ktm 390 Duke 2023: Reason Why Dominar 400 is Better?

Ktm 390 Duke 2023 price is  Rs 296 230/- and it’s now available in 2 new colours Dark galvano and Liquid metal. and the rest of the specs and design are the same as before.

FRONT DESIGN

So as always let’s start from the front, our Duke 390 comes with full LED headlights with 6 led chambers Besides this, LED DRLs also fitted inside the headlights and there is a portion in the middle of the headlight. that makes it look like some kind of insect.

But when Duke 390 was launched, it came with halogen headlights. Apart from that you will get tiny LED turn indicators that are mounted above the headlights. the benefit of having turn indicators mounted over it which is when you encounter a fall indicator remains safe.

One more thing, Bajaj Dominar 400 and 250 also get the same LEd indicators. What I don’t like about this 390 Duke is that you don’t get any front visor screen that protects you from windblast. On the other hand, you have a large windscreen on the Dominar 400 that prevents riders from heavy wind blasts during highway rides.

Moving on to wheels you will get the same 17-inch cast alloy orange colour wheels wrapped with premium Metzellers tyre that offers you good grip and acceleration during the ride. besides this, you will get a WP APEX USD fork, 43mm diameter and 320 mm Disc brakes with Radially mounted calliper.

Last, all the Duke models get a dual-tone mudguard that has some glossy finish up the front side and the rest of the mudguard remains unpainted. no doubt the front portion of the bike looks attractive and immediately recognisable.

Must Read: A Detailed Review of Ktm RC 390 along with all necessary details.

SIDE VIEW

just like the front Ktm 390 dukes look sharp and stylish from the side. personally, I like the chassis painted orange looks sporty. the bike is supported on a Split-Trellis frame (Tubular) and rear subframe, and a swing arm is attached to it.

Besides this, the engine is bolted to the frame and exhaust pipe is routed underneath the engine and the exhaust is side-mounted. but on the previous bike exhaust routed over the engine. the engine is painted black colour and a water radiator with the fan mounted upfront and coolant filling cap can be seen on the right side. two plastic covers attached on both sides of the radiator on which KTM is written & hides the radiator.

With this model you will get a side-mounted exhaust and two catalytic converters connected to it and with the other model like KTM 200 Duke you will get underbelly exhaust.

when you look at the bike it looks sharp, especially the tank shrouds that make this bike look bulky. and it has a steel fuel tank which is not covered by any plastic cover.

Moving on to seats you will get split seats that offer a decent amount of comfort but if you are taking this bike over long rides you may feel tired because this bike is not designed for long routes. On the other hand, the Bajaj dominar 400 is a comfortable bike and offers you all the tools required to ride this bike over long distances.

For the pillion rider. it has a split grab rail of large size and the space for a pillion seat is adequate.

REARVIEW

Moving on to the rear Ktm 390 looks even more stylish with the long licence plate holder and a tail portion raised and the wide tyre makes it look sporty and big.

You will get a 150 mm rear-wide tyre and a tyre hugger is provided to protect you from mud. besides this, you will get led taillights and indicators.

HANDLEBAR & SPEEDOMETER

with this bike, you will get a tube-type handlebar that gives you an upright riding position as well as feels sporty. besides this, Duke 390 also comes with an adjustable brake and clutch lever so that anyone can adjust hand levers according to them.

Talking about the speedometer, you will get a multicoloured TFT display that shows all the information you need. but with the dominar 400, you only get a split negative display speedometer. I wish we could get a colour display with the dominar as well.

SWITCHGEAR CLUSTER

With this bike, you will get high-quality Left and right switch gears. on the left side, the company has provided buttons to control the screen, horn, turn indicator and passing switch.

And on the right side, you will get an engine kill switch and self-start switch.

we have shown the 2023 images of the Ktm 390 Duke so you can enjoy this blog. Again a question arises ktm 390 Duke: Reason Why Dominar 400 is Better? I must say yes dominar doesn’t have that type of equipment but it’s cheaper than the Duke 390.

Power & Performance

The Ktm 390 Duke is powered by a single-cylinder 373.27 cc 4-stroke, 4-valve fuel-injected bs6 water-cooled engine which is now controlled by a Ride-by-wire system and bs4 Ktm Duke 390 was available with the basic mechanical wired throttle control.

This engine produces 43.5 PS power and 37 Nm of torque and this power is transferred to the rear wheel via a six-speed gearbox which is equipped with a quick shifter and slipper clutch. and to shift gear you will get a good quality toe shifter.

So the Ktm 390 Duke feels smooth during the ride and you don’t feel vibration when riding at higher RPM this bike is really powerful and this engine is unpredictable at the top end it suddenly becomes a different animal when you accelerate harder.

Although the BS4 Duke 390 had great mindblowing acceleration in the BS6 model power is there but that punch is missing so it’s great for beginners.

Q. Can a beginner ride a 390 Duke?

Ans: In my opinion, you have been riding a 100 cc bike for years and you haven’t ridden any 200 or 300cc bikes yet so it might be unsafe to ride 390 Dukes. but if you have already ridden a 200 or 300cc bike you can easily ride this bike. but still, be careful.

Talking about brakes you will get Supermoto ABS in this bike. the rear brake is good and the front disc gives you tremendous stopping power. on the other hand suspension of this bike is on the stiffer side so you do feel a jerk when you contour potholes but if you are riding slowly then the suspension feels a bit comfortable.

The bike is really nice to ride and if you want a powerful bike then this is a great option for you.

ktm 390 Duke fuel economy

Q: I want to know the genuine city and highway fuel economy of 390 Duke?

Here, I am sharing a rider’s opinion who has tested the fuel economy of ktm 390 Duke on the highway and in the city. during the city ride the bike delivered 20.18kmpl and during the highway test bike delivered at a speed above 80km/h Duke 390 delivered 18.2km/l.

On the other hand, the bike was also tested at a slow speed near 65 km/h the bike delivered 32 km/l.

ktm 390 Duke Max Speed

Ktm 390 Duke is designed for high speed and it’s a really fast bike let me tell you one thing the Max speed varies from person to person, according to bike condition and riding habits.

So during our test, Ktm 390 Duke Max speed was 168 kmph. and this bike can easily hit 150 km/h but in some cases, we have seen the bike hitting 170 km/h.

It’s a seriously high speed and don’t test max speed without proper riding gear.

Ktm 390 Duke Seat Height

Ktm 390 Duke comes with an 822mm seat height. and this seat height is not suitable for below 5’5″ guys. because a 5’5″ guy can only touch their toes to the ground but a guy of 5’2″ cannot easily place both feet on the ground so the question arises.

Q: Can a guy of 5’2″ guy ride this bike?

Ans: well no if the rider is inexperienced. but if the rider is experienced he can ride the bike. but still, I will recommend this bike for those who are above 5’5″ in height.

Ktm 390 Duke Ground Clearance

The ground clearance of Ktm Duke 390 is 151 mm which is descent to tackle broken roads and high-speed breakers.

Ktm 390 Duke Specifications

ENGINE

SUSPENSION

BRAKES

CHASSIS

So that’s all about the 390 Duke and below you can read about the other Dukes models.

So in this paragraph, I will mention the features you will get in the Ktm 250 Duke other than the 390 Duke. because the rest of the design is the same and I have explained the design of the Duke model in the upper paragraph so read that first.

FEATURES

Brake/Clutch Lever

With the 250 Duke, you will not get any adjustable brake and clutch levers. instead of this regular hand-operated lever is provided with it. this is done to keep the price low. You can get an adjustable lever installed on your bike by purchasing it as an accessory. but I am not sure about it.

LCD Display

You might not be happy with getting an LCD display instead of a colour TFT display as we get in the 390 Duke. It looks ordinary & reminds you of the Duke which was launched in 2011. but it shows plenty of info like fuel level, engine temp, service reminder, speedometer, gear position, Kill switch on/off, side stand warning, Actual fuel consumption, trip etc.

Besides this, you will also see RPM limit warning, check engine warning, neutral and turn indication. further you can see by clicking on this video link.

Quick Shifter

The third thing is, with the Duke 250 you don’t get any quick shifter as well. but don’t worry slipper clutch is there to make an aggressive up-shift and down-shift smoother.

Supermoto ABS

Ktm is offering super Moto ABS it that can be activated by pressing a button on the instrument cluster.

250cc Engine

This 250 cc engine produces 30PS power and 24nm of torque and is mated with a 6-speed gearbox that comes with a slipper clutch. this engine feels smooth and powerful when you ride it.

ktm 250 Duke fuel economy

first Ktm dukes are not designed to deliver good fuel economy these bikes are known for their powerful performance. but still, many people here in India are curious about fuel economy. and let me tell you one thing fuel economy varies from person to person and riding habits.

So during the test when we were riding Duke 250 on the open road with no traffic and at the speed of 50 km/h the bike delivered 34.3 km/l.

And second time we rode the bike on the highway and in the city and the speed was between 40 to 80km/h and the bike delivered 30.6 km/l. the mileage features are impressive.

ktm 250 Duke Max Speed

During the test, the Ktm 250 Duke’s max speed was 136 km/h. although it can go up to 140 km/h in my opinion it depends upon the rider’s weight, wind direction and road condition. but you can cruise up to 100-110 kmph easily on this bike.

Ktm 250 Duke Engine & Performance

How it’s like Ride Duke 250?

This bike is powered by a 248.76cc single cylinder 4-valve fuel injected water cooled engine. this engine develops 30PS of power and 24 Nm of torque and this engine also comes with Dominar 250 with different tuning.

Just like the Ktm Duke 390, you will get a powerful performance with this 250 cc engine and as it’s a lesser capacity engine so it produces less heat during the city and the radiator further helps cool it. and it feels smooth and punchy when you twist the throttle.

the sitting position is the same as Duke 390. taking about mileage Duke 250 delivered 34.3 km/l during our test when riding in the economy and the top speed is 136 km/h achieved during our test.

On the other, the suspension feels stiff as this is a naked sports bike designed to ride fast and the brakes are good, especially the front brake. overall riding quality is good and its fit and finish are great.

Ktm 250 Duke Specification & Dimensions

ENGINE

In this blog, we are showing you the Duke 200 E20 model which has a new fuel injection system that can run on 20 per cent ethanol.

Ktm 200 Duke Dimensions

All the models of Duke from 390 to 125 have the same dimension and chassis Length of 2072mm/Width 831mm/ Height 1109mm. although every model has a couple of different features. so we are showing only the features specific to the model.

FEATURES

Headlights/Turn Indicators

Previous Ktm 200 Duke 2017 model used to come with a halogen headlight. and now after 2019 the design is completely new and the headlights now look like the Duke 390 and 250. but these headlights are still halogen fitted but LED drls are there to give it a premium look.

Whereas turn indicators are the same as the other Duke models’ LED types.

LCD Display

As this is a lower-spec Duke you will get an LCD Display as we used to get with the 2019 200 Duke. but now you will get a side stand warning, gear position, mileage etc.

Underbelly Exhaust

Just like the previous model, you will get an underbelly exhaust which is located at the centre underneath the engine and keeps the bike balanced. personally, I am not a big fan of underbelly exhaust.

Supermoto ABS

Yes, this time Duke 200 is available with Supermoto ABS that can be activated via a button. in this feature rear abs dont work and help the bike to slide from the rear during cornering.

200CC Engine

This 200cc engine comes with four valves DOHC setup and it’s now equipped with a fuel injection system and a water cooling system. and believe me you will not feel a lack of power here its the most powerful 200cc bike yet.

ktm 200 Duke Top Speed

This 200 cc bike is really fast and faster than any 200cc bike here. during the test, Duke 200 hit 128 km/h easily and in some cases, I have seen that this bike is hitting up to 140km/h. and top speed depends upon many factors.

Like rider’s weight, bike condition road condition etc.

ktm 200 Duke Mileage

We have tested this bike mileage and we rode this bike in the city and on the highway and we got 37 km/l mileage overall. and if you ride this bike near 60-65 km/h and keep the throttle input light then Duke 200 can deliver over 40 km/l as we believe.

Ktm Duke 200 Specs

ENGINE

This bike is supported on a trellis frame with the same dimension and chassis as we have got in Duke 390 and 250. although with this bike you will not get a TFT display, adjustable brake and clutch levers, slipper clutch and LED headlights. but it looks like the elder sibling-only graphics are different.

One more thing, Ktm 125 Duke is not cheaper it cost over Rs 1.50 lack which makes it expensive but the things and features you are getting here justify its price. and it’s a Ktm bike. I don’t think I need to explain the design more because all the Ktm Dukes look the same and I have explained everything about this bike in 1st paragraph.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE

Speaking about the performance of the Ktm 125 Duke it comes with a 124.7cc liquid-cooled, DOHC 4-valve fuel-injected engine. and this bike is now available with an OBD-2 E20 fuel injection system which means you can use 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol.

This engine generates 14.5 Ps of power and 12 Nm of torque and power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a 6-speed gearbox. but Duke 125 doesn’t come with the slipper clutch and quick shifter. this is done to keep the cost low.

How does Ktm 125 Duke perform?

So if you have been riding Duke 390 or 250 for years then clearly you feel this engine under power and initially, this engine doesn’t feel punchy but after 8000rpm this bike shows its nature and you enjoy the ride.

But this bike is great for beginners and inexperienced riders on the other hand it’s one of the most affordable KTM dukes you can buy.

The suspension of this bike is descent but on broken roads you do feel jerks the suspension setup is stiff and it’s designed for cornering high speed. and brakes perform well on the road with no complaints.

ktm 125 Duke Fuel Economy

We have tested the mileage of 125 Duke and it delivered 40 km/l. but we have seen that in some cases this bike delivered 46 km/l when riding on the highway around 60 km/h. and not revving the engine.

ktm 125 Duke Top Speed

During the test, as you can see in the images Ktm 125 Duke achieved 116 km/h top speed and you can easily ride this bike up to 70-80 kmph all day. and this duke is water-cooled so it does not overheat.

Ktm 125 Duke Specifications

ENGINE