With the passing of months, my excitement about this bike is slowly dying down!

While as much fun as this bike is going to be like, I somehow come back to the square one with the fact that I just might not be able to live with the range of this.

The D200 barely manages 250-300 Kms at the max, naturally I doubt if the 390 would be able to do more than 200 Kms. While that is not that big a problem for the urban commuter, I don't know how will I be able to adjust to the downgrade from my current 550-650 Kms range to this!

Fingers crossed for a touring duke with a larger tank!

Since you are a well known tourer on xBhp, what kind of bike would you look for to upgrade from your current 220? Would the bigger Pulsar interest you?

IF you ask me, I am pretty damn interested in both the new Pulsar and the new Honda CB400/500X. Because just FYI, The CBn00X variants of the Honda have a 2.5 liter larger fuel tank than the CBn00F and the CBRn00 which takes it all the way upto 18 liters for the X.

KTM Duke 390 by comparison is just another street bike like its 200cc sibling with the 2013 version of both bikes having a 11 liter tank size. Maybe it will be immensely rewarding both on the street and on the racetrack, but on the open road, I don't think it can even offer a 300km range (considering the fact that single cylinder engines are inherently more fuel efficient than twins).

There is very little info on the bigger Pulsar at the moment, and if its going to offer just about 10% more range than the bigger Duke, I'd rather go for the Duke, else I might get renamed as Pulsar

Apart from that I'm looking eagerly at the Honda CB 500X variant or even if its the smaller 400, coz that in my books seems to tick all the right boxes. Unless, KTM pulls a fast one and gives a touring variant with a longer travel front suspension, little more GC, considerably larger tank and something that's a little more sure footed at very high speeds!

I have little hope from any of the other manufacturers, and the 600+ cc bikes are not my cup of tea (I can't afford them and I don't think I can enjoy them). I am looking at something that's in the 300-500cc with loads of torque to pull through twisties with luggage and probably even a pillion thrown in AND it should atleast manage 300 kms on a single tank (anything lesser would mean every break I take on a ride will have to be at a fuel bunk!!)

Everything said and done, the 220 may be old and not that fast anymore but it sure is a jack of lot of trades! And it makes it a lot harder for me to find an upgrade!

The ZMA-R and 220 will probably be the last of the best [affordable] tourers we have ever seen!

Originally posted by Abhi_Automobile View Post

There are rumours that the faired version may be based on 250 cc architecture rather than the D390, as originally thought.
Stefan Pierer talked about this at the time of launch of the D200 as well. After that, the message got lost in the clamor of 200/390 nakeds.

It makes logical sense too, you see..It could be based on the MotoGP bike that KTM introduced recently.

While it's True that moto 3 inspired 250cc Fully Faired KTM motorcycle was talked about.
If you collate all the next announcements, KTM will in all Launch 3 Variants of DUKE 125, 200 & 390
- Naked Streetfighter
- Super Moto
- Fully Faired

I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. The only thing that's confirmed is that the next one is D390. And that it may (realistically and as per announcements)be launched before mid of the year. That's it.

The rest ones are mere surmises.

The moto3 inspired bike is limited edition and it costs $35k (or was it pounds?). That's most definitely not coming to India.

I request the mods to lock this thread and re-open when there is formal announcement by Bajaj-KTM about the launch/models/prices. This news thread is getting flooded with discussions, opinions, wishlists etc etc! The purpose of a 'news' sub-forum is lost. We could have a separate thread for discussions.

I thought this is a forum!
for just reading news we have all those , automotive blogs and news vender's websites.
Good thing about a forum is, if somebody is just interested in news can move away after checking first page in thread.
Another goodness is it gives the biker an opportunity to be heard. I does believe , this nature of XBHP contributed very much to the evolution of biking in India.

Came to know about this recently:

KTM 390 Duke India Bookings Open

Dunno how much true

great news! I would gladly put my money down. all i need to know is if the bike will be okay for touring.. I've come to terms with the fuel tank but if the motor is the same "type" as the 200 it wont be much fun for touring. Guess have to wait for the full road tests.

Quoting a post dated 24th October 2012 from this very thread

Someone was right it seems.

Quoting from the same post,
What are the odds of this being correct?

We soo sooo share the same thoughts... It's the X which tickets all the boxes at the moment.

So, if the people who went to KTM Orange day at Mumbai (today) are to be believed, KTM india head has made a statement that it'll take another 5-6 months for the 390 Duke to arrive here.

I know a lot of guys at the local KTM showroom and they too are of the same opinion, it is going to take time for this bike to land in the showrooms