Sunday, April 28, 2013
2013 KTM 390 Duke Preview
In 2013 KTM has pleasantly surprised fans of lightweight streetbikes with its announcement of the 390 Duke.
The 390 Duke features a 390cc, 44-horsepower Single into the compact but strong frame of the 125/200, DOHC Single is highly oversquare, with an 89.0mm bore and 60mm stroke. The compression ratio is a substantial 12.6:1, and the engine breathes through a 46mm EFI throttle body. Both injection and ignition are managed by a Bosch integrated digital system. This bike delivers those 44 peak horses at 9500 rpm, and its 26 foot-pounds of peak torque comes in at 7250.
This bike comes with single 300mm rotor and four-piston Brembo caliper do the work up front, with a 230mm rotor and a single-piston floating Brembo caliper at the rear. With dry weight of just 307 pounds, the 390 Duke looks to have a power-to-weight ratio that should deliver terrific acceleration and throttle response. Based on its specifications, this bike should deliver outstanding agility, terrific acceleration and easy handling.
The 390 Duke promises to be the meanest little beast one can buy for less than 5000 euros ($6400 U.S.).
