Scoop first ride! New KTM 690 Duke prototype

The world’s most powerful single-cylinder bike will get more refined and yet more powerful next year, an MCN world first ride has revealed.

MCN rode a prototype version of the 2012 KTM 690 Duke months before it will be seen in finished form, when the Austrian company hopes it will encourage younger riders to move from smaller capacity machines like its new 125 Duke onto middleweights.

Besides being the most powerful single-cylinder road bike when it goes on sale in 2012 with around 70bhp it’s also going to be one of the most advanced. It will feature a twin-spark cylinder head, ride-by-wire throttle, the option of Bosch ABS and – crucially – a price of around £6000.

KTM is also pioneering a new structural fairing and subframe on the new Duke where aluminium alloy is diecast under high pressure to form a sidepanel and the subframe; reducing weight and components.

Read the full story in this week’s issue of MCN (August 31), on sale now.

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