2018 KTM 790 Duke unveiled at EICMA

KTM's 790 Duke "The Scalpel" prototype from last year is now production ready.

If memory serves you right, you'll remember that KTM unveiled the 790 Duke prototype at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan last year. And, lo and behold, the Austrian manufacturer has now returned to the show this year with a production-ready version of the 790 Duke - “The Scalpel” prototype is finally a reality!

The new 790 Duke streetfighter from KTM gets an all-new 799cc parallel-twin engine that is dubbed the LC8c. The twin motor develops a peak horsepower of 105bhp along with 86Nm of torque. With the 790 Duke tipping the scales at around 170 kilograms, it sure makes up for some juicy power-to-weight ratio number. 

In typical KTM fashion, the 790 Duke uses a steel trellis frame. The engine is used as a stressed member so as to save weight, says KTM. Suspension setup includes 43mm WP forks at the front and a mono-shock at the back. Standard equipment includes IMU-powered traction control, cornering ABS, launch control, a quick-shifter, LED headlamp and TFT instrument cluster.

With a lightweight chassis and exciting performance figures, KTM believes that the 790 Duke “will blow up the fiercely competitive 600 to 1,000cc naked bike segment.” Some rivals may not approve KTM's tall claims – especially the Triumph Street Triple RS – but, given how mental the current crop of KTM motorcycles are, the 790 Duke can really turn out to be a properly fast and fun middleweight. Let’s hope we see it go on sale in India soon.