KTM 790 Duke Review Picture Gallery

Here’s a selection of images of KTM’s middleweight naked to make you drool this Wednesday morning

Those who have ridden KTMs will tell you that there has never been a dull moment in their lives. Especially in India as the Austrian brand has always nailed it when it come to the performance-to-price ratio. No wonder then that Indian audiences felt the 790 Duke on paper, was a bit too steep to justify the asking price of Rs 8.64 lakh (ex-showroom India). Especially in light of much more powerful competition, like the Kawasaki Z900 or the Suzuki GSX-S750, which cost less or for extra moolah, you could get the Triumph Street Triple RS, the current king of middleweight naked motorcycles. However, much like any other KTM, the 790 Duke blew us away with what a great machine it is and despite the high price tag, it is a motorcycle that makes the competition sit up and take notice. Hence, you can peruse through this gallery to know more about how the 790 Duke is.

At first glance, it’s very easy to mistake the 790 Duke for its smaller sibling, the 390 Duke, especially thanks to the near-identical headlight. But take a closer look and you’ll realise that the 790 is noticeably longer, although just as slim. The overall design language is still unmistakably ‘KTM Duke’, with its sharp tank extensions and tall, muscular fuel tank.

Also missing here is the traditional KTM trellis frame - a staple on all Dukes, from the 125 to the 1290. That’s because the 790 uses a tubular steel frame, but we’ll get to that in a bit. Of course, one distinct touch is the tapered exhaust which flows along the tail panel on the right. But that tail panel isn’t actually  a panel - it is an aluminium subframe that houses the airbox and even has little air intakes on either side.

Even though it looks so similar to the 390 Duke, the riding position of the 790 feels a lot roomier. The rider’s seat itself is larger, while the handlebars aren’t situated as close to the rider. But the bars aren’t set too low, and this makes it a lot easier for taller riders to get comfortable in the saddle. At 825mm however, though the seat height is 5mm lower than the 390’s, it’s still could be off putting to shorter riders.

The KTM 790 Duke is absolutely packed to the hilt with technology - starting with a full colour TFT instrument panel. It is a bit smaller than the one we got on the 2017 390 Duke, but it allows you to access and control all the electronic riding aids the bike offers. That said, unlike the 390, the 790’s unit doesn’t offer Bluetooth connectivity as standard.

Don’t be fooled by the (comparatively) low power figure -- 104.72PS at 9000rpm might not sound like much, but this 799cc inline-twin motor is all about the torque: 87Nm at 8000rpm, which is more than most of its competition. And a majority of this torque is made from 3000 to 6000rpm, essentially where you’ll end up spending most of your time.

Open the throttle and the 790 builds up speed rapidly, and on the Bajaj test track we saw 225kmph on the speedometer. We believe the bike could’ve easily gone 10-15kmph faster if we had a slightly longer straight. It might not have the strong top-end power delivery of its three- or four-cylinder competitors but in real-world conditions, on real-world roads, the 790 will outpace nearly everything.

Where the 790 really blew our minds was with its handling ability. On the tight twists and turns of the Bajaj test track this 790 felt as nimble, if not more, than something like the 390 Duke - already one of the best handling bikes out there. Even with a wheelbase that’s amongst the longest in its class (1475mm), the 790 turns with the agility of a much smaller motorcycle.

Even though the 790 is really quick to steer into corners, it does so while inspiring a supreme sense of confidence. A big reason for this are the tyres on offer - Maxxis Supermaxx ST, which have been made specifically for this bike.

The suspension setup might seem like a bit of a letdown. For one, the front fork seems to be the same 43mm upside-down unit found on the 390 Duke (although the springs and dampers have been revised to suit the 790). Then there’s very little adjustability found here - none at the front and just preload at the rear.

But we have to say, while adjustable suspension would’ve upped the ante in terms of setting up the bike more precisely for each rider’s weight and riding style, the stock setup is actually very well calibrated for most conditions. It was only when pushing at the very limit of lean angles on the test track and then encountering mid-corner bumps did we get some slight unwanted movement from the rear suspension.

The KTM 790 Duke is a bit of a conundrum when you factor in its price of Rs 8.64 lakh (ex-showroom India). It doesn’t have the immediately apparent price-to-performance proposition of its smaller siblings. But, it packs an exhilarating level of performance and at the same time, it’s a ridiculously easy bike, not just to ride fast and have fun on, but to ride everyday as well. It quite literally one bike that will do everything.