690 Duke: I got one! - Page 4

JT Nesbitt · 07-29-2008, 10:47 AM

I just got a message from Todd Jones at KTM North America. He is going to email a fuel injection map to my local dealer! Looks like Bonneville is back on the program for my duke! Thank you Todd Jones, you just made my motorcycling world a lot more fun! I will post results of the re-tune after I get it installed, and hit the dyno......Awesome!!! -- JT

letsburnbridges · 07-29-2008, 03:35 PM

So all the dealers should have it now??

cbradford · 07-30-2008, 02:06 PM

I've had one of these bikes for a couple of months now and ridden about 2700 miles so far on it. This is the first street bike I've owned/ridden and I love it. It rides like the dirtbikes that I'm used to and handles like a dream.
I've had the hard start issue once in a while and at first thought it was the battery being low but I ride the bike a lot and doubted that it wasn't gettin charged. I tend to think now that it's caused by the engine shutting down on a compression stroke and having a hard time dealing with it. I will check the connections at the starter though after reading here.
I also used to have the stalling issue but recently regeared the bike with a 15t front sprocket and this has given the bike whole new life. It's way more fun to ride it pulls like mad on the bottom end and I never stall out anymore. After riding the bike with the 15-40 gearing I can't believe that KTM shipped these bikes with the 16-40.
Like everyone else I'm in the market for an exhaust. I'm pretty sure I'm going to find a way to get the Akrapovic. From the videos I've seen online of these systems on other bikes the quality, fit and finish seem to be top quality. AND IT'S TITANIUM!!!!

I'm pretty sure you coule run the Supermoto exhausts on these bikes. You'd just need to get the muffler brackets from the oem but I don't know why you'd do that. To me the dual exhaust on the Supermoto is fugly.
What kind of tires is everyone running? I got about 2500 out of the rear before it started showing cords. I was hoping to get a little better than that but the tire was super grippy. Currently I have the factory tire up front still and just switched to a ContiSportAttack on the rear. I only have a couple hundred miles on it but so far it seems quite a bit harder and a little less grippy but we'll see how it turns out for mileage.
Corey

letsburnbridges · 07-30-2008, 03:19 PM

I was thinking about going up two teeth in the rear rather than down 1 up front, but after having her on the track yesterday I think the gearing is perfect stock. I ended up low siding in an off-camber turn at the end of the day, slid all the way to the wall. Believe it or not the plastic never touched at all, I highly recommend the fork/swingarm sliders.

Also, I found a good website for aftermarket stuff.

www.ktmtwins.com I ordered a few things from them and they shipped quickly and everything else.

I researched the SM exhaust system and it will work but you will need to switch the passenger footrests to the 2007 690 SM as well, which is around 320 bucks more going by bikebandit.com's prices.

www.bikebandit.com has all the parts schematics up now for the 08 690 duke also.

As far as tires I am still running the stock front and put a new Pirelli Diablo Strada in the rear after about 1000 miles...I have 3400 total on the bike now. The tire is highly recommended by me unless you go to the track...I dont think I would have went down with something stickier. Other than that it is a great commuting/rain tire and still sticks plenty good for the street twistys.

I also put a K&N air filter and noticed significant low end improvement.

gearider · 07-31-2008, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compmoto

I've had nearly the same issues with my starter system,plus the "intermittent shut-off" one as well.My dealer had my bike for 2 months, before he diagnosed the starter to be bad. I was also told it had something to do with it being a "high-compression single"...etc. I have my doubts...

I took it to him due to it being a new bike with only just over 1K miles, and already having issues. I'll handle it differently, from here out...certainly ! all this for $8500.+ ?? WOW! c'mon KTM! did you guys introduce this bike too soon? FI? ECU? Ok...

So are you saying he replaced the starter and now it works fine? I would really like to figure this out before a) the warranty runs out b) it leaves me stranded somewhere.

I rode the Duke 270 miles the other day, it is a blast with the exception of the seat is about as comfortable as a 2 x 4 with vinyl on it.

jcrocker · 07-31-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JT Nesbitt

I just got a message from Todd Jones at KTM North America. He is going to email a fuel injection map to my local dealer! Looks like Bonneville is back on the program for my duke! Thank you Todd Jones, you just made my motorcycling world a lot more fun! I will post results of the re-tune after I get it installed, and hit the dyno......Awesome!!! -- JT

More details ,, contact info ??

jcrocker · 07-31-2008, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letsburnbridges

I was thinking about going up two teeth in the rear rather than down 1 up front, but after having her on the track yesterday I think the gearing is perfect stock. I ended up low siding in an off-camber turn at the end of the day, slid all the way to the wall. Believe it or not the plastic never touched at all, I highly recommend the fork/swingarm sliders.

Also, I found a good website for aftermarket stuff.

www.ktmtwins.com I ordered a few things from them and they shipped quickly and everything else.

I researched the SM exhaust system and it will work but you will need to switch the passenger footrests to the 2007 690 SM as well, which is around 320 bucks more going by bikebandit.com's prices.

www.bikebandit.com has all the parts schematics up now for the 08 690 duke also.

As far as tires I am still running the stock front and put a new Pirelli Diablo Strada in the rear after about 1000 miles...I have 3400 total on the bike now. The tire is highly recommended by me unless you go to the track...I dont think I would have went down with something stickier. Other than that it is a great commuting/rain tire and still sticks plenty good for the street twistys.

I also put a K&N air filter and noticed significant low end improvement.

What sliders did you get ? Mines going to the track soon