The Duke 390 is KTM’s one of the best-selling products globally. It’s a single-cylinder naked motorcycle and that’s one of the reasons why it’s a complete hooligan. Its light weight and explosive power makes it a fun bike to ride, especially on the streets. Yes, it might not be the best bike to crunch highway miles, but that’s not what it has been built to do. If you haven’t ridden a lightweight, single-cylinder yet powerful motorcycle, do swing your leg over a Duke 390.
Anyway, as per our colleagues at RideApart, KTM is testing an updated model of the Duke 390 in Germany. There are a few spy pictures of the same. Looking at the test mule it appears that it’s still in its early stages of development. But we’re pretty excited about it.
As of now, there is no official statement by KTM regarding this new bike and what updates it will have. But it’s being said that KTM will be using a new swingarm, frame, and geometry. Also, the dimensions of the new 390 will be slightly larger. We are also expecting to see some revision in the suspension setup.
As far as the engine is concerned, it’s quite likely that KTM will keep the high-compression 372cc single-cylinder block with some changes in the form of a modified cylinder head and redesigned exhaust manifold. This doesn’t mean it would have more torque and horses, but who knows, right? Another major improvement would be the replacement of the LCD dash with a new TFT unit.
The KTM Duke 390 is one of the best learner’s bikes that’s available at an affordable price tag. Considering the upgrades, the new model might be a bit on the dearer side but it’d still be not too much.
Let us know what do you think of the Duke 390 and whether you have ridden one or not.
