Buy Or Hold: KTM 390 Duke Or….KTM 390 Duke?
Modified On May 7, 2023 12:30 PM By Nishaad Joshi for KTM 390 Duke (2017-2023)
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We see if the next-gen KTM 390 Duke can actually be worth the wait or you should just go for the current bike
The 390 Duke has been KTM's most fearsome and yet much loved weapon in the sub-400cc sport bike market in India for quite some time now. In fact, it’s been unchallenged since pretty much its inception back in 2013. But recent spy shots of the 2023 KTM 390 Duke really shook us up simply because of how promising the new bike sounds. So that begs the question, should you wait for that bike or should you just go for the current-gen 390 Duke right now? To answer that, let’s first dive into all that the new bike could offer:
The most obvious bit is the new KTM 790 Duke-esque design. But there’s a LOT more than just that. There’s suspension adjustability, new discs, alloys, updated trellis frame, subframe, new switchgear, console, and, hopefully, an updated engine. Whew! So the new bike promises better kit, weight savings, hopefully more reliability and hence a lot more fun than the current bike!
That changes the entire question, doesn’t it? With everything that the new Duke might offer, you’re left wondering as to why you should even go for the current bike? Well, the simple reply is money. You see, the new RC 390 charged a premium of Rs 36,287. Such a hike could push the 2023 390 Duke’s price dangerously close to the Rs 3.5 lakh mark. And that’s just the ex-showroom price that we’re talking about!
Coming back to the original question, which bike should you go for? If you’re on a bit of a budget constraint, the current 390 Duke is the one for you. It’s a great city bike, able tourer and fantastic sports machine, and not many have been skilled enough to call it ‘slow’ by any means. At Rs 2,97,475 (ex-showroom Delhi), this is probably your last chance to purchase it under the Rs 3 lakh mark.
But if money isn’t your concern and more importantly, you like your bikes with their hooliganism level turned to the maximum, we’d recommend you to hold your horses for the 2023 390 Duke. It could be something you could fall in love with even more. We expect the bike to be here towards the end of this year or early next year at a price of around Rs 3.2 lakh (ex-showroom).