The KTM 790 Duke prototype was showcased for the
first time at the EICMA 2016 in November. The middleweight motorcycle is
currently being developed in Austria.
Promising “unparalleled poise, telepathic levels of
feedback and lightness that’s off the scale,” the KTM 790 Duke is KTM’s answer
the ever evolving middleweight segment. At the heart of the bike is a newly
developed inline twin called the LC8c, where ‘c’ stands for compact, with an
output expected in the range of 100-110 hp.
The suspension setup of the bike has been straight
out of WP’s labs and will have certain levels of adjustability at both ends.
Parts of the exhaust system and triple clamps in the front have been 3D printed
and will include a simpler, more cost-effective alternative in the production
model.
The KTM 790 Duke is expected to hit the streets in
2018. The platform and powertrain will also be used in several other forms of
motorcycles.