How Fast Is The KTM 390 Duke & Is It A Good Bike For Beginners? Here's What Owners Say

Dubbed the Corner Rocket by KTM, the 390 Duke is a 399cc single-cylinder bike that produces 44 horsepower and 27 lb-ft of torque, with a top speed hovering around 105 mph. That's respectable for a beginner bike and enough to keep up on freeways comfortably. A user named thorleifkristjan on r/KTM writes, "Even riding larger displacement bikes for years, I never felt that I didn't have enough power to keep up on the freeway or have fun on back roads. I had a blast on it."

Owners report that the Duke feels quick in urban areas, too, with yugenotaht-backwards on the KTM subreddit saying, "Around the city and short trips are a dream with this bike; so much fun, great power to weight, and light enough that you can throw it anywhere." It's not built for drag racing (not to be confused with roll racing), but it delivers speed with minimal weight, just 328 pounds dry. 

Most agree that it's not about raw speed but how agile and responsive the bike feels. It'll do wheelies if you want, but also feels stable and composed when you're just commuting. It's quick enough to be fun and fast enough to be practical.

The 2024 model of the Duke hits a rare sweet spot. It's easy to ride but still offers room to grow. Suspension includes fully adjustable WP Apex forks with five-way rebound and compression adjustment at the front, and the rear shock offers rebound damping and preload adjustment. Lightweight wheels and Michelin Power 6 tires inspire confidence for new riders, especially on slippery roads. The power delivery is smooth and predictable, which helps when you're still figuring out throttle and clutch control.

It also features a new steel trellis frame and a cast aluminum swingarm. Braking is handled by a 320mm front disc with a four-piston caliper and a 240mm rear disc, both with cornering ABS. Having an ABS-equipped motorcycle is better than not having it if you are a beginner. The new design includes a seat height of 820mm, a larger 15L fuel tank, and aggressive styling, including a side-mounted shock and exposed brake setup. 

The 390 Duke comes with premium features usually missing in entry-level bikes: a full-color TFT display, slipper clutch, and ride-by-wire throttle. Some models even offer a quickshifter and Bluetooth pairing. That means beginners get a taste of the tech from higher-end bikes without spending a fortune. And with handling as sharp as its bigger brothers, the 890 Duke and 1290 Duke, new riders can learn proper technique and grow into more aggressive riding without outgrowing the machine too quickly.

Ask around, and most owners of the KTM 390 Duke echo the same thing: it's more bike than they expected. Riders appreciate the way it blends agility and fun with practical power. One user on the KTM subreddit reports, "It's a comfortable ride, it's fast when it needs to be, and there's not a lot you can accidentally do with the throttle to get yourself in trouble." 

The seat is also a point of contention, with yugenotaht-backwards adding, "The seat is quite uncomfortable on mine for long trips (1 hour plus), however, I have been going back and forth about getting the PowerParts ergo seat, just haven't pulled the trigger yet." 

As is evident, beginners love the KTM, but experienced riders keep it too, which says a lot. In short, it's not just a great starter bike. It's one people choose to stick with. If you do decide to buy one, here are some things you should know before buying your first motorcycle.