2016 KTM 390 Duke Review | Mayor of Urban Motorcycling

2016 KTM 390 Duke Review

2016 KTM 390 Duke Test | In The City

2016 KTM 390 Duke Test

When it comes to putting $5k on the table for a new bike, the choices are pretty good, but there’s really only one truly special street motorcycle in that price range—the 2016 KTM 390 Duke. With many of the styling cues of the amazing KTM 1290 Super Duke R, the 390 Duke gets the job of thrilling the rider done at less than third of the cost and displacement.

Certainly, it’s a different kind of fun on the 390 Duke than on its big brother. Consider the 390 Duke to be strictly an urban guerrilla, taking you through city streets quickly, efficiently, and with lots of excitement.

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There are two things you want to know immediately about the 390 Duke to get an idea of how to approach the bike. It puts out 44 horsepower and weighs just 306 pounds (claimed dry—figure about 340 wet). That is a recipe for a good time in any city environment.

2016 KTM 390 Duke Review

In the case of our KTM 390 Duke test bike, it had been set up with a couple of KTM PowerParts accessories for participation in M Gymkhana, a Southern California organization that sends riders around a tight cone-marked parking-lot course in a friendly time-based competition. M Gymkhana focuses on throttle control, braking, and steering, with outright speed eliminated from the competitive equation.

The added KTM PowerParts are the engine guards ($200) and aluminum handguards ($150). I probably don’t have to tell you how confidence-inspiring those PowerParts are when doing battle with trucks and automobiles in tight quarters. If someone’s mirror gets in the way, you don’t have to worry about the clutch or brake lever being inadvertently actuated, and the engine guards will save the bike should it hit the pavement in an unplanned manner.

Turn on the KTM 390 Duke and the cheap-looking LCD dashboard comes to life with a message I don’t need to read twice—Ready To Race >>. With the exception of the large mph readout (the most important piece of info on the dash), all the markings and numbers are tiny and difficult to read when riding—especially at night. The LCD tach is of limited use, but there’s a flashing red shift light that comes on at about 7000 rpm to tell you to go up a cog soon.

Although the 390 Duke is a thumper, the 26 ft/lbs torque peak at 7250 rpm is not overwhelming. This makes threading through traffic less stressful, as there is enough power, though not too much. If you are on the freeway or an open stretch of boulevard, revving the motor is the way to go if speed is your goal.

The power output is a bit odd for such an over-square motor. You’d think it would rev to the moon like KTM’s dirt bikes—the KTM 350 SX-F spins up to 13,400 rpm—but that is not the case with the 390 Duke. In fact, the horsepower peak at 9500 rpm matches the intrusion of the soft rev limiter. So, you have 44 horses, but the rev limiter almost always accompanies hitting that peak. For maximum acceleration, pay heed to the shift light.

2016 KTM 390 Duke Action

Fortunately, with not much poundage to propel, the 390 Duke reacts effectively in traffic. It zips into spots on-demand, and has the ultra-agile chassis to assist. That combination of light weight, a wheelbase under 54 inches, and 25 degrees of rake means you have a highly responsive chassis that goes where you want it to go without delay, hesitation, or protest. With the hand and engine guards, your 390 Duke is less likely to pay a price should your maneuver be overly exuberant. You, of course, still need full protective gear.

Ergonomics also help in the 390 Duke’s behavior. It’s a compact bike, but not awkwardly so for my 5’ 10” frame. I certainly feel like I’m sitting on the front wheel, and the rear wheel isn’t far behind. Still, the KTM PowerParts Ergo Seat that sits 3/4-inch higher than stock isn’t a bad idea for riders with a 32-inch inseam or longer. For shorter riders, KTM PowerParts offers a lowering kit that drops the seat down an inch. Personalization is a good thing.

In addition to dive-bombing through traffic at will, the 390 Duke is also willing to go on the freeway when necessary. The short flyscreen makes a tiny difference, but you’re definitely in the windblast. Freeway jaunts will preferably be short, but the power and stability is there to make the urban freeways totally accessible.

2016 KTM 390 Duke Canyon Rider

If you’re looking for a canyon bike, the 390 Duke is a bit disappointing. In the hills, the 390 Duke runs out of steam quickly, even when you use the gearbox to the best advantage.

The braking (by Bybre, a Brembo subsidiary), WP suspension (no damping adjustments), and handling are on duty, and the Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact tires are more than up to the job. Still, you will want to stick to the tightest of roads if you want to keep your riding partners on larger-displacement machines in sight. Direction changes are, as you’d expect, instantaneous and fully intuitive.

The big problem is the relatively low rev ceiling. When making time in the twisties, you will either be shifting constantly, or hammering the rev limiter consistently. I suspect the 9500 rpm limit is there to keep the maintenance intervals manageable for the 375cc DOHC motor.

Invite your canyon-strafing friends for an in-town run, and they’ll be jealous.

The 2016 KTM 390 Duke is an amazing urban motorcycle at an attractive price; it’s strange that the city isn’t buzzing with them. Of course, now that you know the secret to metropolitan moto-nirvana, all you have to do is cut loose with $5000 and you can own the town.

Location photography by Kelly Callan
Studio photograph by H. Mitterbauer

RIDING STYLE

2016 KTM 390 Duke Specs

ENGINE
Type Liquid-cooled DOHC single
Bore x stroke 89 x 60mm
Displacement 373 cc
Compression ratio 12.5:1
Maximum power 44 horsepower @ 9500 rpm
Maximum torque 26 ft/lbs @ 7250 rpm
Ignition/EMS Bosch EMS
Lubrication Semi Dry Sump
Fuel system Bosch EFI w/ 46mm throttle body
Starter/battery Electric / 12V 8Ah
Transmission 6-speed
Clutch PASC Slipper clutch
Final drive X-ring chain
CHASSIS
Frame Steel trellis
Subframe Steel
Handlebars Tapered aluminum, 26/22mm
Front suspension Inverted 43mm WP forks
Rear suspension WP shock
Suspension travel f/r 5.9”/5.9”
Brakes f/r Disc; 300/230 mm
ABS Bosch 9MB Two Channel
Wheels f/r Cast aluminum; 3.00 x 17″ / 4.00 x 17″
Tires f/r Metzeler Sportec M5
Tire sizes f-r 110/70 ZR 17 – 150/60 ZR 17″
SPECIFICATIONS
Rake 25°
Wheelbase 53.82 inches (± 0.39 inches)
Trail 3.9 inches
Ground clearance 6.7 inches
Seat height 31.5 inches
Tank capacity 2.9 gallons
Dry weight 306 pounds
KTM 390 Duke Price MSRP: $4999

2016 KTM 390 Duke Photo Gallery

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1 COMMENT

  1. 44 HP in a package like the Duke 390’s is more than enough to eat any larger bike for lunch on a tight road. Far more than enough, in fact. Half that power would be sufficient.

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