India made KTM 490 Duke launch to take place in 2022: Stefan Pierer

It is no news that KTM is developing a new 490 cc parallel-twin engine that will power a range of future KTM bikes. The new range of mid-capacity bikes will be launched sometime around 2022, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer has told MotoringWorld.

The Austrian bike maker plans to fit the new powertrain in the upcoming 490 Duke, as well as 490 Adventure bikes. Goes without saying, both the models will sit above the current 390 single-cylinder range. Chances are the new powertrain may also be used inside the future Husqvarna models.

The new powertrain is currently under development at Bajaj Auto's R&D centre in Pune, under the support of KTM's own R&D team. "This is being 100% developed at the Bajaj R&D centre in Pune, but supported by our R&D guys. It's a parallel-twin similar to the format we have on the 790/890, only 500 cc. This is very important for our 125/200 and 390 Duke customers to trade up to, especially in developed markets as an A2 licence bike, while in the so-called emerging markets it'll be a premium product," KTM CEO Stefan Pierer told the magazine.

KTM's top honcho further added that it is still not certain whether the upcoming 490 cc bikes will be eventually manufactured in India, or elsewhere. "But it's still under development, and so far we've not decided yet where we're going to be producing that new range of 500cc twin-cylinder models. It could also take place in China, because the transfer of our older 790 engine to CFMoto, our partners there, has worked quite well. Their new production facility which they began building 18 months ago is now ready to go, with production starting at the beginning of 2021,"Pierer added.