[Nikwho]

Hello all,
So, my question is pertaining to my riding a 390 Duke on a track. I am 6'2, 230 pounds. I have been looking at all sorts of bikes, European, Italian and Japanese. I want to have a bike that's more or less a dedicated track bike. I didnt want to go buy a litre bike, just to be "that guy" that rips down the straits, and crawls through corners. My intention is to soon attend a Racing school, and participate in track day events once every month or two. I'd do it more frequently, but the closest track is a little over 2 hours away, and I work 56 hrs./week, and have two kids at home, who participate in sports, etc. So, realistically, I'll probably average 6-8 weeks between track day riding sessions.

Anyhow, everything I read says that you should start on a smaller bike. Most are speaking to a 600cc bike, but I am fascinated by these little Dukes. Being 230 pounds (I can fairly easily cut down to 210-215), how happy am I likely to be on a 390 Duke? I really love the 690 Dukes (all Dukes, for that matter!). Should I be looking at the bigger single? Or are bigger folks Ave to still rip around the track pretty well on these 390 Dukes?

Thanks for any insight!

Nik

 

[_Big_Mac_]

You might be interested with this thread: 390 Duke for the Track?

tl;dr - IMHO Duke 390 is fantastic for the track, much better option for me than the GSXR-750 I had before. I'm 6'3, 165 pounds. For your weight you might need to install a stiffer spring on the back, or even replace the entire shock if you can spare the coin. You'd have to do that with almost any bike though, most are designed for lighter riders.

Your height won't be an issue on the post-2017 Dukes, they've changed up the ergos and now even long-legged riders (like myself) fit great. On the first gen Duke 390s, you /might/ have problems fitting your knees into the indents on the tank, depending on your inseam. The newer ones have a higher seat, more ground clearance and are generally much better suited for taller riders.

 

[Hedgepig]

Consider also the length of the straights , short straights and many bends would suit the bike better . I live 20 miles from a go kart track which is a perfect match for a 390 .