Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Anyone own a KTM Duke 390

In my progression from a Ninja 400, to a Ninja 1000 and now a Ninja ZX-14R with a KLR650 on the side, it's apparent the disease is as bad as guns, hunting and reloading.

I rode a KLX400SM a week ago to compare it to my KLR running Shinko 705's and it was more fun but I went over to Austin to ride a Duke 390 this past Friday, and that booger was a hoot, seems almost as quick as my Ninja 400 and is fuel injected with ABS and both a plus over the KLX/DRZ400SM.

The KLR is transportation but far from fun around town.

Looking for input.

Although I would gladly snag another N400 which is a badass "little" bike for around town eventually I will do some track days, the KTM has a lot less plastic so should I go down it would be less painful.

Word is all the cool guys are riding a Ruckus... just sain
The fat chicks love em

I have no interest whatsoever in scooters, mopeds or fat chicks...never banged one in my life and I sure don't want to attract them now

If they ain't fit to sit on this for a day they won't be riding with me LOL

Hey..... let's not be knocking fat chicks.... winter is cold up here....

I bet Outdoors in Texas will make a video in a couple days about his nuts falling off.

(The other Texas guy) 😃

RDW,

I will offer my opinion despite your caustic and mean spirited comments about women and Ruckus's's's's

The KTM Dukes kick ass in my opinion and I think you'd find that particular model to be superlative to your Ninja. But I also think you'd be better off sitting back and hoping to find a 690, because there is nothing more fun in the city than a 350lb, 700cc, thumper.

Deflave that is straight up grade A bike porn right there. You are also correct.

True that! If you don't crash occasionally you aren't trying hard enough.


mike r

RDW's words were hurtful.

Don't you have to be a Shriner to ride one of those?


mike r

How far can you ride a wheelie on that thing?

OP,
Your Thailand manuf KLR will run 3X the distance @ 1/8th the cost of any KTM in existence.

Once you've removed the plastic internal engine parts to the steel DooHickey & installed a ther-ma-bob other than NOT being able to keep chain/sprockets & wheel bearings on you Ka-wa-sa-ki it's miles ahead of any piece of machinery from Austria
(ditch the KLR for a Suzi DR 650 & don't look back-Thank me Later)

KTM electrical systems & clutches are JUNK.

Swiss Motor-Ex synthetic engine oil products-decades ago the Swiss made watches & laundered money.

KLR is reliable but probably most boring bike I’ve owned.

KTM 950 Adventure was never a problem for me however it was a 2004 and had carbs.

You recycling pics now, boss? C'mon, man! OP, I've had something of a love/hate and live/die relationships with Kawis going back to '86. I lost 2 of 3 lobes of my right lung in a 80mph plus drunken I wonder if I can survive this one wreck at 16. At 30 or so I blew the engine on a decked-out '87 ZX-10/GPZ/Ninja 1000 doing 140 on I495s on a sweeping left hander. God I love those 70s-80s Japanese street machines. I still own a '78 Suzuki 750GS E, a Yamaha '76 RD 400 w bored, stroked, jetted with chambers and a bone stock '84 Honda VFR 700 Interceptor. Remember the Knight Rider when you look at the night sky!

Your brain stem is rotting.

Nice, good to have a backup when you want ride without the distraction of all the chicks trying to jump up in your lap

No doubt, 75hp in a 350lb chassis should be a wheelie machine, I may need to take a test ride before pulling the trigger on a 390.

Kamo,

My apologies for the rehash. I was born not-Japanese so I do not have 936 stock photos of every fortune cookie or bowl of rice that I ordered one day.

I am only trying to help my friend RDW with his question.

Is that dealership pretty well stocked? Some Husquavarna's have the same motor as mine and weigh the same.

Anybody that has ridden them agrees that they are about the best bike you can get for city/town riding.