HOT DEALS ON SMALL KTMS
O Buy a brand new 125 Duke, 390 Duke or 390 Adventure on 0% finance – now!
Finding a way through the complexities of learning to ride and buying your first new motorcycle is hard enough, but finding a truly exhilarating and funky A1 or A2 bike can be even more of a struggle. And then you have to pay for it. So KTM are making life a little easier by offering a new 0% deal on their 125 Duke, 390 Duke and 390 Adventure over a 36-month term.
Start at the beginning
The 125 Duke is a brilliant place to start your biking life – and also a fantastic urban commuter in experienced hands. Big on both attitude and aptitude, the 125 Duke offers class-leading performance, is adorned with the latest technology and boasts low fuel consumption figures to keep you riding for longer. Taking styling cues from the mighty 1290 Super Duke R super naked, the 125 has modern touches which give it that desirability factor it so rightly deserves. There’s a TFT dash, illuminated switchgear, an LED headlight, WP suspension and a four-piston radial caliper up front – all giving it premium big-bike feel. On the move, the 125 feels like a well put-together package. The gearbox is slick and the WP suspension feels sporty and well sprung, unlike most soft and wobbly 125s on the market. The engine offers ample performance for urban riding and, thanks to a dry weight of just 137kg, has more than enough power to stay ahead of the traffic.
Stepping it up
The 390 Duke has pulled in so many riders ever since its introduction nearly a decade ago. The 2021 model keeps satisfying buyers with its enthusiasm that thrills on each and every ride, it’s refined, easy to live with, fast and comes with a high level of spec and superb attention to detail. It’s one of the very best machines in the entire A2 licence category. It offers unparalleled levels of fun, quality and performance for its size, a 5.2in full colour dash, illuminated switchgear, brilliant panel fitment and deep glossy paint. Claimed dry weight is just 150kg, meaning its 43bhp singlecylinder engine has more than enough poke to achieve a decent level of performance. Despite its new-rider-friendly ergonomics, the 390 is serious fun. It’s capable of a genuine 100mph, you can tempt the Duke into the occasional wheelie and it will back into corners when the ABS is switched to Supermoto mode. It’s nimble through traffic and has a natural riding position to suit owners of all sizes. New riders will find it simple to get on with and it’s still an impressive machine for the more experienced. Adding to the sense of big-bike quality are the WP 43mm upsidedown forks and single rear shock. KTM reckon they’ve spent a lot of time developing these units for the new machine – and you can tell. Braking is also improved with the old model’s four-piston radial Bybre (a subsidiary of Brembo) caliper now gnawing a single disc that’s grown from 300 to 320mm. If you’re looking for a light and manageable naked that delivers more grins than per pound than any other bike – this is it.
A taste for adventure
The 390 Adventure was a new addition to the range last year, and immediately wowed us with its impressive versatility. In performance terms, there’s enough on offer to serve up a decent road ride and its easy-going nature will make commuters, or the less experienced, grin from ear to ear.
If you want to cover some decent distance, it’ll also oblige, although wind blast and vibrations will take their toll eventually. Being a KTM, it’s not afraid to get its tyres dirty and is capable of tackling a light trail when the mood takes you, but is slightly let down by the road bike ergonomics.
The 390 is not a hardcore rally bike for square-chinned Dakar wannabes – instead it’s for riders dipping a boot into muddy waters for the first time. The Adventure differs from the Duke by virtue of longer suspension, with 170mm of wheel travel from the adjustable WP forks and 177mm from the longer shock.
There’s also a taller 19in front wheel to help it roll over off-road obstacles, with new tyre sizes of 100/90 x 19 and 130/80 x 17.
Life on the 390 is easy-going, with the rider sitting comfortably in a well-proportioned, typically adventure bike position.
The seamless action of the quickshifter makes the ride even easier and strong acceleration from low down means overtaking slow-moving traffic is a breeze and perfect for commuters. It sounds beefy, too.
It’s definitely aimed at tarmac rather than trails, but it’s a proper mini adventurer.
● To learn more about how to get your A1 and A2 licence, or to reserve a test ride on one of these gems, speak to your local KTM dealer now: www.ktm.com/ en-gb/find-a-dealer.html.