The “KTM 490” project is one of the biggest “will-they-won’t-they” discussions happening among riders recently. After being officially shelved back in 2023 due to high development costs, the dream of a sub-500cc parallel-twin is back on, but with a few twists.
Here is the latest intel on the 490 (and potentially 500) project as of early 2026:
The Project is Officially Revived
Spy shots from late 2025 and early 2026 have confirmed that KTM is once again testing a parallel-twin supersport (RC 490) in Europe. Unlike the previous attempt, which was scrapped because it was too expensive to build in-house, this new version is being developed as a global collaboration. (CF Moto involvement?)
The “CFMoto Connection”
To keep costs down, KTM is reportedly leveraging its partnership with CFMoto.
- The Engine: The prototype spotted testing appears to use a variant of the 450cc parallel-twin (with a 270-degree crank) found in the CFMoto 450SR and 450MT.
- Performance: Expect this motor to churn out between 47-50 HP, acceleration would be close to the 390 single, but will have a higher top speed, better cooling and higher comfortable cruising speeds.
- Refinement: The biggest win here is smoothness. The “thumper” vibrations of the 390 are replaced by a more refined, twin-cylinder growl that’s better for long-distance touring.
Made in India for the World
While the prototypes may be designed in Europe, the final production will happen at Bajaj’s Chakan plant near Pune.
- Price Parity: Local manufacturing means KTM can price these bikes aggressively against rivals like the Aprilia RS 457, Kawasaki Ninja 500, and Yamaha R3.
- Launch Timeline: Rumors suggest a global premiere at EICMA 2026 (late this year), with a market launch in India by mid-2027.
The Upcoming Lineup
KTM isn’t just building one bike; they’re building a family. Expect the parallel-twin platform to spawn:
- RC 490: The supersport (currently the furthest along in testing).
- 490 Duke: The naked streetfighter, likely featuring even more aggressive “predator” styling.
- 490 Adventure: This is the one fans are most excited for—a lightweight ADV that can actually cruise at 120 km/h without feeling stressed.
Why Now?
The market has changed. With BMW/TVS working on a 450cc twin (F 450 GS) and Aprilia already seeing huge success with the RS 457, KTM realized they couldn’t just rely on the 390 single-cylinder forever. The 490 project is their answer to the “middleweight gap” between their beginner bikes and the heavy-hitting 790/890/990 range. Also, with KTM India having to power down the 390s to 350s to take advantage of government GST rules, it opens a perfect space to insert the 490 twins.
Are you planning to wait for the twin-cylinder 490, or does the newly updated 390 Adventure R (which just launched in Jan 2026) still look like the better bet for you?
That’s a massive update for early 2026! I’ve been closely tracking the KTM 490 project, especially since the 390 Adventure R dropped this January. The CFMoto collaboration makes total financial sense, but it does make me wonder about how thoroughly these global partnerships handle strict compliance and independent quality audits before a major rollout. Given how competitive the sub-500cc parallel-twin market is getting with Aprilia and BMW, do you think KTM will face heavier scrutiny regarding their production transparency or will they rely purely on Bajaj’s established manufacturing reputation to clear international standards?