KTM Duke 390 spotted testing on old Mumbai-Pune highway

KTM Duke 390 has been spotted testing on the Old Mumbai-Pune highway by PowerDrift fan, Yogesh Naik. This is the second time that the motorcycle has been caught on camera. Last month PowerDrift team got images of the Duke 390 being tested in Pune, along with the image of the Duke 390 assembly line. 

Though the KTM Duke 200 and 390 are almost identical, we have reasons to believe this is indeed the elder sibling. The rear disc brake features an ABS grid, which is a standard feature in the Duke 390.. However,last time that we spotted a  test mule it did not feature an ABS unit, hinting at the possibility that the bike will be  launched in India with two versions, ABS and non-ABS.

The tyres seen in this image are from the premium Metzeler range of Pirelli. But is a possibility that Indian production version will get the MRF’s to keep costs in check.  The monoshock seen is the one available in the Euro spec model and is much stiffer than the suspension of the Duke 200.  Also, the oil filler cap on the crankcase is completely different from the Duke 200. Seen in one of the images, the Duke 390 is returning a fuel efficiency of 38 kmpl  - pretty high for motorcycle with these specs. However, let us not get over excited with the numbers as we are not sure about the testing conditions. 

The Duke 390 was first unveiled at the 2012 EICMA event in Italy and since then it’s been a hot topic of contention among Indian motorcycle enthusiasts. The machine is powered by a 373c single-cylinder engine which produces power of 44bhp at 9500rpm and 35Nm of torque at 7250rpm. The engine is mated to six-speed gearbox and has a dry weight of just 139kg, making it an excellent motorcycle when it comes to power to weight ratio of 316bhp per tonne. We are expecting this machine to be priced aggressively at around Rs 2 lakh as it shares components with its younger sibling, the Duke 200.