KTM RC 790 Under Development; Would it Come to India?

• Will be based on the 790 Duke’s platform
• Could make its way to India in future

KTM is set to expand its supersport lineup with the introduction of the all-new RC 790. The development of the motorcycle has been officially confirmed by KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister, who revealed the company’s plans to introduce the RC 790 and RC 490 for global markets.

Speaking about KTM’s future product strategy, Neumeister said, ‘We definitely want to extend our RC line-up; the 990 was first, and we’ll have a 790 and a 490 like other brands with mid-and-lower-class presence and in a segment that is growing.’ He added that the success of the recently launched 990 RC R has reinforced KTM’s commitment to the fully-faired segment.

The upcoming KTM RC 790 is expected to be based on the company’s 799cc LC8c parallel-twin platform, which currently underpins the 2026 KTM 790 Duke. While KTM is yet to reveal technical specifications, the RC 790 motorcycle is likely to feature sportier ergonomics, sharper dynamics, and aerodynamic bodywork inspired by the flagship 990 RC R.

Globally, the RC 790 will rival the Yamaha R7, Triumph Daytona 660, Aprilia RS 660, and the Suzuki GSX-8R. Given KTM’s MotoGP experience translating into its production motorcycles, the RC 790 could also benefit from chassis and aerodynamic developments derived from its racing programme.

Although the motorcycle has been confirmed primarily for global markets, it also stands a good chance of making its way to India. Following its acquisition of a majority stake in the Austrian manufacturer, Bajaj Auto has indicated that it is evaluating shifting more production of KTM’s bikes to India as part of the company’s turnaround strategy to reduce costs. While the company has not officially identified which models or platforms could be localised, the LC8c-powered 790 range could be the ideal candidates.

KTM can leverage Bajaj’s established supplier base and production ecosystem to reduce manufacturing costs for its middleweight models for both domestic as well as export markets. Bajaj already builds KTM’s 125cc to 390cc motorcycles for global markets from its Chakan facility, and the 790 platform could be the logical next step if the company manages to establish the necessary supplier ecosystem in India.

For now, KTM has not revealed a launch timeline for the RC 790. However, with the motorcycle under development, KTM clearly intends to strengthen its presence in the middleweight supersport segment. If the 790 platform is eventually localised in India, it could pave the way for affordable twin-cylinder bikes from KTM’s global lineup in India.

Note – KTM 990 RC R images used for representation