2015 KTM RC390 REVIEW - CBR500R/Ninja 300 Killer? | First Impressions Test Ride!

[@gregoryserafin4804]

Oh mai gawd I've spent hours lookin at indian reviews and here I found out ma boi Hagzzzzz made oneeeee too! Thanks! Nice video!

[@Allanfrancisxavier]

There's nothing much to say about the rc 390. It does everything so well. The only thing I would say is cbr 500 should have upside down front forks and reduces the weight of it and then may be you have a good fight between them... Thats what I reckon. Cheers mate. Great video.

[@Hadgerz]

And the CBR could use a pair of clip ons that sit just on level with the triple tree - that would be awesome. thanks for tuning in bud, stick around for more ;)

[@ChaseJasperDown]

I'm glad you included how the horn sounds. I don't know what I would've done with my life with out knowing that bit of information. Hahahahahahaha! Oh and the intro was hilarious!!!

[@Hadgerz]

More importantly, though...was I _on key_ with the horn? I just hope I accurately reproduced the sound so that others would know 100% just what they were gettting themselves into ;) haha thanks for tuning in bud

[@ChaseJasperDown]

LOL! Anytime man. I love the videos!

[@Hadgerz]

Chase Jasper Down oh man, you're probably gonna love love looooove the next one - if it doesn't drive you insane ;D just rendering now. Will be uploaded and live in about 12-15 hours :D

[@ChaseJasperDown]

Hahaha Gotta love KZbin loading speed! Fortunately, I've got a new bad ass computer and super fast internet so it only takes me about 45 minutes to upload a 10-15 minute video. Looking forward to it!!!

[@Hadgerz]

45 minutes? damn son, I have to leave my pc on overnight to upload a 10 minute vid. an hour a minute it works out to be roughly. at any rate, stay tuned :D

[@TPNGameZ]

The bike looks soo goood oh my god, I dunno what looks better the ninja h2r or this!

[@niko5015]

are you from australia? since your bike rids in kph and not in mph ..kph is such a better scale than mph

[@Hadgerz]

yup, Aussie mate :D

[@niko5015]

hahaha amazing ..the biggest Killers in germany are wild hogs hahaha

[@WinnieRider5]

Im So Jelly! I actually wanna swap my Ninja for a KTM 390!

[@nateb4485]

You can buy adjustable clutch/brake levers, I'm not to happy with the gearbox either tbh, but I'm a new rider so it might just be inexperience... I sometimes find it will go 2 gears at once, or go up or down when I clicked down or up.... It keeps shifting into neutral instead of 2 is the biggest problem. I love the bike though and I'm sure part of it is user error. I'm buying some aftermarket parts to hopefully help.

[@WoodomainJeremyBroun]

I agree the sound of the bike is difficult to explain but its 400cc makes it throaty enough. Good review.

[@Hadgerz]

Woodomain - Jeremy Broun thanks man, I still think it's the best sounding 1-cyl I've ever heard, lucky I brought the Zoom audio recorder along with me to fully appreciate the work KTM did on the sweet under-body exhaust system ;D doesn't quite make me smile as much as a 2, 3, or 4 cyl bike though.

[@WoodomainJeremyBroun]

Hagz500R Yeah I love inline fours and have owned several and I don't particularly like singles but I agree the KTMRC390 has a good sound. I've been riding mine since October 2014 and its about the best bike I have owned because I like lightweight compact bikes and it handles beautifully. (Check out my UK First Ride review).

[@MyRandomLife247]

That single thumper sounded AWESOME at full chat :D. Love the little Hagz500R popping up at the end :P. Good job mate.

[@Hadgerz]

I like to think it summed up my thoughts on how the little bike compared to the CBR :P still got the '500R' on the end ;)

[@arcarcarcarcarcarc]

Ohh i understand. But here in india we have a 320% import duty on completely built units

[@TheGeordieBiker]

jesus man i thought i was subscribed to you so i ended up missing this :( anyway loved the editing with the clap lmao it was excellent!

[@Hadgerz]

TheGeordieBiker you know there's one way to fix that un-subscribed-ness issue you're experiencing ^_^ thanks for tuning in pal!

[@TheGeordieBiker]

Hagz500R fixed it! im a mint problem solver!

[@RealOrbit-Australia]

no offence mate but you are riding it wrong...the thing needs to be in a higher rev range....it's a single

[@thatguyynath9939]

dude, it doesn't rev high

[@urjeremyplays]

it is coming with slipper clutch from next month

[@jasweengujral]

What do you mean by agricultural clutch. Opposed to aeronautical clutch

[@Hadgerz]

Jasween Gujral Agricultural as opposed to smooth and refined :P

[@arcarcarcarcarcarc]

@ hagz Lol u say tax is high in australia? Lol we here in india r paying a full 1000dollars or so in taxes alone on this bike still its cheap due to cheap labour hence the production cost goes down considarably...

[@Hadgerz]

No I mean there's something that we here in Australia call 'the Australia tax' - it's tongue in cheek catch-all to describe why everything is expensive here, it includes tax but also all the the cost to ship here etc en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Tax

[@screamking1010]

Any idea when this will be available in Perth Australia?

[@lepod]

My last bike was an RGV 250 - apart from a brief ride on a ZX10 I don't have much experience with modern bikes. I was interested to try the KTM out and I was very impressed by the handling and suspension. It's a lovely little bike to ride. A bit more power would be nice, and as you say it wouldn't be ideal to commute on. But I honestly think it's one of the nicest handling bikes I've ever tried. I'm quite tempted to get one.

[@leonidassaber7335]

You can still use it as a commuter it gets great gas mileage. It just has a small tank is all

[@lepod]

I did get one! Still running it in at the moment but I'm very pleased with it. I commute on my Gilera Runner though :)

[@RAJAT218DF]

kt rc 390 is just $3500 in INDIA

[@no_one_gaming8184]

In india its literally 3600 dollars 😅

[@Audfile]

I want this unless someone does an inline 4 in a 300 or 400cc size.

[@_TrueDesire_]

CBR500R have almost 48hp in Scandinavia :/ 35 kW/8500 varv(rpm) - 47.6 hkr loved the noise from the RC390, for a single it sounds great! if only the headlights would have been better looking...

[@Hadgerz]

actually you're right, 35kw is what it's rated here in Australia too, which is about 47 hp. Not sure what mine's running at with my mods, but i'd say probably a bit more :P I wish this RC had been broken in so i could give it a 0-100 test. and yeah the headlights are a love-hate thing for sure :D thanks for tuning in!

[@_TrueDesire_]

Hagz500R subbed btw! now you got a stalker from Sweden :D how do you reckon one would feel when doing a longer trip with the RC390 ? since its more like a supersport stance than "normal" sport (compared to the other 300 bikes out there). got a friend that might want to buy one actually, showed him your clip and he said the stock exhaust sounded better than he feared :)

[@Hadgerz]

TrueDesireHD thanks man, welcome aboard! ^_^ yeah the RC is a little more relaxed than say an R1 or Daytona 675R, so it'd definitely eat up the miles nicely. I've heard stories of people road-tripping on supersports before, the RC should be fine for hour-long spurts. Depends on how much discomfort you can suck up! It really wasn't made for the long adventures, but just take a breather every now and then either way, she'll be right :P

[@_TrueDesire_]

Hagz500R oh its not for me, its for a friend hehe. im aiming at the other 300 bikes, i have a bmw 328i and want something more economical for commuting :) and i do not want a slower car, already sold of my Skyline R33 GTR V-Spec. you need to jump on a yammy R3 and share your thoughts :) on paper it seems great (Y)

[@Hadgerz]

TrueDesireHD Hahaha, the R3 was genuinely gonna be my next bike test, not even joking! stay tuned, I'll get my hands on one somehow :D and wait....you sold an R33 V-spec? That must've been so painful to let it go! I used to drive a twin-turbo 300zx so i know what it's like to have to let a car like that go :(

[@Suthanmech]

which one is faster?

[@awarenessiskeyful]

lol "gently pop its cherry" suuuuurree thats what they all say

[@Hadgerz]

There was only so much i could do in the 15 minutes i was allowed with it! Bike really is a race bike though! She loves it ruff :D

[@muhammadizzamir135]

I'll buy this Baby at the end of this year! Can't Wait! Nice Video! -Zamir13-

[@Hadgerz]

Bamir13 Panda It really is a fun bike to ride, hope it all goes well mate!

[@muhammadizzamir135]

Thank You Sir! :D -Zamir13-

[@mindspinn311]

Good video! Still waiting and waiting for these in the USA. The Yamaha R3 JUST arrived in the past couple weeks and they're selling quickly. I love that the KTM is raw and aggressive and basically the closest thing to a Moto3 bike on the road.

[@nilnika]

nice one !! how much time one can travel with rc 390 in mild traffic(10-40KMPH) without getting engine overheated and shutdown? Is the clutch really hard on rc390? Thanks

[@bangyahead1]

$8,500 for that? I would rather save $1,500 and get the Yamaha YZF-R3. Test ride one of those and to a review mate ;)

[@kevintunaley5079]

+bangyahead1 its $5000 not $8000, find a better dealer

[@bangyahead1]

That depends on where you live doesnt it? Don't automatically assume that all replies originate from within the United States.

[@RealOrbit-Australia]

they are the same price and the KTM destroys the r3

[@arcarcarcarcarcarc]

did u say $8000 bike ? i live in india and the same thing costs 3800 dollars.... trust me with all the taxes and the insurance.

[@Hadgerz]

ugh, the Australia tax is real :(

[@YoloGamer007]

the bike is produced and manufactured in india and exported to other countries thats the reason for low price here in india and high in other countries..

[@aussiebambisgamming4852]

Would you recommend this over the Kawasaki 300? im on my P's and looking to get my first bike, Just not too sure about which one to get yet :)

[@Hadgerz]

As far as the track and twisties go, this destroys the ninja 300. For regular commuting and road use, the ninja 300 is much cheaper and would probably be more reliable in the long term...can't go past the japanese for reliability :P

[@aussiebambisgamming4852]

Thanks for the reply. With out thinking about $, which one would you pick ? Which one is more"Fun" to ride ?

[@Hadgerz]

***** I had more fun on the ninja because i had almost 3 hours to play with it, but I'd say the RC would be more fun, because light weight and more torque and the racey position ;}

[@TeamEnvied]

See my RC390 cup cup racer :D

[@motopig6208]

yaaaay cup cup 😂

[@niko5015]

nice mate im german

[@Benniepanda]

I'm happy with review. Atm has things wrong with it, but it's picked over the others in its class by most people.

[@jasonh8206]

Pro-Tip, the mirrors are fully adjustable. I've had one for seven weeks now as my first bike and I'm totally lovin' it. It was a little bit scary at first, but now I can't wait to take it to Eastern Creek. Really liking the vids man, keep it up.

[@Hadgerz]

I literally didn't have time to play around with them :P Oh man that's awesome, just what the bike was made for, _and_ they allow cameras at SMSP now too. Slap a gopro on that baby and show the world! :D :D

[@PastelitoPapi]

Jason H Hey man I saw one of these for sale recently and I'm on the fence about it. I see you like but in detail what do you like most and what do you like least?

[@jasonh8206]

Marcel West-Bailey In detail... you serious. Come on man I'm not a reviewer and I've only had it for 10 weeks so I'm yet to take it to a track, and that's what this bike was really made for. I've ridden it over 5700 Km's though. With that said the only thing I don't like so much are the vibrations, but that's only on really long rides of 4-5 hours, with breaks, that they MAY bother me. Riding in the wet with a strong cross wind is a little tricky 'cause it's so light, but it is a huge amount of fun in the twisties because it's so light. Take it for a test ride if you can, it's a awesome little bike if you use it as intended. I don't know where you plan on riding it or your riding experience so I can't really help you out. I mean my commute takes 15 minutes on a windy road with very little traffic..... in the mountains. I also live and work near some short but very satisfying twisties.

[@PastelitoPapi]

Jason H Man you're one of the best people to review it. Not a reviewer. The opinion of the consumer that uses the product on a daily basis is one of the more pure opinions. Don't knock yourself. But thanks a lot for the info. I finally found a dealer that has one so I'm taking a test ride later this week.

[@WannaFastWin]

I'm 1.86 m tall, will i look funny on it? I mean, will the bike look like a toy compared to me?

[@Hadgerz]

WannaFastWin I'm 180cm tall myself. If I looked funny on it, it was probably because I look funny no matter what I'm riding :P Nah man, I snuck a peek in a few windows while i was riding the thing, riding position looks pretty badass dude ;D

[@WannaFastWin]

Oh, can you explain simpler?) I have difficulty in English)

[@AidanTheLoverBoyOhDwyer]

Aussie?

[@x1shm41lx]

u got ur plate gripped with laces? lol

[@Hadgerz]

1shm41l cable ties, my man! cable ties :D

[@jonass8367]

This crazy guy is driving on the wrong side of the road !!

[@Hadgerz]

Jonas Wurst shh! nobody's caught me doing that yet!

[@jonass8367]

ok ok ;)

[@drew6872]

Good review mate, buying one of these and it's good to see an open road review

[@carlosmerinotorres9982]

How much does it cost in the Usa?

[@michaellewis6149]

$5499 MSRP from what I've seen

[@markseale3235]

Out of the two bikes which one was the fastest? Great review.

[@cameronberki735]

I know these roads! live around the area?

[@Hadgerz]

cameron berki for now ^_^

[@cameronberki735]

oh sweet might see you around somtime

[@ijason279]

CBR500R had 47BHP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Hadgerz]

ijason279 Actually, I just read that Australian models (my one!) get 50hp! :D

[@ijason279]

Hagz Oh right, do you know what the 0-100 kmh is for the RC130??

[@Hadgerz]

ijason279 RC130? not a clue :P

[@Benniepanda]

Ktm*

[@Magnus44711URI]

Nice review :)

[@Wabbit1961]

You're the second person reviewing this bike that thought it had a hydraulic clutch. If a bike has a hydraulic clutch there would be a reservoir on the left bar just like the right brake reservoir. Probably a nice steel braided line and it's a bit stiff.