KTM Duke 390 or Aprilia Shiver?

[zxme]

Looking to see if any of u have any experience in either
Thanks

[loudbeard]

Apples or oranges?

[nhbubba]

Since there is no context and seemingly next to nothing shared between the two models listed, I'll do the NESR thing and instead offer the model that's got me drooling:

Husky 701SM

[motoarch]

Turbo busa or bust

[TIMMYDUCK]

We had a Shiver me Timbers on tour last year .

She is a good stead , lots of fun and willing to take a handful of throttle .

Bike is on the right in this photo.

[OneCheekRider]

I have experience with an RC390.

[klp]

I have ridden both. The Shiver is fun, torquey and feels like a proper Italian bike. The 390 is a rowdy little beast, feels light and nimble.

I bet the Ape is a bit more relaxed on the highway - both are a hoot around town. Ride them and decide.

My $ would go to the Italians - the 390 is a starter KTM and lacks the jewel like components/ fit finish of their bigger bikes.

[MattR302]

I sat on a Duke 690 a few weeks ago and really liked it, felt super light.

[JettaJayGLS]

Shiver, solely because it was referred to as Shiver Me Timbers.

If you can come up with a better name for the duke (Duke Nukem ain’t bad) then maybe my vote will sway.

[zxme]

Duke Of Earl

[klp]

Shiver, solely because it was referred to as Shiver Me Timbers.

Mr. Duck has some creative names for the Italian machines. If we are judging solely by that metric - I vote for a 2016 Moto Guzzi Stornello known as Stromboli.

[OneCheekRider]

I would get the Shiver if you're planning extended highway travel. Not that the 390 won't do it, but I'm guessing it won't be as comfortable (keep in mind I also have a 1200cc ADV I'm taking to Mexico next week). On the other hand, if you're cruising around the city, a 390 is probably one of the best ways to get around... or at least that has been my experience.

[zxme]

Actually might be picking up a CRF 250l.
Lady has one cheap so figured u can’t go wrong with the Crf
I had a KLX 250s for a couple years and was fun so maybe this will fix that need

[zxme]

Ended up getting the CRF250L
1600 miles on it and very clean
Now to pipe it or not

[Paul_E_D]

Hop her up for sure. She's a dog in stock form.

[Kurlon]

Crank from a CBR300 paired with a Takegawa big bore high comp piston, cams, new injector and throttle body with matching ECU...

[Paul_E_D]

Hahaa, and you know this because...?

[Kurlon]

Hahaa, and you know this because...?

I may or may not have been curious while I owned my CBR250R what my options were...

[feralchimp]

Congrats! It seems like everyone who actually takes these into the dirt put a pipe and some kind of ECU tweak or powercommander on them, shorten the gearing, etc.

I put a bunch of fun street miles on a couple of 250Ls and they were both totally stock from an exhaust/fueling perspective. I always really loved how smooth and quiet it was, so another 5-10% of not-much-power was never worth losing the stealth / free-and-easy / bicycling-without-pedaling experience.

Give it a chance to delight or disappoint you before throwing more money into it.