India bound KTM Duke 350 to get a fully faired sportsbike, a dual purpose and a motocross sibling!

KTM Future Model Roadmap

That the KTM Duke 350 is definitely on the cards for an Indian launch in 2013 is something that we already know. What is however an interesting development is that the Duke 350′s motor could also power a fully faired sportsbike called the KTM Moto3 350, an Enduro and a motocross sibling. This crucial bit of buzz was revealed when the folks at HellForLeather managed to lay his hands on the KTM product road map document up to the model year 2014.

Model year 2014 means that the motorcycle should be available with the dealers by the end of 2013. While the 350cc motocross machine is of little importance in the Indian context given the negligible demand for such motorcycles, the real surprise is the 350cc fully faired sportsbike. And this model could be a very distinct possibility for the Indian motorcycle market considering the likes of the Honda CBR250R and the Kawasaki Ninja 250R already enjoying good success in the Indian market.

Of course the chink in this theory could be that of KTM actually aiming for the Moto3 championship at MotoGP. But given the fact that the Moto3 championship is all set to commence next year(2012) with the racing motorcycles displacing only 250cc, that theory can be safely discarded for now. So, the KTM Moto3 350 motorcycle could indeed be a road going motorcycle meant for the mass market.

KTM Duke 200

With Bajaj having a big stake in KTM, a 350cc sportsbike could be the perfect bet for the Indian market as the 250cc motorcycle segment is all set to hot up with a bevy of motorcycle launches like the Mahindra Mojo 300, the Suzuki GW250 and the Hyosung GT250R lined up for launches in 2012. Bajaj too could use the engine for a future Pulsar and finally, the rumors of a 350cc Pulsar might have some substance in them, after all.

Thee 350cc KTM Moto3 also marks a paradigm shift for KTM as a motorcycle maker, which predominantly has been producing dual purpose and off road motorcycles. KTM, incidentally has been participating at the premier motorcycle racing series, the MotoGP, in the 125cc category with moderate success. So, expect plenty of technology honed at the race track to filter down to the road going Moto3 350cc model.

Bajaj-KTM will also be watching closely as to how the Indian market accepts enduro/dual purpose motorcycles with Hero MotoCorp set to launch their 150cc dual purpose motorcycle, while Altius Engineering too is looking at a diesel engined dual purpose motorcycle in the form of the Altius Scimitar Diesel Bike. The future for KTM looks very exciting indeed, both in an international as well as in an Indian perspective.

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