The launch of the Duke and RC twins has made KTM a very formidable opponent in the 200-400 cc category, not just in India but in the international markets as well. One area in which KTM has scored really ahead of its opponents is that it maintains ‘constant vigilance’! The word is that the Austrian manufacturer has added ‘slipper clutch’ to the Duke 390, something which Ninja owners have always boasted of.
The word, as per an article on Autocar India, is that the 2015 Duke 390 models are being fitted with the slipper clutch and these bikes have already started reaching dealerships and they say KTM is not charging anything extra for this upgrade. The surprise is that the company has not made any official announcement on the same.
After reading this news, we tried to connect with a few local dealers in the national capital, only to be informed that none of them have Duke 390s with slipper clutch.
One nice lady at the reception of one dealership, however, confirmed that the 2015 version of the Duke 390 which they are about to receive will come with a few changes and the slipper clutch. The official KTM website has also not been updated with any specific information on the same so, if you are looking forward to buy a Duke 390, it is advised to wait for a month or two to get the slipper-clutch equipped naked Duke.
And since the Duke 390 shares most of its mechanicals with the faired RC390, it will just be a matter of time before it (the RC) gets one as well…
And if you are unaware what and how does a slipper clutch help, read the following two articles…
