The first ever KTM Duke was a 1994 620cc single. So it’s only right to continue the tradition with a punchy single-cylinder offering, the new Duke 390, lovingly dubbed ‘the corner rocket’ by its creators. It is important to note that the 390 Duke is the largest capacity Duke in some international markets (there’s a 125 and 250 too, neither of which are available in Oz), so this time around KTM made a significant effort to make the 390 look and feel like the top-spec Dukes. When you see a new 390 Duke parked, unless you know what you’re looking for, it’s not immediately discernible from the 990 or even 1390.
So what’s new? The official number quoted by KTM is 90 percent new parts. See what I mean? This is a serious update. Starting with the new frame, KTM stiffened it up to improve high-speed stability, but also mounted the rear shock off to the side of the
