Photo: AJ Moller Photography via Ellaspede
If you’re looking for a custom bike that can handle anything from urban riding to mild off-roading, the 390 Duke from KTM may just be the perfect donor to work with. The bike’s construction is svelte and nimble, while its 43-hp, 373cc single offers just enough grunt to put a smile on your face.
Not to mention the engine’s torquey nature, which is sure to come in handy when you take things off the pavement. The blacked-out KTM Duke showcased above is the work of Ellaspede from Brisbane, Australia, and it had once been a stock 2017 model with low mileage. Built for a returning customer named Sal, this bad boy attained its current form in 2019 after an extensive customization process.
As the 390 Duke was still in tip-top shape, Ellaspede didn’t have to worry about servicing its powertrain or running gear. Instead, they started with some structural adjustments once the motorcycle had been dismantled. Gone is the Duke’s factory subframe, making room for a handmade alternative that’s said to have taken 16 hours of hard work to build. You’ll see a bespoke electronics box attached to the new trellis tubing, but it’s what lies up top that will really catch the eye.
Namely, we’re referring to a custom saddle wrapped in two-tone upholstery, which looks a lot fancier than the factory seat. Sal needed a way to carry gear and supplies on his extended off-road outings, so Ellaspede came up with a removable mounting system for panniers. Fashioned with the help of CAD renderings, this thing holds a Kriega saddlebag on each side, as well as a pair of RotopaX cans – one for water and the other for extra fuel.
The creature’s rear end is finished off with an LED taillight, Motogadget m-Blaze turn signals, and a discreet license plate holder. In the center, the Aussies got rid of the Duke’s lateral tank covers, replacing them with the less angular units of an earlier model. A tailor-made skid plate can be spotted lower down, keeping the engine nice and safe when Sal heads off-road. For ample grip on both dirt and asphalt, the creature saw its wheels shod in dual-purpose 705 tires from Shinko’s catalog.
Where the original, alien-like headlamp used to be, we now find custom brackets holding on to a circular LED module supplied by Koso. Right above it sits a transparent aftermarket flyscreen, while the factory TFT display has been repositioned to keep the cockpit looking as tidy as possible. In terms of powertrain mods, Ellaspede’s experts fitted new air filtration hardware, a SuperTrapp exhaust, and a Power Commander control unit from Dynojet. Lastly, the final stage involved cloaking the machine in a murdered-out color scheme with sinister looks.
As the 390 Duke was still in tip-top shape, Ellaspede didn’t have to worry about servicing its powertrain or running gear. Instead, they started with some structural adjustments once the motorcycle had been dismantled. Gone is the Duke’s factory subframe, making room for a handmade alternative that’s said to have taken 16 hours of hard work to build. You’ll see a bespoke electronics box attached to the new trellis tubing, but it’s what lies up top that will really catch the eye.
Namely, we’re referring to a custom saddle wrapped in two-tone upholstery, which looks a lot fancier than the factory seat. Sal needed a way to carry gear and supplies on his extended off-road outings, so Ellaspede came up with a removable mounting system for panniers. Fashioned with the help of CAD renderings, this thing holds a Kriega saddlebag on each side, as well as a pair of RotopaX cans – one for water and the other for extra fuel.
The creature’s rear end is finished off with an LED taillight, Motogadget m-Blaze turn signals, and a discreet license plate holder. In the center, the Aussies got rid of the Duke’s lateral tank covers, replacing them with the less angular units of an earlier model. A tailor-made skid plate can be spotted lower down, keeping the engine nice and safe when Sal heads off-road. For ample grip on both dirt and asphalt, the creature saw its wheels shod in dual-purpose 705 tires from Shinko’s catalog.
Where the original, alien-like headlamp used to be, we now find custom brackets holding on to a circular LED module supplied by Koso. Right above it sits a transparent aftermarket flyscreen, while the factory TFT display has been repositioned to keep the cockpit looking as tidy as possible. In terms of powertrain mods, Ellaspede’s experts fitted new air filtration hardware, a SuperTrapp exhaust, and a Power Commander control unit from Dynojet. Lastly, the final stage involved cloaking the machine in a murdered-out color scheme with sinister looks.
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