The KTM 790 Duke will return as a machine of the year 2022, the Austrian brand said. That might come as a bit of a surprise, because KTM 890 Duke R to replace its smaller brother by the end of 2019.
This curious move seems to come in the interest of the European market, where a 95hp version of the KTM 790 Duke will be offered to A2 license holders, with a price tag of €8,999.
The rest of the world will have the KTM 790 Duke 2022 with a maximum capacity of 105 horsepower, although it is not clear if the 790 will arrive in North American soil.
Even with the potential to offer a compact sport bike to territories with graduate degree programs, the reintroduction of the KTM 790 Duke is curious.
Sit next to me KTM 890 Duke and KTM 890 Duke CHEAP (we will skip KTM 890 Duke GP for a minute), the KTM 790 Duke is really a bargain for its €9,000 price tag, as the base model 890 costs close to €12,000 in most European countries.
The move could also be the first to see 890 models switch to 990cc, with a KTM 990 Duke tipped to launch in 2023.
Having bikes at either end of the “midsize” segment could be a good strategy for the Austrian brand, especially as the similarity claims favor increasing engine sizes.
In addition to business positioning, KTM 790 Duke 2022 comes with IMU-assisted traction control system, cornering ABS, three driving modes (standard), 5-inch TFT screen and LED lighting.
Meanwhile, optional equipment includes a quick up / down gear lever, a “racing” driving mode, a cruise control system, a tire pressure monitoring system and a phone connection system.
Considering the price tag, available features and always-on important note, you can see why the KTM 790 Duke was one of our favorite bikes on the market when it came out. So its return is welcome…though still a bit curious.
Source: KTM
