KTM Planning To Relaunch Premium Bikes In India

It seems KTM has plans to re-enter the premium motorcycle segment. As you would know, the Austrian brand tried to enter this segment with the 790 Duke many years back, which was a disastrous outing for the company. Sales for the bike were slow and the remaining bikes of the less than 100 units made available for sale had to be sold with a discount. To make matters worse, the quality of the KTM 790 Duke was questioned as many owners faced mechanical issues on a regular basis. 

However, it seems KTM hasn’t put in the towel yet as a Bengaluru dealer has put out a banner claiming that the KTM 1390 Super Duke and the KTM 890 Adventure R will go on sale soon and the dealer has even started accepting bookings. The booking amount ranges between ₹1 to 5 lakh depending on the model. We had reported exclusively back in May that KTM plans to launch the 890 Adventure and the 990 Duke in India. Whether KTM plans to bring these bikes via the CBU route or the CKD route remains to be seen, but it seems the initial lots might come via the CBU route. This strategy will help the Austrian brand gauge the market response, based on which it can take a decision on CKD investments. 

The KTM 1390 Super Duke is among the most powerful naked bikes on sale globally and competes with the Ducati Streetfighter V4 and the BMW S 1000 R. The 890 Adventure R is also among the most popular performance ADV bikes and it will rival the likes of the Triumph Tiger 900, Ducati Multistrada V2 and the BMW F 900 GS. KTM might showcase these bikes at the upcoming 2024 India Bike Week in Goa scheduled in December.