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KTM Super Duke 1290 Coming To India This Year?
[Update: KTM R&D Head, Mr Philipp Habsburg has confirmed that the Super Duke 1290 will be launched internationally this year. In Europe it will be priced at approximately 15,000 euros. Taking that into account, we expect the Super Duke 1290 to be launched in here in India by the end of this year, if not early next year.]
By offering the 390 Duke in India at a killer price of INR 1.8 lakhs KTM has set the proverbial fire. You don't have be an analyst to realize that Japanese performance bike makers would have broken into cold sweat listening to the announcement yesterday. In the coming months we'll witness the larger Duke carve out a space for itself, which will majorly consist of former owners of quarter liter bikes. Something KTM was specific about yesterday.
Another attention catcher at yesterday's launch was the mention of KTM's plan to expand its India lineup in the coming years. Internationally, the Duke naked bike family consists of the 125, 200, 390, 690 and the 990. While the 125 Duke will never be released here for obvious reasons, the 690 and 990 Super Duke are a different story. Then there is the crazy looking, yet to be released, Super Duke 1290.
The Indian performance bike space has been mostly devoid of models, beyond the 250/300cc mark, except for a few cruiser bike models. Anything beyond this and we stare at a price tag that is beyond the reach of most enthusiasts. Once again, KTM could be the one making a difference, thanks to its local production capability.
The 690 Duke could be launched in little more than a year's time. Local assembly of the 690 makes sense as well, if Bajaj can export it to other markets from India. As we near the liter mark the demand gets limited to a niche market. Here KTM and Bajaj could go with CKD units, which will still make the 990 Super Duke and the Super Duke 1290 cost considerably less than every other competitor in India.
In short, KTM is here to usher in a new era of performance bikes in India.
Super Duke 1290
Revealed as a concept late last year. Yet to be seen in production guise.
Super Duke 1290
Powered by a 1,195 cc engine, we can expect this monster to produce close to 200 horses.
690 Duke
The next Duke expected to be produced locally.
690 Duke
Weights the same as the 390 Duke, but produces 70 HP
990 Super Duke
The most powerful production named KTM bike in the market now.
990 Duke
Powered by a 999cc engine, this powerhouse can churn out 123 HP.
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