THE ORANGE FURY IS BACK AGAIN - " THE THUNDERING KTM DUKE 390"

Now you guys might complain that it is bike and this is a 4-wheeler blog and its normal not my suit , but guys what to do after all its a special bike to the Indian market... With the launch of this bike the KTM company has a send a strong message to its competitors that isn't fooling around much.. "Providing fast and safe bikes at an affordable rates to its customers" .. The bike definitely have the killer looks and the racing DNA in it which is a tradition in the company's bikes.... This time the 390 does look much similar to its sibling the 200 , but looking closer you would find a lot of difference... The 390 comes with a sleek and fast design and also have a mammoth engine with 378 cc of displacement a insane amount of torque.. now lets have brief look at the bike and its performance...
  KTM DUKE 390 ------------------ Rs 1,80,000 (Ex Showroom) price
 
The Engine and Performance:-

SPECIFICATIONS:-

ENGINE:-

INSTALLATION          :-  373.2cc 4-per cyclinder , DOHC,

                                          Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke,
                                            Liquid – cooled

POWER                       :- 43bhp @ 9000 rpm

TORQUE                     :- 3.57Kgm @ 7000rpm

TRANSMISSION:-

TYPE                     :- 6Speed , 1-down , 5-up

DIMENSIONS:-

WHEEL BASE                      :- 1367 +/- 15 mm

GROUND CLEARANCE      :- 172 mm

CHASSIS & BODY:-

CONSTRUCTION        :- Steel trellis , powder coated
WEIGHT                      :- 154 Kg

WHEELS                      :- 17 inch alloy

TYRES                          :- 110/70 x17 -150/60 x17 INCHES

SUSPENSIONS:-

FRONT                  :- WP, 43mm Upside Down FORKS
REAR                     :- Alloy swingarm , adjustable monoshock

BRAKES:-
FRONT                :- Four Piston , Radical Mounted
                                 mounted caliper, 300mm disc(ABS)

RAER                   :- Single Piston , 230mm disc (ABS)

ANTI-LOCK         :- Boch 9MB two channel

ECONOMY:-

TANK SIZE             :- 10.2L
MILEAGE               :- 22 Kmpl



The massive 373.2 cc 4-stroke , liquid cooled engine  does  have a big grunt to it .. It sits a bit low to the ground and does a correct proportionate weight distribution which adds stability to the bike and reduces drag too.. The 390 is completely based on the 200 platform but the KTM claims that the 373 cc engine is infact 95% different  from the 200cc engine... This means more engine refinement and better response and much more amount punch... The motor  infact 45bhp of power which is almost twice that of the 200cc engine.... On the other hand the bike weighs just around 17kgs more which means the weight to power ratio is much more large and insane... The bike easily reach around 160 kmph and you can cruise around 120 kmph all day long without any glich in power ... the bike is very agile and can easily transformer its power and can be easily be handled in the city traffic.. The big is very responsive enough low down the rev range which means the sheer raw power of the bike can also tamed  to will .....  Now the 390  has bigger brakes and is also enabled with ABS which means you have safety and the tires are also of MICHELIN tyres instead of MRF which means better grip and ride comfort....

THE LOOKS AND SPECS:-

Well the whole body design aspect of the bike is completely aerodynamic and is very low to the ground... The low sleek design of does reduce drag and helps the bike to corner really with ease and fast... Well technically speaking the 390 is based on 200 so it is really very light and agile and easy to handle and really suited for Indian roads ... Now both BAJAJ and KTM have left no stones unturned to give that extra bit of power and that split second fastness... The bike is definitely a bikers treat but the major catch feature of this bike is that it have the very much agile and fast engine but it is highly safe for the rider...
The narrow and very oddly shaped headlamps is definitely designed to allow air flow the little and pin sharp looking side indicators definitely add that sportyness to the bike and looks descent ... the front suspension is the same provided in 200 the inverted forks.... The key feature which really impressed me is the the orange colored exposed sporty rails....

THE VERDICT:-

Now very few people have actually ridden the 390 , but believe me it is a delight.. The sheer power and grunt with the big brakes and the aerodynamics of the bike is simple out standing and really sets the bench mark for different bikes.. The ride quality is much better now with the help of those superior tiers and the add on ABS to the brakes.. with intelligently priced 1,80,000 this bike is definitely a steal...
For more videos and reviews click on the link below:-

The comprehensive review from AUTOCAR INDIA ...... catch it here!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blIonIWTRCc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mXnQUE_F7I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZulpDllxEc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOjkjBKBvOE