KTM 390 Duke: One Motor, Many Personalities

The 373.2cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine is packed with so much performance and versatility that it’s good enough for a supersport, and even an adventure-tourer!

KTM made ripples in the Indian two-wheeler market when it launched the explosively powerful yet competitively priced KTM 390 Duke. It was soon followed by the track-taming RC 390. Over the years, the Austrian brand has made a few changes to the engine but its performance-oriented genes have remained unfazed. Here’s how this heart powers motorcycles of diverse genres:

KTM 390 Duke:

The KTM 390 Duke is the first motorcycle to pack the 373.2cc engine. The engine had one of the most aggressive power deliveries in the first-gen model launched back in 2013. This made it an ideal corner-carving tool for enthusiasts or a formidable machine on two wheels, depending on the skill level. Over the years, KTM tempered it with better features, and now, the motor comes with a bi-directional quickshifter, ride-by-wire throttle, and more importantly, BS6-compliant emissions. 

The latest iteration has certainly mellowed down a bit from the first-gen model but still remains the most powerful naked in its segment. Moreover, KTM has also made the motorcycle much more wholesome with modern technologies such as an all-LED lighting, switchable ABS, and TFT console with smartphone connectivity.

KTM RC 390:

The best way to exploit the 390 Duke’s engine was to plonk it in a supersport, and that’s exactly what KTM did, by launching the RC 390 in 2014. The Duke’s chassis was tweaked, and this coupled with the low-set clip-ons, rear-set footpegs and sportier seat made the RC 390 an excellent machine to learn the nuances of track riding. But the committed riding stance came at a cost of comfort in everyday commutes. That said, doing point A to point B runs was never really the intention of the RC 390. 

Even till date, the KTM RC 390 is the most powerful motorcycle in the sub-400cc single-cylinder supersport segment. KTM is all set to bring an all-new generation model, real soon. You can read more about it here.

KTM 390 Adventure:

One of the most loved aspects of the 373cc engine was how touring-friendly it is. Moreover, since the introduction of the Royal Enfield Himalayan, the Indian two-wheeler market had been warming up to the idea of small-capacity adventure tourers. KTM took its own sweet time to develop the 390 Adventure, the Austrian brand finally launched the bike in 2020. It gets a much more commanding riding stance coupled with longer-travel suspension and a bigger fuel tank. These features make it perfect for munching miles effortlessly.

However, the bike isn’t as off-road friendly as an enthusiast would like. The motor hasn’t been tuned to be trail-friendly, and even the sprocket sizes are the same as the Duke. It also gets alloy wheels instead of spoke ones. All these aspects make the bike a tad tricky to control in the trails. But Bajaj seems to be working on Variable Valve Technology, which might just end up on KTMs, including the 390 Adventure in the future. This should eliminate the 390 Adventure’s biggest weakness. 

Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Svartpilen 401:

KTM’s sister company Husqvarna also uses the 390 Duke’s engines on its duo, the Vitpilen 401 (cafe racer) and the Svartpilen 401 (scrambler). The former comes with clip-on handlebars, road-spec tyres, and a single-piece seat whereas the latter features a upright, braced handlebar, bench-type split seat, trail-friendly rubber, tank rack and a bash plate. 

While both bikes are as sporty as the KTMs, the Husqvarna’s unique, matured design language ensures the riding experience is different from the Austrian machine. Expect Husqvarna to launch the duo in India this year. 

Honourable Mention: Bajaj Dominar 400

The Bajaj Dominar 400’s heart is based on the KTM  390 Duke but has been reworked extensively to suit the Dominar’s performance cruiser genes (and to also make it a lot more affordable). In 2019, the Dominar 400 received a plethora of upgrades making it closer to the 390 Duke (in terms of performance) than ever. It also received some styling tweaks, not to mention feature and underpinnings updates. We’ve tested the motorcycle and you can read more about it here.