When you want to make exercices and haven’t much money
you can stay in front of the TV and do some aerobics
but, for fun side or landscape question, it's not so good
And you quickly look like an idiot
Not to mention any mishaps...
Fortunately, KTM offers some small and cheap sport bikes
wich quickly give you the desire to go on track
To make its first steps on a sport bike, the 390 RC is the most appropriate one
You just have to get off the mirrors, turn signals…
wear an outfit more adapted than this tight and ridiculous short
And here we go !
The RC 390 illustrates the rebirth of small sports bikes category
Hey, nobody needs 200 horsepowers or 15,000 euros to go on track.
A little bit on the front, the KTM driving position is sporty but not too much
And even if the template of the bike remains compact, there is no need to be a Yoga teacher to ride the RC
Swaying hips, knees on the ground, working on the upper body…
It applies, it improves the trajectories, and we push at the limit the small 375 cc engine
Skeptics can be reassure, despite the engine capacity, the austrian motorcycle reflects the image of a serious two wheels
We find the famous orange tubular frame, although wrapped in a perfectly designed line
Indeed, the muffler is integrated to the bottom of the fairing.
While the backrest can also be used as a passenger seat
As for equipment, in addition to a digital dashboard, we find an ABS braking and WP suspension
But the real highlight of this small sport bike hides in its engine.
This is a mono cylinder very effective, despite his 44 hp and 3.75 kGm of torque
Inevitably, this engine is not very dynamic at low revs
but spent the 7000 rpm, it gets angry and shows a real vitality.
When you try to push, the shock absorber and the fork become too softs
While the ABS is in trouble on big brakings, significantly lengthening braking distances
But once again, KTM thought to sports addicts who want to pass from leisure to competition
And besides for a minimal preparation !
The RC, stock bike and cheap sport, it’s very good But we can also make races thanks to the Duke Cup
Yes, exactly
What must we change on the stock Duke ?
So, we’ll change the back seat to a race one
We’ll put a complete Akrapovic exhaust line
We’ll change tires for Dunlop Sportsmart II ones, wich are quite effective on track
We have footrests from the RC 390
And some protections for the clutch and brake levers
A front face whithout light
Some racing stickers and crash pads
Even if the preparation seems fairly standard
there is a real difference between a stock Duke and the race one
ABS removed, thicker fork oil, softer tires, 300 mm wave disc, racing pads
Regarding to the chassis, we feel a lightweight, more stable and rigorous one
So, you can let go a little bit more
pushing his braking marks and swinging vigorously the KTM in the turns.
With less than 140 kilograms, the Duke stands on corner entry without difficulty.
She easily reaches the apex and we look forward to glean the slightest kilometer per hour on the straights
With the others competitors of the Duke Cup, it plays “aspirations” in every way.
And between two training sessions, we have the opportunity to learn a little more about this cup
How much does it cost for a complete season ?
Without the bike, we have to pay approximatively 1500 € for the entry fees
For the tires, it’s not so much, maybe 500 €
or 700 € for all the season
And then you’ve to pay for the travels and the accomodations
Why did you chose the Duke Cup ?
I selected this cup because the bike is funny to ride, and one of my friend spoke to me about it
I raced in the Twin Cup last season, but it cost me more money,
Is there great battle on the track ?
Oh yes. There are great battles, it’s very cool
The performances of the bike are very close. It’s impossible to escape alone in front of the others guys.
Ok, good. I’m going to make a ride then. I’m hot !
For € 7100, the pilots of the 390 Cup recover a fully equipped motorcycle
as well as a Shoei helmet, a Gi Moto leathersuit, a pair of gloves and boots.
All you need to race on 5 events, knowing that each weekend has two races
The advantage of this 50 horsepower bike
is that it allows new and experienced riders to fight on equal terms.
This reasonable power promotes fights in groups, and therefore the show
So when you’re riding in a group, you must push to the limit
Well, you just have to be careful to the ground clearance
Because the engine protections are wide enough.
And when you take too much angle and hit in a vibrator, it looks like this...
A good fall and too many questions.... It may end up bored the good people of KTM France...
And, I have more questions
How much is it for a valve cap ? It’s not too expensive ?
And the lever ? In case of fall ?
And the air in the tires, it’s free no ?
Heu, we have a very cheap sport for you
Really ?
Yes, it calls Free Fight !
Ho great, I like when it’s free !
On the KTM Duke 390 Cup
we liked
The Instant riding pleasure
The chassis adapted to the track
The engine, powerful enough to have fun
The price of the Cup version
We did not like
The difficulty to taking place on the motorcycle for the highest people
The limited ground clearance
On the KTM RC 390
We liked The easy grip
The valuing side for such a small capacity bike
The engine character
We did not like
The too soft suspensions for the track
The perfectible braking