The Austrian two-wheeler manufacturer KTM partnered with Bajaj Motors to enter the Indian two-wheeler market. With Bajaj’s expertise and research and development, KTM has gained traction in their market. In addition, all KTM bikes are manufactured at Bajaj’s Chakan plant.
However, as far as the comparison is concerned, the KTM 390 Duke is a naked bike, while the RC 390 is a fully-faired bike. Further, the ‘390’ moniker might make you think that they have the same engine, but on paper, they come with different states of tunes.
So, let’s begin to weigh these two locally-produced two-wheelers and see how they stack up against each other. Let’s read on, then.
Specifications
As for the KTM 390 Duke, it is structured using KTM’s in-house designed steel-trellis frame, which is known for its robustness. At the same time, the KTM RC 390 is also built on the same frame but has a slightly different character. The RC 390’s frame consists of powder coating to give more durability. In addition, the RC 390 price is more than the Duke 390.
All-in-all, both frames are durable and lightweight, as a result, these two bikes are agile.
Now, as far as the figures are concerned, both iterations have different engine displacements. The KTM 390 Duke is powered by a 398.63-cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine, which is tuned to churn out 45.3 bhp at 8500 rpm and 39 Nm of peak torque at 6500 rpm. It is mated with a six-speed manual transmission.
On the other hand, the KTM 390 RC 390 has a 373.27-cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine, which is tuned to pump out 42.9 bhp at 9000 rpm and 37 Nm of peak torque at 7000 rpm. In addition, it is worth noting that the RC 390 is due to receive the B6 Ph-2 iteration. This bike, however, is coupled with a six-speed manual transmission. For reference, the RC 390 is still available in the market. You can check out the location-based KTM RC 390 price here.
Further, the 390 Duke is equipped with three ride modes: street, rain and track. In rain mode, the engine will release less output, while in track mode, the bike will run at its full potential.
Apart from that, these two offerings also have an assist and slipper clutch, which ensures smooth gear shiftings at high speeds. It also benefits the clutch from being more durable.
Further, the Duke 390 boasts more fuel tank capacity than the RC 390 does. And more fuel tank capacity translates to more range.
Suspensions, Brakes and Tyres
For starters, let’s talk about the suspension setups of these two offerings. As for the KTM Duke 390, it stands on a WP-sourced APEX five-click compression and rebound adjustable with an open cartridge at the front and a WP APEX-sourced, five-step rebound damping with a ten-step pre-load adjustable monoshock suspension at the rear. Given the Duke 390 price, which is on the lower side, it offers a good suspension setup.
In parallel, the RC 390 is also equipped with a WP APEX-sourced upside-down suspension at the front and a WP-APEX-sourced ten-step adjustable suspension at the rear.
Since the KTM RC 390 is a track-focused bike, you can expect the suspension to be on the stiffer side. In contrast, the 390 Duke might offer a comfort-oriented ride quality. However, it’s recommended to take a taste ride of your considered vehicle. You can also check out the 2023 KTM 390 Duke review here.
Aside from that, the braking duties are taken care of by dual disc brakes. The front disc brakes on both bikes measure 320mm, while the rear disc brakes on the 390 Duke and RC 390 measure 240mm and 230mm, respectively.
For added safety, these two offerings also boast a dual-channel ABS. Bikes with this safety feature offer more grip, especially around the corners, irrespective of the road conditions. They also prevent the bike from skidding or making a stoppie, especially during emergency brakings.
Features
Before delving into the features, it should be worth mentioning that the offerings mentioned here belong to the feature-loaded variant. Further, both have nearly identical features.
The common features of these bikes include a fully digital instrument cluster, which shows relevant readings, such as speed, RPM, distance made, fuel level, and tripmeter. Both bikes are also equipped with a quickshifter+, GPS and navigation, a side-stand alarm, a gear indicator, a low fuel indicator, a low oil indicator, and a low battery indicator.
At the 390 Duke price, this bike is very well-loaded.
Further, they have a service reminder indicator, a shift light, a pass light, automatic headlights, LED DRLs, LED headlights, LED brake/tail lights, and LED turn signals.
Apart from those, both have an electric start, a killswitch, a stepped seat, and a pillion seat with footrests and grabrails.
Last, but not least, the USB charging port is exclusive to the KTM 390 Duke.
Prices and Variants
The Austrian bike manufacturer offers these two bikes in one variant only.
As for the KTM RC 390 price, it has an ex-showroom figure of 3.18 lakh. On the other hand, the KTM 390 Duke price is Rs 3.11 lakh.
All are ex-showroom prices in Delhi, as of October 2023. Please note that these prices are subject to change without any prior notice to the customer. You can, however, visit the autoX website to access the latest location-based price list for your dream vehicle. For more, visit our website or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. So, stay tuned!