2018 KTM 790 Duke, officially unveiled at EICMA motorcycle show, is a welcome addition to the middleweight naked category
KTM has officially unveiled the naked 2018 KTM 790 Duke at the EICMA motorcycle show - after being teased as a prototype last year. Affectionately called ‘The Scalpel’, it’s also the first KTM model to be powered by the brand new 799cc LC8c parallel-twin engine, which doles out 103.3hp @ 9,000rpm and 86Nm of torque @ 8,000rpm.
Four ride modes are also available: Street, Rain, Track, and Sport. Additionally, the Supermoto mode disables ABS (The bike features KTM’s cornering ABS) at the rear wheel for some spirited Supermoto riding. Also, with a seat height of 825mm, be ready to journey in comfort regardless of your height.
Other notable components of this 169kg naked bike are an up-and-down quickshifter, lean-angle-sensitive traction control, launch control, a full-colour TFT dashboard, along with LED headlights and taillights. Smartphone connectivity can be achieved with the KTM My Ride pack. The frame is made from chromium-steel-molybdenum (CroMo) alloy, with the engine as a stressed member. The airbox is contained inside cast aluminium subframe. Monitoring engine braking is done by the KTM’s Motor Slip Regulation, functioning in conjunction with the throttle-by-wire system, regulating the throttle to smoothly reduce the bike’s speed.
Watch KTM 790 Duke Offical Video:
A WP steering damper helps ensure your stability and safety on the road. Suspension from WP comprises of a 43mm upside-down fork, as well as a progressively-wound spring and preload adjustments. Braking wise, the front brake is made up of 300mm twin discs and radially mounted four-piston calipers, with an adjustable spacing between the handlebar and hand brake lever. Rear brake consists of 2 piston calipers on a single 240mm brake disc.
Pricing and availability are currently unknown.
See more for 2018 KTM 790 Full Specification
Images: (KTM Website)