KTM 790 Duke to launch in India by early 2019
What's the story
First unveiled last year at the Milan Motorcycle Show (EICMA), the KTM 790 Duke is all set to be launched in India by March next year, according to reports. This high-end motorcycle is KTM's first offering to sport a parallel-twin cylinder engine and comes with a bunch of advanced features. Notably, the 790 Duke will be assembled in India itself. Here's our roundup.
Styling
At a glance
The KTM 790 Duke features an aggressive stance with a unique full LED "face-mask" headlight, carbon fiber fenders and signature KTM graphics. It comes with a new single-piece handlebar, a fully digital instrument cluster, split seats and LED tail lamps. Further, the 790 Duke offers a ground clearance of 186mm, 825mm seat height, fuel capacity of 14-liters and has a dry weight of 169kgs.
Performance
Engine and Power
The KTM 790 Duke is powered by a 799 cc LC8c parallel-twin cylinder engine which churns out 105 bhp of maximum power at 9,000 rpm and 86 Nm of peak torque at 8,000 rpm. This engine, mated to a 6-speed gearbox, comes with a slipper clutch for seamless gearshifts. Moreover, this high-powered motorcycle is claimed to have a top speed of 220 kmph.
On the road
Brakes and Suspension
For braking power, the 790 Duke comes equipped with dual 300mm front discs with radial callipers and a single 240mm disc at the rear. For suspension duties, there's a WP 43mm upside-down fork at the front and a gas-assisted WP monoshock with preload adjuster at the rear end. Moreover, the motorcycle comes loaded with several advanced electronics, fly-by-wire systems, and three riding modes.
Details
Pricing and availability
The KTM 790 Duke will be imported as a completely knocked down (CKD) unit and will be assembled at the company's Pune facility. In India, the motorcycle is expected to be priced at around Rs. 8 lakh and will take on the likes of Ducati Monster 821, Suzuki GSX-S750, Triumph Street Triple, and Kawasaki Z900.