2023 KTM 390 Duke: Performance, Price, And Photos

With new colors for 2023, KTM keeps things fresh on its lively middle-weight 390 Duke

Last subjected to a major update ahead of MY2021, the KTM Duke 390 rolls into 2023 with some fresh colorways for its second-littlest naked sportbike. You can tackle both urban streets and country lanes with equal aplomb on this machine, and if you live in an area with a tiered licensing system in place, you can use this bike with an A2 ticket.

The engine is Euro 5 compatible with a decent power-to-weight ratio, slipper-type clutch, and solid performance numbers. It comes with selectable ABS, traction control, and rider modes on board to help you keep the thing dirty-side down. Pilot comfort was also a front-burner topic as well. The 390 Duke, designed in Austria and produced in India under the KTM Asia Motorcycle Manufacturing, Inc. and Bajaj Auto respectively, debuted at the 2012 EICMA show before going on sale in India and the Philippines for MY2013 while U.S. sales began in 2014.

RELATED: 10 Things That Make The KTM 390 Duke A Great Beginner’s Bike

KTM, ever the proponent for single-cylinder engines, powers its 390 Duke with a 373.2 cc thumper. It is liquid-cooled, so you can count on good thermal stability in slow traffic and slower technical off-road work. Massively oversquare, the engine runs an 89 mm bore and 60 mm stroke with a sizzlin' hot 12.88-to-1 compression ratio that'll demand high-octane pusholine to be sure.

The 2023 KTM 390 Duke produces 44 horsepower and 27.2 pound-feet of torque. Power flows through a slip-and-assist clutch that delivers a light lever pull with a broad friction zone. This gives your left hand a bit of a break, especially in urban settings with too many stoplights and signs.

A six-speed transmission and tough, chain-type final drive complete the drivetrain with a 390 Duke top speed of around 106 MPH. That's plenty fast enough even for interstate use anywhere in the U.S. Ride modes come standard, so you can dial in the power delivery to suit, plus the traction control is of the corner-sensitive variety for informed and controlled interventions.

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As a mid-size bike, the 390 Duke is generally compact though it still hits all the major naked-streetfighter bike design points. The front fender is rather edgy with tall uprights to double as spoilers to guide the wind outboard aiding with penetration. The dual headlight projectors pick up that angular look. The headlight comes with DRL emitters, all in LED tech for maximum two-way visibility around the clock.

The rest of the front end is wide open with the backside of the instrument panel acting as a small flyscreen. A five-inch color TFT display handles all the instrumentation and electronic rider aids. It's configurable to show which metrics you would like to see reflected. Also, both the clutch and brake hand levers are adjustable to suit preference.

The 3.5-gallon fuel tank contributes its camel's hump to the flyline while giving this Duke some legs no matter where you ride. The handlebar position and footpeg location make for a relaxed riding posture and allow for the use of the racer's tuck to get you out of the wind as much as possible, all in the service of speed.

Fold-up footpegs join with beefy J.C. handles to accommodate a passenger right out of the box, though the pillion itself is more for looks than for comfort. More LED yummygoodness out back ensures that the following traffic sees you under any lighting conditions.

Seat Height

32.3 in

Wheelbase

53.4 in

Ground Clearance

7.3 in

Fuel Capacity

3.5 gal w/ 0.4-gal reserve

Dry Weight

328.5 lbs

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Steel members make up the 390 Duke's Trellis-type frame. It comes powder-coated for protection from the elements, even under harsh conditions, to give the bones a long service life. The steering head establishes a 25-degree rake angle to give it just a tad of stability while maintaining an overall nimble nature with light handling.

Inverted, 43 mm hydraulic forks float the front end on the full battery of adjustments, so you can dial it in right where you want it with 5.6 inches of travel. The WP monoshock in the rear rolls with adjustable preload and rebound-damping values. This is along with 5.9 inches of travel and two out of three ain't bad.

Cast-alloy wheels round out the rolling chassis with equally serious rubber in the Metzeler hoops that are great road donuts with decent manners and traction. The 17-inch cast rims mount a 110 mm wide tire ahead of a 150 mm tire for generous contact-patch size. A single, 320 mm disc brake slows the front end, while out back the disc diameter drops to 230 mm, all under the control of the Cornering ABS feature that is switchable for full-raw braking.

Frame

Steel Trellis, powder-coated

Front Suspension/ Travel

WP APEX 43 usd/ 5.6 in

Rear Suspension/ travel

WP APEX - monoshock/ 5.9 in

Rake

25°

Front Tire

Metzeler 110/70 ZR17 54H

Rear Tire

Metzeler 150/60 ZR17 66H

Front Brake

320 mm disc ByBre

Rear Brake

230 mm disc ByBre

ABS

Bosch 9.1 MP Two-Channel ABS (Supermoto ABS)

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MSRP on the 2023 KTM 390 Duke starts at $5,899. This year you get to choose between new orange and black color options as well. KTM offers a full line of accessories that will let you make your own mark on your machine.

Warranty

24-Month Limited Warranty

Colors

└ 2022

Gray, White

└ 2023

Orange, Black

Price

└ 2022

$5,799

└ 2023

$5,899

The small-to-midsize naked sportbike market is fairly well-populated at this point. I had plenty from which to choose and landed on Kawasaki's Z400 ABS.

Kawi hits the ground running with its own entry that sports bodywork that is not entirely dissimilar to that of the Duke for its spikiness and angularity. The Z400 comes with ABS, but seems to be the vanilla variety, with a slipper clutch that brings with it the usual handy-dandy benefits. Kawasaki's twin pumps out 28 pound-feet of torque for a razor-thin grunt advantage, but that difference is not going to make up anybody's mind one way or the other. Kawasaki offers two colorways this year with a $5,399 sticker and another slim win.

“KTM certainly has its own ideas when it comes to aesthetics, and seat comfort for that matter, but still this streetfighter ticks all the right boxes with everything a budding pegdragger needs without making it too complicated of a machine. Plus if you're on it, you aren't really having to look at it at the end of the day.”

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says,

“The 390 cc engine in this Duke is the same engine as in the Husqvarna Vitpilen, so you can count on a lively ride. Prior iterations of this bike generated complaints of vibration but when I rode it, I found virtually no vibration, so an update fixed that. It's a comfortable enough ride if you're the pilot, but your passenger may disagree after sitting on that pillion for a while. Overall, it's a dandy entry-level bike. I find it a lively commuter, and a fun ride even for experienced folks.”

The 390 has aggressive styling, but the power is manageable. Seat height is in sportbike range at 32.3 inches, so shorter riders may be tippy-toeing at stops, but the rider triangle is comfortable and confidence-inspiring while underway.

Powered by the 373 cc single-cylinder engine, the top speed of the 390 Duke is about 106 MPH.

With the 373 cc engine, the 390 Duke produces 44 horsepower and 27.2 pound-feet of torque.

For 2023, MSRP on the 390 in the U.S. market is $5,899. It comes in a choice between an orange and blue/gray two-tone or a black and matte gray colorway.

TJ got an early start from his father and other family members who owned and rode motorcycles, and by helping with various mechanical repairs throughout childhood. That planted a seed that grew into a well-rounded appreciation of all things mechanical, and eventually, into a formal education of same. Though primarily a Harley rider, he has an appreciation for all sorts of bikes and doesn’t discriminate against any particular brand or region of origin. He currently holds an Associate’s degree in applied mechanical science from his time at the M.M.I.