The all new 2018 790 Duke has a 105hp parallel twin engine which is also new. The Duke is a naked streetfighter with a tubular frame, a cast aluminum subframe and the engine acts as a stressed component. The bike is light. It is going to feature more software than you can wave a riding glove at including riding modes, a track mode, ride-by-wire, abs, traction control, engine brake control and a quickshifter system. The bike is going to be light, fast and nimble. The only questions is whether this bike is the 790 model that riders are waiting for? The question is made especially significant as KTM while revealing the new 790 Duke is also previewing a concept called the Adventure 790R. Think about that for a moment. Take all that good, light and fast stuff including the 105hp motor and put all of the above in an ADV bike that isn’t a behemoth. Is there anything about that equation that a serious ADV rider would not appreciate? Despite how far KTM has excelled on the pavement, it is still the dirt side of the mix that holds the company’s DNA and for many the segment in which KTM has few equals. Yes the Adventure 790R is a “concept” bike but there would be few that would raise a hand if asked if the bike was going to stay that way.
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