KTM is reportedly developing a new small-displacement sportbike for the Indian market, featuring similar styling to its flagship RC8 sportbike. The new model is expected to use a 250cc single-cylinder engine, leading some to label it the KTM RC25 or KTM RC250.

We’ve heard reports of KTM working on a small-displacement sportbike before, most recently in late 2012 with KTM Chief Executive Officer Stefan Pierer saying a faired version of the 390 Duke is on its way, but it now appears a 250 version is on its way as well. The now infamous leaked Powerpoint slide from a KTM North American dealer presentation also outlined a model curiously called a “Moto3 350” for 2014. IndianCarsBikes reports the KTM RC25 will be available in India for 2014 to be built in India by Bajaj Auto which owns a 47% stake in KTM.

KTM’s Moto3 production racer is officially called the RC 250 R, but the Moto3 racer (pictured below) has much different styling than the RC8, and the new model will likely look more like its angular 1,195cc older sibling than the curvier Moto3 race bike. Amit Nandi, vice-president of premium motorcycles for Bajaj Auto is very specific about the new bike’s RC8 roots. Continue Reading »

KTM has confirmed the 390 Duke will be brought to the American market for the 2014 model year, making it the first of the Austrian manufacturer’s small-displacement single-cylinder naked models to arrive in the U.S. This timeframe would put the 373cc  Duke a year behind the 2013 launch date from a leaked Powerpoint presentation slide that said it would be available in the U.S. for the 2013 model year as a 350 model.

Stefan Pierer, chief executive officer of KTM, confirmed the news in an interview with Indian daily Business Standard. The 390 Duke will be produced at a plant in Chakan, India, owned by Bajaj Autos, a 47% stakeholder of KTM. Pierer predicts KTM will sell 10,000 units of the 390 Duke in Europe and the U.S.

“It is a strategic decision with Bajaj to go for sporty, stylish motorcycles, even for the saturated markets, because cars have become too expensive,” Pierer tells the Business Standard. “We are entering the US street-bike segment for the first time and, beginning next year, the Duke 390, built in India, would be sold in the US market.” Continue Reading »

KTM set a new company record with 107,142 motorcycles sold in 2012, with a lot of credit given to strong demand for its small-displacement naked Duke line. The 125 Duke and 200 Duke have been popular sellers in Europe while Indian consumers accounted for more than 8000 units of the 200 Duke alone. KTM will try to maintain its momentum with its new 390 Duke, not to mention the 690 Duke R and the upcoming 1290 Super Duke R which was unveiled in prototype form at the 2012 EICMA show in Milan as the eventual successor to the 990 Super Duke.

With six models bearing the Duke name, they’re all bound to have some similarities, but what are the differences besides their engine displacements? Quite a bit, it turns out, according to Peter Gorbach, KTM head of engine development. Continue Reading »

Indian website Powerdrift has uncovered photographs of what it claims to be a Bajaj Pulsar 375, a faired sportbike based on the KTM 390 Duke.

A Bajaj-branded version of the 390 Duke should be no surprise. The Indian company, after all, owns a 47% stake in Austrian-based KTM, and it released its own version of the 200 Duke in the 2012 Bajaj Pulsar 200NS. Unlike the 200NS and the 390 Duke however, the new Pulsar 375 is a faired sportbike.

We’ve previously reported KTM is working on both a faired version of the 390 as well as an enduro version for 2014. The  Pulsar 375 is rumored to be launching in India this November, which could be around the same time KTM is expected to reveal its own version at EICMA. Continue Reading »

KTM has carved out a niche recently in the small-displacement streetbike market with its Duke lineup of naked motorcycles. First came the 125 Duke, then the 200 Duke, and more recently unveiled at EICMA, the 390 Duke, which we hope will be the first in the family to make it to the U.S. All three little Dukes have similar chassis and streetfighter styling, with the engine displacement being the main difference between them.

The Austrian manufacturer isn’t done with the small-displacement segment however. Speaking with India’s CNBC-TV18, KTM Chief Executive Officer Stefan Pierer said the company may develop new 200cc, 190cc and 180cc models for the Indian market, as well as a a fully-faired and touring versions of the 390 within the next 12-18 months.

“We expect additional displacements, the 390cc is coming which is a full faired version and the so called tour purpose version,” says Pierer. “By the end, we have a full model range where we can settle in all these and especially the Asian markets.” Continue Reading »

KTM made a big entrance on the small-displacement streetbike segment in 2011 with its 125 Duke and in 2012, the 200 Duke. Both models were popular sellers in Europe while the 200 had a successful launch in India, home of one of KTM‘s largest owners, Bajaj. North American consumers were left out however, as neither of the smaller Dukes were imported to these shores.

That may soon change with the introduction of the new KTM 390 Duke at the 2012 EICMA Show. A leaked slide from a KTM North American dealer meeting listed a 350 Duke as U.S. bound for 2013. At first, the assumption was it would use the single-cylinder engine from the KTM 350SX-F but KTM now reveals the new Duke will use a 375cc Single claiming 43 hp at 9500 rpm.

The chassis has been enhanced to cope with the larger engine and increased power (the 200 Duke claims 26 hp at 10,000 rpm), yet the 390 Duke maintains the dimensions and weight of the 125 and 200 versions. KTM says it will still weigh 326 pounds, fully fueled. Continue Reading »

Last week, KTM teased its new large-displacement naked prototype, revealing a brief glimpse and an audio recording of the engine on the so-called “beast”. KTM has now revealed the beast, presenting the new 1290 Super Duke R prototype at the 2012 EICMA Show in Milan, Italy.

Due to launch some time in 2013, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R will top a full line of naked Duke models which includes the 125, 200, newly revealed 390, 690 and 990. The new 1290 Super Duke R is powered by a new variation on the RC8R’s 1195cc V-Twin engine with ride-by-wire throttle. KTM doesn’t say exactly what the displacement is except to note it is larger than any previous versions.

How much power and torque does it have? “Very, very much” is KTM’s reply. Remember, this is still a prototype. But it is a prototype that is very near ready for production. Continue Reading »

KTM announced it will unveil a new “beast” at next week’s EICMA show in Milan. The Austrian manufacturer is being coy about the mystery model, promising a sneak peak of photos of the new bike on Nov. 9.

In the mean time, we are left with an audio recording of the engine of the new KTM “beast”. The audio recording can be heard on KTM’s official blog.

We’ve already heard reports KTM will unveil a 390 Duke at EICMA, but we also expect a new Super Duke using the same RC8R-derived 1195cc V-Twin engine that powers the new 1190 Adventure recently unveiled at Intermot. Continue Reading »

KTM and Bajaj Auto will launch a new 375cc member of is entry-level Duke lineup, reports Indian site Zigwheels. Previous reports had KTM developing a 350 Duke as an extension of its 125 and 200 Duke (pictured above) family. The 350 Duke was also listed on a leaked Powerpoint slide from a North American dealer meeting we published in February, so this new model may be the first of the small-displacement Duke family to make it to the U.S.

According to the report, the new 350 will now be called the KTM 390 Duke, following the numerical nomenclature of the company’s larger-displacement models such as the 690 Duke, 990 Super Duke and the recently unveiled 1190 Adventure.

Zigwheels reports the 390 Duke will use a similar trellis frame and WP suspension as the 200 Duke but with a fuel-injected 375cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine. Zigwheels also reports the engine will produce 45 hp while the 390 Duke will weigh in at 331 pounds. Continue Reading »