Newbie's Perspective
NEWBIE’S PERSPECTIVE
A BEGINNER’S TAKE ON A BIKE WE LOVE: KTM 390 DUKE
Mark Hoyer
The KTM 390 Duke hits a sweet spot that few other smaller motorcycles do: It is both a fantastic starter machine and a fun bike for an accomplished rider. All the professional testers on staff who rode the bike were stoked. To a person, they said, “I could own this motorcycle.”
But we wanted to find out what a true newbie thought.
And I happen to know one. Carrie Gale has been riding for a bit more than a year. Her first, and only, motorcycle is a 2013 Yamaha XT250 dual-sport bike, which she has used for commuting, basic transportation, and general fun running around.
In the process of putting 2,000 miles or so on the KTM, she has fallen in love.
“This bike has helped me to build confidence,” Gale says.
“And getting additional miles under my belt definitely helps too. I trust this bike to do a bit more than my XT on the road.
It’s so responsive on steering, shifting, and accelerating. I think about when I get to ride this bike next and feel bummed when I realize that I have to wear a dress to work tomorrow or have to pick up too many groceries on the way home.”
It also boosted her basic confidence. While she still says she’d think twice about setting out on a long trip by herself before she had more mechanical experience or ability to fix a flat, her idea of what’s attainable on two wheels has expanded because of the 40hp Duke’s capability: “I can now realistically see myself riding on California highways,” Gale says. “Whereas before, I never thought that I’d be comfortable enough to face Interstate 5. And, urn, no one told me that she had a sixth gear. WTF? It was like finding one more present under the Christmas tree. Awesome!”
ALL THE PROFESSIONALTESTERS ON STAFF WHO RODE THE BIKE WERE STOKED. TO A PERSON, THEY SAID, “I COULD OWN THIS MOTORCYCLE.
The XT is a five-speed and also a 25OCC air-cooled single, designed to be a fun bike in the dirt and on the road, but lots of highway riding was never in the design brief. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my bike. And I feel like it fits a big part of my personality—tomboy, outdoors, whatever. And I think the Duke fits another ‘sassier’ side of my personality.”
Overall, Gale found the $4,999 Duke “unbelievably unintimidating,” very right-sized for her 5-foot-6 frame, helping make it comfortable, light, and maneuverable. Seat height is 31.5 inches and the saddle is narrow, so it’s easy for her to reach the ground.
Gale still loves her XT for all it does, and she likes to have it available for those trips to Moab, etc. But it’s clear the KTM 390 Duke has made a big impression on a new, fledgling rider and brought her to a new place in her two-wheeled experience. This is the power of a truly excellent, affordable entry-level motorcycle. The 390 Duke isn’t the only one on the market, but it is one of the best in a long time.
