Rumors

Rumor: New KTM Super Duke & Adventure Bikes in 2013

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The news coming out of Holland this morning is that KTM is working on a new set of Super Duke and Adventure series motorcycles, slated to appear in 2012 as 2013 model year bikes. The news comes from Dutch site Nieuwsmotor, who talked to Robert Prielinger, Head of Development / R & D of Street Bikes at KTM, while visiting the KTM factory, and according to Prielinger KTM is working on a new v-twin motor and electronics package that will see introduction into the Super Duke and Adventure lines by 2013. Also new for the 2013 Super Duke line is a new single-cylinder engine model, which will pick up where the KTM 690 Super Duke left off.

The new Adventure series is supposed to have modular construction, and will see a variety of displacements reside in the same chassis. According to Nieuwsmotor we can expect to see 1,200cc, 1,000cc, and 700cc/800cc models from KTM in this department, but we’re not sure how a 1,000cc would differentiate itself from a 1,200cc machine and what we assume will be an 800cc model to compete with the F800GS and Triumph Tiger 800.

However Nieuwsmotor does go on to say that the smaller displacement Adventure bike will be very off-road capable, more so than the Triumph Tiger 800 XC, and we imagine that the bike will draw on its Dakar roots in design and performance.

For the Super Duke line, KTM has been developing a more complete electronics package (like many manufacturers), and we can expect to see the Austrian company add traction control and other features to its naked streetbikes. The Super Duke will share its v-twin motor with the Adventure line, presumably in a higher-state of tune, while a new 700cc class single-cylinder motor will also debut in 2012 for the 2013 model year.

An early concept of the new single-cylinder Super Duke was spotted by Nieuwsmotor, and is said to be less aggressive in style than previous designs, which might be a good thing for mass appeal, but bad news for the KTM loyal.

KTM is also expected to continue to roll-out smaller displacement street bikes, likely under the Duke name, that will be heavily influenced by Bajaj. We hope that translates into a 200cc-400cc version of the KTM 125 Duke hitting US soil sometime in the near future.

Source: Nieuwsmotor

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