The Kawasaki is quite the conservative motorcycle.
The one above is the basic no frills version, however, for a few more dollars, you can get the KRT version  (Kawasaki Racing Team!) with a go faster paint job (black with green graphics), LED indicators, and a full colour display, rather than Black & White.  Note how nothings been added to make it actually go faster than the basic model..

It’s a basic, no frills product thats well thought out., and there’s very little to complain about as a result.

Pro’s

• It’s comfortable
• It’s just as fast as the old KTM.
• It starts reliably and runs well, even when cold
• The clock keeps time
• It’s nicer to ride in the rain, even if the tyres don’t seem to stick as well.

Cons

• a lack of character, it doesn’t inspire you like a European bike tends to.

KTM’s image is decidedly edgy and all about that racing image..

This RC390 was the first of a new class of smaller sports bikes first introduced in 2014. Yamaha, Honda, etc soon got around to bringing out their own versions, but to me, they missed the raw energy and single-mindedness that typically comes with a European bike.

On paper, the RC390 has better front forks, and tyres, compared to the Kawasaki, which should translate into better handling, but somehow it doesn’t.

In the end, the Kawasaki just goes around corners easier and faster than the KTM. The KTM feels faster, but the speedo doesn’t lie.

Pro’s

• It has better mid range torque
• It sounds better

Cons

• It strains your wrists around town, because of the head down, bum up riding position.
• If your stuck in traffic, the radiator fan blows hot air at you.
• A ‘low fuel’ alarm screams at you, even though there’s heaps of gas left.
• It’s stable in corners, but I never felt comfortable pushing it that hard.
• It never ran well when cold and would cut out at every intersection until warmed up. restarting it was generally a mission, rather like waking up your dad when he’s drunk.
• Hot starts were OK, except when it was in a tempermental mood (often)
• The clock is a waste of time.

That conservative vs edgy image is illustrated nicely by comparing the manuals provided with each bike..

In conclusion, the Kawasaki’s just better all round, and easier to live with. KTM still make the RC390 as I write this, but given their financial woes, and their well known glitchyness, I can’t imagine a newer one been much different or better.

My 10 yr old KTM died on me, and in the end it just wasn’t worth fixing

One of those expensive electronic boxes died.

To work out the cost of a replacement box, simply get a wad of $20 notes and stack them up until they are the same size as that box…

So I reluctantly brought a new Kawasaki, which was as near as I could get spec wise to the KTM, without buying another KTM.

I say reluctantly, because my wallet is infested with very rare moths, and we don’t want them to go extinct now do we…

I’m done with KTM RC390’s, as KTM are technically now bankrupt, parts are hard to get, and the local dealer wont stock new RC390’s anymore, as they keep coming back with issues….

This is rather regretable, as riding that KTM was like a fountain of youth in it’s own way to me. (I always felt like I was 30.ish)

There are two paths I can travel, when it comes to fixing this bike

• Fix it myself. I started down this road, then realised it’s going to take a lot of time, especially when I lack the ability to talk to it’s CPU (brain).
• Send it to the friendly romans at a dealer, spend lots of money, and pray for a happy ending.

However, following the dealer path has led to a bleak picture.

I was looking in the wrong area of the bike, and it’s likely the faulty component is actually one of several rather expensive parts.

To add some complication to this, KTM itself is in dire financial trouble (likely terminal), which means even the agent can’t get any parts for it.

https://amcn.com.au/editorial/ktm-inside-a-cash-crisis/

The only source for parts then, is Ebay, which can be dubious as to what you are getting.

All of leads to the question of whether it’s worth keeping the bike.

A test ride of a possible replacement bike was a revelation. It just went and everything worked flawlessly with a very efficient Japanese feel to it. (even the clock works!)

The KTM in comparision is ‘contankerous’ in it’s nature. Unless you warm it up nicely in the morning, its going to give you a hard time (it will stall and then be hard to start). It only likes 95 octane (preferably higher). On 91 octane, it just feels flat and lacks any urgency. 

The thing with these ‘character’ bikes though, is that they are never boring.

With a bit dedication and some late nights, perhaps I can get it sorted.

Not having my favourite bike going was a bit of a downer, so when it only took a week for the parts to arrive from China, I  studiously replaced that fuel pump and put the bike back together.

When I turned the key on, the pump burst into life and it only took a few seconds to get up to pressure.

That lit up a few memories, because thats how it was years ago when I first got the bike.

That pump had been slowly getting blocked over time, and I hadn’t noticed the gradual change.

I thought Cool!, so I put the bike back together, and rode off into the sunset… and  it died again a few miles down the road, so I got to meet some more  of our neighbours who helped me trailer it back home.

Just like last time, the fault disappeared again for no obvious reason.

These are the hardest faults to find because there aren’t many clues, which means you have to take an educated guess as to what it could be.

I decided to get a whole pump & filter assembly from India on Ebay that has KTM part numbers on it, as I’ve found that buying cheap parts for this bike are more trouble than it’s worth.

I was a lot more circumspect riding the bike with the new parts fitted this time around, but it didn’t leave me on the side of the road this time, so it may be Ok -or not.

As it happens, the bike is almost due for a service, so I’ve given it the local agent to sort out.
It’s possible to plug a computer into this bike to read all the diagnostic errors, so the agent got a definite advantage over me taking guesses as to what the problem could be.