KTM’s highest displacement model in the Indian market, the 790 Duke, has clocked 41 unit sales within 10 days of launch. The BS-IV compliant version of the middleweight roadster is limited to just 100 units in our market.
Also Read: KTM India to focus on mid (200-390) segment over the next year
The Austrian two-wheeler brand sold 41 units by the end of September. Regular readers would know that the 790 Duke was launched on 23 September at an ex-showroom price tag of INR 8,63,945*. The motorcycle is imported to our market via the CKD route and assembled at the company’s Chakan plant near Pune. Deliveries had commenced in the first week of October.
The price tag may seem high, but the comprehensive electronics package and features make a strong case for the Austrian middleweight roadster. We tested the motorcycle at Bajaj’s Chakan track for a first ride review recently, and the motorcycle impressed us with its capabilities.
Do note that the motorcycle is currently available in nine cities - Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Guwahati, Surat, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai. KTM India will increase its availability to over 30 cities in by April 2020. The second phase will bring the BS-VI compliant variant of the motorcycle to our market. The 799 cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, 8-valve, DOHC engine produces 105 hp of maximum power and a peak torque of 87 Nm in BS-IV guise.
The KTM 790 Duke features full-LED lighting, full-colour TFT instrument console and a comprehensive electronic package. The rider aids include four riding modes – Sport, Street, Rain and Track, traction control, wheelie control, switchable ABS, cornering ABS, and Motor Slip Regulation (MSR). The six-speed gearbox has PASC slip-assist clutch and a Quickshifter+ (up and downshifts) as standard. Surprisingly, Bluetooth connectivity does not come as standard – a feature that comes factory installed on the 390 Duke. It could be added through KTM MY RIDE via the optional Power Parts.
The hardware specifications are relatively basic, and the 790 Duke misses features like adjustable front forks while the rear mono-shock is preload adjustable only. However, KTM is testing a premium variant of the 790 Duke (at least that’s what the sticker says) that will pack adjustable front forks and Brembo-sourced braking setup. In comparison, the standard bike comes with J.Juan brakes.
Also Read: KTM 250 Adventure makes spy photo debut, features halogen headlight
We expect to hear more details about the KTM 790 R (and most likely the 890) at 2019 EICMA motorcycle show on 5 November.
[Source: AutocarIndia.com]
*Ex-showroom India
