2017 Duke 390 owners, talk to me. Eyeballing a 2017 390 Duke. It's brand new at a dealer for $4799 + tax, which seems a decent deal. I've been riding ~10 years, started on CB550's/750s, then did a KLR, Harley 883, and a DRZ400SM. I loved the DRZ, and the KTM feels like all the things I liked about it plus some nice tech and more power.
Here’s the thing. I’m looking for a new motorcycle for next year (currently own a Yamaha MT 07 worth say 5k euros) and I’ve narrowed down my choice of upgrade to the SDR or 790 Duke. Now as a poor uni student I find myself making the less hurtful decision and going with the 790. Things I worry about is reliability and maintenance on the duke.
lucydad Discussion starter. 25 posts · Joined 2019. #1 · May 17, 2020 (Edited by Moderator) Hi, The Duke 390 is on my radar for a possible light, competent, and fairly high-tech small fun bike. I mentioned the Duke 390 on a TX motorcycle forum and got a very mixed review on reliability.
The 790 is a fantastic bike but it is let down by KTM's infamous reliability unfortunately. Day 1 and it had a brake light that was stuck always on and a valve cover oil leak. Little while later had a failed immobilizer that disabled ABS, traction control, and the quickshifter while I was riding it.
Same issue each time, here’s the scenario: Been riding approx 30 minutes, and as I’m shifting from 4-5 and blipping the throttle, the motor cuts off. Electrical still functioning. 1st breakdown resolution: replaced ECU. 2nd breakdown resolution: reset ECU. 3rd breakdown resolution: updated mapping, reset adaptation values, reset
When looking for a bike that will take you to the toughest to reach places, the KTM 890 is probably a good bet. Even though owners have reported a few problems that affect the 890's performance, durability, and reliability, they are nothing to write home about. Further, the KTM 890 is a suitable choice for any adventurer.
The dealer said this is normal for the 790, at least it is known that more 790 engines have the same sound. Last week at the Zandvoort track (Duke is 2 years and 4 days old with 8400 km) in my second lap I heard a “poof“ sound and the engine went dead. The engine rotates when the starter button is applied but won’t start.
The 890 engine (20% up from the 790) is different and less refined from the triple, although it feels “equivalent in power” overall.. delivery is different, and I might even opt for the triple which had a very linear delivery. The 890R feels more confident to push faster on twisty roads than the 765R did.
An over-achieving puppy of a motorcycle, the KTM Duke 200 is the best $4,000 and/or The suspension is just the right fit for the 790 Duke – some rougher roads may upset the applecart, but that’s going to cause issues across the motorcycling spectrum. Track time Save for a 30-minute afternoon final ‘shakedown’ at the end of the day, part two of the 790 Duke launch was on a local race track.
This is perfectly normal, especially if the outside temperature is above 30 degrees. I was in Madrid and I know how heavy the traffic there is. If you can not move more than 60-80 km/h for а longer time, then you can not cool the engine properly. Fans do not do miracles, they only help to blow/cool the radiator faster.
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For the price, the Duke offers a lot of positives: outstanding, extremely nimble handling; very good ABS brakes (once upgraded with quality brake pads); competent suspension; a lively motor with remarkable power for the size; excellent tires; racy good looks; and a plethora of aftermarket parts available for upgrades. Common issues on Duke 390s: Randomly dies (probably fuel injector mapping issues). Can get super annoying. Mine did this on a downshift, but randomly resolved itself after 500 miles. Condensation in the dash. Overall not that great build quality/consistency. Oil gets dark rather quick after a change. The two places where KTM cut corners on the 790 Duke are pretty much agreed upon: the brakes and suspension. Fortunately, there were several good options available to address these issues. Rather than saying these were shortcomings in the Duke, I felt these were obvious clues as to where the next iteration of the 790 was heading. bEkSa.
