The KTM 790 Duke and the Duke Family
The KTM 790 might be just a concept motorcycle at the moment, but it’s clearly a preview of the all-new parallel twin model that the Austrian manufacturer will introduce in 2018.
The KTM 790 Duke currently features rather extreme styling from KTM’s favored Kiska studio, but the engine, chassis and swingarm are all basically production-spec parts that will appear on future showroom models. The neat underseat exhaust system is set to be lost and the skimpy bodywork will become bulkier on the production model,m expected to be revealed in around 12 months.
KTM has also revealed updates to its Duke range for 2017. The crazy KTM 1290 Duke R has been hiked to 132kW (around 177 horsepower) thanks to reworked cylinder heads, a higher compression and new combustion chamber shapes.
It also gains improved electronics, with the optional track pack including a both-ways quickshifter and cornering ABS. Keyless ignition and a new dash are standard, along with reworked looks dominated by KTM’s new vertically split headlight design.
Further down the range the KTM 390 Duke and 200 Duke receive the new headlight set-up, new forks and bigger fuel tanks, with the 390 Duke gaining a TFT display and updated frame.
