There’s something primal about the Khardung La pass, icy winds whistling at 18,000 feet, air thinner than trust, and the road coiling like a snake along ancient Himalayan bones. This isn’t a place where you bring a timid bike. So when I decided to climb up from Leh to Khardung La, descend into the cold desert of Nubra Valley, and finally glide into Hunder’s sand dunes, I knew I had to ride something sharp, feisty, and light on its feet. That something turned out to be the KTM 390 DUKE. Now, the DUKE is no adventure-tourer. It’s a street-naked hooligan with road racing in its DNA. But here’s the kicker, it thrived in this terrain in a way that surprised even me. Lightweight, punchy, and unapologetically raw, the 390 DUKE was a mountain goat in the land of yaks and altitude sickness. Let me take you through the story of this beautiful madness, where I pushed the 390 DUKE through ice, gravel, mountain air, and straight-line sprints in the freezing flats of Hunder.

First Taste – 390 DUKE Meets Khardung

Day one. I’m at Leh, letting my lungs adjust to the altitude. The DUKE waits outside the guesthouse, coated in frost. It looks compact, aggressive, and ready to strike. Swinging a leg over it, I feel the narrow tank, the upright stance, and the firm but inviting seat. Press the starter. Thump. That single-cylinder comes to life like a caffeinated heartbeat. There’s something about KTM’s LC4c engine that just begs to be wrung out. It doesn’t purr; it growls. And once the revs cross 4000, it pulls like a mule in heat. The route to Khardung La isn’t a road, it’s a warzone. Ice patches, broken tarmac, gravel so loose it laughs at ABS. But the DUKE? It doesn’t flinch. The suspension, especially the front USD WP forks, soaked up abuse like it was born for it. The firm setup, often criticized for being too harsh in cities, was perfect here. It kept the front end planted, even when the terrain didn’t know what it wanted to be. The 373cc mill, despite being a single-pot, never felt underpowered. I kept it in third gear most of the time, letting the torque carry me through switchbacks. It doesn’t need high revs to be useful, but when you want to scream, it’s ready to party.

Over The Pass – Where Air is Scarce but Thrills are Plenty

Khardung La is less a summit and more a test of patience. The oxygen drops. Riders get dizzy. Bikes overheat. But the 390 DUKE? Not a hiccup. The radiator fan kicked in frequently, yes, but the engine held its cool. At the pass, I parked the DUKE beside prayer flags fluttering like flames in the wind. I stared at it for a moment. Orange trellis frame, exposed engine, wide bars, it looked like a scalpel parked in a monastery. Then began the descent. That’s where the DUKE became a weapon. Switchbacks? It eats them. Hairpins? Feeds off them. The quick steering geometry, light weight, and brilliant brakes made every corner an invitation. I was trail-braking into tight turns, letting the slipper clutch handle downshifts, then snapping the throttle open on exits. Despite the roads being sketchy, the Metzeler M5 tires never lost faith. The TFT dash was another savior. Sharp, readable even in high-altitude glare, and with Bluetooth music piping in from my phone, the ride felt civilized despite the chaos under the wheels.

Fast, Flat, and Free

By the time I reached the desert flats of Hunder, the DUKE had shifted character. No longer a rock-climber, it turned into a canyon carver. The wide, flat roads begged for throttle, and I obliged. Full beans in 3rd, then 4th. The exhaust note wasn’t loud, but it carried a gritty edge, more rally than race. I found myself playing with the gearbox just for fun. Click up, click down. The quick and light action of the slipper clutch meant even panic downshifts never unsettled the rear. And here’s the thing: the DUKE doesn’t top out insanely high. You can use every bit of its power legally, and that makes it way more fun than a 1000cc monster that feels bored at 100 kph. Yes, it vibrates. Yes, the mirrors shake above 7000 rpm. But you forget all of that when you’re flicking it left and right like a dirtbike with a caffeine problem. The one downside? The seat. After five hours in the saddle, my butt was sending SOS

signals. But this isn’t a touring bike. It’s a track refugee on parole.

Real-World Test: Fuel Stops, City Clunks, and Luggage Regrets

Back in Leh, I tried using the DUKE like a commuter for a couple of days. It’s doable. Light clutch, narrow waist, and upright bars make it easy to filter through traffic. But ride it slow, and it feels caged. The engine lugs under 3000 rpm. It begs to be pushed. Fuel economy? Around 27 km/l in the mountains with mixed riding. Decent. The tank capacity of 13.5 liters gives you a safe range of 300+ km if you’re easy on the throttle, which I wasn’t. Luggage? You better travel light. There are no tie-down points, and strapping a tail bag was a wrestling match. A tank bag worked better, thanks to the sharp tank shape. Headlights? Full LED, but not the brightest in Himalayan pitch-black nights. Good for city rides. Not amazing in pitch dark valleys.

Technical Specification

Feature	Details
Engine	373cc, Single-cylinder, DOHC, 4-Valve, Liquid-cooled
Max Power	43.5 PS @ 9000 rpm
Max Torque	37 Nm @ 7000 rpm
Transmission	6-speed with slipper clutch
Frame	Steel Trellis Frame
Front Suspension	WP APEX 43mm Upside Down Fork
Rear Suspension	WP APEX Monoshock
Brakes (Front/Rear)	320mm disc / 230mm disc with dual-channel ABS
Kerb Weight	171 kg
Seat Height	830 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity	13.5 liters
Tires (Front/Rear)	110/70 R17 / 150/60 R17
Instrument Console	5” TFT Display with Bluetooth Connectivity
Headlight	Full LED
Cooling	Liquid Cooled with Radiator Fan
Mileage (Real-world)	25–30 km/l depending on riding style

Conclusion

The KTM 390 DUKE is not a touring bike. It’s not built for mountains. It has no windscreen, no luggage options, no soft suspension. But damn if it doesn’t thrive when pushed beyond reason. It’s light, raw, and bursting with attitude. Whether I was carving corners above clouds, blasting across Himalayan deserts, or dodging potholes in Leh town, the DUKE never lost its nerve. If you ride because you love motorcycles, not gadgets, not frills, but the engine-throttle-tire connection, then the 390 DUKE will speak your language fluently. It’s not perfect, and that’s what makes it lovable. This bike turned my Khardung La ride from a checklist item into a full-on riding saga. It didn’t just climb a mountain. It owned it.