[100Kmphormore]

Originally Posted by sac23

Congratulations
Gen 1, 2 and 3 all have their own pluses and minuses.
I own a 2017 Gen 3.
It's an all rounder bike. It can do touring, track days as well as light off road.
Always keep an eye on the oil level and you are good.
Use Engine Ice or Motul Motocool coolant for slight improvement in cooling.
If you spend at least 50% of the time in city, add a FuelX module. It helps with low end especially when moving around in the city.

Thank you sac23! Agree, the generations of the 390 have their own fan following.
By Gen 3 - I meant the 2023 Duke 390. Gen 2 - 2017-23, including the BS6 quickshifter versions, Gen 1 - 2013-17. So which one is yours? I am guessing its the same as mine, gen 2 .
Thanks for the tips will help in my ownership.

My running in the city has been around 270 km until now and have not felt the need for any FuelX module especially on this, I just shift immediately to a lower gear. Lets see.

[sac23]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Thank you sac23! So which one is yours?

Mine is a 2017 one. It has been trouble free except for service center mess ups a few times.
1. They overtighted the radiator air bleed screw and stripped it. There was constant coolant leak and they hid this from me. I only found out about this after a few years when I was changing the coolant myself.
2. After changing clutch plates, they didn't tight the main clutch bolt and it came off 2 times.

[fireblade007]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Congrats fireblade and many happy miles with smiles! Your Dominar - did you sell it or have kept it? The running is indeed on the high side, I only have seen another couple of bikes that have done 75k km. Would be a more comfortable tourer with the topbox compared to the Duke.

Sold my dominar as maintaining both would be tough. Dominar had done 75300 kms since I bought it in 2019 and I wanted a change.Dominar has more relaxed ergonomics and better lights.The 390 is about 18 kgs lighter, has better throttle response,is more free revving. and has better suspension travel.I have installed a fuelx lite which decreased the low rpm jerkiness of the 390.I have always loved the dominar engine, but I wanted to experience it in its pure form, the 390.

[100Kmphormore]

The bike has largely been relegated to city runabouts for the last 3 weeks, covering a measly 180 km after my ride to the Nilgiris. Seeing a mileage of 20-22 kmpl, even with the most sedate riding conditions, shifting at max 5000 rpm but what I wanted is all there. Lightweight, easy gear shifts, very flickable and enjoyable. Surprisingly, I am not feeling any low end jerkiness to the extent which others have described.

Only complaint is the paint which is very delicate and susceptible to scratches at the smallest of opportunities compared to my other bikes. Considering a PPF as some rat sized insects in my college parking lot are causing faint scratches exposing the white beneath.

[100Kmphormore]

Completed another 1000 km and 3 months of ownership. Salaga is at 2300 km with a 160 km no holds barred STRR weekend blast (home - Devanahalli - doddaballapura- dobbaspete- home) and a quick 250 km day ride to meet a friend in denkanikottai. Tried the Rocky Ridge cafe, too expensive for what it has to offer.

Please try the STRR once - Bengaluru liter class bike riders have made it their unofficial Le Mans circuit on weekdays. The roads are simply beautiful with long winding corners, though a couple of stretches are a little unsafe, especially the expansion joints that can be unsettling.

The bikes acceleration is manic, proving why well maintained BS3/4 390s are still in demand. The 3rd and 4th gear pulls from 30 kmph to 110 kmph is bound to leave you giggling, like how 2nd will in the city during an overtake. 5th and 6th maintains cruising easily above the NHAI speed limits, provided you can tolerate the enormous buffeting. City use has been a lot of fun in contrast to my experience with the Himalayan.

Things I observed since last time
1. Suspension is indeed stiff in the city at stock setting. Loved it for the great handling on highways but have to get it adjusted, sadly the previous owner lost the toolkit and has never adjusted the suspension in his 26870 km of ownership. So bad that the darned adjuster has rusted and isn’t even turning with the spanner (ended up smashing my fingers on the frame)

2. Got the front brake pads changed to organic ones after I started hearing squeaking noises at 1850 km or so - the difference between sintered and organic is really very noticeable. They took 300 km to bed in, not as great as the previous sintered ones after some time of riding (I felt the ABS trigger more often under hard braking). Felt like the RS457 test ride units brakes that I rode - now I understand the reviewers at the RS457 event chatting about the brakes, especially if they fade. Anyways it will be majorly city ridden atleast until this year end so not a big problem.

3. Wind blast is too much post 100 kmph, have to find something like the Carbon Racing ones on the Dominar and H450.

4. I wish this had the excellent quickshifter/autoblipper of the present gen. Gearshifts feel a little clunky, especially 1 and 2.