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Ktm rc390

R

Runehx

New member
Joined
Mar 2, 2015
Location
sunnyvale
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Hello everyone,

I am currently riding a ninja 250 and although an R6 would be the ideal upgrade... I am just looking to ride around the city nothing too big where I need a 600 and I was actually looking to get the RC390. Has anyone had any experience with that bike, good and bad?

Thanks!!
 
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I'm a ktm fanboi, but I have my doubts about the Indian built bikes. They seem to be having more than just new model theething problems. If you can get one that's already sorted, might be a good way to go.
 
the Ninja300 or Yamaha R3 would prob be a better upgrade than the RC390. even then, id doesnt seem like are gaining much over the 250.
 
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thanks for that link krustykruser. I am very skeptical about KTM now and they have dropped to the bottom of the list. Im in between the ninja 300 and the R3 now lol.
 
Sumo is the light, friend. Have you considered a WR250X? Get your wheelies and dual sport capabilities all on a single robust platform! Did I mention steering this thing is almost telepathic?:laughing
 
It's Indian built, so it is total crap... but it still is a cool bike... just follow Ari's advice from Motorcyclist. Buy the bike, remove the engine, have Race Tech Rebuild it and it will be great.
 
Runehx said:
thanks for that link krustykruser. I am very skeptical about KTM now and they have dropped to the bottom of the list. Im in between the ninja 300 and the R3 now lol.
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250 -> 300 isn't much of an upgrade. If I were you, I'd look at the Kawasaki Ninja 650, Suzuki SV650, or Yamaha FZ-07.
 
We have a Ninja 300, lotsa fun. CB500-series bikes are nice too
 
i have the R3 and the RC390 now,had a N250 and N300.R3 has a stiffer frame and 41mm forks compared to n/250/300 37mm.R3 is lighter,handles better and is faster stock.ninja brakes cannot be made much better with pads or lines even with abs.pads and lines on R3 help.ninja's probably have better aftermarket and seem easier to work on.i haven't had the horror story ownership with the RC390 that some people have had.zero problems,but the reliability thing is in my head.mine was a late model 2016 and some parts that i ordered didn't fit.the header placement was different and the cases had been changed,so maybe some stuff got worked out.i use it mainly as a track bike,and it's superior than the others in that regard.i broke it in on the street and it was just a better bike there also- lighter,faster,handled and stopped better than the others.the ktm chassis and the R3 motor combined might be a perfect small bike. the 2017 RC390 has fly by wire,a slipper,different exhaust and i bet they have worked out the head gasket problems.FZ07 might be worth a look.
 
here's the bikes side by side.have to admit the n250 was a lot of fun.
 

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I see that some of you have mentioned that it's not that big of a difference. What should my next ideal bike be coming from a 250?
 
I really liked the 300 after having a 250. Was really happy with the small updates like EFI and improved looks. Having ABS as an option is nice too.

I later got an FZ-09 which was a fun bike, but I preferred the 300 for general putting around. The FZ-09 has since been sold but I still have the 300. If you're not yearning for a lot more power, the 300 is a solid bike.
 
russ69 said:
It's 10 HP more. That's a very important 10 HP. I'm probably going to buy one. I know the bike and the new model is a significant improvement over the last gen 250.
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Absolutely true. I had both bikes as well. Night and day difference between the two.
 
The R3 is a big upgrade too, but a different brand. Another jump up would be the Ninja 650...
 
Sharky said:
The new BMW 310 looks promising.
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interesting.

it looks like it kinda bridges the small gap btw the CBR300R and the RC390.

CBR300R - 286cc, 27HP, 357lbs wet
G310R - 313cc, 34HP, 411lbs wet
RC390 - 373cc, 43HP, 324lbs dry
 
The BMW is a Duke competitor though. And the first year or so will probably be questionable due to, again, being built in India.
 
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