After a brief break, in an astonishing move, KTM has relaunched the 790 Duke in global markets. The KTM 790 Duke sport naked was introduced to the world in 2017 and went on sale in India in late 2019. The 790 Duke was eventually replaced by the 890 Duke in 2021, however, it never made it to Indian markets.
With the 790 Duke’s sudden return in 2022, the gap between the 390 Duke and the 890 Duke is now close. The 790 Duke will be available in two new colours for 2022, with the characteristic orange standing out particularly well. The design is sharp, but it hasn’t changed in a long time; not that it needed changing in the first place. The bike’s heart is a 799cc parallel-twin engine with a 6-speed gearbox that complies with Euro5/BS6 regulations. At 9,000rpm, it produces 105hp and 87Nm at 8,000rpm. The 95hp model of the LC8c engine, which is accessible for A2 licence holders in Europe, appears to be the major benefit for KTM in relaunching the 790 Duke.
The core frame and subframe are unchanged, as is the design, and are suspended by a non-adjustable 43mm WP Apex USD fork and a preload-adjustable mono-shock. KTM should have, at the least, offered compression and rebound adjustability as an option, as this is one area where the 790 Duke could have used some work.
The electronics suite on the 2022 790 Duke isn’t as extensive as it was previously. Lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, and three riding modes – Rain, Street, and Sport – are all standard rider aids. Options like a quickshifter, engine brake control, a track mode, TPMS, and KTM My Ride for Bluetooth connectivity, which were previously standard, can be added to this list.
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The 2022 KTM 790 Duke will be priced at EUR 8,999, or roughly Rs 7.53 lakh in Europe. The big question now is whether the relaunch applies to the Indian market as well. Although KTM has not confirmed any plans as of yet, given the brand’s popularity and the previous Indian model’s success, it’s quite plausible. If and when it does arrive, we estimate it to be priced between the Triumph Trident 660 (Rs 7.45 lakh) and the Street Triple R (Rs 9.15 lakh).
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