KTM Duke – the motorcycle which single handedly revolutionized the low capacity, high performance motorcycling scene in India looks like it will soon be getting an upgrade! An upgrade which does not feature just aesthetic or skin deep changes, but is a proper upgrade as KTM always gives us.
KTM had shown the world what a proper upgrade should be like, at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan last year when it revealed the new KTM RC 390, complete with ride by wire, bigger 320mm disc brake rotor and a side mounted exhaust, this motorcycle set the tone for the kind of upgrades that future KTM motorcycles would receive, and being the Duke 390’s sibling, we all knew that these upgrades would eventually be provided on the Duke 390 too, and boy were we right.
A test mule of the next gen, 2017 Duke 390 has been spotted undergoing camouflaged testing in Spain. While we do not have information about the technical changes yet, there are quite a few noticeable aesthetic and mechanical changes that are clearly visible from the outside.
Aesthetic changes include a redesigned fuel tank, restyled side panels and redesigned seats as well. The tail lamp too is an all new design too, but the biggest aesthetic change is also a mechanical one. KTM has ditched their symbolic underbelly exhaust system and have gone for a conventional side mounted exhaust system, because of stricter emissions regulations.
The changes as you read earlier is not just aesthetic, but changes will be made to the engine too. It will still be powered by the same 373.2cc engine, but instead of producing the 44 PS that it is currently producing, it will be tweaked to produce a couple of extra horses and also increase efficiency at the same time! Couple this with the side mounted exhaust system, and the motorcycle will be much more fun to ride, as it will sound a lot better with the new exhaust.
The pictures show the front disc rotor to be a marginally bigger than the current one, so we’re suspecting that the 320mm disc rotor upgrade has been given to the Duke 390 too, and we hope it has ride by wire too and I’m pretty sure, KTM will surprise us with more.
The new Duke 390 will be revealed officially at the EICMA 2016 to be held in November this year at Milan and bookings are expected to start shortly thereafter.
To read more on KTM Duke/RC 390, Click here
Also see: Next-Gen 2016 KTM Duke 390 & RC 390 to get Ride-By-Wire Technology
Source: Motorcycle News
