Next-gen KTM 390 Duke could get radar-based cruise control system

- Next-gen KTM 390 Duke could get radar cruise control

- The Patent also hints at an all-new KTM motorcycle

- KTM was previously spied testing this tech on its 1290 Super Adventure

A new patent filed by KTM has surfaced on the internet, revealing that the company is working on a radar-based cruise control system, certainly for one of its 390 models. And if the motorcycle illustration is anything to go by, the next-generation 390 Duke will perhaps be the first small-capacity KTM to receive this technology. 

A few months back, a test mule of the KTM 1290 Super Adventure equipped with this system was spotted testing. In fact, this technology has already been introduced in some motorcycles like the Ducati Multistrada V4 and the 2021 BMW R1250RT. However, it will be exceptional to see the radar-based cruise control feature on a motorcycle as small as a 390cc KTM. The Austrian bike maker has always kept its motorcycles, especially the 390 series, on top of the value-for-money spectrum and this new feature will only add more desirability.

This patent might also be a hint that KTM is working on a new 390cc model. While the engine of the illustrated bike is the same unit as the 390 Duke, RC and Adventure, it features a different fuel tank, sub-frame and chassis. And the most noteworthy difference is the presence of spoke wheels, as opposed to alloy wheels seen on the existing 390 machines. The documents show two different placements of the radar cruise control unit – one on top of the headlamp and another at the bottom. While the former is suitable for naked models which comprise of low-slung headlamp, the latter would be fit for adventure versions with a high-set headlight assembly.

Will this technology be introduced in the existing KTM models or the company is planning to bring out an all-new machine equipped with the tech? These questions will be answered only after more details emerge. Till then, stay tuned to BikeWale. 

Source: Bennetts