KTM 390 Duke (2024) Review - Firecracker Shrimp
South Africans have long been dismissive of sub 750cc motorcycles but that trend has been reversing over the last few years as purchase prices soar and petrol costs become an increasingly important factor of the daily runabout. KTM may just have the answer to all of the above......introducing the 390 Duke!
Firecracker Shrimp
In the way back black and white olden time days of my high school tenure, riding a motorcycle was often the only way a young man made his way to receive his education. Like so many adrenaline-filled teens, I began my motorcycle journey on a 50cc two-stroke machine that had just enough power to pull the skin off a rice pudding and one had to very quickly learn how to pre-mix your own fuel, lest you burn up a piston in a cloud of blue smoke. By the time you had made it past halfway, the diminutive 50cc just wouldn't cut it anymore and an upgrade to a 125cc or god forbid a 250cc was on the cards.
Those that made the jump became the talk of the parking lot with only the bravest making it to the 250cc threshold. There were a few Matric lads that managed to wrangle a ride on their old man's 750cc and one memorable chap that pitched up on an 1100cc, promptly blowing everyone's minds!
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What does this have to do with today's test? Well back in those days there weren't many options for young lads past 250cc, you could try and find the super elusive RZ350 or make the Z400 or GS500cc jump if you could find one, there just weren't that many bikes available. The point was and still is, to a certain extent, that South Africans have never really cottoned onto small displacement bikes, rather opting for the big bore machines, most likely due to our extensive road network and the distances that we have travelled on rides for well over 30 years.
That seems to be changing though as in recent years we have seen an influx of smaller displacement machines as the 50, 125, and 250cc two strokes of yesteryear have gone the way of the Dodo with most considering a starter bike now to be a 310cc. We have seen 300-400cc machines emerging from the big four Japanese brands but in recent years more so from European and Chinese manufacturers. One of these cracking little Euro machines is the 390cc Duke from KTM.
Styling
Even with the 390 being the entry point into KTM naked street bike ownership, it maintains the distinct KTM DNA. If you were to wash a 1290 Superduke in too hot water and shrunk it down, you would end up with the 390. Its aggressive styling coupled with the black and orange paint scheme makes this highly noticeable in town. Like so many modern street bikes, I can't say that I am a fan of the LED headlight arrangement or the extended tail section but with almost all bikes featuring equipment like this for global safety standards, we can live with it.
If you take a look at the rear suspension you will see that the rear shock is offset to the right-hand side. This is due to the overall seat height being dropped 10mm to 820mm, allowing for greater rider comfort and better handling. The rear swingarm has also been redesigned to allow for the aforementioned offset shock and the new under-exit exhaust/cat arrangement. The 2024 model also gets a new wheel design featuring an open hub design and a massive front-end brake rotor.
All rolled up, the 390 manages to look bigger and meaner than it is, and the only way to tell that its a smaller-sized bike is when someone stands next to it to give it scale and we love that!
Tech and Features
Starting with the 5" colour TFT screen, you will find a simplified version of KTM's rider software. This features the standard Rain and Street modes, for 2024 you now get a Track mode which gives you a completely new screen layout featuring a track timer, ABS control, and of course Supermoto mode to get the back out at will. The menus are controlled by the left hand controls and are much easier to use and navigate than some other makes.
Our test unit was also fitted with the optional quick shifter which made navigating city traffic a whole lot more fun.
Engine and Drivetrain
Cradled in the steel trellis frame you will find a 399cc single-cylinder engine that punches out a healthy 32kW and 37Nm through a 6-speed sequential transmission. A slipper clutch transfers power to the rear wheel with ease so you can really wind on it and if you are not careful, lift the front wheel just as easily.
Suspension comes courtesy of KTM's in-house WP Apex brand, featuring adjustable open cartridge front fork units and an adjustable rear mono shock. If you want to ride two up you will need to bust out a C-Spanner to setup the preload but for everyday solo riding you have access to clickers front and rear to get the perfect balance for your riding environment.
As mentioned earlier the 390 gets a new set of 17" wheels which are 110mm wide up front and a comforting 150mm at the rear, brakes come from BYBRE and are 4 pot upfront with a 320mm brake rotor and 2 pot at the rear with a 230mm rotor.
Let's Ride
Weighing it at a paltry 165kg's the 390 Duke is primed for lightweight street riding and that is just what you will end up doing. The bike is a bit subdued below 2000rpm and you will find that you need to rev it out somewhat but once it comes on song, the Duke comes alive. The light weight makes it insanely flickable through traffic and the mid-range power delivery means that you always have a little more on tap to navigate corners. If you wind it out a little too much the screen will flash red telling you to change gears which you will do a lot because the 390 is just that much fun to ride hard.
This isnt just a city slicker either and the 390 can do longer roundtrips on the freeway, although not very comfy, there is plenty of mid-range and top end power to take on the open road and ride out the 13l fuel tank. Our week-long test returned 4.0l/100km which equates to roughly 420km per tank.
Model and Pricing
| KTM 390 DUKE | R 102 999,00 |
Pros and Cons
- Aggressive styling
- Segment leading tech
- Excellent quick shifter
- Brilliant suspension
- Progressive brakes
- Lightweight
- Not comfortable on longer journeys
- Rear tail section is not attractive
Competitors
If we concentrate on the price bracket, the KTM's closest competitors are the BMW 310 R, the Yamaha MT03 and the Kawasaki Ninja 400. There is a steady influx of Chinese-made models all vying for buyers' money in the engine size segment but they are still a few years behind in the quality stakes. From industry rumblings we have heard that we should start seeing the likes of KOVE and CFMoto arriving but if Chinese is the way you're looking, there are well-established brands like Zontes to try out.
Verdict
After riding the 390 Duke and having flashbacks to my two stroke-filled high school days I can honestly say that the 300-400cc class is the perfect beginner bike. I am glad that I got to develop my skills on a 50cc weedeater but it would have been nice to have a decent stepping stone between my deadly RZ125 and the monstrous CB750 I eventually climbed onto. New riders have an amazing list of beginner bikes to choose from and the KTM 390 Duke is probably the best place they can ask to start. It's powerful and peppy, looks the part, and has all the tech you will need to stay safe and be a hooligan.
