Slipped, fell, bought a new toy (KTM Duke 390)

[Sunny]

Wow, been a while, good to see you back @Sunny , and I love the bike- I bought a brand new 390 Duke 4 or 5 years ago that I absolutely loved both on road and track, and a second-hand RC390 too a couple of years back as a little trackday project that also gave me much enjoyment.

I tinkered a bit and played around with both of them with a few mods - I think my 390 Duke thread pre-dates this place and was on therevcounter, but the RC390 one is here http://revtothelimit.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1141 in case you're interested.

I think I may still have the Duke rear sets and maybe one or two other bits (levers, sprockets etc) that you are very welcome to gratis if you want them , best mod I did to both of mine was the quick-shifter but they are great as they are, for what they are, fabulous little bikes

Ey-up!

Nice one - I'll have a read!

And have a dig and see what bits you've got - I'll happily throw some folding cash your way if you've got anything decent that needs a home

[Felix]

Was it not Olly that had a 390 also and raved about it once or twice

[Bigyin]

Was it not Olly that had a 390 also and raved about it once or twice

Just a bit, but they fit him like Buatista fits on a Panigale v4

Sunny is "a little" taller than Olly but the girl can hustle a bike round so will get the best from the little 390

I expect its going to be a fun toy for local rides but for any distance riding the KTM comfort seat option is a must as the standard one isnt the most comfy from memory

[Sunny]

Was it not Olly that had a 390 also and raved about it once or twice

Just a bit, but they fit him like Buatista fits on a Panigale v4

Sunny is "a little" taller than Olly but the girl can hustle a bike round so will get the best from the little 390

I expect its going to be a fun toy for local rides but for any distance riding the KTM comfort seat option is a must as the standard one isnt the most comfy from memory

Tbf, when I sat on it at the dealer my first question was 'can you get gel seats for these?' it's likely to only get used for short-ish local rides, but still, I'll have a Google

Off out shortly to go for a play on 'my' roads, so I'll get a better feel for it

[Sunny]

I tinkered a bit

I just read that thread. You did a shit load more than 'tinker a bit'

[Sunny]

It hadn't occurred to me until today, but I haven't had to run a bike in since I bought a brand new Hornet back in 2003

Mini ride report:
Keeping this little 'un below 6K revs while I run it in is a right laugh - top speed of 65mph

I was mocking a bike for holding me up in my car a couple of weeks ago, but that could so easily have been me today. (I did 'accidentally' give it a little more welly for some overtakes, reaching a heady 75mph as a result, with the display flashing at me like crazy )

Despite that, and despite my concerns that it'd feel gutless after the Striple, it does feel like it's got some legs. OK the power doesn't come on like the Triumph, but it does at least seen to have some.

It tips in to corners ridiculously easily too, which is nice. Another thing I loved about the Triple. More power to get out the other side would be lovely, but again, that's the running-in limitations, rather than the bikes (I hope).

I cannot wait to give it some proper throttle. 600 mile service booked in for the 24th August. Watch this space

[Noggin]

It hadn't occurred to me until today, but I haven't had to run a bike in since I bought a brand new Hornet back in 2003

Mini ride report:
Keeping this little 'un below 6K revs while I run it in is a right laugh - top speed of 65mph

I was mocking a bike for holding me up in my car a couple of weeks ago, but that could so easily have been me today. (I did 'accidentally' give it a little more welly for some overtakes, reaching a heady 75mph as a result, with the display flashing at me like crazy )

Despite that, and despite my concerns that it'd feel gutless after the Striple, it does feel like it's got some legs. OK the power doesn't come on like the Triumph, but it does at least seen to have some.

It tips in to corners ridiculously easily too, which is nice. Another thing I loved about the Triple. More power to get out the other side would be lovely, but again, that's the running-in limitations, rather than the bikes (I hope).

I cannot wait to give it some proper throttle. 600 mile service booked in for the 24th August. Watch this space

In no time at all, you'll be hitting the rev limiter coming out of corners! (Well, by no time at all, I mean at the end of the running in period!! )

The funniest ride out on mine was with my riding buddy and his mate. Zx9r and Triumph something. They buggered off as i didn't have the oomf to pull away from the t junction after them before the traffic. I knew the route, and so just hooned it to catch up. When I got to where they'd stopped to wait (sooner than the mate expected ) I said that there was something wrong with the handling - when I pulled out of corners fast it wouldn't handle right. After riding with them for the next section, my riding buddy's mate pointed out that the front wheel wasn't always on the ground when pulling out of corners (I've never been able to pull wheelies, not even on the TLs, but just pulling away hard, apparently the front on the 390 lifted, only a smidge, but wow and cool

Honestly, it was THE MOST FUN BIKE I've ever had. I'd have a TLs again in a heartbeat because I loved it so much. But for pure fun with a handful of adrenalin, the 390D was the one - I 'should' get one of those out here cos really it would be perfect locally, just need something else arm friendly for distances!!


Really looking forward to hearing how you like it once it's run in

[weeksy]

Wouldn't bother. I ran mine in for 3-4 miles.

[Sunny]

Wouldn't bother. I ran mine in for 3-4 miles.

I was reading another thread last night that suggested KTMs don't mind being thrashed from the outset...

You may have just sealed the deal

[mangocrazy]

Wouldn't bother. I ran mine in for 3-4 miles.

I was reading another thread last night that suggested KTMs don't mind being thrashed from the outset...

You may have just sealed the deal

There's a school of thought that says if you baby them in the running in period they tend to drink oil.

[Rockburner]

Wouldn't bother. I ran mine in for 3-4 miles.

I was reading another thread last night that suggested KTMs don't mind being thrashed from the outset...

You may have just sealed the deal

There's a school of thought that says if you baby them in the running in period they tend to drink oil.

BMWs can be like that. The hypothesis is that the Nikasil liners on BMWs are so hard that if you don't thrash it properly early, and bed them in, they'll eventually glaze and burn more oil later in the engine's life. (obviously thrashing the engine hard early will not be great for other components, so it's a balance).

[mangocrazy]

I don't know what specification of oil that KTM (and BMW for that matter) put in their motors from the factory, but I'd be interested to know if it was the fully synth high performance stuff they recommend in the owner's manual, or running in oil to help components to bed in. I drained the 'factory' oil on my Duke 690 early doors (less than 100 miles from new) and replaced it with running in oil. A combination of that and revving it quite freely in the running in period seems to have promoted good bedding in of the bores/pistons/rings. Certainly it doesn't use oil between oil changes, which (so I've heard) is unusual for the 690 motor.

[weeksy]

My logic when buying was more me/couch/Pietin


"Well it's not like I'll have it in 3 years from now"

[mangocrazy]

My logic when buying was more me/couch/Pietin


"Well it's not like I'll have it in 3 years from now"

Yeah, completely different philosophy towards bike ownership. I'd be exhausted with the level of churn that Taipan and couchy go through, although in TP's defence he uses them every day to commute. There's also the cost associated - unless you're a wiz wheeler-dealer type, you lose money on every transaction.

If everyone was like me bike dealerships would go out of business...

[Taipan]

Those days are behind me now Chaps. I finally got a keeper...