KTM 790 Duke Spotted In India, Launch Around The Corner

The middleweight naked from KTM was spotted at the Chakan plant

[Update: KTM 790 Duke Launched In India At Rs 8.64 lakh]

• The KTM 790 Duke will be brought to India as a CKD.
• While KTM hasn’t confirmed its launch date, some dealerships have already commenced bookings for the bike.
• The 790 Duke is expected to carry a price tag of Rs 7 lakh (ex-showroom).

[UPDATE: Finally! KTM India is all set to launch the 790 Duke on 23 September. Here are all the details regarding the official launch of the bike.]

After news emerged that certain KTM dealerships have commenced bookings for the 790 Duke, the bike has now been spotted in India for the very first time. In what appear as images of a factory floor, the bike can be seen in black livery. Moreover, it seems to be surrounded by Bajaj models like the Pulsar. This indicates the bike has been pictured inside one of Bajaj’s R&D facilities in India.

Also read: Exclusive: KTM 390 Adventure Spied Testing; New Details Revealed

The KTM 790 Duke will come to India via the CKD route. Couple that with KTM’s tendency to price its products aggressively and we can expect the bike to be priced at Rs 7 lakh (ex-showroom). However, it goes without saying that KTM will need to localise some of the 790 Duke’s components in order to achieve a competitive price tag. Examples of these components include the wheels, brakes, suspension, swingarm, body panels, tyres and switchgear.

Also read: KTM 125 Duke Sales Get Off To A Flying Start

At the heart of the 790 Duke is a 799cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that churns out 105PS of power and 86Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed transmission. Underpinning the bike is a lightweight chrome-molybdenum tubular frame and aluminium swingarm that is suspended on WP USD forks and a gas-charged rear monoshock. Braking duties are handled by 300mm twin discs at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear.

Also read: KTM 790 Duke India Launch Expected In March

While the engine’s output figures and the bike’s low dry weight of 169kg offer the prospect of thrilling performance, the star of the show is the 790 Duke’s comprehensive electronics package. The bike comes with rider aids like ABS, traction control with lean angle sensitivity, launch control, wheelie control, ride-by-wire and several riding modes.

Also read: KTM Launches RC 200 ABS At Rs 1,87,738 (ex-Pune)

When launched, the KTM 790 Duke will go head to head with the Suzuki GSX-S750 (Rs 7.46 lakh), Kawasaki Z900 (Rs 7.68 lakh) and the Triumph Street Triple S (Rs 9.19 lakh).

Picture source: Maxabout