2016 EICMA Motorcycle Show: KTM unveils 790 Duke Prototype

The prototype gives us a sneak preview into the upcoming 790 Duke which will go into production in 2018

Those waiting for the new KTM 790 Duke to be launched at EICMA will have to wait longer as the Austrian bikemaker did reveal the 790 Duke, albeit in prototype form. KTM promises that the upcoming 790 Duke will be among the best handling bikes in its segment, along with impressive performance. The new prototype indicates the sharp and edgy styling the upcoming motorcycle will possess. Expect the LED headlamps to make it to production, but, the under-seat exhaust pipe might be replaced by a conventional unit. 

The new bike will be positioned above the 690 Duke that received a facelift last year and the LC8c (‘c’ for ‘compact’). The parallel-twin 800cc mill on the 790 Duke will be more refined than the single-cylinder unit found on the 690 Duke and is rumoured to deliver over 100PS. The 790 Duke will also feature ride-by-wire throttle, multiple rider modes, multi-level traction control, switchable ABS and integrated ‘MY RIDE’ connectivity as seen on the new 390 Duke. Expect the KTM 790 Duke’s production version to be unveiled in 2017 and we expect it to come to India by 2018.

The 790 Duke will compete against the Kawasaki Z800, Yamaha MT-09, and Ducati Monster 821 in our market.

KTM officials also hinted that an adventure bike based on the 790 platform is on the cards.  We expect that to follow the same design language as seen on the KTM 1050 Adventure, with a tall windscreen, raised exhaust muffler, bash plates and spoke wheels. The KTM 790 Adventure will feature a long travel suspension and new subframe to better suit its off-road exploits. Powering the bike will be the same LC8c parallel-twin motor, but with the impetus being more on low-end torque. The new KTM 790 Adventure will rival the likes of the Triumph Tiger 800 and the Honda Africa Twin.