealers, many two wheeler and 4 wheeler dealers follow this practise, as the dealers won't be able to claim the service charge from the company using the coupons.

And- monetary benefit for them clearly.


Sent from my iPhone using Team-BHP

I know that!
Here I am looking for first hand info specific to KTM dealers in Bangalore.

[slalom]

Got the little Hooligan yesterday , went for the first ride to the mountains ( Kumily , Thekkady ) , what an awesome machine .
The 390 is in its elements in the " Twisties " !!

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by 500modder

This thread has disintegrated into nothingness. About the most interesting thing anyone says is when they got delivery of a bike. Yawn

Thanks for livening it up with your upbeat comment.

[500modder]

You're welcome. Anyone get a knocking or rattling sound for under the tank shroud? Thought it could be chain lash, but my chain is properly adjusted. The mechanics at the service centre can't figure it out.

[ebonho]

Independence ride.

1200 kms. A white 390, a black 390, some heavy metal, silky black ribbons, rain drenched coastlines, and rough stormy waters.

[VW2010]

@Dr,

How are the KTM's leeping up with the metal rhino and its master.

Great to see rainy pictures and the bull. There is a unknown feeling of maximum satisfaction (call it orgasmic) when you ride a bull in rain knowing your engine cannot over heat and the sound of the muffler is so beautiful with no nasty noise from the engine compartment.

Love those rainy days and i always ensure if it rains and i am on road, i DONT stop if i ride a bull.

Having said that, KTM's are LOVELY .

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Independence ride.

1200 kms.

A white 390

You ride with Virat Kohli?

Looks like super fun doc. Care to share the route taken and how all 3 bikes performed.

And did you treat Doppie to a new set of rubber?

[theredliner]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

You ride with Virat Kohli?

Ha ha ha. I was about to say the same thing

Doc, please post a video of the exhaust note and some more words about the performance. Did you get the ECU retuned after changing the exhaust?

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by VW2010

@Dr,

How are the KTM's leeping up with the metal rhino and its master.

They are comfortably ahead - obviously. Except for bad sections, especially in the ghats, where I catch up and sometimes move ahead (standing on the pegs). They can comfortably hold 130. I can comfortably hold 100. Even 110 is strained over longer distances (over 500 kms). A few pulls to 120 and beyond, but just there and back. All my promises to myself and Doppie of comfortable cruising at 80-90 all the way to Goa went out of the window immediately after Katraj ghat and tunnel just outside Pune as the 390s moved into their element.

The other thing about old cast irons (who have not yet had a bottom end rebuild) and high speeds is that any constant speed over 90-100 and she will start drinking oil. So Doppie actually consumed equal or even less petrol on some legs compared to the 390s (I would always fill later and less than the 390s), but also took in about one and a quarter liters of engine oil over the entire 1200 km running over 2+ days.

But when you compare the Dukes and the Bulls, its not the motor, or just the motor, that's the biggest difference. Its the chassis (specifically the back end, as well as the planted front end), the tyres, and more than anything else the brakes, which add to the speed differential.

I was remembering my 200 when I would see the two disappearing up ahead as they go much hotter into each corner, dab the front brakes lightly, lean in and sweep out and are gone. In contrast I can carry much lesser speed, need to brake a lot earlier, and am still pulling on the front brake (and sometimes standing on the rear) in an effort to arrest the momentum of over 300 kilos of metal and flesh well into the corner before I counter lean and throttle out. There is just no Moto GP hanging out happening - just hanging on! LOL

Even so, there were some epic battles in the fantastic Bhor Varandha ghat. What a relevation that section was. Went onn forever. Lovely banked sections of good tarmac (some bad patches only) - inspite of our earlier trepidations while planning the route and juggling between where to hit NH17 from - the plan being to leave NH4 for the way back (when we would be wanting to get back home faster).

NH17 was a dream at this time of the year. So much prettier and involving than the boring (but faster) NH4. Lovely banked curves and lush greenery of the Konkan all the way. About 100 kms more being the only premium we had to pay for the choice. And about 10 kmph less in running average. My two riding buddies were unsure of my choice before the ride, and were singing praises early into it. And yes, you also get much better and authentic Malvani seafood cuisine all along NH17 - an added bonus. Fish plate with Bangra rawa fry and sol kadi mmmmmmmm ......

Great to see rainy pictures and the bull. There is a unknown feeling of maximum satisfaction (call it orgasmic) when you ride a bull in rain knowing your engine cannot over heat and the sound of the muffler is so beautiful with no nasty noise from the engine compartment.

Love those rainy days and i always ensure if it rains and i am on road, i DONT stop if i ride a bull.

Having said that, KTM's are LOVELY .

Yup, its nice to feel the timing cover after you stop and find it barely hot, enough to keep your hand there. On the nasty noises front next time try riding your Bull with ear pugs in. Makes it feel like you are riding some heavy superbike LOL Suspension noises, chain noises, tappet noises, push rod noises, cold piston slap noises, exhaust noise - all muted and softened. Only drawback being that with the ear plugs in, after about 1-1.5 hours of riding, the ears start paining really bad and you are forced to take them out (again painful) to relieve the pain. Don't see myself riding with them again.

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

You ride with Virat Kohli?

Looks like super fun doc. Care to share the route taken and how all 3 bikes performed.

And did you treat Doppie to a new set of rubber?

Originally Posted by theredliner

Ha ha ha. I was about to say the same thing

Doc, please post a video of the exhaust note and some more words about the performance. Did you get the ECU retuned after changing the exhaust?

Here's one more of Virat just for you .....



P.S. He rides better than he can bat.

The route was

Pune - Katraj - Bhor Phata (Kapurhol) - Bhor - Varavand Dam - Varandha Ghat - short of Mahad - Poladpur - Kashedi - Khed - Chiplun - Hathkhamba - Kankavali - Sawantwadi - Panjim, Goa - Little Vagator (Jaws, near Mango Tree)

http://goo.gl/maps/tjaPY

On the way back, we were initially planning the not-done-yet highly recommended (by Ashok here) Chorla Ghat - Belgaum - Pune route via NH4 but the lan was vetoed by riding buddies as they were not in the mood of doing so much of NH4. So finally we returned via the tried and tested Amboli - Nipani - Kohapur - Pune route. But we bypassed Sawantwadi totally this time by turning off to the right much earlier through a narrow forested road off NH17 that finally led to Amboli where there was a huge traffic jam with THOUSANDS of drenched monsoon rain revellers and honking Innovas and Tempo Travellers. With bikes and blaring windtone horns and not a little aggression and bullheadedness we cut our way out of that mess (after some chai and steaming hot wadas and kanda bhaji) and out on to open roads once again.

http://goo.gl/maps/pEc0r

All bikes did good overall with no major isues. Doppie had trouble starting in Goa on the rest day after standing in pouring rain for hours (no covered parking in the hotel), but started after drying out for 15-20 minutes. Had to change the carb rubber manifold en route back to Pune as we discovered it had cracked and was letting in air causing the bike to misfire and stall. One of the KTMs' crashguard bolts sheared off so we tried holding it with zip ties and finally took both off and kept them in the bag. Last leg one of my chain guard bolts fell off and chain guard started making a racket. Again we tried to tie it down with zip ties (new age biker wonder drug) but they got cut within a few kms so finally I got some GI wire (traditional biker wonder drug) from a dhaba at Wai and that did the trick all the way back to Pune. But otherwise all the bikes ran great.

No new rubber for Doppie. Same Secura Spport up front and Dunlp JAP buttons at the rear. She did get a new chain guard, rear brake shoes, and a new chain and rear sprocket just before the ride.

On the exhaust note front Ricci had volunteered his services and called me some time ago but I had been busy with my daughter's birthday party. Ricci you there? PM me your cell number please! Lets meet up.

Another thing we discovered - the exhaust does not increase the top end. Both 390s went into a full duck when we hit the huge wide two way NH17 ahead of Swantwadi on the last stretch to Goa. The non-piped 390 ducked and was off first. The piped 390 tried to reel him in sitting bolt upright. Could not. Ducked, and then reeled him in. But after that both were neck and neck and neither could open a gap all the way to an indicated 163 and 165 kmph respectively.

I was watching the fun way behind at 130 kmph ...... before watching them duck out of sight and then settling back at 110 kmph.

P.P.S. There is a rumor on the grapevine that the old (pre 2014) white 390s are slightly faster than the new 2014 black ones.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by ebonho

NH17 was a dream at this time of the year. So much prettier and involving than the boring (but faster) NH4. Lovely banked curves and lush greenery of the Konkan all the way. About 100 kms more being the only premium we had to pay for the choice. And about 10 kmph less in running average. My two riding buddies were unsure of my choice before the ride, and were singing praises early into it. And yes, you also get much better and authentic Malvani seafood cuisine all along NH17 - an added bonus. Fish plate with Bangra rawa fry and sol kadi mmmmmmmm ......

Glad that you took that route. My next Pune ride will retrace your route

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Another thing we discovered - the exhaust does not increase the top end.

Doc, is'nt it mostly like this? Wont most of the FFEs rob top end performance *IF* no fuelling(read ECU) changes are done, but reward you with a slightly punchier low and midrange?

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

Doc, is'nt it mostly like this? Wont most of the FFEs rob top end performance *IF* no fuelling changes are done, but reward you with a slightly punchier low and midrange?

I don't think it has robbed top end either. Just not affected it. He used to hit 165 with the stock exhaust as well. I know his bike is much quicker now. But we never had a chance yet (due to rains and life pressures mainly) to give her full belt till now on a long enough open stretch.

That said, to qualify both top speeds, there was a lot of wind, and the stretch was going slightly uphill - I could make that out from way back, and then saw them crest the top and go out of sight over the horizon.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by ebonho

One of the KTMs' crashguard bolts sheared off

Huh, so this does happen. I thought the bolt on my bike sheared off as a parking accident.

[the VTEC guy]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Independence ride.

1200 kms. A white 390, a black 390, some heavy metal, silky black ribbons, rain drenched coastlines, and rough stormy waters.

Had a short Independence ride on same route. Rode with Firelords(who were on route to Goa) till Poladpur and returned back. Highlights of the ride was it was all through night with fog and rain thrown in. Started at 12 am and took the Chandani Chowk-Tamhini Ghat-Mangaon route. Once on NH17 rode till poladpur and then took the Poladpur-Mahableshwar ghat. Rested for an hour at Mahableshwar ST stand. Short breakfast at Panchgani and was back at home in Pune at 10 am.
Tamhini ghat road has deteriorated for some portion and had to take the potholes with caution on my Duke while the Enfields could crash through at much higher speed. Tamhini ghat threw in first of dense fog riding. Poladpur to Mahableshwar was fantastic road however had to take very sowly since it was full of fog and heavy rains. See the pictures here. We could hardly go beyond 30 kph. This is approximately at 3:30 am.






Entire ride was done with a 300 rs rain jacket and trowser over my regular riding jeans and leather jacket. Surprisingly it kept me dry except for the gloves and the lower portion of the geans which left uncovered due to the riding position. The A-Star SMX-6 boots also kept my feet dry. Good considering these are not water proof.

Originally Posted by ebonho

I don't think it has robbed top end either. Just not affected it. He used to hit 165 with the stock exhaust as well. I know his bike is much quicker now. But we never had a chance yet (due to rains and life pressures mainly) to give her full belt till now on a long enough open stretch.
..

I have ridden Adil's bike and there is definetly lot of punch at bottom and mid range compared to the stock exhaust. Saving up for the exhaust mod now.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by the VTEC guy

Had a short Independence ride on same route. Rode with Firelords(who were on route to Goa) till Poladpur and returned back.

Its a small world, and Pune an even smaller corner of it. Bumped into Ameya and co. near Mango Tree buying chappals.

The fog section is legendary. Had done it some time ago when testing the 390 on a similar late midnight rain ride en route to Koyna Agro Tourism's tent camp at Tapola.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Huh, so this does happen. I thought the bolt on my bike sheared off as a parking accident.

I'm guessing because those bolts are also the engine mount bolts (at the forked silver bracket) and the 390 is a big vibratory thumper (compared to the 200). Hence more cases of metal fatigue.