The KTM 390 Duke set high performance standards when it was first introduced in 2013. The motorcycle offered performance no one had ever seen in the segment and over the years, the 390 Duke has only been raising its performance benchmarks.
Since its first launch, the 390 Duke saw a major overhaul when KTM launched the second-generation motorcycle with a host of updates but retained the punchy 373cc engine with a few tweaks to make it slightly calmer. It was a love-hate story, but nonetheless, it still offered the performance. Now, with the launch of the third-generation 390 Duke, KTM has a lot to offer.
2024 KTM 390 Duke review: Platform and design
KTM’s theory with the 390 Duke was to have a powerful engine in a capable chassis while keeping the overall weight down. With the 2024 390 Duke, KTM has taken a similar approach with a new trellis frame and an aluminium subframe, while also giving the motorcycle a new swingarm, which will be the platform for other formats of the 390 series.
On the looks front, the 2024 390 Duke gets longer and sharper tank extensions, a 15-litre fuel tank, split seats, and a new headlight unit with redesigned DRLs. All this put together gives the motorcycle an unmistakable identity. From the rear, the motorcycle looks pretty small and the new tail lamp gives it a distinctive look. Overall, on the looks front, the new 390 Duke ticks all the boxes in our books.
2024 KTM 390 Duke review: Features and equipment
For the first time, the 390 Duke gets adjustable suspension at both ends, which can help riders fine-tune the settings to offer the best ride. Also new on the 2024 motorcycle is a larger front brake mounted directly on the wheels similar to the RC 390, new alloy wheels with a hollow hub, and a 5-inch TFT dash. The switchgear is also new and allows riders to access various settings with ease.
The updated Duke now gets traction control, lean-sensitive ABS, a quickshifter, and ABS with a Supermoto mode, offering a safety net for riders. These are the same electronic nannies found on the 390 Adventure but with the addition of a new ‘launch control’ option. The motorcycle also comes wrapped in Metzeler tyres which offer adequate traction while riding.
2024 KTM 390 Duke review: Ride and handling
The KTM 390 Duke has always been a fun-to-ride motorcycle — light, agile, and quick. The new 390 Duke offers all of that but with a bit more excitement owing to the new 399cc engine that now makes 45bhp and 39Nm of torque mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The 390 Duke remains to be a quick motorcycle and a good handling one, while the top speed has seen a marginal decrease.
The new motorcycle also gets three ride modes — Rain, Road, and Track. The former dulls down the power delivery, while Road and Track offer all the power, while also changing the way the instrument reads out the information. The Duke’s ride has always been on the stiffer side, and so is the 2024 390 Duke, however, with adjustable suspension, a rider can relax the way the motorcycle feels.
2024 KTM 390 Duke review: What we think
The new 390 Duke is a huge upgrade when compared to the first-gen model and the second-generation motorcycle as well. It has matured in terms of how it looks and rides but retains the power-to-weight ratio it has always been known for. The new motorcycle is well put together, however, the quickshifter did refuse to change at times and this is a known issue even on the previous generation motorcycle.
The overall quality felt good and in the handling department, the new 390 Duke ticks all the boxes. Although priced higher than its competitors in the segment, I would spend that extra money and go for the 390 Duke, as only a few motorcycles can bring out the child in a grown man, and the 390 Duke is one of them.
