KTM 500cc Bike For India Officially Confirmed — Bajaj To Make The Twin-Cylinder KTM In India

A KTM 500cc bike has been officially confirmed for the Indian market by the Austrian motorcycle brand themselves. In fact, the new 500cc KTM models (possibly the Duke 500, RC 500 or even a KTM 500 Adventure) will be made at Bajaj's Chakan plant.

All the images used are for representational purposes only.

KTM 500cc Bike For India Officially Confirmed — Bajaj To Make The Twin-Cylinder KTM In India

At the point, not much is known about the upcoming 500cc KTM bikes for India; expect the fact that it will happen for sure, unlike the KTM 390 Adventure (which India eagerly waited for, but was disappointed). The news of the KTM 500 models surely came as a relief.

KTM 500cc Bike For India Officially Confirmed — Bajaj To Make The Twin-Cylinder KTM In India

However, it was also shared that the 500cc models could at least take three years to finally reach the Indian market. At this point, they are still in the planning stages and we do not think even the basic design of the bikes has been fixed.

In typical KTM fashion, expect them to be serious contenders on the performance front. Even the entry-level KTM Duke 125 showcases the best output in its class.

KTM 500cc Bike For India Officially Confirmed — Bajaj To Make The Twin-Cylinder KTM In India

What is particularly interesting about the new KTM 500cc bike is that the same engine will be shared by a Bajaj model too — possibly the first twin-cylinder Bajaj sports bike. This isn't that doubtful since the engines of the Bajaj Dominar and NS 200 are based on that of the KTM Duke 200 and 390 models, respectively.

KTM 500cc Bike For India Officially Confirmed — Bajaj To Make The Twin-Cylinder KTM In India

Currently, the KTM Duke 390 is the most premium model from the brand, while the Duke 790 is slated for an Indian debut before mid-2019. The Duke 790 is a twin-cylinder KTM bike and many claim it to be one of the best middle-weight naked motorcycles in the world.

KTM 500cc Bike For India Officially Confirmed — Bajaj To Make The Twin-Cylinder KTM In India

The KTM Duke or Adventure 790 makes 105bhp and 85Nm of torque from its 799cc LC8 parallel-twin motor. The Duke 390 alone makes 43bhp (the best in its class) and this makes one expect at least 85bhp to come out of the new KTM 500cc bike.

KTM 500cc Bike For India Officially Confirmed — Bajaj To Make The Twin-Cylinder KTM In India

Once launched, expect prices to be in the range of Rs 3 – 4.5 lakh ex-showroom; all the three variations (Duke, RC, Adventure) combined. The new Royal Enfield 650 twins and Kawasaki Ninja 400 will be their main rivals.

KTM 500cc Bike For India Officially Confirmed — Bajaj To Make The Twin-Cylinder KTM In India

Thoughts On The Upcoming KTM 500cc Bike In India

KTM models have always been praised for the superb value they offer in terms of performance. They also proved that high power output isn't just limited to higher-capacity premium motorcycles. As for the KTM 500cc bike, we expect it to nothing short of an outright performer!

Source:
Asphalt & Rubber

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Article Published On: Monday, December 17, 2018, 14:54 [IST]
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