Ducal Nostalgia

In its 2024 avatar, the KTM 390 Duke has received a comprehensive update and now the motorcycle brings back memories of the first-generation hooligan that we loved so much

- Azaman Chothia

THE 390 DUKE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A cult classic in the world of motorcycles. Personally speaking, I have owned a first-generation model for over seven years, so it was good fun putting this one to the test.

The new design language is a drastic departure from the previous model's and now it is a substantially larger motorcycle than before. The styling has been inspired by their flagship Super Duke 1290. It now makes use of a 15-litre fuel-tank with sharp shrouds jutting out on either side. The split seat is larger and we also see the pillion seat much higher up than before. The front end gets sharp LED DRL, the rear end is devoid of the tyre hugger and gets an underbelly exhaust unit to keep the look as slick as possible. Even though this is a larger motorcycle, it has a kerb weight of just 168 kilograms.

A couple of weeks ago when I was riding the new 250 Duke, I did mention that I was personally not a big fan of the proportions. However, after seeing more of them around, this design language has begun to grow on me, too, and I somehow quite like this blue colour scheme. I still think the first-gen looked the best, but this futuristic one is sure to appeal to the youth of today. The bike sports a five-inch TFT screen, which is surely one of the best in this class. The startup animation sequence is pretty cool, while the layout of information and navigating through menus is very user-friendly. It has three riding modes: Street, Rain, and Track.