2024 KTM 390 Duke Road Test Review: Unleashing The Madness

What’s orange, exciting and capable of giving you a glimpse of heaven? Well, in India, for the past 10 years, it has been the KTM 390 Duke. The most thrilling yet affordable motorcycle, with its sheer performance and excitement. And for 2024, KTM has upped the manic-ness, but the real question we are here to answer is if the new bike is more practical while being more fun. So let’s get right to it.

Crawling The City Streets

There is no doubt that the 390 Duke is a fierce machine on the track or even on the twisties. But you see, the 390 has always been a little bit of a drama queen, because of its eagerness to go fast. It struggled when it came to city and slow speeds. With the 2024 model, things are a bit different. The engine, though still peaky, now offers a smoother crawl through city traffic, making it more practical for daily commutes. 

It isn’t the smoothest at slow speeds, but compared to before, it throws far fewer tantrums and is relatively tractable. For instance, I didn’t struggle cruising the bike in fourth gear at low speeds in city traffic. 

Let’s Talk Numbers

Let's break down the numbers for a moment. The new 390 Duke boasts superior acceleration figures compared to its predecessor, thanks to a larger engine and lighter weight. Surprisingly, despite its peaky engine, it outperforms the smooth and linear Triumph Speed 400 in fuel efficiency—a noteworthy feat.

Managing the Heat

Great power brings a bit of heat, but the liquid cooling system helps keep things in check. While the motor can get warm in the city–you know, because of its peaky nature–it's not uncomfortably so. 

To enhance the city experience, the quickshifter adds a seamless and clutch-free gear-shifting experience—a feature that truly sets it apart.

Comfort and Confidence:

When you think of a sporty bike, most people would associate it with compromised comfort.  That isn’t the case with the new KTM 390 Duke. You see, even for taller riders like me (6 foot 2), the new 390 Duke provides ample comfort, which results in confidence in pushing the bike hard. 

Now the other aspect that provides much confidence is the suspension setup, which is also easily adjustable. Potholes, bumps or undulations, the 390 Duke, despite being sporty, ensures optimal comfort at high speeds when tackling city roads and highways, making it suitable for extended rides

Highway Therapy

If you are someone who likes getting away from the city’s hustle and bustle, then the 390 Duke just mesmerises on the open roads. The exhilarating performance, agile handling, and stability at high speeds make highway rides a truly therapeutic experience. 

The engine’s happy place is above the 7000rpm mark, which encourages you to push it to the edge, and make the console blink orange, promising a thrilling journey on endless roads. What’s funny is that the bike offers so much confidence that, instead of pulling off of the throttle while entering the corners, most riders would just keep the throttle pinned.

Premium Features, But Useful?

The new 390 Duke stands out as the most feature-rich and electronically aided motorcycle in its segment, boasting traction control, ride modes, ABS modes, TFT console, and Bluetooth connectivity. All of these features and tech are pretty easy to use, elevating the riding experience. While some features like launch control may not always cooperate, the overall package feels very premium. 

Verdict

Apart from all of that excitement and fun, there is one thing we need to note. The 390 Duke is a really powerful machine and things can go wrong very easily, regardless of who is riding it. So adopting a few skills before really pushing it hard, would make for a safer ride.

Now despite its power, the 390 Duke proves to be more practical than its predecessors, striking a balance between performance and daily usability. And with a price tag of Rs 3.10 lakh, KTM seems to have hit the sweet spot with the all-new KTM 390 Duke.