While KTM India has acknowledged that it is evaluating the motorcycle, it has remained silent about the launch details of the 790 Duke. IAB understand that the bike is likely to come out well within the first half of the year. Regular readers would know that the select dealers were taking unofficial bookings for the KTM 790 Duke in the country for a token amount of INR 30,000. The deliveries would most likely commence a month later.
Also read: KTM RC200 ABS launched in India at INR 1.88 lakh
The 790 Duke will land via the CKD route and be assembled at Bajaj’s Chakan plant in Pune. Once launched, the middleweight roadster will compete against the likes of the Triumph Street Triple, the Suzuki GSX-S750 and the Ducati Monster series to name a few. An ex-showroom tag of INR 8.5 lakh is expected while the on-road prices could go up to INR 10 lakh.
The motorcycle gets aggressive styling that is complemented by a comprehensive feature list. The fascia, for example, gets a full LED headlight. The cockpit features a TFT display that comes with Bluetooth enabled smartphone integration. The electronic package includes a two-way Quick-shifter, Motorcycle Stability Control, Cornering ABS with Supermoto mode, Motor Slip Regulation (MSR), and multiple Riding Modes.
Propelling tasks are performed by a 799cc, liquid-cooled LC8c parallel-twin motor that delivers 105 PS of maximum power and 86 Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a PASC slip-assist clutch enabled 6-speed transmission. A 270-degree firing order mimics the V-Twin character while a secondary balancer shaft minimalises vibrations. The 790 Duke also gets traction control system, dedicated track mode, anti-wheelie control, and launch control among others.
Also read: Should KTM consider making the KTM RC790?
Hardware specifications include 43 mm USD front forks and an adjustable mono-shock – both sourced from WP – to perform the suspension duties. Stopping power comes from twin discs at the front and a single disc at the back.
