In recent times, news about KTM and its immediate future has been happening almost daily. The last of this information would be related to the new twin-cylinder platform for the A2 which the company seems to be working on, according to Indian media close to the new management leadership.
A technical approach that would replace the current “three-ninety” models that cover the brand’s commercial space in the sub-500 cc category.
New twin-cylinder platform for the KTM A2: What we know
In the final stages of last year, the news leaked that KTM was already working on a new two-cylinder sports car, the new RC450, based on the technique used for the design and development of the CFMoto 450SR. It is now confirmed that this update would be intended to replace the current 690 models and the project would be totally independent of the aforementioned new twin-cylinder platform for the KTM A2 that would have begun to be developed in India, designed to retire the entire 390 range.
Until now, this displacement step below 500 cc has been covered by the latter. Firstly, with 373 cc of displacement and later increasing this figure to the current 399 cc. In both cases we are talking about a single-cylinder engine that currently produces a final power of 45 HP, leaving room for improvement up to the self-imposed limit of 48 HP within the A2 category.
One of the main reasons for the creation of this new twin-cylinder platform for the A2 could be related to the new GST 2.0 tax reform in India. It mainly highlights the arrival of two new tax brackets to the motorcycle sector:
- Motorcycles less than 350 cc on which the GST tax rate will increase from 28% to 18%.
- Motorcycles over 350 cc, where the tax rate will become 40%.
Here this decision by KTM and the elimination of the current 390 models makes complete sense. An idea that had been sounding strong in recent years and that now, taking advantage of the country’s bureaucratic impositions, could be the ideal time to execute it. Furthermore, with this new approach, the brand’s future models, assembled on this twin-cylinder platform for the A2, would achieve a substantial improvement at all levels.
Starting with the maximum power, it can easily reach the well-known limitation of the category, as well as smoother operation, maximum torque gain throughout the entire range of revolutions and greater ease in being able to adapt to the anti-pollution regulations that currently prevail in the different markets where it could be marketed.
Regarding the production of the new twin-cylinder platform for the A2, as reported by Bikewale, “It will likely be produced at Bajaj’s state-of-the-art plant in Chakan, near Pune. This underlines Bajaj’s role as a global development and manufacturing center for KTM, far beyond being a majority shareholder.” It is likely that for its launch it will debut within the Duke range, to later do the same in the brand’s Adventure and RC models.
In any case, this project would be in the early stages of development, so its arrival in the form of new models is not expected until at least the final stages of next season. Specifically, EICMA 2027 could be the place chosen by the brand to present a new generation Duke in charge of debuting this new twin-cylinder platform for the KTM A2, with the first months of 2028 being the ideal time for its commercial launch.
