This is the first picture to emerge of the updated KTM Duke 390 that’s set to be launched later this year.
Spotted in India, where the bikes are made, this is no slapped-together test mule but appears to be a production-ready model, right down to the paintwork.
Although the chassis and engine are largely unaltered, the styling is being seriously revamped for 2017, debuting a new family face for KTM’s naked bikes. The vertically-split LED headlight is the key here, along with distinctive side panels that extend much further forwards than we’re used to seeing.
Further back, the trellis-style steel subframe is now external, wrapping around the outside of the plastic parts. Once again, it’s a departure from convention and one that makes the KTM unmistakable.
All those styling changes are to be mirrored across the KTM Duke range, with the 1290 Super Duke R also set to be revamped for 2017 to include a matching set of revisions.
Technically, the 390 isn’t changed much. Like the 2016 RC390, it’s likely to get a fly-by-wire throttle and a larger exhaust to meet new European emissions regulations, but power and performance are likely to be unaltered.
By Ben Purvis
