Like all manufactures, KTM is working on updating its existing line-up to comply with upcoming BS6 norms. Following the launch of the new 390 Adventure, the manufacturer launched the BS6 250 Duke and 390 Duke. While rumours online suggested that the 790 Duke – it was just recently launched in India – will not be updated to comply with the more stringent emission norms, we have received info that this isn't the case. The ‘Scalpel’ will indeed be updated to meet the more stringent emission standard.
Having said that, it’s worth addressing the fact that the update won’t be ready in time (April 2020) and that there will be a brief period after BS6 norms come into effect that the 790 Duke will not be on sale. The bike is currently in the process of being homologated India and is expected to go on sale here in the second quarter of 2020. Considering the bike will be imported and then worked on to comply with the norms, expect to see a significant hike from the current model’s Rs 8.64 lakh (ex-showroom, India) price tag.
The 790 Duke is powered by a 799cc, parallel-twin engine that develops 105hp and 86Nm of peak torque, in BS4-spec It remains to be seen how the upgrade to BS6 norms will affect these figures.
Just a week after its launch back in September 2019, 41 of the 100 790 Dukes allocated for India (and imported here) had already been retailed. It’s safe to say the street-naked is a sought-after machine in the performance-oriented naked bike segment.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
