The KTM 390 Duke and RC 390 are
373.2 cc displacement single cylinder engine motorcycles assembled
by Bajaj Auto, and KTM Asia Motorcycle Manufacturing, Inc. (KAMMI) for the
Austrian manufacturer KTM. The bikes were developed under a joint
program of Bajaj and KTM engineers, in which the concept was developed in
Austria, while everything else, including design and final product development,
was done in India by Bajaj.
The 390
Duke's engine size and weight place it in the mid range category, and it sells
for more than three times the average price of a motorcycle in India. As
one Indian reviewer put it "The
390 Duke may well be a simple little A2 license commuter for the European
rider, but in the environs of Mumbai traffic, it's a proper rocket powered
scalpel." In the US
market, the same motorcycle is considered small displacement, lightweight, and
relatively inexpensive. Similarly, the UK Sunday Times said, "Given that the 390 Duke weighs
less than 150kg when it's full of fuel, you have to sit on it to stop it
blowing away. It's as agile in traffic as a push bike and whippet-thin," saying the bike was ideal for
young riders with the A2 license, limited to 47 bhp (35 kW), who
would find it easy to ride and confidence inspiring, while feeling fast and sporty. Such a bike in
the UK would also appeal to experienced riders looking for a practical and
efficient commuter bike and runabout.
