The KTM 390 Duke and RC 390 are displacementsingle-cylinder engine motorcycles assembled by Bajaj Auto, and KTM Asia Motorcycle Manufacturing, Inc. for the Austrian manufacturer KTM. The bikes were developed under a joint program of Bajaj and KTM engineers, in which the concept was developed in Austria, while everything else, including design and final product development, was done in India by Bajaj. The 390 Duke standard debuted at the 2012 EICMA show in Milan, Italy, and went on sale in India and the Philippines in 2013 and in the US in 2015. The RC 390 sport bike was presented at EICMA the following year. After the Duke's initial release, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer announced plans to export the 390 Duke to the US for 2014. Bajaj said eventually the bike will be sold in 80 countries worldwide. Pierer said in December 2015 that KTM and Bajaj plan to replace the 125, 200, and the 390-series Duke and RC lines in 2017, based on all new platforms, in part to meet Euro IVemissions standards, and to incorporate new technologies such as ride-by-wire.
390 Duke
In its home market, the 390 Duke's engine size and weight place it in the mid-range category, and it sells for more than three times the average price of a motorcycle in India. As one Indian reviewer put it "The 390 Duke may well be a simple little A2 license commuter for the European rider, but in the environs of Mumbai traffic, it's a proper rocket-powered scalpel." In the US market, the same motorcycle is considered small-displacement, lightweight, and relatively inexpensive. Similarly, the UKSunday Times said, "Given that the 390 Duke weighs less than 150kg when it's full of fuel, you have to sit on it to stop it blowing away. It's as agile in traffic as a push-bike and whippet-thin," saying the bike was ideal for young riders with the A2 license, limited to, who would find it easy to ride and confidence-inspiring, while feeling "fast and sporty". Such a bike in the UK would also appeal to experienced riders looking for a practical and efficient commuter bike and runabout. The 390 Duke won the 2013–14 Jury's Choice Bike of the Year in The Bloomberg TV IndiaAutocar India Awards. IndianCarsBikes said that with a top speed of and a time of 5.5 seconds, the 390 Duke is the fastest motorcycle made in India as of 2014. Motorcycle Consumer News tested the 390 Duke's top speed to be, with acceleration from in 5.53 seconds, and in 14.02 seconds at. The brakes stopped the bike from in, and fuel economy was tested at. The 390 Duke weighed wet and the engine power was at 9,600 rpm, with torque @ 7,000 rpm. The brakes were considered to be "the most obvious flaw on the 390".
2017 update
After 2017, the 390 series' front brake disc was increased from 300 mm to 320 mm. The headlight was redesigned and converted to LED. The display became a color TFT panel with phone pairing capability. Seat height was increased from to and wheelbase was decreased 10 mm. The brake and clutch levers were also made manually adjustable. The throttle now uses a ride by wire system and the tank was updated to from.
2018 updates
In 2018, KTM updated its Duke 390, with some minor changes, where it added a deflector plate on the chasis on the left side, to avoid the heat escaping near the riders leg KTM 390 Duke white is in India, gets new features and updates.
RC 390
A sport bike version of the 390 Duke, the KTM RC 390 was presented at the 2013 EICMA motorcycle show in Italy, though most details had been leaked a few weeks earlier. The 2014 model year road racing style bike has the same 373 cc engine making a claimed @ 9,500 rpm with a claimed weight without fuel of. With a fuel capacity, the wet weight would be. The frame of the RC is a different single piece trellis frame than the Duke, which KTM says is stiffer than the 390 Duke. The tires are Metzeler 110/70ZR17 front and 150/60ZR17 rear. Where the Duke has a steering head angle of 65°, the RC's fork has a steeper 66.5° head angle. The wheelbase is shorter than the Duke. The same ByBre disc brakes with ABS, and WP 43 mm front fork and rear shock are used on the RC 390. KTM added a racing version of the RC 390, the RC 390 Cup for use by motorcycle racers ages 13 to 21 in the ADAC Junior Cup, a MotoGP event. The RC 390 Cup has no lights or mirrors, and no ABS to reduce weight, and an upgraded WP suspension, fully adjustable front and rear. The engine is detuned to a with a block-off plate, and has an Akrapovič exhaust. Motorcycle Consumer News test results of the RC 390's power were @ 8,600 rpm and torque @ 6,800 rpm, with a wet weight of They found a top speed of, with an acceleration from in 14.02 seconds at, in 5.53 seconds, and braking from in. The tested fuel economy was. Cycle World's road tests of the RC 390 also showed a top speed of, but faster acceleration in 13.67 seconds at, and from in 4.6 seconds. Braking performance and fuel economy were not so far off, at in, and. Cycle Worldss tested power figure was @ 8,600 rpm, and torque was. Motorcycle USA measured acceleration from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds and in 14.21 seconds for 2015 model. Braking distance was measured at 148.2 feet from 60-0 mph with ABS disabled and 151.7 feet without ABS disabled. KTM revised the RC 390 in 2017 by adding a slipper clutch, adjustable brake levers, ride-by-wire throttle, a larger 320 mm front brake rotor, larger mirrors, and some cosmetic and ergonomic changes.
