The outgoing KTM RC 390 has curiously disappeared from the Austrian manufacturer’s India website, and the new 2022 model has been added. An official launch of the 2022 RC 390 was expected back in January but has been delayed, and this recent online activity suggests that the updated RC 390 could finally be hitting our showrooms very soon.
Revisions to chassis, engine, electronics
New design, more features
Expected to get adjustable front suspension
We’d recently told you that the updated RC is likely to launch in India with adjustable front suspension, in addition to the rear monoshock being preload-adjustable like before. Other new features coming to the RC 390 include an LED headlight and a Bluetooth-equipped TFT instrument cluster, both of which the 390 Duke has had since 2017.
Like the 390 Adventure, the RC will also receive an impressive (for this segment) suite of electronic rider aids, including traction control, cornering ABS and a quickshifter. As for the engine itself, it continues to be the same 373cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder unit, but gets a new airbox, a different exhaust system and updated mapping to go with those changes, meaning that peak torque is up slightly to 37Nm. Power output remains unchanged at 43.5hp.
As for the design, you only need to look as far as the updated RC 125 and RC 200 that are already on sale in India. The 390 will look largely the same, with the major differences being colour schemes and a side-slung exhaust end-can. Having ridden the new RC 200 and even compared it against the snazzy new Yamaha R15 V4, we can tell you that the new RC design language looks a good deal better in the flesh than it does in photographs.
If the launch of the smaller RCs is anything to go by, then the RC 390 might not carry too much of a premium over the outgoing model, despite all the extra features and technology that it packs. So expect a launch around the Rs 2.80 lakh to 2.85 lakh mark (ex-showroom), before KTM gradually increases the price through periodic hikes.
Are you a fan of updated RC 390 or do you still prefer the old model? Tell us in the comments below.