Spy shots of both the KTM 490 Adventure and 490 Duke have surfaced online, and they confirm what riders have been waiting for: a brand-new parallel-twin engine platform sitting between the single-cylinder 390 range and the heavyweight 790/890 family.
Photo: visordown.com
KTM shelved the 490 project back in 2023 due to high development costs. Now it is back, and based on multiple test mule sightings, it looks closer to production than ever. Both bikes are being developed at Bajaj’s Chakan plant in Pune, India, which is the same facility behind the 390 Duke and 390 Adventure that are already available here in the Philippines.
The Engine
Photo: autoyatra.in
No official figures yet, but leaks and industry sources point to a new parallel-twin motor expected to land somewhere in the 400cc to 600cc bracket. Power estimates vary across sources, with some putting it at 55 to 60 PS and others at up to 70 PS. EU-spec versions will likely be capped at 35 kW (about 48 PS) to comply with A2 license rules. Unlike the 390’s underslung exhaust, this new engine uses a side-mounted setup with a central collector box, which is a clear visual indicator in the spy shots.
The main benefit here is refinement. Anyone who has done a long highway stretch on the 390 knows it gets buzzy past 100 km/h. A parallel-twin fixes that.
The 490 Adventure
The undisguised test mule shows a tall adventure stance with the following hardware confirmed or expected:
21-inch front wheel, tubeless spoked
17-inch rear wheel, tubeless spoked
Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR dual-purpose tyres (expected top spec)
WP upside-down front forks, long travel
WP rear monoshock
Single front and rear disc brakes with WP caliper up front
Full-color TFT display with smartphone connectivity (expected)
Multiple riding modes: Street, Rain, Sport (expected)
Cornering ABS with switchable Off-Road mode (expected)
Traction control (expected)
Bidirectional quickshifter (expected)
Distinctive banana-shaped rear swingarm, similar to the 990 Duke
A lower-spec variant with a 19-inch front wheel (similar to the 390 Adventure X) is also reportedly in the works, which could bring the price down significantly.
The 490 Duke
The naked sibling was spotted without camouflage, running temporary body panels and a test headlight borrowed from the current 390 Duke. The frame borrows visual cues from the 790 Duke series but uses a unique swingarm mount to fit the compact twin-cylinder setup. Riding position looks noticeably more relaxed compared to both the 390 and 790 Duke. A 5-inch color TFT display is expected, in line with the current 390 Duke.
What to Expect and When
Global debut is tipped for EICMA 2026 in Milan, with market availability expected sometime in the first half of 2027. Local production under Bajaj gives KTM a pricing edge. The 490 range is expected to compete directly against the Honda NX500, Kawasaki Ninja 500, Aprilia RS 457, and the BMW F 450 GS. An Aprilia Tuareg 457 is also reportedly coming soon, which makes this mid-capacity segment increasingly crowded and interesting.
No Philippine pricing has been announced. For context, the KTM 390 Adventure currently retails at PHP 338,000 here. If Bajaj’s local manufacturing advantage holds, the 490 Adventure could land at a reasonably competitive price point, though nothing is confirmed yet.
The 490 platform is also expected to spawn an RC 490 sportbike, which has been separately spotted testing in Europe.
So, are you waiting for the 490 Adventure or 490 Duke to land in the Philippines? Drop your thoughts below, and tell us: would you upgrade from a 390, or is this the twin-cylinder KTM you have been saving for?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply