We knew it was coming, a supermoto version of KTM’s 790 platform. The KTM 790 Duke filled the streetfighter niche quite well, and the KTM 790 Adventure has similarly blown the doors off the ADV market, and now the Austrian brand is looking to give hooligan riders something fun for the street.
As such, spy photos have spotted what is being called the KTM 790 SMC in action, likely testing outside the city limits of Salzburg, Austria.
Readers should remember that the maxi-motard segment isn’t a large one, with the Ducati Hypermotard 950 being really the main player in the space.
The Italian bike has long been a niche machine in Borgo Panigale’s lineup, but this latest edition has been a strong seller for Ducati, which shows the changing tastes of motorcyclists.
As such, the KTM 790 SMC could be well-timed to come to market, not to mention the concept fits very well into KTM’s edgy and sporty brand image.
A street bike capable of hooning down the road, and also well-suited for city commuting is just the ticket that the modern sport biker is looking for.
This last sentiment is part of the reason why we are seeing the decline of superbike and supersport machines, whose ergonomics only make sense on the race track.
Nakeds, in particular the streetfighter category, have begun to take over the realm of sporty street-riding, and the KTM 790 SMC is Mattighofen’s response to that change.
With already the Duke in its lineup, KTM now has a two-pronged approach to the sport bike equation, and if the KTM 790 Duke is any indication of what we can expect from the KTM 790 SMC, then the augurs bode well.
With roughly 100hp on tap, and a wet weight around 400 lbs, the KTM 790 SMC should do well in the hands of riders, especially considering the 790 platform’s robust electronics package.
What remains to be seen though is whether KTM will bring out a cheap base model, and a higher spec “R” model…and what those prices will look like. We would expect around an $11,000 KTM 790 SMC, with the KTM 790 SMC R being closer to the $15,000 mark.
We also expect a KTM 790 Duke R to debut at EIMCA later this year, which is also when we would expect to see the KTM 790 SMC debut, both bikes for the 2020 model year.
For the 2021 model year though, an 890cc version of the Duke is expected, thanks to news from our Bothan spies. This creates an interesting question for this supposed KTM 790 SMC model…because it might actually be the KTM 890 SMC. You heard that here first!
If our understanding of Euro5 regulations is correct, that should be the case. But, let’s see what debuts in Milan in five months’ time.
Source: Bike Social
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