KTM is planning a number of new launches for India and it includes addressing the growing craze for adventure bikes with the 390 Adv
While KTM is rumoured to launch a new 490 series with as much as five motorcycles in the near future on the back of debuting the 790 Duke, the Austrian manufacturer has big plans for the immediate future as well based on the existing models. There is no secret that the 390 range garners plenty of volume for KTM not just in India but across the globe as well and thus it will be leveraging its popularity further.
In early November, KTM will host the world premiere of the 390 Adventure at the 2019 EICMA show in Milan and is expected to go on sale in India early next year. With test mules having already been caught on camera, it is more likely to be offered in two versions with a more hardcore R variant. The dual-purpose adventure tourer takes design details from the existing 390 Duke along with most of the hardware.
The 373 cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine could produce similar power and torque outputs as the Duke and RC 390s but the gear ratios should be tuned to suit off-roading. Logically speaking, long-travel suspension setup and bigger wheels will also be part of the equation and the 390 Adv will address the adventure riding segment that sees a huge increase in popularity lately.
Another product that will be coming from KTM’s stable sooner rather than later is the next generation RC390. Spied testing on foreign soil recently, the 2020 KTM RC390 has gone slightly more matured in its appearance with new fairing, a repositioned headlamp with possible LED treatment, relocated turn indicators, larger fuel tank, higher-set handlebar, new subframe, seat and slimmer tail section, etc.
The engine will get updated to become BSVI compliant as well while the coloured TFT screen will also likely get its share of revisions. The third product seemingly in line for arrival is the fully-faired version of the Duke 250. In a similar fashion to the connection between Duke 390 and RC 390, the RC 250 will have plenty in common with the Duke 250.
The Duke 250 is priced nearly Rs. 1.96 lakh (ex-showroom) and its supersport version will cost extra bucks and sit below the RC 390 that costs around Rs. 2.45 lakh (ex-showroom). Thus expect its price range to be around Rs. 2.20 lakh (ex-showroom) when it goes on sale predictably in late 2020. Since the 790 Duke is already here, the possibility of its Adventure sibling, the 790 Adv, to launch in India cannot be ruled out either in the near future.