Updated on 27th January 2014
KTM has launched a new paint option for the KTM 390 Duke in India. When launched in June 2013, the bike was available only in one colour option, white. Now ‘Midnight Black’ has been added to the paint options, which should appeal to more customers.
“Packing in 43 BHP of power and 35 Nm of torque and weighing only 154 Kg, the KTM 390 Duke has truly been India’s first mid-size sports bike. With the introduction of the new black color KTM fans will have the option of choosing a color that expresses them best,” said Mr. Amit Nandi, Vice President (Probiking), Bajaj Auto
What do you think of the new paint option? Let us know in the comments section below.
Updated on 10th December 2013
KTM has revised the price of the KTM 390 Duke. The bike was earlier (read update below) was launched at an introductory price of Rs. 1.8 Lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. The price has now been revised to 1.87 Lakh ex-showroom Delhi, an increase of Rs. 7,000. Even with this price hike, the bike remains one of the best BHP-for-money buy you can get in the country.
Updated on 25th June, 2013
Bike enthusiasts rejoice! KTM has launched the 390 Duke in India.
Price
The KTM 390 Duke has been launched at an introductory price of Rs 1.8 Lakh (Ex-showroom Delhi). 71 exclusive KTM Dealers will start accepting bookings of the bike from tomorrow (26th June 2013).
After launching the bike Mr. Amit Nandi, Vice President Bajaj Probiking said “With its powerful engine, light weight and easy handling the 390 Duke will be equally rewarding both for the professional rider as well as the enthusiast. KTM is a sharply differentiated brand which in a short span of time is the largest selling premium motorcycle brand in India. This position would be further strengthened with the launch of the 390 Duke.”
Competition Check
In the Rs. 1.5 Lakh to Rs. 2.5 Lakh range, you get the following bikes:
- Royal Enfield Classic 500
- Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Twinspark
- Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500
- Honda CBR 250R ABS
The only bike which comes close to the KTM 390 Duke in terms of power delivered is the Kawasaki Ninja 300, it produces 38 BHP of power from a 296 cc engine and costs Rs 3.5 lakh. The KTM 390 Duke meanwhile produces 43 BHP of power from a 373cc engine.
Read the details about the new bike below:
Updated on 11th June, 2013
KTM is getting ready to let loose another wild bike in India. The KTM 390 Duke India launch will happen on 25th June 2013.
According to a teaser image posted on KTM India’s official Facebook page, the bike will launched this month. If you look closely the number 25 is highlighted on the image, which leads us to believe that KTM is hinting at the 390 Duke’s launch date.
We will be bringing you live updates from the launch event, do stay tuned to Car Blog India for the latest news from the Indian auto scene.
image source: KTM India Facebook page
Updated on 28th May, 2013
The 200 Duke has won the hearts of bikers in the country thanks to its radical looks, a racy engine and its sporty ride. The 390 Duke will follow the same recipe, but will be better at doing it.
The 390 Duke, though made in India, will be launched in all the markets KTM has a presence in, and the company has left no stone unturned to make this bike exciting. The naked bike will plug a hole in KTMs arsenal between its 200cc bike and the 600cc+ bikes, and take on competition such as the Kawasaki Ninja 300, Honda CBR 250R etc.
What’s New?
The 390 Duke looks pretty similar to its smaller cousin, the 200 Duke, and that is not a coincidence. It does have many parts similar to that of the 200 Duke, but things like the frame, gearbox and engine (obviously) are new. Because so many parts are shared between the two bikes, the 390 Duke weighs only about 15 kg more than the 200 Duke at 145 kg. Read the full details of the 390 Duke bellow:
Styling
The KTM 390 Duke follows styling similar to the 200 Duke. It gets similar looking vertically stacked headlamp, small tail-lamp, small turn indicators as the 200 Duke. There are hand-guards on the handlebars, which look beautiful. The frame is now swathed in KTM’s striking orange, the body graphics now have a white background, the wheels get the same treatment as the frame and stand out. There is a prominent, stylishly written ‘390 Duke’ sticker on its tank, similar to the one on it’s smaller sibling. The radiator gets bigger in the 390 Duke, and combined with the larger engine, makes the bike look bigger. The compact exhaust sits under the rear shock, which looks cool, but is functional at the same time too. The seats hardly go over the rear tyre, and there is a long mud-guard that has a licence plate holder at the end just like the 200 Duke. The information loaded digital gauge looks no different, but there is a unmarked button on it which allows the ABS to be disabled.
Engine And Transmission
A 373cc, single cylinder, four stroke, fuel-injected, liquid cooled engine powers the 390 Duke. It puts out a thumping 43 BHP of power and a solid 35 Nm of torque. This unit is basically the same engine as the one found on the 200 Duke, but its bore and stroke has been increased to 89x60mm from 27x49mm thus increasing its overall capacity to 373cc. Features like lightweight pistons and Nikasil (nickle-silicon carbide mix) coated cylinder ensure that the engine is smooth. The bigger engine heats up faster, so there is a bigger radiator fitted to the 390 Duke, it adds a considerably bulky look to the bike. The exhaust sits under the bike, and has a gruff bass tone to it, it also helps keeping the centre of gravity of the bike low.
The power from the engine is transmitted via a new six-speed transmission. The transmission on the bike is spaced out unlike the 200 Duke, which had shorter gears to help keep the bike in its short powerband. The larger engine’s broader powerband and higher torque means that the bike pulls cleanly from lower RPMs too, and need not be driven at the edge all the time. The most significant change is the sixth gear- it is very long – this helps the bike to cruise at three-figure speeds without it screaming like a banshee and wearing the rider out, while the shorter initial gears give the bike brisk acceleration. The bike can go from standstill to a 100 KMPH in around five seconds! The 390 Duke can go on to hit a top speed of 160 KMPH.
Ride and Handling
As we mentioned earlier, the 390 Duke shares a lot of parts with the smaller 200 Duke. We’ve also told you that this leads to a weight increase of only about 15 kg. What do these things imply? The 390 Duke is a sweet handling machine. The increased power means you do not need to keep downshifting to zoom out of corners, and the low weight helps you change direction in a jiffy or keep the bike pointed in the direction you want it go without much effort. Suspension duties on the 390 Duke are handled by 43mm twin-inverted forks at the front which offer a travel of 150mm, the rear monoshock unit is connected to a light alloy swingarm for increased stability. The 390 Duke has a wheelbase of 1367 mm which further increases stability, and is unlike the smaller 200 which feels twitchy at times. The 10.2 litre fuel tank is nicely sculpted and the company claims that this allows the rider to hug the bike better for increased comfort and control-ability.
The KTM Duke 390 will be offered with 17 inch wheels, shod with Metzeler tyres – 110 mm at the front and 150mm at the back. This will be the first time KTM will be offering these high performance in India, the 200 Duke is fitted with MRF tyres. The Metzeler tyres provide great traction and stability even when cornering hard and compliments the handling characteristics of the bike.
Going fast is not fun you cannot control it, and the brilliant brakes on the 390 Duke deserve a special mention here. A 300 mm disc with a four-pot caliper up front and a 230 mm disc with a single caliper do the stopping duties on the 390 Duke. Developed by KTM with the collaboration of brake makers Brembo and automotive component experts Bosch, the ABS shod brakes come as standard on the bike, there is an option to disable the ABS for those who want to push the bike to its limit.
Conclusion
It looks as radical as the KTM 200 Duke, with the bright paint, rakish headlamps, underbody exhaust and edgy body surfaces. The Duke 390 is a scortcher thanks to brilliant engine and its lightweight body. A long sixth gear helps it cruise on the highways like a tourer, while short initial gears give it blistering acceleration and keeps it sporty. Highly engineered suspension, brakes and sticky tyres help the bike handle beautifully whatever the situation be. This bike could appeal to bikers with different interest, those who are looking for a sporty bike, those who are looking for a very fast mile muncher and those who are looking for a big-capacity stunt bike.
KTM/Bajaj haven’t revealed the price of the bike, but from past experience (with the KTM 200 Duke) we know that it will be priced competitively to capture a large chunk of the market. It will be assembled in India, with a high level of localisation of parts which would also keep prices from rising too high. It is safe to estimate that the 390 Duke will be priced around the Rs. 2 lakh mark. Certainly fits the description of a pocket-rocket! Follow us to get more news about the bike as it emerges. Enjoy the official video below.
KTM 390 Duke: Video
