#BestOf2017 – KTM 390 Duke

The 390 Duke was a legend. The 390 Duke was flawed. Shocked? Don’t be. The biggest KTM Indian money can buy did indeed have shortcomings. It was too stiff and there was a lag between the input from the right wrist and the throttle actually opening. Power delivery wasn’t particularly linear also. Then there was that minor bit about having pretty much the exact same components as the 200 Duke and looking pretty much the same too. Every single one of those ‘issues’ have been taken care of by KTM. The new 390 Duke looks super sharp with an edgy styling that is good enough to draw blood. The 373cc liquid-cooled single continues to offer 43bhp but now the delivery is totally linear and smooth, courtesy ride-by-wire. The frame and the rear sub frame have now been split to form two distinct pieces that make it easier to repair. The ride has been softened a bit (a complaint of past owners) as well to give you less of a sore butt. In essence now, the KTM 390 Duke is a much better bike now than it has ever been.

Read the review here.