Lightweight Rippers: 2019 KTM 390 Duke vs. 2019 Kawasaki Z400 

After owning the Duke390 for 2 years I finally trade in for the Kawa Z400...No regrets..Yes the Duke is torquey from low rpm which is good for city riding..But again lose juice around 90mph and with the counterbalance shaft againts vibration its quite struggling at 95mph on long freeways...I used to ride bigger bikes but again the Kawa is something i feel more confident for long rides with my wife..Can’t deny the looks goes to KTM but again reliability and cheap parts is my preferences

1:40 dude on the left totally just almost passed out 🤣

Got a Z400 in July 2019 . I now have 41,500 KM on it and it run A1 . Started to use Amsoil 10W40 after the break-in . Very happy with the little bike .

The way duke takes on the twisty roads looks absolutely mad😱,the level of performance on offer on such a lower CC bike is just incredible, brilliant chassis by KTM

The Duke being a single cylinder is going to need a new top end every so often, its just the nature of the beast. The bike it self is cheap but KTM parts are very expensive compared to Kawasaki parts. Something to be aware of before buying one. EDIT: THIS IS FOR U.S. BUYERS. The ways tariffs are Japanese bikes are ALWAYS CHEAPER then the European bikes in the states.

Thank you for the smaller displacement comparison. It really helps me as a newer rider to get a wider perspective on my options.

Last couple videos are really gettin better. Good work dudes.

I just bought a 2019 KTM Duke 390 as my first bike Wednesday... I have done every bit of research I could on all the suggested beginners bikes but it’s funny that the KTM was the bike I saw that got me itching for a motorcycle. I kept going back and forth on buying a used vs new, private or dealer, and ultimately decided on opting for the KTM when I got a hell of a deal. I got a 2019 KTM 390 Duke Brand new, zero miles for WTD price of $4500. It was a no brainer. I love the bike. I already added a wind screen as she’s going to be my commuter on most days. Gonna throw on a slip on later down the road but the biggest issue I am having is the seat height. I’m 5”6/5”7 chick and I am fine with everything BUT mounting. The Duke wants to sit up right and she likes to sit high. Problem is that when I mount her and go to place my right leg over she wants to buck you off and tip onto the right side. I’m buying a adjustable side stand which hopefully will resolve the issue and make it easier for me to get on with a better lean angle. If need be I will have her lowered as well. Point being... if you’re interested in the Duke and 5”8 and under, be prepared to do some mods to ride comfortably, especially if this is your first bike. I am have a lot of fun and regret nothing but I know I could’ve had them lower it and throw it into my purchase price. Oh well. Lesson learned. For the money, KTM knocked it out of the park. ABS, traction control, Slipper Clutch, Upside down Fork, LEDs, the display and of course the tech on this bike is sick. I love that it has Bluetooth and I can upload my directions/maps on to it, listen to music as well as answer calls, all at the tips of my fingers. The ability to turn abs off, or go supermoto, and the track feature is cool. It’s a great bike, highly recommend. I did test drive a Duke before buying but apparently they changed the seat height and I thought it was still 30”... well it’s really 32” on my years. Great review guys.

I wish the KTM design team came together with the Kawasaki engineering team and made me a duke 400.

1:37 Imagine John falling asleep... lol

The Duke is really good looking but nothing like kawi engine and reliability.

I just got a steal on a brand new 2017 390 Duke for $4,000. I can safely say it's the most fun I've ever had on two wheels.

Anyone see that massive eye roll at 1:05 when he said "the cousin"

Excellent comparison but I wish you guys would've discussed maintenance intervals and overall cost of ownership.

Duke 390 is more expensive than Z400 there? Wow Z400 is almost twice as expensive compared to Duke 390 in India.

Nice thorough comparison. Keep it up!

Can i have the reliable kawi engine in the sexy duke chassis?

Well I'm surprised to see the pricing of these 2 bikes in the USA. Here in India, it's totally different. You get the kTm at the half of the price of the Kawasaki. The 390 Duke we have at around like $3700 and the Ninja 400 at around $7500. The Z400 isn't yet released here. Though there is a HUGE price margin gap between these two here. Great video as always. Ride Safe ✌️

Finally two guys who know what they are talking about and do not beat around the bush. Good job!

1:05 eye roll 1:38 nearly falls asleep Most entertaining parts of this video

Been riding Sport bikes since 1965. Got up to a ZX-12 and Numerous Duc’s but as John said I have been downsizing for about 10 years and I have never had more fun than the KTM 390. Had to get it cause my wife hogged her old Duke 640 and I wanted to keep up. John and Egan have been my gurus since 35 cent gas.

Both are great bikes to be honest. I have friends who rip around the mountains with these bikes. The only thing I cannot be sure about is is the long term reliability of each bikes(for those who want to use these bikes all year round).

7:14 John and Troy think ,"These are nice, but I wish I was on that.'

Saw the duke on the road today and it’s absolutely gorgeous looks so good rolling down the road.

The turn indicators are huge on this KTM, the Duke 390 we get else where has small LED units 🧐

Duke 390 : fun, cool looking Z400 : fast, reliable Personal​ opinion

Amazing content as always.

Awesome review. Just bought the 18 Duke 390 yesterday part of left over stock from the dealer and paid $5300 CAD is equivalent to $4000 USD. I can’t wait to rip around with this little bike. :)

I agree with most of your comparison, but like most RU-vid bike reviewers, you didn't mention the elephant in the room- reliability and cost of ownership! The KTM looks better, might feel a tad more torquey (not why I buy small cc bikes). The Kawi gives you a great bike that's far more reliable for less $$. Make that a Ninja 400 for me though! 🏍

Z400 is super refined, its a twin, parts r cheaper, doesnt need much maintenance , dpendable, reliable.....on the other hand! Ktm looks much sexier than the kawi.

Ciao my friend & Uncle Bob for making very interesting allover revealed shoot with awsome Photography..🙋‍♂️👍🤘

Your reviews are Very Helpful I just traded my pcx 150 in on the Z400....only road it 15 miles and I am Very excited I picked the Kawasaki

Had the 2017 Duke 390 for 1 1/2 years , no serious problems apart from condensation on the TFT display which they replaced. no over heating issues, but as the bike runs lean due to EU emmision law I fit a Rapid Bike easy fueling module which helps keep the pot cooler and have notice the fan doesn't need to come on as much.. Oh and the bike is awesome 👍

I like the ktm but I've owned Kawi's n they r dead reliable n cheap to own . I hear ktm 390's still overheat . I would keep the savings and update a few things on the Kawi . I would take the Kawi for sure

I have owned a 2016 Super Duke Gt and recently purchased a 2018 Super Duke 1290r. Love the engine!!

One of the better reviews online. I like the way you guys leave subjective opinions out of the mix and don't just talk about yourselves... Refreshing. I'm an experienced rider and I USED to own a couple Yamaha 1981 RD350LCs. The power to weight ratio (read FUN Ratio) is right close to these subjects. I sold the Yamaha(s) because by the time you get into the power band, the law enforcement overkill will ensure you lose your license and there's just NO way to ride an LC legally.... I always liked the ER6N, which was the closest thing to the LC in pure "feel" a little bit buzzy and a little bit twitchy and just about the same performance. But I have always had a soft spot for the Duke 390 and this review points out the Duke's advantages. looking at the aftermarket power commanders and so forth on the Duke forums it would seem that after overcoming the emissions tuning of the bike, there will be an acceptable level of fun and performance in the Duke. I think I'll be purchasing a 390 real soon. I didn't hear anything convincing about the ABS and the quick shifter, although I don't believe that is stock in the US. Also, I don't recall you guys mentioning the slipper clutch.

The only weakness I have found with the Z 400 is the clutch springs. Slips bad in high rpm shifts. It only has 3 plates and 3 springs. __A set of Barnet springs for about $ 30 is the cure.

I’ve had my 390 Duke for 6 months and haven’t had a problem as of yet. We’ll see after 2 years (like everyone is saying here).

Genuine video guys...awesome

Biggest complaints on the Kawi were the seats and liking the KTM looks more.... I look forward to a rematch should the z400rs ever come out. :)

Awesome video guys really it felt more real than our Indian reviewers and especially the background was what you call lit AF 🔥🔥🔥

I was waiting for John to yell “get off my lawn” to the dude who rode by.

Ok best intro ever. I had to hear that like 3 times before watching the video.

I have owned the Ktm for over a year now, and it’s never let me down, and I wouldn’t change a thing

Good to see you guys again. I enjoyed the comparison. Based solely on the looks, KTM is a clear winner. Kawasaki's headlight and wheel design aren't my favorite.

1:30 look at the old guy xD He's either an excellent actor or he's falling asleep haha. Hilarious either way.

Thanks for the video!!

love how john pointed out how fun these smaller bikes can be,how they got plenty of power and is easier on the wallett with its fuel consumption

Duke 390 can Never match the refined and silky smooth Japanese engine of Z400 . Duke 390 vibrates at lower RPM like any other single cylinder .

Svartpilen 401, Duke 390 with out all the flash and a classic look 😉

I knew your test road looked familiar! That whole area is fun to drive. I say drive because I'm still trying to find the time to learn to ride and get info on what bike to buy was a noob.

"The older you get, the smaller you like". After 35 years of riding that is so true. I think I'd still prefer a welterweight (550-750 cc) but I'm waiting until my daughter gets her Ninja 400 before I make my final decision. Living in the suburbs makes me appreciate torque over horsepower.

Forgot to talk about acceleration and top speed? If I recall, the Z400 is slightly quicker which may tip the choice back to the Kawi.

yep...i would take the ktm, i just love the way it looks. it's a true cali bike. thanks!

Great review guys. All of a sudden I'm surfing craigslist for KTM 390s.

One day we'll get to the chassis from the KTM and the powertrain reliability of the Kawasaki. That would be a dream bike to own.

Though KTM has some higher spec components, I think my choice would be for the Kawasaki. The twin cylinder versus the single may prove more reliable in the long term. As for me, I typically upgrade my bikes with aftermarket pieces anyway, so the addition of braided lines, or fork springs is a small thing.

I like the style and structure of ktm duke and i like the power and sound of kawasaki z series.

nice work

Nice bike and good representation of work

390 Duke is so much more desirable if you can accept that it will likely have issues. One of many vehicles for me so the issues have been no big deal! Great back road ripper.

I have a 2015 RC390 and race it I have had only small problems and the bike has nealy 30,000km on it. And here in New Zealand we pay $8 for 1 us gal of fuel

Proud KTM DUke 250 owner here...happy to see the outcome...

I’m 6’4” and i own the 2020 390 Duke and I love it. It’s plenty comfortable and punchy torque. If you core drill out the baffle/db killer in the exhaust it sounds a lot better too without being too loud/obnoxious. I love it. Awesome bike, looks cool, handles really well and is really easy to ride in traffic and on a faster windy road. The tyres are okay but they wear out very quickly so you’ll have to factor that in. I had to replace mine at 4,000km and I put on Michelin Road 6’s that are supposed to last a very long time have great grip in dry and wet.

If you're planning to have a 400 for more than one season or put a lot of miles on it, buy Kawi, that thing won't give you any trouble and just run.

If you are on a budget maintenance is not something you would want to spend a ton on, so go Kawasaki if you want reliability.

I just bought a duke and everyone who knows about bikes says theses are a very good bike to ride . I pick it up this week can’t wait .

Epic video!

As much as I love the KTM, and it is a great bike, I keep my motorcycles at least 4-5 years or longer I just don’t trust the KTM long term. Every Kawasaki I’ve owned has been absolutely perfect in regards to reliability, although I’m sure that could be said for most Japanese bikes. Currently I have a 2005 Kawasaki Z1000 and it does everything I need it to. I can’t imagine getting another bike in the next 5-10 years, that’s how much I love and trust it. I will say that the Z900RS is very tempting looks wise and I may get the Z400 for my wife as she wants to ride with me on her own bike

The 390 Duke is a beauty, I choose it all day.

Oh, I sat on the Duke and couldn’t get off of it fast enough. It was incredibly uncomfortable. The two bikes that I was having a tough time deciding between were the Yamaha RT 03 and the Kawasaki Z 400 and after driving both of them back to back, the Kawasaki for me was the clear winner, and I bought one this morning. I am 6 feet tall 185 pounds and was much more comfortable on the Kawasaki. Also, the Kawasaki had a much more forgiving and gentle clutch. Hope this helps someone deciding which bike to buy.

I got this KTM I´m very happy with it!

Host: dont giveaway where we are riding. Camera man: pans over state recreation area sign. 😂👍

Kawi for me, engine durability over "cool" factor appearance.

I am happy owner of 2017 Duke 390 in India..my only concern is the heat considering the tropical climate we live in

I look forward to seeing the Duke and rc 500 in 2021

I owned the 390 for three years and 35k km sold to my friend. Now it has almost 60. This bike is super fun but it you want to put more than 50k don't buy it. It ages badly and starts to fall apart. Has major electronic issues. Engine leaks. Harsh engine vibes in 1 and 2 gear. also it's not comfortable .

Kawi all day long, just change that dreadful seat and add a top box in back for hauling stuff!!!😎

Thanks guys Thumbs up 👍 Thanks for sharing I was waiting to see the Top 🔝 speed for Both Bike 🚲 :) maybe next time Peace

Wonderful movement ❤️

saw a list of least reliable bikes... KTM top 3 of least reliable , and i do LOVE the kawi green

In Colombia KTM DUKE 390 costs 1000 dolars less than kawasaki z400 so is a better choise than z400

Had mine for a couple of weeks now......here it is with a Leo Vince LV 10. I LOVE IT!! @

I know you guys have your video format kinda set, but I had an idea, instead of some of the riding views while you’re talking it would be neat to show shots of both of you sitting on each bike kind of showing off the riding position on each bike.

I am 1, 84 m... And 85 kg in shape... .. Am I too big for Duke 390?

Is the KTM reliability improved ???? If not, I'd pick the Z

Great demo's, i have a v-strom 650 ,at 75 years am thinking a little lighter bike would be nice.that drum rattle in the back ground ,i found real annoying..cheers

I love my 2017 Duke 390!

I have the 2020 Z400 and it’s something else! It’s amazing! My brother is gonna buy the KTM 390 so we’ll see ;)

Awesome vıd... Love Ur work.. U guys are my ınspıratıom

Excellent bikes and fine scenarios.

great comparison

I saw quite a few of those KTMs ripping around the hill roads around Barcelona. They can't all be wrong :) Also: don't you dare complain about gas prices...!

I gota know the name of that 1 piece suit that Troy is wearing. Please let me know!

Good review... 🥰🥰😍keep it up

I already have a few bikes and mostly ride a Ducati Multistrada 1200 and seriously considering the Z400 as a cheap reliable commuter.

Anyone got a name or link for the full suit he is wearing? Dig it!

In India ktm price is low. ..it is half of that of a ninja 400..ninja will cost more than 7500 $ ...so Indians always prefer 390 and we have a lot of 390sss

Nice explanation ❤from Philippines

Comes down to the color for me. Hate orange and green is my favorite color 👊