As we reported earlier, KTM is working on the BS6-compliant model of the 790 Duke for the Indian market. The brand has recently updated its single-cylinder portfolio according to the more stringent BS6 emission norms which came into effect from April 1, 2020. Earlier, there were rumours in the market that the company will stop the production of 790 Duke and will replace it with the 890 Duke R. However, it is now officially confirmed that the BS6 2020 KTM Duke 790 will launch in India in the coming months.
One can expect the brand to launch 2020 KTM Duke 790 in the second quarter of this year. For your reference, the BS4 model of the motorcycle was launched in India at a price tag of INR 8.64 lakh (ex-showroom) while the updated BS6 model will surely get a significant price hike. Before going out of stock, the BS4-compliant model of the Duke 790 was available with a huge discount of INR 2.65 lakh.
Mechanically, the 790 Duke was powered by a BS4-compliant 799cc, 8-valve, DOHC parallel-twin cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that was capable of producing 105HP of maximum power at 9000 rpm along with 87Nm of peak torque at 8000 rpm. The engine was mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
If we talk about the visual updates for the bike, the BS6-compliant Duke 790 will remain exactly like its BS4 model however, the brand will be offering the streetfighter in an all-new matte black shade in addition to the already-existing gloss orange colour.
The brand has recently also launched the BS6 KTM 390 Adventure in the Indian market, along with the 2020 models of the Duke 390, Duke 250, Duke 200, and Duke 125. The RC lineup of KTM has also been updated to meet the upcoming BS6 emission norms. The RC sportbike series includes the RC 125, RC 200, and RC 390, while the brand is also expected to launch the RC 250 in India later this year.