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KTM has now officially launched 350cc versions of the 390 Duke and 390 Adventure. The 350cc 390 Duke is priced at Rs 2,77,268 and the 350cc 390 Adventure at Rs 2,80,905, both ex-showroom Delhi. These are not new motorcycles in any meaningful product-development sense.

They are familiar bikes with a smaller 349.32cc engine, introduced to take advantage of the 18 per cent GST applicable to motorcycles at or below 350cc, versus the 40 per cent rate on anything above that threshold.

That tax break is the entire reason these versions exist, but the pricing story is now a little more layered than the headline suggests. On the Duke side, the new 350cc bike sits Rs 61,733 below the 390 Duke R, which is priced at Rs 3,39,001.

On the Adventure side, however, the gap to the 390 Adventure X is currently Rs 45,273, not Rs 62,000, because the X is listed at Rs 3,26,178. The difference becomes much larger only when the comparison shifts to the higher 390 Adventure S and R variants.

The new 349.32cc motor produces 41.5hp at 8,600rpm and 33.5Nm at 7,000rpm. The 398.63cc engine in the Duke R and Adventure X produces 46hp and 39Nm.

So the fall is 4.5hp and 5.5Nm. In percentage terms, that is a 9.8 per cent drop in power and a 14.1 per cent drop in torque. Those are not tiny losses, especially for riders who spend more time at higher revs or on open roads.

But the rest of the package is where KTM has tried to soften the blow. The 390 Duke still carries its 43mm WP APEX adjustable front fork with 150mm travel, the TFT display, ride modes, cornering ABS, Supermoto ABS and Launch Control.

KTM also lists the Duke’s kerb weight at 168.3kg, which means the new bike still offers roughly 247 PS per tonne. The Duke R is at about 273 PS per tonne. That is a clear performance drop, but not the kind of collapse that turns the motorcycle into a different class of machine.

The 390 Adventure follows the same formula. KTM lists the 349.32cc version at 181kg with 200mm front and 205mm rear suspension travel, a 14.5-litre tank, 825mm seat height and 228mm ground clearance. So the bike keeps the same broad adventure-touring proportions and usefulness, even if the engine is trimmed back.

This is where the 350cc strategy starts making more sense. The new 390 Duke sits Rs 63,650 above the 250 Duke, which is now listed at Rs 2,13,618. That is a near-30 per cent premium, but the buyer gets a 33.9 per cent increase in peak power, much stronger torque, and a more serious electronics and suspension package. On paper, that makes the jump from 250 to 350 easier to justify than before.

The 390 Adventure is even more tightly placed. At Rs 2,80,905, it sits just Rs 40,895 above the 250 Adventure, which is priced at Rs 2,40,010. That is only about a 17 per cent premium. For that, the buyer moves from 31PS and 25Nm to 41.5PS and 33.5Nm, while staying in the same broad touring family. That is where the 350 Adventure begins to look like the real volume play in the line-up.

Unlike Triumph, which used the tax change to fully replace its 398cc engine with a 349cc unit, KTM is keeping both ends of the ladder alive. That tells you KTM thinks there are still buyers willing to pay for the extra performance, even after the tax hit. It also tells you the company is not treating the 350cc bikes as a transition step. They are now a permanent middle layer between the 250s and the higher-priced 390 R, S and X variants.

So what does Rs 2.77 lakh get you? In the Duke’s case, it gets you nearly all of the motorcycle that matters, chassis, electronics, suspension and visual identity, while giving away some engine. What it does not get you is the full punch of the 398cc bike. On the Adventure, the case is even more practical. The 349cc version is not the cheapest way into KTM adventure touring, but it may end up being the most balanced one.