VOL. 55 ISSUE 36 SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 P87
and composed, for the most
part, especially as the 390
is graced with Metzeler's
excellent Sportec M5 tire as
standard. These are brilliant
rubber hoops; I've ridden on
many different bikes and these
are quality additions to the
390 package, especially in
wet conditions.
Braking is taken care of a
single Bybre (Brembo's Indian
subsidiary) four-piston radially
mounted caliper. The
Bybre brakes can
be hit and miss but on
the Duke they are very effec-
tive, and matched to
a Bosch two-channel
ABS system that al-
lows for the system to be
turned to Supermoto mode
and off altogether—which
you'd only need to do if you're
planning on stunting or backing
it into corners, something that
sadly (for your license longevity),
is insanely easy to do on a 390.
The front brake lever is also span
adjustable, which is a nice touch.
The Duke is a tiny little thing.
It is designed for riders smaller
than I, as any attempt to get into
a sporty riding position has me
perched almost over the front
wheel, even though the seat
height was upped by an inch
compared to the 2016 model.
The ride position, if you're
on the taller side, is still
surprisingly comfortable.
The bar bend is angled quite
sharply and when combined
with the tank indents, you'll be
locked in place for some good
old-fashioned naked biking. If
you're shorter, you'll be
much better accom-
modated with the 390
Duke, and the lighter
riders will probably
enjoy the seat padding
more than the heavier
set among us as it can
get quite hard after 45
minutes on board.
One of the best features
with the 390 Duke comes in
the form of the same TFT dash
that sits on bikes like the 1290
Super Duke R. This is by far
the most advanced dash in the
class, and navigating it is super
easy with gloves thanks to the
four large buttons on the left
handlebar—the same setup as
the big bikes. The rider also has
the ability to pair a smart phone
The 390 is super slim
and extremely easy to
maneuver around.
