BHPian neil.jericho recently shared this with other enthusiasts:Test Ride Impressions:- The upgraded 399 cc engine has been the pice de rsistance of the new Duke 390. The engine is really punchy and it only gets smoother as your speeds increase. There is a sense of refinement and grown-up-ness to the whole package that you will appreciate very quickly. And yet, on the new Adventure platform, that KTM formula is nowhere to be found. The power delivery is noticeably tamer and there are prominent vibrations, especially on the foot pegs, which you simply do not find on the Duke 390. – In city riding conditions, the 21 inch front wheel didnt feel like it was robbing the rider of much feel. I was very interested to experience what the 19 inch front of the Adventure X felt like but it appears as though most showrooms don’t have a test ride bike . – At 5’10”, I didnt find the seat height to be intimidating or something that I really needed to watch out for, at slow speeds. The narrow seat and low(ish) weight did go a long way towards making me instantly comfortable on the bike. – The factory settings on the suspension were perfectly suited to my usual test ride route. – For taller riders, there is so much more space on the Adventure 390, that there simply is no comparison between it and the Duke 390. – A lot of people have commented on the pricing of the KTM 390 Adventure X (admittedly, not this motorcycle) at Rs 2.91 L (ex-showroom) and the 390 Duke at Rs 2.96 L (ex-showroom) and drawn their conclusions about which is better. I honestly feel that the Duke is a far more polished package, while the Adventure (X / S) needs to go through half an iteration of refinement improvements, to get to that same level. While the Adventure platform isnt half baked, it does have some catching up to do, to match the wholesome feel of the Duke 390. Check outBHPian commentsfor more insights and information.
