Official: KTM RC200 and RC390 to launch on September 9

And it is official! KTM will launch its RC200 and RC390 motorcycles on September 9, Tuesday, at an event in Pune. The launch event will be addressed by KTM Sportmotorcycles AG CEO, Stefan Pierer and Bajaj Auto MD, Rajiv Bajaj.

The RC200 and RC390 are the faired versions KTM’s highly successful naked street motorcycles, the 200 and 390 Duke respectively. The RC Series shares its engines, chassis, suspension setup and instrument cluster from the Duke.

KTM RC390 will be powered by a 375cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that will churn out around 44hp of power and 35 Nm of torque. The engine will come mated to a 6 speed gearbox. The RC200 on the other hand will be powered by a 199.5cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled unit that puts out 25hp of power and 19.2Nm of torque.

The RC series will get an aggressive riding stance with clip-on handle bars and rear-set foot pegs which would be a treat on twisty mountainous roads while the full fairing would prove to provide better aerodynamics and protect from windblast on high speeds. The tail section will receive a redesigned tail light.

The RC390 is expected to be priced at Rs 2.5 lakh while the RC200 may come around the Rs 1.7 lakh zone. Well, it’s just a matter of weeks before we get to know the official prices. The prime rivals of the RC series would be Honda’s CBR300R and Yamaha’s R25. While there is no word on Yamaha R25’s launch, the CBR300R is expected to hit the Indian shores by the end of this year.

So, would you select the RC series or continue or opt for the naked hooligan versions, the Duke? Pen down your opinions through comments below.

We will be covering the event and bringing you the live updates from the RC Series launch so don’t forget to tune into Motoroids on September 9 at 11:30 AM.