The KTM 390 Duke Review by xBhp in Australia!
Intro: You all know about the KTM 200 and its look alike KTM 125. What we did not know that they were not twins, but a triplet! Bikers and Bikernis please welcome the third of the mini Dukes: KTM 390. However one is no slouch (not that its other siblings were). Here we get you the first ride review of this pocket rocket from our Australian rider friend, Mark Hinchliffe.
Mark Hinchliffe (hinchm@hotmail.com) is a senior motorcycle journalist in Australia who has been writing reviews, bike travel and motorcycle industry news for more than a decade for newspapers, magazines and on-line sites such as News Ltd metropolitan newspapers, Australian Provincial Newspapers, Australian Road Rider, 2wheels, Cruiser & Trike,mcnews.com.au and the forthcoming website, **********.com.au which he will edit.[/B]
KTM has expanded its range of street bikes built in India with the versatile 390 Duke. Since 2011, KTM has been building the 125 and 200 Dukes at the Bajaj Chakan factory in Pune. KTM PR manager Thomas Kuttruf says the arrangement with the minority shareholder has given the Austrian company an improvement in quality.
“We can learn a lot from these guys in manufacturing a quality bike in high quantities,” he says. Bikes sold in Europe are returned to the Austrian factory for quality checks while bikes exported to the rest of the world are quality checked at the Pune factory under strict KTM guidelines.
The full-size bike features safe anti-lock brakes, quality suspension components, an efficient engine and a sizzling modern style that will suit many riders. The 390 fills the hole between the 200 and 690 Dukes and the company is so confident of its success it will be the first KTM to be sold in all 76 markets around the world where they have dealers. Previously, their 200 Duke was the most popular KTM street bike.
This bike is built with the same frame as the 125 and 200 Dukes, but with an all-new 375cc single-cylinder engine. It’s an over-square unit which means the bore is bigger than the stroke, so it revs higher and achieves its power and torque at higher revs than normal. But don‘t expect a zinging little buzz box that rattles the fillings out of your teeth, vibrates the mirrors so you can’t see what’s behind you and makes your fingers go numb after an hour in the saddle. Quite the opposite.
This is a versatile engine that seems to have plenty of torque for casual acceleration, smooth delivery of power through the range and only minor tingles through the seat of your pants.
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