The KTM Duke390 at full snap is like being a fly riding a slingshot thrown by the most formidable of the Viking men. It mocks distances, bolting towards the horizon with tremendous alacrity, its high compression motor screaming its gruff tone as all the fluids inside boil- and your calves too.
And just when the Duke assumed itself to be the unquestioned king of performance motorcycling, a set of twin, bright projector lamps appear in its rear view mirrors. Something which looks meaner than the Vikings, something that announces its superiority from a distance. The new KTM RC390 possesses an air that’ll make the Duke 390 cringe, and then exit the room annoyed. If the Duke390 is a thoroughbred hooligan, the RC is a scalpel – a brutish tool honed for a more involved rider, yet retaining that renegade, racket-creating KTM character.
Both these bikes are here to redefine the Indian motorcycling culture. The RC390’s the new darling, the new halo that Indian motorcycling enthusiasts will learn to love soon. So we took them for a ride, and got something else along too. The Kawasaki Ninja 300- a calmer, though equally accomplished contender, with twin cylinders full of refinement and strength. The Ninja’s unruffled character differs from these snappy KTM’s by a fair margin, and will probably appeal to the more relaxed rider.
How will these formidable contenders face off? A storm is brewing at Motoroids- stay tuned!
