KTM Duke 790 launching very soon in India, bookings now open

KTM is all set to bring in a new motorcycle to the Indian market – the Duke 790. It will be KTM’s new flagship  motorcycle for the Indian market, and will be assembled through the completely knocked down (CKD) kit route at KTM’s Chakan factory that it shares with Bajaj Auto.

Bookings for the KTM Duke 790 are being taken at select KTM dealerships across India. The motorcycle’s expected to be launched in the next few weeks, and prices are likely to be pegged in between Rs. 7-8 lakhs. KTM may surprise us all with a lower price tag.

Coming to the Duke 790, the motorcycle is powered by a 799cc, parallel twin engine that gets a 315 degree firing  angle. This firing angle gives the motorcycle very strong low end and mid range torque, and the feel of a V-Twin  engine rather than a high strung parallel twin.

The engine produces a peak power of 103.5 BHP while peak torque is rated at 86 Nm. This makes the KTM Duke 790 one of the torquiest middle weight motorcycles in India. The engine is paired to a 6 speed manual gearbox that also gets a slipper clutch. The liquid cooled and fuel injected engine gets four-valve heads and twin overhead camshafts.

The motorcycle will come with thrilling performance. It’ll hit 100 Kph from standstill in less than 5 seconds, and  will have a top speed in excess of 220 Kph. To deal with such a quick motorcycle, KTM will offer a range of safety  features on the motorcycle. While ABS will be standard along with disc brakes on both wheels, traction control and  riding modes will make the motorcycle safer under varying conditions.

Other features on the KTM Duke 790 will include a Trellis frame, upside down front forks measuring 43 mm in diameter from WP and a monoshock set up at the rear. An LED headlamp and tail lamp, LED DRLs, a TFT colour instrument console, smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth and a high mounted exhaust are other key features. The Duke 790 will be a high  riding motorcycle with a seat height of 825 mm, and a ground clearance of 186 mm. It’s a modern day European street bike that gets a host of accessories including seat shaving kits to suit shorter riders. The Duke 790 is meant to be ridden hard, and with the kind of performance on tap, it’s expected to have a ‘hooligan’ character similar to its sibling – the Duke 390.

Competition for this motorcycle will come from the likes of the Ducati Scrambler, the Honda CBR 650R, the Triumph Street Triple and the Kawasaki Z900. KTM is likely to play a value-pricing strategy and bring the Duke 790 at a very  attractive price tag. Apart from CKD assembly at Chakan, many components are expected to be localized in order to  drive the asking price down.