KTM had previewed the 790 Duke as a concept at EICMA last year, but has now brought its production-spec version to the 2017 edition of the motorcycle show in Milan. The Austrian manufacturer also displayed the 790 Adventure R prototype at the event.
The 790 Duke is powered by a new 799cc, parallel-twin engine that makes 105hp and 86Nm of peak torque, and is mated to a six-speed transmission. With a dry weight of 174kg, the new naked motorcycle is expected to offer even more engaging levels of performance than the existing Duke line-up.
The bike’s steel frame uses the engine as a stressed member, while suspension duties are carried out by a WP 43mm upside-down fork at the front and a gas-assisted monoshock, with progressive spring and pre-load adjuster, at the rear.
Braking at the front end is taken care of by a 300mm twin-disc setup with four-pot radial mounted calipers and a two-piston caliper on a 240mm disc at the rear. The 790 Duke also features Bosch cornering ABS with a disengage-able Supermoto mode, lean-angle-sensing traction control and riding modes including a customisable Track mode.
In terms of kit, the 790 Duke boasts a quickshifter, launch control, full-colour TFT dash, adjustable handlebar and WP steering damper.
KTM’s 790 Adventure R prototype uses the same 799cc engine and has been designed as an enduro motorcycle, a segment KTM is only too familiar with. If the 790’s concept-to-production timeframe is anything to go by, we can expect the 790 Adventure R to be launched at the 2018 EICMA show.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
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