Who's already decided they're buying a KTM 390?

Yup,even a 650 thumper can get a little boring on a long straight roads,America has lots of space and people like HP.
390 is priced/sized to be a beginner bike. Nothing wrong with that,Honda/Kawasaki are trying to hit that market as well.

Most guys who say "I'll buy it just bring it on" thin out once a bike is brought over to these shores. Popping around on a de-tuned 350 single just wouldnt be that exciting.
The 1st time I rode my 530 on the street I was thinking........man some more steam and this would be really neat!

I think they are referring to a $6500 version of a DS which obviously they can build if the 390 Duke comes in at that number. Hell, $500 cheaper is possible as the 17" wheeled bikes from KTM were always more than the dirt versions.

Nice looking bike for sure!

It's cool if you want more power - a sport bike, or a Street Triple R if you want upright ergos, will do it for you. That's not what the 390 Duke is all about, however.

Finally, we are talking about a higher-spec light-weight motorcycle, with power and torque (45 hp, 35 N-m) that is just shy of a Ninja 650R on a weight-to-power basis, in a 324 lb. package (wet). That's 100 lbs. lighter in a full street bike (not SM) package. I'm sorry, but that's not a "detuned" 350 to me. And its a LOT more than a Ninja 300R or Honda CB500, which are the beginner or re-entry level bikes in the US market.

No, it won't run with a KTM-530 SM, but then you're back into 600cc Supersport weight-to-power specs again. If that's what you need for adrenelin, go for it.

I guess I should take this back to the "Small/mid displacement street singles" thread and the "Nobody will buy High-spec 250-400cc sportbikes" thread, where the audience is interested in the topic at hand.

Last time I looked, your speed limits were lower then ours.

This is exactly the kind of mentality that's keeping a lot of good bikes out of USA.

It's not the speed limit, it's that rapping out a premium 250-400cc small engine just to keep the speed limit whilst traveling in one of the many straight lines of a road we have blows ass compared to lugging something larger to keep vibes and noise down. Which, by the way, also blows ass compared to rapping out a 300cc dirt bike on tough single track.

Yah, although these Dukes are thumpers, this forum is more dirt biased, so Road Warriors would probably be better place audience wise.

There is a multi page thread in the street forum.

I have found more and more fun on the smaller bikes. My FZ1 would break every legal speed limit in 1st gear :huh that got boring too. Had to be going 120+ to have fun. Wasn't a good idea. Most street riding, that is legal, bores me actually :huh

I'd like to have a peppy, small bike. My 285lb 450SMR was too buzzy and my 320lb 610SM was a little too big. Hoping this will be in the middle. Move some of the weight of the 610 around, an in the middle of the 450/610 engines, and KTM could make a sweet bike.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=836589

Couldn't agree more... So often people think they need as many cc's as they can get, I bet this KTM would embarrass 95% of Harleys to 60mph. I ride a WR250r and a lot of people assume it's top speed is 65 mph when it is actually around 85 mph. How many times have you seen someone buy as a first bike a bike that is way to much and ends up as a one time purchaser and puts a whopping 900 miles on said bike in 4 years only to sell it and never ride again.

Some of us can't afford a $10,000 bike... I see these new price point entry level bikes as nothing but good for the motorcycle community. It brings more people to the market, and more of these people will stay and buy better bikes. It also offers options for those of us who want a 2nd bike for some other purpose and don't need or even want a higher end larger cc bike