[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoRoS8i8ZAU 540 375]
The KTM RC 390 is one of the hottest topics in the biking world right now and the motorcycle made its global debut in Bologna, Italy just a couple of days back. The Austrian firm has started test rides of the motorcycle and we are finally able to know the top speed of the KTM RC 390. As per a video posted on YouTube, the RC 390 tops out at 179 km/hr and isn’t able to go any further as the rev limit kicks in. The redline in each gear shows that there is no alteration in the gearing either, the RC 390’s engine being a carbon copy of the Duke 390.
The KTM RC 390 uses a 373.2cc, single-cylinder powerplant which generates 43.5 PS and 35 Nm, resulting in a 0-100 km/hr time of around 5.6 seconds, the ton being achieved in third gear. The improved aerodynamics of the bike help it achieve a top whack of 179 km/hr which is just 6 km/hr more than the Duke 390. The RC 390’s closest rival is the Kawasaki Ninja 300 which manages 191 km/hr on the speedometer, however the green machine is much more costly as the RC 390 will cost under Rs. 2.60 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai).
KTM will launch both the RC 200 and RC 390 in India on the 9th of September and has already commenced bookings of these bikes across the country. Deliveries are expected to start by the end of September while initially there will be some waiting period as the demand will be higher. The pricing will be introductory as seen with previous KTM launches in India. While the RC 390 doesn’t have any direct competition, the RC 200 will rub shoulders with the Honda CBR250R till the Japanese automaker brings its CBR300R motorcycle to the country.
