KTM Duke 790 and Husqvarna 401 bike will not enter India; production could shift to Austria focusing on European market
Austrian bike major KTM won’t launch the Duke 790 and the new Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 in India. Also, production of these motorcycles is expected to shift to KTM’s home country. In that case, the Duke 390 will remain as the flagship model from the brand here.
KTM initially decided to launch the Duke 790, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 here. Also, these bikes were expected to be produced locally at Bajaj Auto’s Chakan plant. With localised production, KTM was planning to offer these models with aggressive pricing. But as it seems, KTM has changed its mind and with the production of these bikes shifted to Austria, Bajaj’s vendors will export the components there.
Also read: 2017 KTM Duke 390 – Everything You Need to Know
High performance middleweight category motorcycles are becoming popular in the home market. KTM being a very appealing brand to the young buyers, models like the Duke 790 and Husqvarna 401 would have taken the game up in the segment. However, there is no official confirmation from the Austrian brand about the matter, but some possible reasons behind the decision are coming up.
Producing these models in Austria will offer the brand to keep the quality of twin-cylinder engines at superior level. Also, Europe being the primary market for KTM, it will help the company to sell these models in the continent with competitive pricing. Apart from that, this move is also likely to take some pressure off the Chakan plant, where both Bajaj and KTM manufacture various models for both the domestic and overseas markets.
Also read: 2017 KTM Duke 200 Launched in India at Rs. 1.43 Lakh
Both the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and the Svartpilen 401 were unveiled at the EICMA 2016. These two neo-retro bikes grabbed everyone’s attention and fuelled hope for the Indian buyers with the launch expectation. Speaking about KTM, the bike manufacturer is currently working on the new generation RC390, which will be launched and produced locally here alongside its Duke siblings.
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 Gallery
