KTM 390 Duke
KTM's A2-friendly naked — the most aggressive bike in the 400cc class by some margin. The 2024 update brought a new chassis, larger 15L tank, TFT dash, and a bump to 399cc/44.2 PS. UK reviewers consistently rate the chassis above its sub-£6k price suggests, with sharper handling than the BMW G310R or Yamaha MT-03. The trade-off is KTM's well-documented service-cost reality and the famous cam chain tensioner pattern. Made in India by Bajaj Auto, so parts pricing isn't quite German-bike money.
- Engine
- 399 cc
- Power
- 44.2 PS
- Weight
- 168 kg
- Seat height
- 820 mm
- A2 licence
- —
Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC 4-valve
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 50 · Insurance 63 · Theft 65
The KTM 390 Duke holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 30% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and costs about average to insure (group 7). Theft risk is moderate. It's A2-licence legal in standard form.
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.
Variant: 390 Duke
Engine
Petrol · 399cc
Power
44.2 ps
Torque
39 Nm
Weight
168 kg
Seat
820 mm
Transmission
6-speed manual
Economy
76 mpg
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£3,755
Range £3,380 – £4,131
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£5,700
At 5 years
—
At 10 years
—
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
Phase depreciation derived from observed UK used-bike pricing — classified ads, dealer asking prices, and end-of-auction figures. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count, and crash-damage signatures. The figures here are indicative for clean, fully-stamped examples.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 8,000 miles a year — the UK rider average. Chain-drive bikes carry a chain/sprocket consumable line; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£2,790
Per year
£930
Per mile
£0.12
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at £1.45/L. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
Group 7 of 17 (mid — mainstream) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£540/ year
Roughly £45 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £891 | £1,188 | £1,663 |
| Age 22-29 | £547 | £729 | £1,021 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £405 | £540 | £756 |
| Age 40-49 | £356 | £475 | £665 |
| Age 50+ | £324 | £432 | £605 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
2/4Medium risk
Medium risk
Some theft pattern, particularly in urban postcodes. Thatcham-approved chain plus disc lock recommended; secure overnight parking helps premiums.Theft hotspot postcodes
Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
5 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
0
Medium
2
Low / cosmetic
3
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| medium | Cam chain tensioner 15k-25k mi | £180 |
| medium | Stator 25k-35k mi | £280 |
| low | Coolant hose splitting 15k-25k mi | £60 |
| low | Fork seal leaks 15k-25k mi | £100 |
| low | Chain wear Every 10k-15k mi | £180 |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the KTM 390 Duke, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Variant comparison
The default — sole variant. The 2024+ is the one to buy: new chassis, larger tank, TFT dash, improved engine. Pre-2024 units have the small 11L tank and older chassis.
Known issues
- Cam chain tensioner failure (15-25k mi) — KTM pattern
- Coolant hose splitting around 20k mi
- Stator failure 25-35k mi
Strengths
- +Sharpest chassis in A2 class — track-day capable
- +44 PS at the A2 limit's edge — no restrictor needed
- +Light 168 kg wet weight
- +Premium TFT dash, smartphone connectivity (post-2024)
- +2024 facelift fixed the small-tank complaints — 15L now
Watch-outs
- −Cam chain tensioner failures are a known KTM pattern (£180 fix)
- −Higher service costs than Japanese rivals
- −Higher theft risk than BMW G310R — popular target
- −Stator failures around 25-35k mi