The KTM 790 Duke has been a long coming motorcycle from the Austrian bike maker, and the middleweight naked will storm the Indian market on September 23, 2019. KTM India has confirmed the launch details for the 790 Duke, which marks the brand's entry into the high-performance motorcycle segment. carandbike told you in August this year that the all-new offering is slated for launch this month, and select dealerships across the country have started accepting pre-bookings for a token amount of Rs. 30,000. The KTM 790 Duke is expected to be priced comeptitively in the country with prices expected around Rs. 8 lakh (ex-showroom).
Also Read: KTM 790 Duke To Be Launched In India In September This Year
The KTM 790 Duke is fondly called the Scalpel internationally, owing to its razor sharp design language and aggressive performance prowess. The bike uses a chromoly Trellis frame with a one-piece aluminium rear subframe for a lightweight construction and a compact footprint, while the minimal body panels ensure a light kerb weight of just 189 kg. Power comes from the 799 cc parallel-twin motor that churns out 103 bhp and 86 Nm of peak torque, while paired with a 6-speed gearbox. As a result, the bike boasts of an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 612 bhp per tonne, which will make it a hooligan to ride.
The KTM 790 Duke promises to be an absolute hooligan, much like its smaller capacity siblings
It is expected that the KTM 790 Duke will come to India as a completely knocked down and will be restricted to just 100 units for the first year. Speculations also suggest that the market will get the 790 Duke in the BS4 version, while the BS6 version is only expected to arrive next year. It is likely that the manufacturer aims to do so to keep the prices in check.
Also Read: KTM 125 Duke and RC 125 Prices Hiked
With respect to the equipment, the 790 Duke will come loaded to its gills with the familiar inverted pitchfork LED headlamp and taillight, and a TFT screen similar to the 390 Duke. KTM also equips the bike with WP-sourced USD front forks and a monoshock at the rear, while braking performance comes from 300 mm dual discs at the front with radially mounted J.Juan calipers, while a 240 mm single disc serves purpose at the rear. The bike also comes with a 6-speed gearbox, slipper clutch assist, 9-level traction control, ride-by-wire with four riding modes, cornering ABS with Supermoto mode, bi-directional quickshifter, as well as launch and wheelie control. The bike rides on 17-inch alloy wheels.
The 790 Duke is an extremely important product for the brand in India and will help satiate the need for those who are looking to upgrade from their current 390 RC and Duke motorcycles in the KTM family. The 790 will locks horns against a number of offerings including the Yamaha MT-09, Triumph Street Triple RS, Ducati Monster 821, Kawasaki Z900, Suzuki GSX-R750 and the likes.
