[Astonite]

2 questions : I was looking at the spec comparison between Duke 200 and RC and it looks like the ground clearance is more in RC. Could you please throw some light on this?

How is the turning radius in RC? I had to take 3 point U turn in small roads when I had my Duke 200.

[basuroy]

Originally Posted by hungrygamer

I have seen pictures of Duke 390/200 with akrapovic slip on exhaust, any idea that can be done on RC390? If I recall correctly some KTM showrooms themselves were adding the akra on duke - do you have any info on this

Yes it can be done . It also costs 86k( for full system I believe and not just slip on ). Based on what I read , akrapovic is the only aftermarket exhaust KTM covers under warranty and retails directly as such(under the powerpart banner ) hence you have seen KTM showrooms themselves adding the akra .

[doctorque]

Have only done about 700kms on my new RC390 but have quite a few inputs (considering i sold my ninja250 for the RC), the overall built to last feeling is adequately missing on the RC and lot of components feel no where as crisp as the kwacker. For instance the gear lever attachment came off while i was shifting from 5th to 6th cog at the western highway in Mumbai at about 80kmph. Was quite unnerving as i was in the right lane and i was stuck in 5th with no feel up or down on the shifter. With gods grace i was able to shift lanes in time and stop on the left (generally during morning commuting hours the western highway is quite packed). I noticed the hanging lever as can be seen in the picture. I was able to put the lever back into its place by manually screwing the lever. When i got home that night the lever came off again as soon as i entered my building and i quickly took a picture and sent it to KTM India email.

In 2 working days i got a call from the after sales head of the western zone who got guys from the nearest dealership to come to my house to fix the issue. I am happy with the service provided but scared that i will run out of warranty in one year and whats going to happen then.

On the upside the bike is a cracker of a performer and keeping up with bikes of much higher capacity will not be difficult.

The run in period according to the owners manual is quite optimistic rated at 7000rpm, but i keep it at or under 6000 as the bike manages a very decent cruise at 100kmph in 6th.

The abs came in very handy when i was going straight into a cyclist crossing sv road like a mad man and the front just didnt let go.

Efficiency pretty decent at about 26 plus but it needs a fuel change every 200 kms, almost half the range compared to my Ninja250 which did atleast 375kms.

The tires seem to have a lot of potential, will have to figure that out on the ride coming Sunday.

I feel that under 6-7k rpm it feels similar to the duke200, but a one off redline experience suggests that the juice after 7k rpm is insane.

Safe riding guys.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by doctorque

I noticed the hanging lever as can be seen in the picture. I was able to put the lever back into its place by manually screwing the lever.

Woah! Scary stuff. That's the linkage rod that's detached. Lucky the screw was still in place - otherwise GI wire zindabad!

This sort of stuff and the earlier front sprocket coming off is highly unappreciated to be honest.

[doctorque]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Woah! Scary stuff. That's the linkage rod that's detached. Lucky the screw was still in place - otherwise GI wire zindabad!

This sort of stuff and the earlier front sprocket coming off is highly unappreciated to be honest.

Scary isnt it? Especially since i am not used to it. Previously owned the R15 and Ninja 250 and abused the hell out of the Ninja riding it around in Mumbai commuting on the roads which are substandard even compared to the rest of the country. But in the 20k kms i had it, she felt like a tank. Not even a rattle from the fairing.

Mine and another friends RC (@balenopower) fairing has been rattling right from the next day from delivery.

However, the kind of performance on tap and the planned track days at Kari, i am ok to live with it for now atleast until the CBR650F is out and is affordable to my pocket.

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by hungrygamer

I have seen pictures of Duke 390/200 with akrapovic slip on exhaust, any idea that can be done on RC390? If I recall correctly some KTM showrooms themselves were adding the akra on duke - do you have any info on this

I am not sure if anyone in India have done it - But, there is an Akra for RC390 as well. The full assembly costs 80K+ IIRC

Originally Posted by Astonite

2 questions : I was looking at the spec comparison between Duke 200 and RC and it looks like the ground clearance is more in RC. Could you please throw some light on this?

How is the turning radius in RC? I had to take 3 point U turn in small roads when I had my Duke 200.

@Astonite, The GC is marginally better on RC (178 vs 170 mm) - But, both bikes don't scrape much on a well designed speed-breakers - But, it will scrape on mountains (that's what I call badly designed humongous speed-breakers in Bangalore)

Secondly, I haven't tried turning in small roads yet- I have reason to believe that turning radius will be more than that of Duke's

Originally Posted by doctorque

Have only done about 700kms on my new RC390 but have quite a few inputs (considering i sold my ninja250 for the RC), the overall built to last feeling is adequately missing on the RC and lot of components feel no where as crisp as the kwacker. For instance the gear lever attachment came off while i was shifting from 5th to 6th cog at the western highway in Mumbai at about 80kmph. Was quite unnerving as i was in the right lane and i was stuck in 5th with no feel up or down on the shifter. With gods grace i was able to shift lanes in time and stop on the left (generally during morning commuting hours the western highway is quite packed). I noticed the hanging lever as can be seen in the picture. I was able to put the lever back into its place by manually screwing the lever. When i got home that night the lever came off again as soon as i entered my building and i quickly took a picture and sent it to KTM India email.

This is scary! Looks like gear lever and linkage rod is of terrible quality (my experience shortly ...)

This is the kind of QC that is unaccpetable by Bajaj / KTM. I am sure a Splendor is better put together!

On the upside the bike is a cracker of a performer and keeping up with bikes of much higher capacity will not be difficult.

This is true and the only reason why RC390 still comes off as a good deal.

The abs came in very handy when i was going straight into a cyclist crossing sv road like a mad man and the front just didnt let go.

Fortunately, I haven't had a chance to trigger ABS in RC390, but it has come very handy in a few occasions in Duke 390.

Efficiency pretty decent at about 26 plus but it needs a fuel change every 200 kms, almost half the range compared to my Ninja250 which did atleast 375kms.

Range will be a pain in the rear for RC390 for any decent touring. I get about 23 kmpl

I feel that under 6-7k rpm it feels similar to the duke200, but a one off redline experience suggests that the juice after 7k rpm is insane.

Safe riding guys.

You can trust me on this - The mid-range is absolutely mindblowing (6K - 9K) (from my experience with the same engine in D390) - Stupid grin on face is guaranteed

Originally Posted by doctorque

Scary isnt it? Especially since i am not used to it. Previously owned the R15 and Ninja 250 and abused the hell out of the Ninja riding it around in Mumbai commuting on the roads which are substandard even compared to the rest of the country. But in the 20k kms i had it, she felt like a tank. Not even a rattle from the fairing.

Mine and another friends RC (@balenopower) fairing has been rattling right from the next day from delivery.

This vindicates my stand that my bike alone is not of lower quality (or a lemon) - The build quality is terrible across the lots, which is a terrible and unacceptable thing

Also shows how well is a Ninja (either 250R or 300) put together! Salute Kawasaki for bringing in top quality stuff to India (But a big Boo for them for not including ABS for the stratospheric price)

Can you tell me where all it rattles? I had captured this in my earlier post, but for me it used to rattle at
1. Number plate mount
2. Windshield Mount
3. Rear view mirrors
4. MID mount

I find an annoying rattle around 4K-5K RPM in lower gears.

However, the kind of performance on tap and the planned track days at Kari, i am ok to live with it for now atleast until the CBR650F is out and is affordable to my pocket.

The Popular KTM guys in Bangalore have told me that all the rattles should be fixed in a month or so. I am going to hold them to it. Not planning to spend 2.5L and listen to rattles!

[unk9ja]

Originally Posted by doctorque

For instance the gear lever attachment came off while i was shifting from 5th to 6th cog at the western highway in Mumbai at about 80kmph. Was quite unnerving as i was in the right lane and i was stuck in 5th with no feel up or down on the shifter. With gods grace i was able to shift lanes in time and stop on the left (generally during morning commuting hours the western highway is quite packed). I noticed the hanging lever as can be seen in the picture. I was able to put the lever back into its place by manually screwing the lever. When i got home that night the lever came off again as soon as i entered my building .

Get the fasteners tightened with Loctite or Metlok in the SVC. It is a thread sealant which does not allow fasteners to fall off. Highly recommended for this sort of failures. Looks like the thread clearances are at the most in your case, else should not happen.

[doctorque]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

This is scary! Looks like gear lever and linkage rod is of terrible quality (my experience shortly ...)

This is the kind of QC that is unaccpetable by Bajaj / KTM. I am sure a Splendor is better put together!


This is true and the only reason why RC390 still comes off as a good deal.



Fortunately, I haven't had a chance to trigger ABS in RC390, but it has come very handy in a few occasions in Duke 390.


Range will be a pain in the rear for RC390 for any decent touring. I get about 23 kmpl


You can trust me on this - The mid-range is absolutely mindblowing (6K - 9K) (from my experience with the same engine in D390) - Stupid grin on face is guaranteed



This vindicates my stand that my bike alone is not of lower quality (or a lemon) - The build quality is terrible across the lots, which is a terrible and unacceptable thing

Also shows how well is a Ninja (either 250R or 300) put together! Salute Kawasaki for bringing in top quality stuff to India (But a big Boo for them for not including ABS for the stratospheric price)

Can you tell me where all it rattles? I had captured this in my earlier post, but for me it used to rattle at
1. Number plate mount
2. Windshield Mount
3. Rear view mirrors
4. MID mount

I find an annoying rattle around 4K-5K RPM in lower gears.



The Popular KTM guys in Bangalore have told me that all the rattles should be fixed in a month or so. I am going to hold them to it. Not planning to spend 2.5L and listen to rattles!

Its a little difficult to tell the exact places where the vibes and rattles are coming from but yes they can be very rpm specific. Anyway i am not so disappointed as the performance for money is keeping me happy for now. And the RC was never going to be a long term investment for me but i am quite sure my next is a jap.

Also, myself, balenopower, Chintanbhatt and Arvind were at Kari for the L1 session with Apex Racing a couple of weeks ago. There was someone on a RC at Kari in the open track session who flying like nobodies business.

Bottom line, its a purpose built motorcycle which is mostly going to be wasted on the Indian streets considering the third world road conditions at least in and around my city. Its built for a race track.

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by doctorque

Its a little difficult to tell the exact places where the vibes and rattles are coming from but yes they can be very rpm specific. Anyway i am not so disappointed as the performance for money is keeping me happy for now. And the RC was never going to be a long term investment for me but i am quite sure my next is a jap.

Thanks for the clarification - I found a couple of places, but they are RPM specific. I hope KTM identifies and gives fixes!

Also, myself, balenopower, Chintanbhatt and Arvind were at Kari for the L1 session with Apex Racing a couple of weeks ago. There was someone on a RC at Kari in the open track session who flying like nobodies business.

I was planning to come but got some high priority stuff in the last moment and had to pull back. I hope to hit the tracks in Dec. Glad to hear that RC390 was doing great in the place where it belongs!

Bottom line, its a purpose built motorcycle which is mostly going to be wasted on the Indian streets considering the third world road conditions at least in and around my city. Its built for a race track.

+1

[stanjohn123]

Originally Posted by doctorque

Its a little difficult to tell the exact places where the vibes and rattles are coming from but yes they can be very rpm specific. Anyway i am not so disappointed as the performance for money is keeping me happy for now.

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

Thanks for the clarification - I found a couple of places, but they are RPM specific. I hope KTM identifies and gives fixes!

1

Guys don't worry about the rattles and vibrations initially. According to ownership reviews on xbhp, these reduce drastically after the first service.

Secondly these vibrations can be reduced if you shift gears correctly at certain rpm limits and best part is, your mileage also increases a lot if you follow it.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by stanjohn123

Guys don't worry about the rattles and vibrations initially. According to ownership reviews on xbhp, these reduce drastically after the first service.

How? Folks tighten the fairing? Was it coming loose from the factory?

Secondly these vibrations can be reduced if you shift gears correctly at certain rpm limits and best part is, your mileage also increases a lot if you follow it.

Sorry, but you are wasting a Sports Bike that way.

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by stanjohn123

Guys don't worry about the rattles and vibrations initially. According to ownership reviews on xbhp, these reduce drastically after the first service.

Thanks StanJohn! I am hoping the rattles go away soon - You have made my day! Do you know if they found out the root-cause of rattles?

Secondly these vibrations can be reduced if you shift gears correctly at certain rpm limits and best part is, your mileage also increases a lot if you follow it.

I'll live with rattles (or a ear-plugs), but will shift only on red-line (or red lamp in the case of RC390)

Originally Posted by Sheel

Sorry, but you are wasting a Sports Bike that way.

+1

[stanjohn123]

Originally Posted by Sheel

How? Folks tighten the fairing? Was it coming loose from the factory?

Sorry, but you are wasting a Sports Bike that way.

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

i can live with rattles (or a ear-plugs), but will shift only on red-line (or red lamp in the case of RC390)

You guys got me wrong. Actually the owners advise to be/rev at a higher rpm not lower , this is after all a Rev happy engine. But the issue is you need to run in the engine and hence can not go more than 6-6.5 k for the first 1000 km. The mistake most owners do is they change gears like regular bikes and shift much earlier in the rpm range and use higher gears at low speeds.

Here is what they do, in CITY riding conditions, Use only first 4 gears and stay at 6.5k rpm and try to almost red line once or twice just briefly.Warm up in the morning for at least 2mins before first service and for 1min after first service before riding for best results and don't lug the bike about much at low speeds on higher rpm.
The bike is basically very thirsty upto 60kmph so keep it above 60 and below 80kmph before first service for higher fe and lower vibrations.

Yes the ASC tightens all screws and bolts at the first service. If they dont , please make sure they do. Be patient with your bikes guys and do post results with this new riding style :-)

[ru153]

I am surprised that CBR caused so much wrist pain for you - In which case, you must choose a really comfy bike - If your wife agrees to it, D390 should be the choice (if others don't work out)

Hi Sriram,

Thank you again for your suggestion. Based on your inputs, i decided to go and check out on Duke 390 at Probiking showroom @ BTM layout. To my surprise, there was this new Kwacker Zx 250 which is a quarter litre twin engine. It had amazing fit and finish, than compared to D390. Zx250 also has an upright position, which on a stand still looks convenient and comfortable. When asked for a trial, he just denied, stating that no RTO formalities.

Now the confusion again piled up. Based on your experience and any input can you answer me the following questions;

1. Wrto KTM duke 390, how is the gear ratio? I meant, in my CBR i had to change my gears very frequently. I rode my colleagues D200, which also requires frequent gear changes. This is in the case of B2B traffic in blore. My majority portion of ride is within traffic.

2. How is the gear ratio in Ninja 300/250 as Zx 250 takes the engine from their other siblings? Does that involve frequent gear change?

3. The zx 250 does not come with ABS or metzeller tyres? So from breaking/Panic breaking perspective how does ninja 250/300 or zx 250 perform when compared to Duke 390. Is Ninja a city rider or long tourer?

4. I have heard couple of comments, where ppl did mention D390 seats are hard and is there any seats adjustment vendor in blore, with whom i can touch base. I was also in the look out of having some back rest. I did not see any specific note in the forum. Do you guys have any pics or any one done this kind of alteration. This is mainly because, when i want to take doubles on this bike, i just want to secure my pillion from falling. I know this is typical old school of biking, but just want to double check guys.




Let me know your feedback again. Ppl on the forum do share your insights, as this confusion is sort of killing. Hope not many ppl would have faced this kind of a situation. I dont want to make another mistake, as i did in the past on my cbr 250. Hence these questions.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by ru153

1. My majority portion of ride is within traffic.
2. How is the gear ratio in Ninja 300/250 as Zx 250 takes the engine from their other siblings? Does that involve frequent gear change?
3. Is Ninja a city rider or long tourer?

If you go through the wonderfully updated thread by our own moderator n_aditya of his Ninja250, the above questions are all answered there. But in a nutshell, the Ninja250 is a high revving bike which is happy doing upwards of 6k rpm mostly. So if your route does not allow you to ride this way, you better look at other choices. But please do visit Aditya's thread if you have not already and have a read through if you're considering the ZX250.

Edit: Found the link for your easy reference--> http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...-clocking.html