[wangdu]

Hi there 390Adv owners & all

please welcome my 390adv to the group. Took delivery a few days back, clocked some 300kms and I'm so very happy about my purchase.



The affair started back when the bike was launched and I was at the dealer getting my Duke serviced. Given my 5'6" frame, I kept away from the display bike but then I thought to saddle on and see what could go wrong. I sat and surprisingly was able to sit fairly comfortably with half of a foot on the ground and.. along came a grin inside. That was going to be good news for my financer a few months down the line.

Rode nervously the first few kms in traffic after taking delivery; guess that can be attributed to honking traffic, afraid for my 11yr old daughter pillion (we'd fallen once together ), seat height & general bigger bike feel but all that was soon swept aside by friendly riding ergos, nimbly filtering through traffic and then a smooth high speed run till home.

What I like the most so far:
1. the nimbleness is great in traffic and on highway when lane changing
2. Gear 5 & 6 are tall and punchy
3. Low beam light is very impressive, covering almost 180 deg that helps read tucked away left/right most signboards clearly & early
High beam is useless throwing beam way high. Something to be fixed
4. Refined feel doing triple digit speed
5. upright position, lighter handler bar assembly; not tiring at all
6. My son who is a pillion partner on my trips, feels comfortable and says good about pillion seat (he had his butt red and screaming in pain on Duke 200 & Electra when we did a few long journeys on these two bikes; he is the resident pillion seat expert )

Dislikes as of now are limited to
- gear 1 & 2 but I can quickly forget that for 4-6
- seat material could have been better
- feel hoodwinked getting MRFs without any cut in price (in fact it's a few thousands dearer of late)

Few Qs:
a) Is there a way to know fuel range once it shows low fuel warning? I could toggle through to trip meter info and it showed "trip1 -- fuel range <150kms" when the low fuel warning was on. Can't be that in low fuel it can do 150kms. Don't know what that means.

b) Accessories - only thinking about a better wind shield from Carbon racing or adv conquest. Any strong recommendation?

cheers.!

[arshinder5]

KTM seems to be rolling out extended warranty for existing users. Anyone able to get their hands on it?

Should be a relief for everyone of this is true

https://youtu.be/JDl5BVI2EoU

[Neo18]

Got a message from KTM for a Service Inspection for my bike between 26th Dec and 10th January. Have any one of you got this message? Any idea what prompted this sudden inspection ?

[TuxDiesel]

Originally Posted by TuxDiesel

I had similar issue of engine cutting off. During 1st service they cleaned the injectors and checked all the connectors. I haven't ridden much after the first service . Please share the ECU software version and keep this thread updated. Thanks

So after a 3 month hiatus because of a broken arm, I'm back on the saddle.

If anyone has engine stalling issue when downshifting with the clutch lever fully pressed, please change the clutch sensor switch (one near the clutch lever). This has solved the issue.

Hope this helps.

[rb2399]

Had an amazing ride to Kolkata during last week covering 5000+ KMs.
The bike performed flawlessly !. She's now the crossed the 20K mark.
Here are some observations:
* The LED lights are practically useless in dense fog.
* She's a mile muncher for sure. Covering 800+ KMs in a day is quite easy.
* The tyres are still holding good. They'll go on for another 5,000 KMs in my opinion.
* Got an average of ~ 33 KMPL for speeds between 90-110 KMPH.

No issues or rattles post the ride in spite of riding at speeds on broken tarmac.

Here are few snaps.

Near Jhansi

Somewhere in Bihar

[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by rb2399

Had an amazing ride to Kolkata during last week covering 5000+ KMs.
The bike performed flawlessly !. She's now the crossed the 20K mark.
Here are some observations:
* The LED lights are practically useless in dense fog.
* She's a mile muncher for sure. Covering 800+ KMs in a day is quite easy.
* The tyres are still holding good. They'll go on for another 5,000 KMs in my opinion.
* Got an average of ~ 33 KMPL for speeds between 90-110 KMPH.

No issues or rattles post the ride in spite of riding at speeds on broken tarmac.

Helmets (hats) off sir!
That's some serious mile munching. Could you please share some maintenance tips/procedure before and after such rides? Do you change the engine oil after such runs or wait for the next ride? I always feel the vehicles with high mileage runs better.

I covered 5k kms in 10 months which you covered in a week!!

Godspeed,
/surjaonwheelz

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by rb2399

...She's now the crossed the 20K mark...

Quite inspirational! I believe 20k is less for you. If I recall correctly, it was 40k in a year or so on the V-Strom Pardon me if I got that wrong. Insane mileage nonetheless!

Few questions for you:

1. I have the same saddle bags and have had to install saddle stays with an extension over the exhaust (RE Himalayan) so that the bag does not come in contact with it. How does that work on the ADV given I see no extension over the exhaust in your pictures?

2. This is more of an open query - how do you manage 800+ every day regularly, over a week or more? What do you do to be able to sit through that long, each day? If you're maintaining just a 100kph, you must be doing at least 10 hours each day is my guess. Any fitness tips would also help.

I feel the need to use a seat cushion after about 300 kms. I see you don't use that either.

Would love some advice from someone who seems more comfortable on the saddle than say, a BarcaLounger

[rb2399]

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

Helmets (hats) off sir!
That's some serious mile munching. Could you please share some maintenance tips/procedure before and after such rides? Do you change the engine oil after such runs or wait for the next ride? I always feel the vehicles with high mileage runs better.

I change the engine oil every 6,000 KMs or so (irrespective of the brand). So if the change interval falls in between, I get it changed.
I prefer getting any major jobs that fall within the maintenance schedule (like valve clearance check) done before such rides even if it means doing it a bit earlier.

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Quite inspirational! I believe 20k is less for you. If I recall correctly, it was 40k in a year or so on the V-Strom Pardon me if I got that wrong. Insane mileage nonetheless!

Blame it on the lockdown

Originally Posted by shyamg28

1. I have the same saddle bags and have had to install saddle stays with an extension over the exhaust (RE Himalayan) so that the bag does not come in contact with it. How does that work on the ADV given I see no extension over the exhaust in your pictures?

I do use saddle stays from ADV tribe:
https://www.advtribe.in/product/ktm-...e-saddle-stay/

Originally Posted by shyamg28

2. This is more of an open query - how do you manage 800+ every day regularly, over a week or more? What do you do to be able to sit through that long, each day? If you're maintaining just a 100kph, you must be doing at least 10 hours each day is my guess. Any fitness tips would also help.

There's no defined recipe for this as such. You build it over time is all I can say. Here are few pointers based on my experience that I can share:

* Sleep well for at least 6-8 hours.

* Start as early as possible like say a 4/5 am start is most ideal. This way you cover at least 200+ kms by the time entire humanity descends down on Indian roads.

* I typically club my bio breaks with fuel filling stops. This saves on time.

* No frequent stops especially on the 4-laned roads. It's a different thing in the hills where every turn presents you with a new view and you just have to stop.

* Break the day into sessions like what we have for test matches in cricket. Cover as much as possible till noon time, take it easy till tea time (this is especially true during summers) and then the final push post tea for the destination.

* Take help from someone like HVK who's a master at optimizing routes. This way you get to the destination in a faster way !

Originally Posted by shyamg28

I feel the need to use a seat cushion after about 300 kms. I see you don't use that either.

I do have experimented with seat cushions (https://rideonair.in/) but there's this uncomfortable feeling that I could not ride with and hence I gave up on those. Padded cycling shorts do help to some extent is what I know !

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by rb2399

Had an amazing ride to Kolkata during last week covering 5000+ KMs.

Glad to finally see saddlebags on your bike. Your shoulders and back must have thanked you already, please accept thanks from our side as well :-).

[btdhar]

Got a call from KTM today morning to come urgently for an ECU update. I was there a few weeks back for my 2nd service, and there are no warning or error messages popping up since the last update a few months back, so was wondering what's so urgent. Anyway, went there and got ECU updated, front fender extender (the small flap at the end) was changed free of cost and a quick wash was offered.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by sukiwa

Glad to finally see saddlebags on your bike. Your shoulders and back must have thanked you already, please accept thanks from our side as well :-).

I met this amazing friend of mine, but we both were short on time, so could not ask him about saddle bags and his slight pink shade of riding jacket, but...ya, glad for him and even those tiny bags, he carried a souvenir for me.

[rb2399]

What are my tyre options for the ADV ?
Metz are out thanks to the import restrictions. MRF ones are not yet available in the open market. I did not find any other manufacturer (Indian or otherwise) making these tyres in the size needed. I am kind of particular about getting the exact size and hate the upsize/downsize business.

[neil.jericho]

I finally managed to get a test ride of the Adv 390 at the KTM Janatha (Cochin) showroom. My earlier attempts at getting a test ride there were stonewalled by the uninterested sales team, that never arranged the test ride or followed up with me after I visited them. This time though, they happily gave me the keys to the test ride bike, though the route was a short 2-3 km city loop.

Few thoughts on the test ride experience and the actual bike
- The suggested route didnt allow me to slot the the bike into 3rd gear anywhere. This is a poorly thought through choice by the sales team.
- This city route showcases the bike's really weak low end in 1st and 2nd gears. I have ridden the BS3 and BS4 KTM Duke 390s in city traffic and they are exciting bikes but the BS6 Adv 390 (and Im guessing Duke 390 as well) felt gutless in comparison. I believe BS6 compliance has neutered the power delivery of the bike.
- If not for the TFT screen, I would have sworn that I was riding the Adv 250.
- The brakes are super sharp. There was some screeching sound coming from it, but the bite from the brakes was phenomenal. For tourers, great brakes are a must and the KTM shines in that aspect.
- The seating position was very comfortable.
- There were vibes in the footpegs, tank and even the back seat. Only the handlebar seemed to be somewhat free of the prevalent vibes. Im pretty sure that the showroom hasnt serviced the bike recently, but the vibes ruined the test ride experience. Just a few weeks ago, I had ridden my friends BS4 Duke 390 and it was so much smoother in comparison!
- The plastic quality should have been better considering the price.
- That brought me to the shocker, the on road price in Kerala with 1st year bumper to bumper insurance and the rest of the years with 3rd party insurance only, is Rs 4,04,xxx. That is a staggeringly high price for the regular enthusiast.

I am sure that a test ride on a longer route with more open stretches that allows the 390 engine to wake up, will give a much clearer picture of the all round capabilities of the Adv 390. But I have to make do with the test ride route set by the dealership here, it is what it is.

Looking back on the test ride experience, I feel that the best 390 from KTM was the 1st gen one. It really felt like it lived up to the tag line - ready to race.

Barring Covid, if I had to pick a KTM to ride all around India tomorrow, I would get myself a low run BS3 Duke 390 and spend the remaining 3 lakhs on fuel and 5 star accommodation.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

I
Barring Covid, if I had to pick a KTM to ride all around India tomorrow, I would get myself a low run BS3 Duke 390 and spend the remaining 3 lakhs on fuel and 5 star accommodation.

And a masseuse every night

Might actually work lol.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Looking back on the test ride experience, I feel that the best 390 from KTM was the 1st gen one. It really felt like it lived up to the tag line - ready to race.

Barring Covid, if I had to pick a KTM to ride all around India tomorrow, I would get myself a low run BS3 Duke 390 and spend the remaining 3 lakhs on fuel and 5 star accommodation.

Completely agree with you.

Even without the pricing in the equation the gen 1 390 is the best racing machine of all the 390 versions out there.

Maybe the gen 1 RC would take it on a dedicated race track, but most of us don't ride on race tracks.

Cheers, Doc