KTM 490 Duke Spied Testing Yet Again!

Quick News Highlights:

• New KTM test bike hints at a bigger twin-cylinder platform

• Likely to make around 60-70PS and sit above the 390 range

• Could come to India and may even be manufactured here

KTM seems to be working on something bigger than its current 390 range, and the latest test mule spotted overseas gives us a clearer hint. At first glance, the bike looks quite raw. There’s barely any bodywork, and a lot of parts, especially around the chassis, look unfinished. This usually means it’s still in the early stages of development.

What’s more interesting is its size. The overall proportions look larger than the bikes in the sub-500cc category, and even the engine casing appears noticeably bigger.

What We Can Spot So Far

Even though it’s not a production-ready bike, a few details stand out.

The test mule runs a single front disc setup with WP-branded components handling braking and suspension duties. The overall setup looks functional rather than fancy, which again points towards early testing focused on mechanicals.

Interestingly, this single-disc setup is also a big clue. Larger-capacity KTM bikes usually come with dual front discs, but here we only see one. That likely means the bike will have a lower kerb weight, and a single disc should be more than enough for its performance. This is one of the key reasons why we believe this could be the upcoming KTM 490 Duke.

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The Twin-Cylinder Puzzle

Now here’s where things get interesting.

We already know that Bajaj Auto and KTM are working on a new parallel-twin platform in India. That engine is expected to sit between the current 390 range and the bigger 790 lineup globally, basically filling a big gap in KTM’s portfolio. And this test bike? It most likely belongs to that very platform.

If that’s the case, we’re looking at a motor that could produce around 60-70PS, along with better refinement and smoother performance than the current single-cylinder bikes.

What It Means For The Future

This new platform could open the doors for a full range of middleweight KTMs, think new Duke, RC and even Adventure models. It would also put KTM right in the middle of a very competitive segment, going up against bikes like the Kawasaki Z650 and the Triumph Trident 660.

The bigger news for us is that these bikes are expected to make their way to India. Given Bajaj’s involvement, there’s a strong chance they could even be manufactured here, which should help keep pricing in check.

If everything goes as planned, we could see these motorcycles start breaking cover globally sometime next year.

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