Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/531222
IN THE WIND P28 KTM'S MINI ADVENTURE RUMORED IN TESTING T he KTM 390 Adventure machine has begun testing in India, according to cartrade.com. The machine has been long rumored, with KTM CEO Stefan Pierer acknowledging the develop- ment of the machine back in 2012 when the com- pany announced an aggressive move into the low- capacity market with the 390 Duke and RC range. Should the company indeed put this machine into production, it would give KTM a head start on a section of the market that currently doesn't exist yet. The new Adventure would be the only dedi- cated low capacity machine around, and gets the jump on BMW who have been long rumored to be working on a low capacity GS machine with their Indian partners TVS, although nothing has been seen of the bike. However the new Adventure machine might sport the 373cc single sitting in the Duke and RC. The chassis would be different, with off-road spec wheels, suspension and exhausts, not to mention all new bodywork to keep it in line with the large capacity adventure range. It's all hearsay at the moment, but we shall see. DUCATI MOVES TO INDIA D ucati has officially arrived in India, with Ducati India Pvt. Ltd the 12th international subsid- iary of the brand. Ducati's arrival in India co- incided with the launch of the Scrambler Classic and Full Throttle models at their Gurgaon showroom, one of the largest Ducati dealerships in the world. The Bologna company is plan- ning on making a huge impact in the Indian market, which is growing in importance every year thanks to more disposable income and a younger demo- graphic of rider. Ducati already has stores in Mumbai and Delhi, with plans to expand to Banga- lore later in the year. "We introduced the Scram- bler Icon in June and were overwhelmed by the positive response from our customers," said Ravi Avalur, Managing Direc- tor of Ducati India Pvt. Ltd. "Now, we're proud to unveil the Scram- bler Classic and Full Throttle and are confident that motorcyclists will love these versatile machines also. Of the two new Scrambler variants introduced, the Classic is aimed at those who appreci- ate attention to detail and 1970s style, but who don't want to compromise on riding pleasure and functionality. The Full Throttle version, inspired by the flat track world, is destined for those who want a motorcycle perfect for everyday use and with a distinc- tive racing style." There are currently no plans to build Ducati motorcycles in India, with Ducati India Private Ltd importing their machines from Thailand, where the com- pany has a factory. In a market flooded with low-capacity, low cost machines, Ducati has seen strong demand for the large capacity Diavel and Scram- bler machines in India and are expecting strong sales from the Multistrada, when it is released to the Indian market this Octo- ber. The 1090 Adventure might be about to lose its place as the smallest adventure machine in KTM's line-up pretty soon.