RC390 First Impressions

[fos373]

There's been a lot of speculation on the RC390 and I have my hands on one in the US (I imported it for race purposes). It was supposed to be here in November, but due to some problems finding a shipper... well, it's here now.

I have yet to actually ride it as it has been snowing & cold in Denver, however, I have partially torn it down to prep it for racing.

Overall quality is a bit of hit and miss.

The good:

• Overall the bike is pretty light (compared to Ninja 250) but not as light as (and can be expected) as a 450mx. I easily unloaded it from my full size truck by myself (after a day of skiing and in freezing cold weather). I would not have done that with a 600 or even a 250.
• The fit and finish of the fairings, headlights, seat and controls are very good. Most of these will be sold off as they aren't needed.
• The R&G case covers (obviously an aftermarket product) fit perfectly and were easily installed.

The bad:

• The upper clip-on / triple clamps are junk. The bars are held in place by two very small hex bolts and the bar itself is proprietary and tapered at the end. It would have been just as easy to use a standard replacement bar. Regardless, I'll fit real clip-ons below the upper triples.
• The battery is located under a cover in front of the gas tank. There's a separate plastic cover that is released from under the seat. It's a pretty crappy design and will break easily.
• The stock rear sets, well, they're like most stock rear sets and aren't the best.
• The stock windscreen is way too low and wraps around the side of the bike.
  • As it is low it will offer minimal wind protection.
  • The wrap around design - why??? One tip over and the whole thing will shatter. Confusing.
• My biggest gripe - the bolts used on most of the bike are pretty sub-standard and are odd sized.
  • The front brake caliper bolts are a 8mm x 1.0 pitch x 65mm long. Try and find a replacement for that.... (remember, it will be raced so I was drilling for safety wiring and generally have spares in case something happens).
  • The pinch bolts for the front axle are a more normal 8mm x 1.25 pitch but the Allen bolt heads themselves are pretty soft. I think they sourced them from Ace Hardware.
  • I haven't taken the rear sets off yet, as the adjustable KTM's are still on their way. However, the mounting bolts look pretty junky as well.

It seems that I have more complaints than good, however it is much better than a Ninja 250.

I have other parts coming - solo seat, race fairing, rear set and Akra exhaust. I'll update when I get them installed.

B

 

[KennyFish]

Thanks for the review, I'm also in Colorado. In the springs!

 

[Treachery]

Welcome, fos373. Thanks much for your initial impressions. We'll watch for your reports as you modify the bike, particularly the things you choose to replace. With the reports of limited clearance at the pegs, I'm especially interested in the KTM rearsets (...cost?)

 

[guzz46]

Welcome, fos373. Thanks much for your initial impressions. We'll watch for your reports as you modify the bike, particularly the things you choose to replace. With the reports of limited clearance at the pegs, I'm especially interested in the KTM rearsets (...cost?)

In my opinion, if you do what I've done and put a 140/70 rear tyre, screw the preload down to suit your weight, roughly 30mm-35mm of rider sag, and remove the hero blobs you won't be scraping the pegs, I'm getting pretty used to it now, and I've gotten to the point where I'm leaning it over pretty far and the pegs haven't touched, they don't even feel close to touching, but on the standard 60 profile tyre with the stock spring setting they felt pretty close to the ground even when I wasn't leaning it over too far, but if you're going to race it then you may need them, I suspect the test bikes had soft suspension, hence the ground clearance issues riders were facing.
But who knows, someone might prove me wrong.

The power parts brake lever was about $350 NZ dollars, so I would hate to know how much they would want for their rear sets, my guess would be at least $1000 or more.

 

[ToraTora]

<snip>
The good:

• Overall the bike is pretty light (compared to Ninja 250)

The bad:

• The upper clip-on / triple clamps are junk. The bars are held in place by two very small hex bolts and the bar itself is proprietary and tapered at the end.

<snip>

• The stock windscreen is way too low and wraps around the side of the bike.
  • As it is low it will offer minimal wind protection.
  • The wrap around design - why??? One tip over and the whole thing will shatter. Confusing.

<snip>

• My biggest gripe - the bolts used on most of the bike are pretty sub-standard and are odd sized.
  • The front brake caliper bolts are a 8mm x 1.0 pitch x 65mm long. Try and find a replacement for that.... (remember, it will be raced so I was drilling for safety wiring and generally have spares in case something happens).

B

Everything is light compared to the N250. Hell I think my RSV was only 50lbs more than a N250--those bikes are pigs, which is the major reason I think the N250 isn't a good choice for a first bike.

That style triple clamp is quite popular with euro bikes. The bolt doesn't hold the bar in at all. In fact once set you could remove the bolt with little worry as to the bar coming out. The taper is what holds them in place. Tapers are very strong--it's why they use them for magnetos. Domino makes these for the Derbi bikes, they would probably fit the KTM if the taper is the same.

The windscreen design is a fashion thing. The cup bikes appear to have a larger screen.

I check at the Bolt Depot (I'd post the url but this damn forum makes posts with URLs take days to post so just use google). They have a fine thread M8 in a 60mm, and 80mm size. So you could trim the 80mm to size.

Hey if you have a metric measuring device could you give us the specs on the front caliper? Center to center on the mounting bolts and maybe the amount of offset?

Thanks!

 

[TZMike]

fos373- thanks for this post! Lots of good info here. Pics as you progress would be helpful!

Seems like there is room for improvement on this bike. I suspect we will all be making mods and upgrades.

The is a rear Brembo used on many EU bikes which looks the same as what is mounted on the RC390. Look on eBay for the BMW S1000RR rear caliper.

ToraTora- The front caliper has about an 85mm center distance between the mount bolts. Guzz46 was nice enough to forward this pic (thanks again):



The German PowerParts catalog lists a taller race and a taller street windscreen.

I'm curious what race fairing you will use.

Thanks,

TZMike

 

[B7ACKTHORN]

fos373, congrats on your new acquisition. Would do well, if you could post some pics.

But said and done, would love to hear from you as to how the bike, as on overall package fares. Keep us enlightened.

VJ

 

[VAG944]

Thanks for the honest review fos373!

It does make me question, slightly, my decision on the RC390! The mention of the odd size and poor quality of the bolts makes me nervous. I know I'll be buying a second bike anyway (probably a Daytona 675 again, R this time) but I don't want to have this bike and feel it's not worth it. I thought it was a good deal for what it is and it might not be, it seems.

Am I being paranoid?

 

[Treachery]

Thanks for the honest review fos373!

It does make me question, slightly, my decision on the RC390! The mention of the odd size and poor quality of the bolts makes me nervous. I know I'll be buying a second bike anyway (probably a Daytona 675 again, R this time) but I don't want to have this bike and feel it's not worth it. I thought it was a good deal for what it is and it might not be, it seems.

Am I being paranoid?

Well, I don't know that it's paranoia. Tempered enthusiasm based on developing information?

As to fasteners, I have to believe that they won't suffer for tensile strength, so it shouldn't be a safety issue. Forewarned is forearmed with respect to not being careless when wrenching. Funny lengths can be obtained, so long as one knows length, diameter, and thread pitch. Easy? Maybe not, but how many could we reasonably be talking about?

Either way, I reckon we'll all keep our ears to the ground.

 

[VAG944]

Well, I don't know that it's paranoia. Tempered enthusiasm based on developing information?

.

The good news is, there is already some great people on here and a supportive community from the get go. That's important for a new bike in a new market. Kinda the way Triumph675.net was to the Daytona 675. I think that helped the bike, in a land of squids wanting a 18000 rpm R6, it was a viable option for those that "got it"!

 

[fos373]

All - Just want to clarify my initial review. This has to be compared to similar bikes, which I am trying to do with my Ninja 250 (even though it is a race bike for me) To compare it to my ZX6R (also a race bike for me) or other bikes would be unfair. This bike is not comparable nor in the same price range as a ZX6R/ZX10R, R6/R1, BMW S1000RR, Triumph 675R, RC8R etc.

My gripes are just that - gripes. The overall quality is very good and it's a much more thought out bike and will likely be a better performing bike than bikes in its category. To expect it to be like the bikes mentioned above is not my point. Compared to a Ninja 250, CBR 250, etc - hands down this bike is much better!! If I gave a review of my Ninja 250, everyone would be appalled: It's fat, slow, doesn't want to turn, the suspension is mushy and crappy at best, slides when pushed, louder than hell with an open exhaust, has to be beaten to do anything and has no real power.

I feel that once the KTM is stateside and some additional parts are available, especially when the Cup bikes are available, this bike will shine. Hopefully, this - along with the resurgence of AMA racing with the new promoters/owners - will spur other manufactures to make "real" smaller "race" bikes available to the market. Road racing in the US has declined substantially. Bikes of this size and caliber are needed to allow youth racers to progress from mini-moto to a 600. To try and compare - expect a 14 year old to go from an 85cc mx to a 450f would be outrageous. (Apologies for the tangent/rant....)

I'm 6'1, 175lbs and my skills will never be able to fully control a modern 600, let alone a liter bike. However, I have learned that racing a smaller bike is just as much fun and more fulfilling as I am riding the bike on its edge and can better understand the feedback it's giving me. I built, tinkered, tinkered, tinkered and raced a CRF450R super single - a bike that the Japanese manufacturers could have and should have built and had a blast with (and was frustrated to all ends). The KTM meets most of these same requirements for me in a package that is ready built.

The KTM will be a race bike for me as I stated. I'm hoping to get it out in February or March to the track for some real testing and racing before (what I consider) my race season begins in May. Our club supports production cup racing for 250, 400 and 500cc bikes and the grids for all classes are quite large. I also plan to be out in Chuckwalla (February/March), Miller (Memorial Day weekend) and Road America (July 4th weekend) - so if anyone else is out there for these, say hello.

 

[Treachery]

If you make it south or east (VIR, Road Atlanta, Barber- let us know. I'd be glad to pitch in and schlepp stuff for ya.