A 2017 KTM Duke has been snapped sporting a black paint scheme. It remains unclear if the paint scheme is a dealer-level customization job or if it’s an all-new colour that KTM India will soon launch. If it indeed is a new paint scheme from KTM, it’ll be the second colour to be offered on the Duke 390. The bike, which is KTM’s flagship naked bike India, is currently available in a solitary paint scheme – orange. KTM offers a white paint scheme on the bike for export markets.
Coming back to the black coloured Duke 390 spotted at a dealership floor, the changes to the bike remain limited to the black painted/wrapped fuel tank, the headlight cowl, and the wheels. Everything else is bone stock. The Duke 390 is one of the most powerful small capacity bikes sold in India. It features a 373 cc, single cylinder liquid cooled engine making 43 Bhp-37 Nm. A 6 speed manual gearbox is standard, and so is ABS. Suspension bits include upside down front forks and a monoshock rear.
The Duke 390 is also the fastest motorcycle you can buy for under 3 lakh rupees. Priced at 2.26 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi, the motorcycle can scamper past 100 Kph from standstill in under 5 seconds. Top speed is well-north of 160 Kph. It’s a ferocious bike to ride, and with the 2017 update, is the smoothest Duke 390 ever built. It features a slipper clutch to smooth out the engine braking and make the bike less jerky to ride around. A ride-by-wire system is also now standard.
In the 2017 Duke 390, KTM has swapped out the digital instrument cluster for a futuristic TFT unit that also allows Bluetooth connectivity. However, not all owners are happy with the TFT console, with some reporting glitches. The bike is built at Bajaj Auto’s Chakan factory, which has a dedicated assembly line for KTM motorcycles. Bajaj, which holds a significant stake in KTM, also exports the small capacity Duke and RC range of sportsbikes to countries around the world.