As a 2016 KTM Duke 390- owner, I can tell you with confidence that once you swing your leg over one of these machines, there’s no other ‘small’ bike in the segment that’s going to be as much fun with a hint of madness. And while the previous versions of the smaller 250 didn’t have the fun factor in the DNA, this one surprisingly does embody it!
How? Well, that’s thanks to the LC4C engine that KTM says is brand new. Now veteran KTM owners will notice that the engine casing is similar to the Duke 390’s and even the exhaust, but the proof is in the riding. Power and torque figures are up by one point each and now stand at 31hp and 25Nm the most of which can be accessed at about 6000rpm. The real fun comes in of course when you push it beyond 7500rpm in true KTM style, it lounges forward and commands respect while delivering dollops of trouser troubling fun. Yup, it’s no Triumph Speed 400 or something from the RE stable, this is the hooligan you’d expect from KTM. But there’s more, this engine has been made a bit more tractable and easy to use at lower speeds and rpms, but by KTM standards. So, anything lower than 2000rpm is a no-no.
Another thing that surprised us was how smooth the new Duke felt at cruising speeds, we hardly felt any vibration per say on highway speeds. There are variations to this though as different speeds and gears affect the vibration area differently but it’s all very minimal and not that much of a bother. The gearbox, however is a bit of a struggle and even with the bi-directional quickshifter in place, feels a bit sluggish and clunky and you feel that crude thud especially when you shift in first, ugh.