KTM Duke 490

A lot of excitement will be building for the upcoming KTM Duke 490. If it's like its KTM Siblings, expect a sharp appearance, strong performance, and a ton of cutting-edge technology. Like other KTM bikes, the Duke 490 will likely have a slick, aggressive appearance. 

Despite earlier confirmations, the KTM 490 Duke, 490 Adventure, and RC 490 are no longer in the pipeline. KTMs CEO, Stefan Pierer, has confirmed that the project has been scrapped. I think this is a significant shift in strategy, indicating KTMs focus on more lucrative market segments.

KTM has shelved the 490 platform due to financial feasibility issues, opting instead to develop a new 690cc platform. This decision was made because the costs of developing a new parallel-twin engine for the 490cc segment were not justified. I believe this move makes sense given the market demand for bikes in the 600-700cc category.

In 2021, KTM had announced plans to introduce the 490 Duke, 490 Adventure, and RC 490, which were expected to be the most affordable twin-cylinder bikes from KTM. However, these plans have since been abandoned. I believe this would have been an exciting addition to their lineup, but it seems KTM has other priorities now.

There were earlier speculations that the KTM 490cc bikes would be launched in India, with expectations of competitive pricing and features. However, with the 490 platform shelved, these speculations have been put to rest. I believe Indian enthusiasts who were looking forward to these bikes will be disappointed but might find solace in upcoming models from KTM.

KTM Duke 490 is expected to be priced around Rs 3.50 lakh in India (ex-showroom). There are 3 color variants: Orange, White, Silver (Expected) in KTM Duke 490.