2023 KTM 790 Duke launched in Europe. Is India launch on the cards?

Austrian two-wheeler giant KTM AG has revived the 790 Duke middleweight streetfighter for the European market. The KTM 790 Duke was pulled off the shelves in Europe and other markets in 2019, replaced by the more powerful and feature-rich 890 Duke in the company’s stable. However, the motorcycle has been revived specifically to comply with the A2 licence norms.

The 2023 KTM 790 Duke arrives with the same design language seen on the discontinued model. This includes the split LED headlamp, sharply styled fuel tank with extensions on either side, exposed trellis frame, TFT screen and more. The bike will be sold alongside the 890 Duke in the manufacturer's lineup but with power restricted to 94 bhp from the same 790 cc parallel-twin cylinder engine on the A2 compatible version. That said, markets outside Europe will continue to get the unrestricted 103 bhp version that was introduced earlier this year.

The KTM 790 Duke’s revival has the brand’s Chinese partner CFMoto to thank. The 790 Duke’s 790 cc twin-cylinder motor also powers a host of CFMoto motorcycles and that means that the engine meets the current and future regulations for several markets. This allows KTM to utilise the engine for its own product range and what better way than bringing the 790 Duke back to the market.

The 790 cc parallel-twin motor has been upgraded to meet the Euro5 emission norms on the 2023 790 Duke

On the feature front, the 2023 KTM 790 Duke gets full LED lighting, Bluetooth connectivity, three riding modes, traction control, a bidirectional quickshifter, cornering ABS, motor slip regulator and more. The bike also comes with a host of accessories on offer. The 2023 790 Duke is available in two colours - grey and orange.

This also begs the question, will India also get the 790 Duke once again? The motorcycle was launched in the country in 2019 but was discontinued in 2020 after a rather short run. The revival means there will be takers for the scalpel that’s already a favourite for many. It’s unclear at the moment if KTM plans to bring the 790 Duke to India any time soon. It also needs to be seen if KTM will revive the 790 Adventure motorcycle that was also a hotly anticipated offering but was never officially launched in the country.