2023 KTM 390 Duke: Launch Timeline Revealed

The Austrian bike maker has also confirmed that the 490cc platform has been shelved

If you’ve been waiting for the 2023 iteration of the KTM 390 Duke, well, here are all the important timelines you’ve got to look out for. According to our sources, the 2023 KTM 390 Duke will be globally launched by mid 2023. 

You’d think that this implies a few months’ wait if you want to bring one home in India, right? Well, sorry to disappoint, as we feel that while the global launch of this bike may be in a few months’ time, the Indian launch may follow a similar pattern to that of the 2022 KTM RC 390. This means that the upcoming KTM bike may be launched in India at the earliest by the end of 2023.

We reckon that the main reason behind this is the constant supply chain delays that KTM is currently facing at the Chakan plant. This has resulted in a waiting period of at least three months for all KTM bikes in Pune, a city that is barely 20km from the manufacturing plant. Since the 2023 KTM 390 Duke is expected to arrive with a significant premium due to a new 399cc single-cylinder engine, revised styling, and improved underpinnings, the bike is bound to generate considerable interest. Thus the brand would prefer to ensure that its production issues are ironed out prior to the bike’s launch in India.

The 2023 KTM 390 Duke has been spied on test multiple times, and here’s what it packs. If the KTM 390 Duke is getting a new 399cc, single-cylinder engine, you’d wonder what has happened to the 490cc, twin-cylinder engine platform, right? The Austrian bike maker has confirmed that this platform has been officially shelved, like we had mentioned in our exclusive story seven months ago, but there's a new 690cc, twin-cylinder platform reportedly in the works.

With the 700cc segment gaining popularity globally, particularly among Yamaha bikes like the Tenere 700, MT-07 and R7, KTM is sure to want a piece of this action too. Additionally, KTM has the current 790cc platform to work on, and downsizing this to 690cc would be more economically feasible than working on an all-new 490cc platform.

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From the looks of it, the orange brand has got its plate full, both in India and globally. We reckon that the 2023 KTM 390 Duke could be priced around Rs 3.4 lakh when it is launched in India.

Source