KTM seems to be recalling a particular batch of its Duke 390s to “check the position of your front sprocket locking plate and if necessary to re-locate the locking plate” according to a message mailed apparently to some KTM CKD customer in Malaysia according to KTMDuke390forum.com.
A recently published article on MotorBeam.com elaborates on the subject and says that the problem is limited to the Duke 390s manufactured up until March 2014 and relates to a design flaw in the front sprocket. The publication avers that the faulty front sprocket has the potential to misalign itself and let the drive chain slip itself off while running which could lead to a tangled drive chain and a locked rear wheel – a ghastly prospect indeed.
Thankfully, KTM has been in touch with owners of KTM 390 produced before March 2014 and have been advising them to bring the bike back to their KTM dealers for a free check-up and fix, if required. The 390 customers in Malaysia have also been advised to self-check and confirm if their “sprocket plate doesn’t have any of its indentations lining up with the shaft pieces. They should be opposite to stop the plate sliding off,” according to the Duke 90 forum.
KTM has been producing the Duke 390s in India both for the domestic and export markets. If you happen to own a 390 or know somebody who does, it is strongly advised to give a call, or better, visit the dealer concerned at the earliest. The rear wheel locking itself on a monsoon drenched stretch of road cannot be at all pleasant.
