The wait for information on the eagerly anticipated KTM RC390 has been cut short by about 10 days due to a leak on the company’s website. The bike, which was set for a 5th November EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show launch, was exposed when the company’s Canadian website accidentally published the bike’s specs and photos. We are now privy to a range of details regarding the A2 legal bike. The RC390 makes the cut with a power/weight ratio compulsory for A2 licensed bikes, while the D390 required a restrictor to remain under A2 norms. The RC390 weighs 147kg, has a peak power of 43PS (32KW) and just ekes out the 0.2KW/kg A2 limit. We can also infer from this that the Duke 390 has a better power/weight ratio than the new, fully faired RC390.

The A2 is a license for medium-sized bikes in Europe which allows the 19-23 year age group ride a bike legally. Falling under the A2 category means that the new bike has a larger reach. The RC390 will become the sportiest bike available to A2 licensed riders when it hits showrooms.

The leaked images reveal that the RC390 bears similarities to the D390’s steel trellis frame but with a few modifications. The steering head angle has been upped to 66.5 degrees, resulting in greater ground clearance and shorter trail. The consequence of this is heightened steering response and more handlebar sensitivity for the rider. It will be interesting to see if the bike’s high speed stability and side-to-side transitions have become better.

The RC390 now sports new clip-on handlebars, which allow for a more competitive riding experience. This in conjunction with the newly introduced forged aluminium triple clamps, which are required to accommodate the steering angle, assure us of a more robust yet compact sports bike in the RC390.

The Duke 390's single-cylinder, liquid cooled 375 cc 4-stroke engine has been handed down to the new bike. The engine is an amazing piece of technology and comes with overhead camshafts, 4 valves and the electronic fuel injection system enables 43PS of max power. The engine has a 12V/6Ah battery powering an electronic starter. The gearing is expected to remain the same as on the D390.

Notable changes on the RC390 include a new 9.5 liter steel fuel tank with a 1.5 litre reserve level, which was custom developed for the RC, new twin headlights integrated and integrated blinkers. The bodywork is redone, including footrests and pedals which are more tucked in so as to allow a higher leaning angle.

KTM’s latest release is going to be sold in India and exported as well. The bike is to be manufactured at Bajaj’s factory in Chakan, near Pune. The Duke 390 was the first bike from the KTM cohort to land up at all 76 markets that the company has a presence in. The same is expected of the RC390.

Bajaj and KTM have joined forces to produce lower-cost low to mid-range bikes. Displacement wise, the 125cc, 200cc and 375cc are the three platforms being worked on.

source: https://goo.gl/Cc8C4K - indiancarsbikes.in