The 790 Duke was the original scalpel in KTM’s lineup, and it gathered a lot of global popularity. Sadly, the tightening emission norms forced KTM to supplant it with the Euro-5-ready 890 Duke just two years after the 790’s debut. In its brief lifespan, KTM sold 29,000 units of the Scalpel globally, but it clearly had the potential to rake even better numbers had it been on sale longer. And that’s the Austrian giant’s agenda in 2023, as it has resurrected the 790 Duke, not just globally, but also in America.
The 2023 KTM 790 Duke Is Packed To The Teeth
The 2023 790 Duke has plenty going for it, even though it’s mostly the same as its discontinued self. At its heart, you’ll find an updated 799cc, twin-cylinder engine which now meets Euro-5 emission norms and belts out 105 horsepower–15-HP less than the 890 Duke R. The engine pairs up with a healthy dose of electronics such as three riding modes, traction control, cornering ABS, and switchable ABS, all accessible via a 5-inch TFT.
All this is complemented by a decent underpinnings package. Like most of its products, KTM has incorporated a trellis chassis and suspended it on WP Apex upside-down forks alongside a WP monoshock. Concurrently, the bike rolls on 17-inch alloy wheels clamped by twin 300mm front discs and a 240mm rear disc. Besides this, you’ll also appreciate the 790 Duke’s easy-to-live with 414-pound curb weight and 825mm seat height.
The 790 Duke Makes Sense In The KTM Lineup
Does the 790's revival make sense? We’ve been trying to figure out for a while now, and we think we know why the 790 is back. Firstly, the 790 Duke serves as a stepping stone between the 43-HP 390 Duke and the 120-HP 890 Duke R. This will help younger riders progress more easily, and will give them a taster of KTM’s bigger nakeds.
More importantly, since KTM has already produced the 790 in the past, there’s a high chance it’ll price it more aggressively in a way that it undercuts the 890 by a decent margin and doesn’t feel like an expensive prospect compared to the 390. The pricing is yet to come out, but if KTM manages this well, the 790 Duke will make plenty of sense.
2023 KTM 790 Duke Will Reach You Soon
The updated 790 Duke will reach American dealerships as early as December 2022. It will come in two new-for-2023 colors - gray and orange- at an expected sub-$10,000 price tag. If so, it’ll be a better prospect than the Aprilia Tuono 660 and the Honda CB650R.