SCOOP: KTM 890 Adventure R & 990 Duke Set To Launch In India This Year

Praise the lord as we have come to know that KTM will be bringing some of its large-capacity motorcycles once again to our shores, with the first one coming in as early as the end of the year. Yeah, through our sources within the company we have come to know that KTM is looking to launch the 890 Adventure R and then follow it up with the 990 Duke and 1390 Super Duke R (likely to come next year).

In order to tackle the sales and aftersales of these larger-than-390 KTMs better, the Austrian company will employ a strategy similar to Honda where the larger capacity Japanese bikes are sold through the BigWing network. We have seen this strategy work well for Honda, as well as for Maruti Suzuki with the Nexa and Arena dealerships.

KTM’s previous attempt to bring in a big bike was not the most successful one. In 2019, there were only 100 units of the 790 Duke brought to our shores and the final ones were sold at extremely low rates. Coupled with the fact that the 790 was never really tested in India and had a lot of heat and reliability issues that caused a lot of troubles for the owners, majority of them getting rid of the bike soon thereafter. And then the BS6 transition took place and the plan to reintroduce the bike was shelved.

KTM 890 Adventure R

The KTM 890 Adventure R is a beast built for conquering tough terrain. Its liquid-cooled, 889cc engine with a 285° crank offset punches out 93 bhp and 87 Nm, channelled through a 6-speed gearbox with a quickshifter. Ride-by-wire throttle control allows for multiple ride modes and power selections, while advanced rider aids like lean-sensitive traction control and ABS with on and off-road modes ensure you stay planted. The rally-inspired bodywork with a low centre of mass with the trellis frame using the engine as a stressed member keeps things light and agile. Top-shelf WP suspension, with a 43mm Xplor fork and a linkage-less Xplor PDS rear shock on the R model, devours bumps with approx 200mm of travel at both ends. Adjustable to suit your riding style, the suspension is complemented by a die-cast swingarm designed for flex and stability.

KTM 990 Duke

The KTM 990 Duke, would be the biggest Duke to hit India. This would have a 947cc liquid-cooled engine with a 270 crank churning out 121 bhp and 103 Nm of torque. A 6-speed quickshifter-equipped transmission with a slip clutch manages all that power. Wrapped in aggressive bodywork with a vertically stacked headlight and large tank shrouds, the Duke sits on a steel trellis frame. This comes with an adjustable suspension setup from WP. Upping the game from previous Dukes, this one offers a suite of rider aids including ride modes, traction control, switchable ABS with cornering function, wheelie control, launch control, and cruise control, all accessible from the left handlebar. The 17-inch wheels are expected to be shod with grippy Bridgestone tyres, and brakes are expected to have a phenomenal bite from the twin discs with 4 pot callipers up front. The bike is to have a 5-inch TFT display round out this feature-packed naked bike.