I'm going to the IMS this Sunday. Any questions about the RC390?

[Texas250]

Like it says I'm going to the IMS in Dallas this Sunday. And I was wondering if anyone had any questions about the RC390 you all wanted me to ask, or try to answer? I'm excited to see it and sit on it. Just post up those questions and I will get the answers. And I suppose I will do a walk around and sit on review too.

 

[kalleh]

Try to get a straight answer if the Cup bike is going to be a separate SKU or a kit? Thanks!

 

[DaveI]

Ask if the Slipper Clutch will be incorporated into this year's model (In to bikes that haven't already shipped).

 

[motoarch]

Try to get a straight answer if the Cup bike is going to be a separate SKU or a kit? Thanks!

yes please because this is never going away and its driving me nuts at this point.

if its a kit i'll eat my panties

in otherwords not a chance

 

[VAG944]

I'd just like to know about the quality of the bike in general, if you can give your views.

Also, if the Husqvarna Vit Pilen is there, find out if they're going to bring it to market and how much is RC390 and Duke 390 parts.

 

[kalleh]

yes please because this is never going away and its driving me nuts at this point.

if its a kit i'll eat my panties

in otherwords not a chance

I desperately want it to be a kit (a reasonably priced one that is!) so that I can choose which parts I put on the bike - I need the bike to be AFM Production legal.

 

[guzz46]

I desperately want it to be a kit (a reasonably priced one that is!) so that I can choose which parts I put on the bike - I need the bike to be AFM Production legal.

If it is a kit it won't be reasonably priced, $340 NZ dollars for the powerparts adjustable brake lever, and about $680 NZ dollars for the cup bikes belly pan, that's one thousand dollars just for those two parts, imagine how much the adjustable forks would be!

 

[kalleh]

If it is a kit it won't be reasonably priced, $340 NZ dollars for the powerparts adjustable brake lever, and about $680 NZ dollars for the cup bikes belly pan, that's one thousand dollars just for those two parts, imagine how much the adjustable forks would be!

It depends. I have a Daytona 675R. Buying the R-parts separately is many many thousands of dollars more expensive than the added retail price. Let me just keep my hope, alright

 

[Treachery]

Try to get a straight answer if the Cup bike is going to be a separate SKU or a kit? Thanks!

Ask if the Slipper Clutch will be incorporated into this year's model (In to bikes that haven't already shipped).

I'd just like to know about the quality of the bike in general, if you can give your views.

It depends. I have a Daytona 675R. Buying the R-parts separately is many many thousands of dollars more expensive than the added retail price. Let me just keep my hope, alright

I'm with all of these folks.

My confusion on "Cup" is the distinction between the power limited, race-only Cup bike, and the Cup version that is street legal (or comes with the street parts), but has the upgrades. This is the bike that Motorcyclist mentioned in their launch report.

Also, if you could confirm that the US version incorporates the front indicators (signals) into the mirrors like the press launch bikes. I've seen one pic with them grafted onto the fairing below the bars (insert barf smiley here).

 

[B7ACKTHORN]

Let me add mine too...

First off, as the gentleman suggested, the Slipper Clutch. Will it be, and when will it be.
Any improvements in the rear shocker, any thing incorporated to reduce the crud throw into the shocks. (The naked one has a plastic inside the rear shocker to prevent crud from splashing all over)
Overall, fit and finish, and how it fares.
And changes in the brake/clutch levers

Last but not the least, photos as much as you can, every angle you can.

Thanks

Regards
V

 

[Texas250]

Will do gentlemen. I will snap some photos with my iPhone. And then I may need some help getting them up. I could email them to another member on here.

 

[Treachery]

You can send 'em to me and I'll post 'em up if you can't from the road.

 

[matadorCE]

I saw and got to sit on the RC today at the show in Dallas. It definitely feels like a sportsbike. I do wish the foam passenger seat was more like the other bikes where it's a plastic tail section with a removable seat. I also sat on the Duke and it's a sharp looking bike but not a fan of non-faired bikes and the sitting position is too upright for my tastes. The RC is a killer looking bike and I'll definitely be getting one.

 

[Treachery]

PICS?

 

[Texas250]

PM me an phone number and I will text the pics. Or I will try from my phone.

Ok the cup bike is a whole unit, there is no kit (all info according to KTM north Texas regional manager), all parts will be available separate. The price is about $10,000 usd, and he said you must hold an AMA license and be 14-22 years of age, and he said that only about 100 units will be available this year. He said the street bike with parts is going to be the hot ticket on the track, as the cup bike is only 38hp.

He hadn't heard anything about a slipper clutch for the street bike. He said he thought the cup bike had one with the quick shifter.

No Husky Vit.

Now the quality looks quite good. Only the front disc brake looked questionable. I counted 3 pieces on the R3 that looked down market, but this was a preproduction bike, as was the RC390. The turn signals were in the mirror stalks, but the KTM guy said this was a preproduction model and he wasn't sure if the NAmer model would keep that feature. The frame welds were spot on, really nice. There is a small hugger protecting the rear shock and covering a small portion of the rear wheel. The riding position is near supersport, not like a GSX-R750 or BMW S1000RR, but more of a reach than say a Ninja 300/R3/CBR500/CBR300. Leg room was quite good, probably the most roomy. I'm 5''10 btw with a 31" inseam, so I have shortish legs with a longer middle. Lots of rear sag for my weight of 175, but that's what rear preload is for, I couldn't tell what setting it was on. The saddle is pretty tall, I could barely flat foot with my privates against the tank, and in a more normal position I couldn't quite get the feet all the way down. The seat feels soft, but when you sit on it, it's kind of hard and my fairly padded rump, I was a runner and valet parking attendant, started to feel it after a couple of minutes. There is a hard surface under the seat and you can really compress that seat at my weight, especially on the edges. The pipe coming out of the head is gold before it goes into the top part of the exhaust, really cool. They said bikes are not sent to Austria for QC, by that they had lots of KTM Austrians in India, and they were really working hard to bring a high quality product. He said the engine was over built for durability, and the KTM MXers didn't have any of the issues the models of 15-20 years ago sometimes had. He said the bike is KTM Austria designed. The screen on my CBR250 point straight at my face shield, the KTM points over my helmet by quite a bit, I really liked that.

Now that fuel tank. 2.64 gallons, really? Not good. My CBR starts flashing at about 140-160 miles with about a gallon left (on a 3.4 gallon tank). At a rated 56 us mpg, do you want to be told it needs gas at 90-100 miles? He said they usually rate the mpg low to avoid disappointment, but I average 64-65 mpg, I wouldnt expect much over 60 mpg during normal riding. Not good, if I could get, say, an extra .8 gallons the cycle would be golden.

It's little smaller looking than say the R3 or CBR500, but larger than a CBR250/300, I like the size. Some said the seat is tight but I didn't have an issue with it.

Overall I really like it, I mean a lot. It looks so much more modern and exotic than the competition. Is the small tank a deal breaker, probably not. Is the indian build quality an issue, maybe. I would wait and see and watch the forum and then maybe get a 2016, as I don't do first years, although they have been out in Europe and even longer as a Duke model. The dealer said the get the US info in late Febuary, and the cycles mid March. The local KTM dealer said he asked for as many as he could get. The 7th largest dealer in the US is like 1.5 miles from my house and he promised to get me the best deal in Texas if I decided to pull the trigger. Here's hoping with fingers crossed. He said to come in and sign up for a demo day, and I will. I want to see if the reach is going to be an issue for my 44yo back and wrists. I also want to know what the vibration, RPMs and pick up is like at say 70 mph.

If yall have any other questions, post them and I will do my best to answer. Cheers Mates.

 

[Texas250]

. I hope these load, we shall see.

 

[Treachery]

Thanks for the report and the pics. I guess with a model this new, it's asking a lot for a (factory) rep to be fully up to speed on details like the quickshifter/slipper clutch or the signals, but we'll take the info we can get, eh?

 

[VAG944]

Thanks so much for the update!!

And I would actually say it's terrible that (and when) reps don't know the information or their product that well! It's their job. Nothing has pissed me off more then when I went into the VW dealer to put a deposit down on a 2012 Golf R and the salesman didn't know what I was talking about!??!?

 

[guzz46]

I wouldn't worry too much about the tank, I usually fill up at about 200km and it usually takes about 7.5 litres, I think I could comfortably do 230km-240km on a tank without worrying about running out, and still probably have about a litre left, and most of that riding's been around the hills, so usually around 6000-7000 RPM and above, with some open road riding thrown in,
I may not sound like much range if you've been used to a sporty commuter type bike, but that's about the norm for a proper sports bike, all my previous bikes have had about the same fuel range.
I wouldn't bother with the fuel gauge though, it's not very accurate, the trusty old trip meter is much better.

The spring looks like its on position #3, which is how mine came, and it did fell quite soft on that setting, I'm about 160 pounds and position #7 is about right for me, I've got 10mm of static sag, and about 30mm of rider sag.
Interestingly I'm the same height as you, but I can comfortably touch both feet flat on the ground, with a bend in my knees with the spring on position #7, so maybe I have long legs? my inseam is about 33"

 

[Treachery]

And I would actually say it's terrible that (and when) reps don't know the information or their product that well! It's their job. Nothing has pissed me off more then when I went into the VW dealer to put a deposit down on a 2012 Golf R and the salesman didn't know what I was talking about!??!?

Okay, that's what I was realiy thinking... It really is astounding how poorly informed salespeople can be though. Reps at the show shouldn't be clueless.