Best Expressway Legal Beginner Motorcycle

In the Philippines, not all bikes can pass expressways such as NLEX, SLEX, SKYWAY, among others. There’s the 400cc rule to help protect riders from accidents due to crosswinds or simply due to lack of power and weight. Some may argue that some small-displacement bikes are more than capable of handling the expressways but for us, it's still a good way to minimize unwanted casualties. So having that said, what do we think is the best expressway legal beginner bike? The KTM Duke 390!

The KTM Duke 390 should be one of the bikes at the top of your list. Yes, I know what you're thinking. It's a boring 373cc single-cylinder bike that's not even supposed to be legal in the expressway. Don't worry, KTM made sure to register the bike as a 400cc and that's all that matters. Yes, it's a single-cylinder 373cc engine but it's far from being boring. It shares the same engine as its track and race-proven sibling the RC390 but with the Duke, you get to enjoy it without having any back pain! The Duke features a full TFT display with My Ride, Front and rear brakes with switchable anti-locking brake system, full LED lights, and a very fun preppy engine amongst others. 

The bike is very fun to ride and is undoubtedly beginner-friendly. The bike allows you to have lots of room for error. Strong adequate brakes, a rev-happy engine, good stock tires, and a light curb weight are some of the factors that make it so nimble. It's the baby scalpel after all. It's a naked bike capable to serve you as your daily ride while being exciting enough to rip in the twisties or expressway on the weekend.

Riding solo, my top speed with the Duke 390 was around 176kph. To give you an idea, I’m 5’5 in height and 145lbs heavy. Now the Duke 390 isn't a perfect bike as it has its own list of cons and here's to name a few. Due to its lightweight character, riding it in the expressway needs some getting used to. Crosswinds will push you more than they would affect a heavier bike. Even when fully tucked at high speed, a bad crosswind can be scary at times, especially for beginner riders. Maintenance and parts cost is higher than other Japanese brands and some parts even take time to order even if the units are assembled locally. The single-cylinder engine, even with an aftermarket exhaust, isn’t really flattering and almost sounds like an under-bone with full exhaust. In my opinion, it's best to leave stock. KTM also has a bad reputation when it comes to reliability like the overheating issue due to the stock fan not being enough. I experienced this when I got stuck at the toll gate at noon and had to let the bike rest for a few minutes, no biggie as I only experienced this once and some of the liter bikes with me almost suffered the same faith. Valve clearance issue is also a concern but, to be honest, it's part of KTM’s maintenance. 

The KTM Duke 390 is far from being a perfect bike. It has its own quirks but is still a fun and very capable small bike. Finding a perfect bike is tricky as you’d always chase after a feature that your bike doesn’t have. So the question is, what do you do when you can only have one motorcycle? You get a bike that's capable of doing everything and the Duke 390 is a jack of all trades. It's small, light, nimble, and fast. It can handle your daily commute, go on some rough roads, be comfortable on long rides, and perform well on the racetrack. What more can you ask for in a beginner-friendly motorcycle? If you want a more retro classic look, check Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 out. It's basically a Duke 390 in different clothes. 

Thank you for reading, don’t forget to keep it easy and to enjoy the ride.