VOL. 53 ISSUE 45 NOVEMBER 15, 2016 P53
H
ot on the heels of the KTM
1290 Super Duke R release,
KTM pounced on the press with
another new bike. This one's still just a
prototype but what a prototype it is!
This is the first chance to properly
check out the new 790 Duke. Running
an 800cc parallel-twin as opposed to
the V-configuration of big bro 1290, the
790 looks suspiciously like the very
first iterations of the Duke from the
mid-90s, but thankfully with much nicer
colors and styling!
The engine is what KTM is call-
ing the LC8c (with the "c" standing
for compact). It sits between KTM's
ubiquitous steel trellis frame and sports
hand-welded pipes with a muffler
that's about as mean as it gets with
more than a few hints to KTM's RC16
MotoGP machine. Ride-by-Wire, custom
riding modes, quickshifter, personalized
traction control, this thing promises
to be a gnarly ride (when it eventually
makes it to production). Speaking of
which, don't bet the exhaust will make
it to your garage—if you remember the
twin underseat pipes of the prototype
1290 Super Duke and the finished
product—you might be disappointed.
But that's about the only potential
let down. The styling is absolutely out-
rageous, and we can only hope KTM
and their design house Kiska don't
differ too much from this prototype
when this machine eventually makes
its production debut, whenever that is
(probably 2018). CN
790 DUKE PROTOTYPE
