KTM 790 Duke To Be Sold In Limited Numbers At Rs 8.5 Lakh

• KTM dealerships have commenced bookings for the 790 Duke.

• Booking amount ranges between Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 depending on the dealership.

• The 790 Duke is powered by a 799cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor.

• The streetfighter will be assembled at Bajaj’s Chakan facility.

The KTM 790 Duke was spotted at a dealer yard a little over a week ago, hinting at its impending launch in the country. Now though, a couple of KTM dealerships across India have confirmed that the bike has started reaching the outlets and is expected to be launched between September 5 to 10. Only limited units of the mid-displacement streetfighter will be available across India for a reported price of Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom India). That’s around Rs 1.5 lakh more expensive than our previously speculated price tag of Rs 7 lakh. Bookings for the bike have commenced and the deposit ranges between Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 depending on the dealership.

The KTM 790 Duke has been a long time coming, and it’s about time that the brand launched the bike here in India. Besides, with the kind of kit and electronics package on offer, we'd say it's still a pretty good deal! To jog your memory, the bike is powered by a799cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor that pulls a weight of just 169kg (dry). The motor is capable of belting out 105PS at 9500rpm and 86Nm of peak torque at 8000rpm. It comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox aided by a slipper clutch.

In terms of equipment, the streetfighter uses a 43mm open cartridge fork and a 12-stage preload-adjustable monoshock, both from WP. Its braking setup comprises of twin 300mm front discs, 240mm rear disc and dual-channel ABS. Moreover, electronic aids like traction control, cornering ABS, Supermoto mode and four rider modes (Sport, Street, Rain, Track) come as standard, all of which can be operated via a full-colour TFT screen.

Once launched, the KTM 790 Duke will go up against the Suzuki GSX-S750 and the Kawasaki Z900, which are priced at Rs 7.52 lakh and Rs 7.69 lakh, respectively (both prices, ex-showroom).

Source: zigwheels.com