usually tier supplied parts can be an issue for ANY manufacturer. This was the case with the fan. easy fix. otherwise seems to be pretty reliable, mines ticking like a clock.

why not a late model used bike? has to be a lot cheaper and usually all the bugs are sorted?
just my .02

 

Ivan, I find your concerns perfectly understandable since there have been issues with these bikes, some seemingly unique in different parts of the world. As with any new model introduction, there are occasionally issues that pop up. I'm a bit appalled at the price of the Duke in your region, frankly, and I'm not sure I'd spend that kind of money for this bike. I'd likely spend that kind of cash on a bike with proven longevity and better dealer/manufacturer support. At $5000 USD the Duke delivers outstanding value, but at double that price I'd pass. Unlike many owners I have multiple bikes so if one goes bad I still have something to ride. In your shoes I'd likely get a Honda or Yamaha model that's been in your region for a while, but that's just me being practical. I'm also not a fan of buying used anything, bike, car or other, so I'd stick with "new".

Hope this helps

Pete

 

+1 As straight and honest an answer as you'll get Ivan.

 

I've got the lemon bike of the first badge of bikes assembled in Colombia. That being said, I must also admit that according to local forums I was the only one in Colombia with so many problems.

Putting my bad experiences aside and trying to be as unbiased as I possibly can. I'd say, coming from an Honda CBR250R, that as far as reliability is concerned the KTM Duke 390 is no where closer to the CBR. When you buy this bike you need to understand that it is an indian built bike from an austrian brand. What does it mean? it means you'll find bajaj produced parts all over the bike and some other that are not on pair with their bigger siblings. Does it make the Duke a crappy bike? NO. It is still the funniest bike I've ever owned and the best bang for the buck in his segment in Colombia. The problem with Argentina, probably even worse in Argentina, and Colombia is that we get imported bikes at a higher cost compared to the rest of the world (Here the cost is about USD 5800). Bear in mind this bike costs about USD 3.000 in India and that's the key point here: You need to think you get "a lot" for something whose production costs were below USD 3.000 no matter how many money they ask for it in each country.

You can go to the local forum in "Moteros Colombia" and see it for yourself. Also, you can PM me so I can answer your questions in spanish even though I see you have a terrific english.

 

Thank you all guys, your answers and insights are indeed helpful.
It is really confusing at times because some excellent or at least very decent parts (inverted forks WP suspension, bosch ABS, Bybre brakes, the KTM single itself) coexist with cheap or not so decent ones (fan shroud, monoshock paint, levers, screws, some -not all- finishings).
Pete, great answer, thanx!
Now Bender, you have a very very good point out there... for USD3,000 they are doing a **** of a job... and thank you for the compliment, I will PM and we can use our native Spanish of course!

 

Ivan, Since the 390 Duke and RC were only introduced to the North American market in March-April 2015, none of us NA owners can as yet have a long-term perspective on the bike's reliability. Our colleagues in India, Asia, Australia and Europe would have longer experience with the bike and would be better placed to comment on reliability.

The only real problem with reliability that has shown up in the NA bikes is of course the notorious fan issue. Bajaj has a supplier who provided a quantity of defective parts that were fitted to bikes destined for NA and shipped. Fan failures have been widespread. But the fix is easy, inexpensive and leaves the bike with a better-than- OE fan. The fan issue should not be a deterrent, if you like the bike. But problems with a supply chain vendor are common in the motor vehicle industry - look at the Japanese airbag vendor, for example, whose defective products are now resulting in hundreds of thousands of cars from Japanese, American and European manufacturers being recalled in the US. Certainly KTM will rectify the fan issue before long, but at the moment it is a problem and owners need to be pro-active.

The other issue that has appeared in NA, but has also been experienced in a number of 390's worldwide, is stalling. This does not appear to be a very widespread issue, only seeming to affect a small percentage of the bikes. In the last few days we had a report that the problem had been dramatically cured with a new software program provided by KTM. So that issue also may be on the way to resolution.

Personally, since I bought my Duke in early April of this year, I have had NO problems with it. It has been flawless. I did change out the OE fan for a SPAL, but just for peace of mind and reliability because I was concerned about the OE fan. It did not fail, however. I am pleased with the bike and would say it has lived up to my expectations well thus far. 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. The fan issue aside, the 2015 390's incorporate quite a number of small, incremental improvements (including the slipper clutch) over previous model years. Excluding the fan issue - for which there is a definitive fix - I would say the reliability of NA 390's has thus far proven good. But it is really too early to tell regarding the long-term prospects.

 

+1 Will. My biggest question mark at this point is engine longevity, since as Will pointed out the bike is very new in our region, but his observation regarding the Indian market is spot-on. Nobody has more saddle time than they have, maybe hit the regional forums and see what their take is on the 390.

 

Diploman, thanks for your thoughtful reply to my querie!
In Argentina this bike has been around for even less, even if they assemble the bike here it only came out around June, the reason being some outrageous and incredibly nonsensical taxes that delayed the launch of the bike and in the end raised the price 30% (Hadn´t they renewed that tax on motorcycles, the price would have been slightly above USD7,000, not cheap, but better than the current 9-10k...)
But that´s news from a far away land, hahahah
Back to the bike, I´m glad to hear what you have been able to see so far, understanding that the bike has been around for a very short time in both USA and Argentina.
If I may, could you further clarify about the "quality brake pads" you mention? I assume you´ve changed the stock pads right? If that´s in another post please hint me were can I read it.
Thank you!

 

Ivan, Go to the search function on this forum and enter "Brake Pad Upgrade". That thread describes how the Duke's front brake was improved by fitting EBC FA 606HH pads. (I later also fitted EBC FA 213 HH pads to the rear brake.) The OE pads that came with the bike were just OK; average, nothing special, but they worked. The EBC pads are much better. Others have upgraded the Duke's brakes with SBS or Brembo pads.

 

I'm up to 12,000ks on my Duke in a year, MalJohan has close to 15K now I think and there is some one else on the Forum with 23,000 or more from memory.

The issues you mentioned are real but can be sorted. Mine's been reliable other than a few small weeps from sensors that were promptly replaced under warranty and would have been easy to deal with out of warranty.

 

From Australia here, I've had absolute reliability from day one, and I cane it within an inch of its life every day. I'm now at close to 16,000km at only 11 months' ownership.

 

Over 2000 US miles and I am one of the lucky ones without a fan problem, and I am choosing to live dangerously and not replace it. This bike has been as reliable as a watch, both over long distance and short high speed bursts.

 

Guys your replies are great, and make a lot of sense, especially since they come from different places and millages...
That´s valuable feedback, thank you!
Added querie: Anyone had oil leaking problems like this 390 with just under 600 miles?
It seems a minor concern but, a couple of guys had it here in Argentina.
Normal, not normal, minor issue, something to be concerned with?
Can someone comment?

 

..Can someone comment?...

I had the same weeping from my top gasket before my first service, but it disappeared after that since they pulled the valve cover to check my valve clearances.

 

Couple of reports of it on the forum yes. Literally only a couple out of god knows how many bikes.


Personally I don't see a minor or leak like that as a 'reliability' issue. It's a minor fix for a mechanic on a bike that's under warranty.


The 'stalling' discussion, that I would see as reliability.


You simply cannot expect all machines to be 100%. If you think the Kawasakis are all 100% then you're far from wrong, there's millions upon millions of recalls year after year on BMWs, Ducatis, Hondas etc etc. For many different types of reasons, does that then make them a bike you should not buy ? Hmmmm

 

My did that aslo.. i tightened those bolts on to of cover a bit.. and no more leak.. I'm sure it's something simple as that..

 

From New Zealand here, I've had my 390 since October 2013 and have done a bit over 7,500km in that time (tragic, I know).

I've never had a significant problem, but there definitely have been quality niggles. One of which is really beginning to piss me off.

While the engine does run hot, it isn't a biggie unless you really get stressed by warm legs. Brakes can be sorted with new pads (EBC, as already mentioned), not that this should be necessary. You'll find some of the finishing bits are a real let-down (dashboard, grips, switchgear etc), even though they work fine.

The only real problem for me has been an intermittent but persistent stalling/cutting out issue. Nowadays, it strikes about once a month, and inconveniences me for a few minutes only. Although it can be tricky to re-start, it has never actually failed me in that respect. And it has never cut out in a dangerous situation (maybe more by luck than anything else). It's not really a terrible problem, but I had expected better and my language can get quite colourful when it strikes.

Neither my dealer or KTM seem all that bothered to work out what the problem is, and at this point I'm past wasting my time trying to get it sorted, which has left a rather sour taste.

bm

 

The only real problem for me has been an intermittent but persistent stalling/cutting out issue. Nowadays, it strikes about once a month, and inconveniences me for a few minutes only. [...] Neither my dealer or KTM seem all that bothered to work out what the problem is, and at this point I'm past wasting my time trying to get it sorted, which has left a rather sour taste. bm

Leaves me wondering...

BM, I think I read in the forum someone had a "software upgrade" and finally the stalling stopped,... Did KTM scan the bike, the soft is up to date, can it be an ECU programming thing? Lastly, I saw a youtube video where an Indian guy having the same problem found out it had to do with carbon in the throttle body
The Indian video - a bit long, jump to 03:00 watch until 04:30, the rest is a bit boring & time wasting, not a very elaborated video but might shed some light, at least it points at another probable cause- :nerd::https://youtu.be/iwMNGlWuDKE
Since his is a fuel quality issue, his solution is to get the throttle body cleaned every time he has a service...:

I´ve been around for only days but I can tell there are really experienced members here, why not post your querie and perhaps check with some of them such as Diploman?

Cheers anyway and keep us posted!

 

Hi Ivan,

I did some research before springing for our 390. There are a bunch of reviews on youtube, including a rather funny one by a long-term owner in India who seemed to be offended by the throttle slack. Plus he thought the wheels and tires were not suited to Indian roads. But he had no failures to report.

And then there is this guy...if these bikes were not durable, I doubt he could have made it up there! Pic is from a post on this forum.

 

I don't want to detract from the endorsement, but a lot of bikes can make it up there, even carbureted ones. This is me and my rented 150cc Yamaha, which huffed and puffed its way to the top.

 

Hi Ivan

Keep in mind the sample size of a forum is neither big enough nor unbiased. It seems you think most users are having problems and it's not like this.

Also there is no better test ground for a bike than India (bad roads, hot weather) and for many users the bike is the only transportation means, which means high mileage. And, in spite of that many users may think, the 2016 version has been really improved over the first batches produced two years ago.

As I said before, the Duke 390 is not the pinnacle of reliability but you don't need to be that concerned. You're not buying a "flying dragon" poorly copied chinese bike.

 

My $18,000 2012 K1300S is going in this week to have both multi-function switches changed out because the horn stopped working. BMW has an "Open Campaign" going on this model, and there have been many,many switch failures. Nothing made by man is ever perfect, Ivan.

Pete

 

Ivan, The Duke is the product of an ambitious global joint venture between KTM's Austrian engineers, who have proven they can design some of the world's finest motorcycles (eg. 2014 KTM Super Duke = Cycle World Motorcycle of the Year) and Bajaj, one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in India, an emerging industrial power. KTM's credibility is established: Bajaj intends to show the world that it can build for the world a cutting-edge motorcycle that is unbeatable in the under- 400cc class. Even though Bajaj is vastly experienced at building 2-wheelers, the KTM 390 bikes are a step into a whole new level of technology and industrial capability. This is an adventure. So far it looks good, but like any human endeavor, there will be lapses here and there. Case in point: the 2015 cooling fan, meant to be an improvement and a response to customer desires, but in fact a step backwards.

Very few things in life are ever perfect, and nothing is risk-free. The Duke, likewise, is very, very good, but not perfect, nor is it risk -free. We know that it is a solid design that now has several years of successful experience in one of the most difficult road environments imaginable - India - where it has developed a cult following. If that's not tough, what is? The Duke demands a high degree of owner involvement, both to enjoy its many attributes, and to cure its imperfections. In the end , if you like the Duke you have to follow Kirkegaard's example and make the Great Leap of Faith. I did, I don't look back and I find it very rewarding. Follow your heart.

Best wishes, Will

 

What everyone else says.
Knowledge is key in any vehicle ownership, if you plan on getting involved with it.

If you are not, and just need an 'a to b' bike, buy a Honda..

 

Yes my posts sound a bit concerned but no, I don´t assume you were all having problems.

I heard about some of the problems that new 390 owners were having here in Argentina, then read about matching problems reported in this forum and decided to ask you guys about it because American, Australian & Canadians have a reputation (at least with wit me ) of being good reviewers, generous in sharing info, experienced riders plus their market is more evolved than ours.

Allow me to say the exchange has been really helpful so far , and I´m thankful for that.

In South America we don´t know that much about Indian bikes, other than their small capacity Bajaj bikes (sold here too) seem to work very well, even if finishing and materials are considered still a bit cheap. But we are talking about budget bikes, so that´s acceptable in that chapter.

At the same time we are delighted with the below 400cc product KTM-Bajaj have been able to come up with, filling a great gap, between the 1/4 litre and the medium size bikes.

Also the KTM brand does have a high opinion here, mostly coming from the Dakkar adventure race experience (it takes place in Argentina and in Chile, for some years now).

In addition, let me tell you that the Duke 200 has been around in Argentina for about +2 years, and that one is a **** of a small bike (I rode it myself a couple of times), at the same time … many users report more than a few glitches, but none is “terrible”. Disappointing for many since a lot was expected from KTM.

Nonetheless the Duke 200 is great and fun to ride, no other small bike matches that. You would have to look at a totally different bike such as the Ninja 300 to compare, and that is in fact not fair.

When the 390 was out and these other minor glitches came out (stalling, fan shroud, minor oil leaks) I had to ask.

Back to the Duke 390 itself, the general opinion seems to match that of users in Argentina, only that here, the bike is so new that only a few have more than a 1,000 miles on the clock. Most, don´t.

Of all replies I´ll stay with Diploman´s #23 which is perhaps the best summarized conclusion.

But you all made good points, such as the Indian market test, all bikes can fail irrespective of the brand, etc.

I get the Duke demands a high degree of owner involvement, but at the same time you call it a very good bike. That is enough for me, I´m satisfied with your answers.

Thanks again, hope this thread is useful for others too, will let you know what I finally do.

 

Good luck with the bike Ivan. You will love it. Just remember..it IS a budget bike, and for a budget bike.. she is fantastic.

 

i don't want to get in to details about the duchess or set my emotion aside, i will just tell you that i have buyed two.

 

Hilariously bizare! Kudos to you

 

That's about as clear a vote of confidence as you can get! Cheers, Bizare!

 

Oh btw Ivan, I have had the bike for 8 months now and had one fork seal replacement free of cost. Np at all other than that. Coming from a royal enfield background i think this is just heaven, if you know what I mean :-0

 

Man, coming from a Royal Enfield shouldn't you be used to rebuilding your engine on a regular basis just for fun/preventative maintenance?

 

Oh man.. i'd love an older Royal Enfield.

 

So true ! I sold mine which was an old CI engine and it had just amazing thump. The new ones are just vibrators ;-) and now prices of old ones are sky-rocketing0