EXCLUSIVE: All Details Of The Upcoming KTM 390 Duke Revealed

(Update: KTM has launched the 2024 390 Duke and 250 Duke at really competitive prices)

Image Source

KTM has been testing the next-gen KTM 390 Duke for sometime now, on the streets of Austria as well as in aamchi Pune. One such test mule of the streetfighter was spotted by Jehan, one of our BikeDekho team members, and he got to inspect the bike up close, extracting a bunch of exclusive information. So here’s all you need to know.

Design

By now we already know that the upcoming 390 Duke has a different design. Instead of a sleek look, the bike is now bulkier and more muscular than before. It gets a wider fuel tank, and the tank extensions are longer as well. While the new LED headlight looks pretty neat, the pilot lamps are kind of an eyesore. The new tail section reminds us of the KTM 790 Duke.

There are new colours as well. While the blue shade does not look that eye-catching in the pictures, the bright orange shade will appeal to all the KTM fanboys. The black finish on the engine casing and other components complements the orange colour quite well.

Hardware

Image Source

One of the most important and exclusive information that we have is that the international-spec and Indian-spec KTM 390 Duke will be the same. What does this mean? ADJUSTABLE suspension! That’s right, the next-gen 390 Duke gets a compression and rebound adjustable USD fork, and rebound and preload-adjustable rear monoshock suspension setup. This should help you fine-tune your suspension setup according to your weight.

Another important news is that KTM has skipped on the Metzeler tyres on the upcoming bike, but no need to be sad. It doesn’t run on MRFs now, but Continental Conti road tyres – same rubbers found on the much more expensive and sportier Triumph Street Triple 765 R. And if it can handle the performance of the Street Triple, then we can very well expect it to ably handle the performance of the 390 Duke. Apart from that, the new naked borrows the same light alloy wheels and braking components from the KTM RC 390, so expect better handling and performance out of this one.

Engine

Image Source

The new 390 Duke features a new bigger powerplant than the previous model’s 373cc motor. Due to it being bigger now, the placement of the engine too is revised and is shifted a bit to the front. The most important part is that while power figures might not have increased by a lot, the torque figures could go up. 45PS and 40Nm, while the current model makes 43.5PS and 37Nm. Lastly, an increased displacement should result in the bike running less stressed at higher speeds.

Additionally, we got to hear what the bike sounds like, and it has a bassier exhaust note as compared to the earlier model’s shrill exhaust note. Also, KTM has updated the packaging of the bike, and it now gets an underbelly exhaust, instead of the side slung unit. However, the ground clearance seems to be the same as before.

Features

The next-gen 390 gets a similar TFT console as before, but it is slightly bigger and gets a new layout, similar to that of the Yamaha R15’s. What we found most interesting was that the switchgear and rear view mirrors of the upcoming 390 Duke were even more premium than the 790 Duke’s. We’d even go so far as to say it was as premium as a Ducati.

Ergonomics

Shorter riders rejoice!  The upcoming 390 Duke’s seat height seems shorter than before, and the saddle looks more spacious as well. Even the pillion seat is not as high as the current bike. This should offer both kinds of riders a more comfortable riding experience. For perspective, the current 390 Duke’s seat height is 822mm.

Price

With so many upgrades, the prices are expected to go up as well. While the current model retails at Rs 2.97 lakh ex-showroom, we expect the next-gen Duke to be priced around Rs 3.5 lakh ex-showroom. Yes, it is a rather hefty price tag, but what you get for the premium is a more feature-packed and power-packed bike.

The next-gen KTM 390 Duke is expected to launch by the end of this year or in early 2024, on the 30 years anniversary of the Duke moniker. It will rival the likes of the QJ Motor SRK 400, BMW G 310 R, Bajaj Dominar 400 and Honda CB300R.