KTM 790 Duke price is out in the UK, and it costs GBP 8,500 (Rs. 7.3 lakh). That’s less than the double of KTM 390 Duke price, which costs GBP 4,700 (Rs. 4.03 lakh).

KTM 790 Duke – Will It Be Cheap?

The UK price difference between the two Dukes gives us hope that we can see a similar pattern in India. But that’s not going to happen. Because the 390 Duke is made in India, it has low taxes here and high taxes in the UK. Likewise, the 790 Duke is made in the Europe, so it has lower taxes in neighbouring countries.

KTM 790 Duke Official Website

Can We Get KTM 790 Duke For Rs. 5.0 lakh On Road Price?

KTM has engineered the 790 Duke to be easily assembled. That means even if we don’t see full local production, we can get it local assembly. That’s also good news for bringing the effective on road price low.

KTM will make the 790 Duke in its home country, but Bajaj can quickly knock it down and start local assembly. It’s also possible that Bajaj might source some of its components from its Indian suppliers for a lower overall price.

Bajaj hasn’t confirmed yet if it wants to bring the 790 to India. However, Bajaj and KTM can make its competition look underpowered, under-equipped and overpriced. Their bikes are powerful, well put together and supreme value for money. So, it’s not unrealistic to expect the KTM 790 Duke at Rs. 5.0 lakh. But this is a low-volume bike, and it’ll only get about 100-200 units per month even at that price.

However, Rs. 5.5-6.0 lakh is very much attainable with local assembly. That will make it another bike you just can’t ignore.

Also Read: Kawasaki Versys X300 Specs And Detailed Analysis

Real Competition For Royal Enfield 650 Twins?

Bajaj delivers best results when it’s not trying to become Royal Enfield. The KTM bikes have a special place even in the hearts of those who have a Royal Enfield. That’s despite being more expensive and polar opposite of a Bullet.

In the same way, the 790 Duke can pose a threat to Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 even if they’re availableat Rs. 3.0-3.5 lakh. You’re sure to consider a 100hp bike if you can have it for Rs. 5.0 lakh. Up until a few years ago, 100hp of power on two wheels used to cost around Rs. 15 lakh.

The 790 Duke can make the current value king, Kawasaki Z650, look like a bad deal. That’s what the 390 Duke has done to the Kawasaki Ninja and Yamaha R3, both of which cost more than Rs. 3.5 lakh.

KTM 790 Duke Specs

799cc 2-cylinder parallel liquid cooling

103hp @ 9000RPM Power

85Nm @ 8000RPM Torque

6-speed gearbox

310mm Double disc front brake with ABS

240mm Single disc rear brake with ABS

186mm Ground clearance

825mm seat height

169kg Dry weight

1475mm wheelbase

14-litre Fuel tank

22.7km/l mileage

KTM 790 Duke Features

Ride-by-wire throttle

Colour LCD instrument cluster with Bluetooth

LED headlights

Traction control

Multiple riding modes

Quickshifter for up and downshift

KTM 790 Duke Price & Competition

On paper, it competes against the middleweight bikes like:

• Triumph Street Triple S – Rs. 8.7 lakh
• Triumph Street Triple RS – Rs. 10.6 lakh
• Yamaha MT-09 – Rs. 10.9 lakh
• Ducati Monster 797 – Rs. 9.2 lakh
• Kawasaki Z900 – Rs. 7.7 lakh

In the real world, KTM 790 Duke price tag will help it steal sales from:

• Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 – Rs. 3.2 lakh (est.)
• Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 – Rs. 3.5 lakh (est.)
• Kawasaki Z650 – Rs. 5.1 lakh

KTM 790 Duke Launch Date

The bike isn’t confirmed for India yet. But we are hoping that Bajaj will agree to assemble the bike in India. If that happens, we can see it in showrooms by the end of 2018. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.