An upcoming 800cc adventure bike from KTM has been spotted testing ahead of a possible launch later next year as part of KTM's 2018 model line-up. Spy shots of a prototype undergoing testing reveal that the upcoming model will be an 800cc Enduro bike with respectable off-road ability, more enduro than KTM's existing adventure models.
(KTM 800 Enduro prototype)
At the front, the bike gets a 43mm fork from WP, while the rear shock is mounted off-centre. There's plenty of ground clearance and the tyres are knobbies for off-road use. Braking is managed by two-piston radial calipers from Brembo.
In terms of looks, the bike will probably evolve with subtle changes in the finished product. From the spy shots, what is evident is that there will be a windscreen mounted on top of the headlight, though the prototype seen in the spy shots doesn't have a screen installed. The lights may also get replaced with more sharply styled LED lights.
(Upcoming KTM 800 Enduro prototype spotted testing)
What is important, for adventure bike aficionados, is the weight. The KTM 800 Enduro certainly looks light, compared to heavy adventure bikes we have become used to. And going by KTM's record of weight saving on its motorcycles, the new Enduro could well be a winner for KTM.
Once launched, the upcoming KTM will compete against the likes of the Triumph Tiger 800 and BMW's F 800 GS. In India, KTM only sells the 200 Duke and 390 Duke and their full-faired siblings, the RC 200 and RC 390. Will this new 800cc model make its way to India? Difficult to say at this point, but we sure hope to see some large displacement KTM enduro/adventure bikes soon in India.
(Source: Morebikes.co.uk)
