KTM's Affordable Twin Cylinder Bikes Spied Testing: To Be Made-In-India?

A new set of spy shots shared by the publication Motorrad Magazine shows a new pair of KTM motorcycles being tested. The publication called it the ‘ new 790 Adventure’. We find this claim hard to believe. The Austrian manufacturer seems to be testing its new range of mid-capacity twin-cylinder bikes. The production versions of these are likely to be made in India.

Why Do We Think This Isn’t A 790, But Something Smaller?

There are several reasons to believe that the motorcycles shown in these pictures aren’t the 790s, but something much smaller. First, the mule seen here isn’t as big as what you see on the 790s.

Look closely and you will notice that the front wheel has just a single-disc setup. This points at the new bike being able to produce 50-60hp. Beyond these power ratings, single front discs won’t suffice to provide the necessary stopping power. The 790 range, for example, comes with dual discs, which are essential to bring something so powerful to a safe stop.

Now, look at the engine. The design doesn’t resemble the one seen on the 790 range. It is, however, a twin-cylinder unit. This brings us to the conclusion that KTM is working on a mid-capacity twin cylinder engine which could power a range of upcoming models. These, if executed well, can drive good volumes.

So, what is it? Well, we think it is a new 500cc engine that's being tested on the mules here. All the findings mentioned earlier support this assumption. Furthermore, we think that KTM is finally reviving the 490cc engine which it had once shelved.

KTM’s Previous 490 Plans

Early in 2023, KTM disappointed fans by officially declaring that the 490cc platform it had been working on for some time, wouldn’t be put to production. CEO Stefan Pierer told that the 490 project made little financial sense and the company would focus on developing a 690 instead.

The proposed 490 series motorcycles were known to feature a newly developed parallel-twin engine and a new platform. The 490 engine was expected to be much more powerful than the outgoing 390. Rumours even said that the power output of this could fall in the range of 50-60 hp. When launched, the 490 platform was expected to have Naked, Adventure, Supermoto, Dual Purpose, and Sport versions.

The costs involved in developing the new low-capacity parallel-twin, engineering the platform, testing and getting it validated, were the reasons that eventually led to KTM shelving the project. The decision to invest instead in the 600-700cc segment further made sense, considering the market trends that prevailed back then. In markets like Europe, this segment had a lot of footfall.

Fast forward to 2025, and we have an entirely different setting. KTM is working hard to revive itself as a brand. Volumes now matter more than they ever did, and there’s clearly a bigger focus on the Indian market than before. Like in many other countries, the mid-capacity segment is in huge demand in India as well.

The 400-800 cc segment, is in fact, one of the fastest growing in the world. Even in the Indian market, the 500cc space has strong fights between mighty players and models. There are thus enough reasons for KTM to revisit the shelved 490 project. It could actually be the case here!

What If This Is The New KTM 490 Series?

Let’s now shift the focus to the Indian market. At present, the sub-500cc space here has just single-cylinder offerings. Bringing a twin itself can make things interesting. With the new engine, KTM will be able to outscore the current segment standards on multiple fronts.

KTM’s current sub-500 range in India has the Duke 390 as the crowd favourite. It produces 46 hp from its single-cylinder engine. As we all know, KTMs deliver raw power. Many of their models fumble when it comes to refinement and NVH levels.

When a single cylinder engine is designed to have bigger displacement with the intention of delivering maximum performance, it is natural to lose NVH and refinement. The unit delivers more vibrations as the piston speed increases.

A similar capacity twin will thus feel much more refined and smooth. If the 490 series is revived, the power and performance will also increase. 50-60 hp can be expected. These will then serve as the right upgrade option for current 390 owners.

Finally, KTM will likely manufacture the new bikes in India. It could bank on our country’s low cost, high quality manufacturing framework to scale the 490s to success. If packaged well, the KTM 490 series will find a lot of buyers in the crowded sub-500 cc segment in India.