KTM 390 Duke
Sharper styling resembles 1290 Super Duke R New frame, suspension and ride-by-wire throttle Now fully A2-compliant out of the box
TWO MOMENTS MAKE the 2017 KTM 390 Duke more sophisticated than last year’s version. The first comes as soon as you turn the key, igniting the glorious glow of a bright, crisp, multi-colour, 5in TFT digital dash. This is the kind of lavish rider’s eye view that’s only recently been afforded to flagship machines like Ducati’s 1299 Panigale, Triumph’s Street Triple RS and KTM’S 1290 Super Adventure S. The 390 Duke costs just £4599.
The second is realised shortly after pulling away. Despite all the Duke’s noticeably new components – its angular all-led headlight, smart new orange frame with separate bolt-on white rear subframe, exaggerated and sharpened bodywork – the biggest dynamic change comes from something with no visual difference: the suspension. Despite WP logos, the original 390 Duke’s forks and shock felt basic, with a harsh, springy ride. But new internals in the 2017 units give an enormous, obvious, nightand-day improvement in ride quality.
Thankfully the 390’s four-valve, liquid-cooled 373cc single-cylinder engine is untouched and still makes 43bhp. It has a whisker more torque – up from just under 26lb.ft to just over 27lb.ft – thanks to a larger airbox. And there’s a new ride-bywire throttle, purely to help it pass the Euro 4 emissions test. The resulting twistgrip response is generally good – it can feel a bit uncertain on a steady throttle at lower revs in lower gears, but on the whole it’s preferable to the old 390’s occasional trigger-happy immediacy.
Once on a positive throttle it’s still loaded with character – quick-revving, eager to rip through its midrange and chase down peak power. Given the lone piston there’s inevitable vibration, though most of the time it’s just prominent enough to add to the experience rather than detract from it. One exception is sitting at constant motorway speeds where, despite the best efforts of the engine’s balance shaft, those high-rev pulses rattle the footpegs. The gearbox feels slicker, which is especially welcome given the frequency and urgency of shifts encouraged by the snappy delivery. A slipper clutch helps keep the rear wheel in line on hurried downshifts – though if for some reason you don’t want it to be so obedient, you can switch the ABS to a new ‘Supermoto’ mode and disable the rear wheel’s anti-lock function.
The front brake is boosted by a new 320mm disc (20mm larger than before) but the same radially mounted four-piston caliper is retained, which bites sharply and offers plenty of power. And that’s no bad thing, given the 390 Duke has put on a few pounds.
KTM’S claimed dry weight for the new 390 is up 10kg to 149kg, and considering its larger steel fuel tank (capacity up 2.4 litres to 13.4) the kerb weight now sits at around 160kg. That’s hardly porky in the grand scheme of things – it’s still lighter than Kawasaki’s Z300 or Yamaha’s MT-03 – but it’s also barely any less than KTM’S 690 Duke. That extra weight is found in obvious places (the
“Nothing offers as much fun to an A2 licence holder”
fancy headlight and dash, as well as the new side-mounted silencer) and lessobvious ones (like its sturdier wheels).
One saving grace is that the extra weight now removes the fuss and complication of converting the 390 Duke to A2-licence specification. The old 390 was so light that its power-to-weight ratio exceeded
the A2 limit, meaning it had to be restricted by a couple of horsepower to become eligible.
Another benefit is that the larger tank extends the Duke’s range. Returning around 60mpg in mixed-road use, the 390 should now manage at least 130 miles between fill-ups, and gives 200-mile potential if you’re gentle.
There are subtle tweaks to geometry (the bike rides 15mm higher, with a 10mm shorter wheelbase and 5mm less trail), while a revised riding position pitches the rider further forwards in a more aggressive stance. But there’s still more space for a fully grown adult than you’d expect, despite the Duke’s short, slim feel. Honda’s CB500F is more substantial and sedate (and £700 more), while BMW’S similar-money G310R is weedier and wimpier. Still nothing offers as much raw fun to a rider with a fresh A2 licence, or to a more experienced hand as a second bike to liven up those dull cross-town commutes.