[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Wow really Doc, is it because of the Torque being made at a higher RPM? Can you please share the torque curve if you have it? Please

Speaking purely from the view of my test bike of course. A lot could and probably must have changed since then. But yes, you could not engage 1st and putter along at traffic clog speeds at really jammed sections (in Pune unlike in the bigger Metros, very rarely if ever does the traffic ever really come to a grinding halt - it keeps moving forward in dribs and drabs, like water finding its path of least resistance) with the clutch lever completely disengaged. If you did, the bike would bound forward at a speed much higher than the trafic crawl (with zero throttle input). So yes, you needed to fan the clutch at all times. P.S. No bro, I do not have the torque curves - and no I probably could not have shared it even if I did.

[amarpreet99]

Oh yeah, my bad!! Not that my eyes have gone bad with age. But made a boo boo because of all the excitement. Can't wait for more ownership reviews.. So I can also take the plunge

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by Jaycee

That IMHO think is the average speed and not the average fuel consumption. But still I'm sure its going to be mighty frugal once the engine breaks in.

That's right Jaycee - It is average speed, and not fuel efficiency. Actually that was after driving where I was redlining once in a while! Streets were empty, and I made good use of it!

Originally Posted by ebonho

So yes, you needed to fan the clutch at all times.

That's true Doc!

Originally Posted by amarpreet99

Oh yeah, my bad!! Not that my eyes have gone bad with age. But made a boo boo because of all the excitement. Can't wait for more ownership reviews.. So I can also take the plunge

I hope I am not scaring a lot of people I think the first one is a result of very quick averaging without a lot of data points. (It is better not to estimate with not enough data points, statistically)

KTM 390 showing 10 KM/l


This is what I usually see - 25 to 26 Km/l


A few minor grouses:
1. Why does the Bike Digital Circuitry shut off when you kill the engine using engine-kill switch? Display goes off when you kill the engine and it does all the tests and shows 'Ready to Race' every time! I thought the engine-kill switch is designed to avoid this. R15, CBR250R, GT650N none of them do this.

2. Engine heat is perceptible in traffic: In one of my earlier posts I mentioned that I did not feel heat at all. That was because there no traffic. I could feel some heat in traffic. It is definitely higher than CBR250R. Repeating myself, CBR itself used to heat up in its initial days. I hope the heating reduces as days go.

Apart from these minor grouses, I am on Cloud 9 whenever I ride. It just can't get better than this! For people riding heavier super-bikes, they just need to ride it once to feel the relief and the power of lightness and agility.

[sridhu]

Err ... what does "Fan the clutch" mean?

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by sridhu

Err ... what does "Fan the clutch" mean?

Modulate the clutch. Slip the clutch. Half clutch. Voluntarily. As against inadvertently riding the clutch, or using the clutch to control your speed, like newbies do.

[black12rr]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Modulate the clutch. Slip the clutch. Half clutch. Voluntarily. As against inadvertently riding the clutch, or using the clutch to control your speed, like newbies do.

In bumper to bumper traffic , you need to slip the clutch ,to be able to move and stop again , be it any bike . It can't be just full open or full close .

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by black12rr

In bumper to bumper traffic , you need to slip the clutch ,to be able to move and stop again , be it any bike . It can't be just full open or full close .

There are degrees there. In the 390 you need to slip in 1st where in other bikes (even the 200) you can be modulating speed with throttle control and full clutch release.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

This is what I usually see - 25 to 26 Km/l

Suppose you get a decent range of 180 to 200 km before you have to look around for refuelling?

Yes that is what the EKS is meant to do, Kill/shut down the engine but keep the electricals still on.

[mobike008]

Sriram, Congratulation on the Duke 390. I reckon your the first owner on the forum.

You seem geniunely fond of fast bikes and have chosen this and previous bikes accordingly. Your description seems to generate some excitement on the Duke 390 as a bike and it as an overall brand ( atleast I feel the excitement purely in the way you described the bike) and it is compelling me to take a test ride of this bike even though I know the riding position will not be a fit for my personality ( I wasnt even comfortable on a FZ-S which i rode for 2 days and over 200kms so this will be out of question)

Having said that, Iam still keen to test ride this bike for myself and see how it feels. Do they give out TD without too much hassle?

P.S: I dont completely agree with you about riding in a complacent manner when on a bullet. I give my C-500 the wring each time iam on it. Maybe not a wring because it doesnt require it as just a blip is enough to lunge forward ( a feeling that I love, effortless pick-up...)

P.S 2 : Please take some nice pictures with full bike in view from different angles and share it with us. Or, you think we dont deserve it?

Once again congrats and do ride safe !!!

[VW2010]

I dont completely agree with you about riding in a complacent manner when on a bullet. I give my C-500 the wring each time iam on it. Maybe not a wring because it doesnt require it as just a blip is enough to lunge forward ( a feeling that I love, effortless pick-up...)

Got to agree here. And over the years when you have procured and saved 2 CI Engine barrel the current one is being tested to its limits.

If you see a green CI 500 lunging ahead while you are trying to shift gears here in chennai, be sure its me trying to kill that poor thing. But gently i say.

I have higher sprocket set as well which means the pull is far longer in each gear giving some genuine fast bikes a decent competetion for atleast a few seconds after which they just bury me with their dust.

That makes me want to ask, what options do we have to change the sprocket in this 390. Can we play around the number of teeth and change its style, may be down teething(i guess i discovered this term).

[nasirkaka]

I dont completely agree with you about riding in a complacent manner when on a bullet. I give my C-500 the wring each time iam on it. Maybe not a wring because it doesnt require it as just a blip is enough to lunge forward ( a feeling that I love, effortless pick-up...)

I am not sure if they gave me a teal green 350 in guise of 500 but seriously i have always found my C5 to be highly underpowered whenever pushing the limits. close to redline, there is so much vibrations and roughness, the bike literally feels like it will fall apart.
The feeling got strengthened when i had gone for test ride of 390, which is as free revving as it gets. After 10 mins of test ride on 390, my C5 on my way back felt like a highly un-refined sluggish and slow buffalo.
Hope the 390 lives up to the feeling it generated during the test ride.

[VW2010]

close to redline, there is so much vibrations and roughness, the bike literally feels like it will fall apart.

The bulls dont have anything to delivery near red line. The max power from the engine is delivered way before redline.

The 390 is a completely different engine structure.

By design the bullet does not need to be rode close to red line. In fact only the engine rpm increases while the output power is going taper at the max. The older the engine the worst it gets at redline.

My CI500 has a definitely upper limit of RPM post which its just waste of engine RPM and noise. I can definitely spent time and money and improve but its not worth it. It is already enough for my needs . Does a decent 0-80 and i am almost always the first one to be out of a stop light when needed.

390 has an RPM range that is so wide. 10K and 6th gear will take a long straight road for one to achieve that red line.

On the other hand, at lower gears getting upto 10 K means you are accelerating comparatively like a maniac (in comparison to the bull) and you will hardly hit 10K in city condition that often.

[nasirkaka]

On the other hand, at lower gears getting upto 10 K means you are accelerating comparatively like a maniac (in comparison to the bull) and you will hardly hit 10K in city condition that often.

Exactly my reason for waiting for more then a year to book 390. In the hind sight, not too sure now if its justified over duke 200, but am going ahead with it anyways.
in 2008 i bought a machismo 350 and was dissapointed with power. 2010 (before the cbr and duke era) bought a C5, was again not too happy with the power. Did quite a few mods to bump up the power, but as you said, not worth it.
when duke 200 was launched, i sold my machismo and almost booked 200 using that money. But the news about 390 on the horizon kept away from it. Did not want to repeat the machismo and C5 story within a span of 1.5 years again.
My primary usage for duke was intended to be daily commuting, as i find the C5 a bit heavy and would use it for long hauls. after test riding the 200 and 390, i feel 200 would have sufficed my requirement, but WTH, some extra reserve power is always welcome, especially at such a VFM proposition.

Also, in Bangalore city traffic, i hardly get to enjoy the higher gears on the C5, and its going to be similar situation with the 390. But based the test ride, i think i will enjoy the 390 much more in the first 3 gears within city. I really hope that heating issue is not really an issue, and would subside with more kms on the odo.

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Suppose you get a decent range of 180 to 200 km before you have to look around for refuelling?

I haven't done long enough rides. My full tank is still quite full (<100 kms run)

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Yes that is what the EKS is meant to do, Kill/shut down the engine but keep the electricals still on.

That's what I believe too. This is a downer.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Sriram, Congratulation on the Duke 390. I reckon your the first owner on the forum.

You seem geniunely fond of fast bikes and have chosen this and previous bikes accordingly. Your description seems to generate some excitement on the Duke 390 as a bike and it as an overall brand ( atleast I feel the excitement purely in the way you described the bike) and it is compelling me to take a test ride of this bike even though I know the riding position will not be a fit for my personality ( I wasnt even comfortable on a FZ-S which i rode for 2 days and over 200kms so this will be out of question)

Thanks! I think I am the first owner in the forum too - The riding position of Duke is totally different from FZ-S. You'll either love it or hate it. I fell in love with the aggressive riding position (though not exactly similar, reminded me of the Kiba dachi stance in Karate). Duke simply eggs you to go faster!

Originally Posted by mobike008

Having said that, Iam still keen to test ride this bike for myself and see how it feels. Do they give out TD without too much hassle?

They initially used to give test-rides only for people who had booked. Now, I think they give it for anyone who walks in. Some have had bad experiences - I think this is totally based on the dealership

Originally Posted by mobike008

P.S: I dont completely agree with you about riding in a complacent manner when on a bullet. I give my C-500 the wring each time iam on it. Maybe not a wring because it doesnt require it as just a blip is enough to lunge forward ( a feeling that I love, effortless pick-up...)

Sorry if I miscommunicated - I said that Bullet puts me in a state of mind I don't feel the urge to overtake. My friend even used to corner hard on bullets. The thump just calms my mind, and I ride relaxed. Not saying that bullet can't accelerate hard at all. I used to ride my friend's CI for 3 months

Originally Posted by mobike008

P.S 2 : Please take some nice pictures with full bike in view from different angles and share it with us. Or, you think we dont deserve it?

Once again congrats and do ride safe !!!

Ha ha ha! Not at all. Will share a lot of pics tomorrow. The bike is terribly dirty due to my rides in the rain. I hope you don't mind!

Originally Posted by VW2010

If you see a green CI 500 lunging ahead while you are trying to shift gears here in chennai, be sure its me trying to kill that poor thing. But gently i say.

I have higher sprocket set as well which means the pull is far longer in each gear giving some genuine fast bikes a decent competetion for atleast a few seconds after which they just bury me with their dust.

I'll make sure I don't get into races with a CI 500 in Chennai!

Originally Posted by VW2010

That makes me want to ask, what options do we have to change the sprocket in this 390. Can we play around the number of teeth and change its style, may be down teething(i guess i discovered this term).

I haven't explored the mods part of it yet. In good probability, I'll not venture into many mods for 390 (after I ruined my R15 with tons of mods, my confidence is quite shaken) - Also, the 390 in stock is pretty awesome. And, I have my 650N for any extra adrenaline rush requirements

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

I am not sure if they gave me a teal green 350 in guise of 500 but seriously i have always found my C5 to be highly underpowered whenever pushing the limits. close to redline, there is so much vibrations and roughness, the bike literally feels like it will fall apart.
The feeling got strengthened when i had gone for test ride of 390, which is as free revving as it gets. After 10 mins of test ride on 390, my C5 on my way back felt like a highly un-refined sluggish and slow buffalo.
Hope the 390 lives up to the feeling it generated during the test ride.

Ha ha ha - 390 does change your perspective. I had some exchanges with someone in FB in a Duke 390 page who had modded a bullet to revv it higher. It is like doing a MotoGP in a Harley. I will enjoy Bullets, Duke and all other bikes the way they were meant to! I really love Bullets, and I don't miss a chance when I get to ride them.

Originally Posted by VW2010

The bulls dont have anything to delivery near red line. The max power from the engine is delivered way before redline.

The 390 is a completely different engine structure.

By design the bullet does not need to be rode close to red line. In fact only the engine rpm increases while the output power is going taper at the max. The older the engine the worst it gets at redline.

My CI500 has a definitely upper limit of RPM post which its just waste of engine RPM and noise. I can definitely spent time and money and improve but its not worth it. It is already enough for my needs . Does a decent 0-80 and i am almost always the first one to be out of a stop light when needed.

390 has an RPM range that is so wide. 10K and 6th gear will take a long straight road for one to achieve that red line.

On the other hand, at lower gears getting upto 10 K means you are accelerating comparatively like a maniac (in comparison to the bull) and you will hardly hit 10K in city condition that often.

I haven't hit the peak of what I could do on my rev-limited 390. I don't know if I'll have enough roads to do a redline in 6th gear (which is REALLY tall) - AFAIK, bullets are not a big fan of high revving!

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Exactly my reason for waiting for more then a year to book 390. In the hind sight, not too sure now if its justified over duke 200, but am going ahead with it anyways.

It is a steal compared to 200 if you consider what you get over 200
(1) Bigger heart (and Nikasil coated cylinder)
(2) ABS
(3) Metzeler Sportec M5 tires
(4) More brazen Orange trellis and wheels
(5) Forged pistons (as opposed to cast ones)
(6) 43 mm upside down forks tuned by WP

More paisa vasool than 200 (esp considering the 55K difference)

[The only thing 200 has is a more mental behavior thanks to super short gearing - You gotta love that thing on 200! ]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

in 2008 i bought a machismo 350 and was dissapointed with power. 2010 (before the cbr and duke era) bought a C5, was again not too happy with the power. Did quite a few mods to bump up the power, but as you said, not worth it.
when duke 200 was launched, i sold my machismo and almost booked 200 using that money. But the news about 390 on the horizon kept away from it. Did not want to repeat the machismo and C5 story within a span of 1.5 years again.
My primary usage for duke was intended to be daily commuting, as i find the C5 a bit heavy and would use it for long hauls. after test riding the 200 and 390, i feel 200 would have sufficed my requirement, but WTH, some extra reserve power is always welcome, especially at such a VFM proposition.

People might despise me - I found most of the performance mods affecting some other parameter of the ride. Not worth it at all.

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Also, in Bangalore city traffic, i hardly get to enjoy the higher gears on the C5, and its going to be similar situation with the 390. But based the test ride, i think i will enjoy the 390 much more in the first 3 gears within city. I really hope that heating issue is not really an issue, and would subside with more kms on the odo.

One of the lead engineers of KTM said that 390 is ideal for daily commute and an occasional 200km ride in the hills over the weekend! I think the reserve power will really shine on the highways. I hope that the heating is not a major issue too!

[amarpreet99]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

One of the lead engineers of KTM said that 390 is ideal for daily commute and an occasional 200km ride in the hills over the weekend! I think the reserve power will really shine on the highways. I hope that the heating is not a major issue too!

Now this is very heartening. I would really appreciate more inputs from you about the traffic conditions and heating. Meanwhile, I am keeping my 200 purchase on hold.

p.s: Thanks for taking the time to keep the thread going!