KTM likely to be working on an updated 690cc single-cylinder engine

- Updated 690 LC4 engine under development

- Was showcased at a trade show

- Will take on Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono

KTM has had a tough few months due to its financial mess. However, the brand has been continuously developing new motorcycles.

According to a report, the Austrian brand has prepared an updated version of the 690 single-cylinder LC4 engine that powered the famous 690 Duke. The development process is said to have begun the moment Ducati’s Hypermotard 698 Mono was unveiled. This Italian motorcycle took the world’s most powerful single-cylinder production engine title, which may have made KTM’s engineers quite unhappy.

The report suggests that the updated LC4 engine was showcased at the Moto-Austria trade show earlier this month. It is being said that this updated engine makes 79bhp, which is 1.5bhp more than Ducati’s Hypermotard 698 Mono. While the power difference may be marginal, it is clear that KTM wants to show that they would like to hold the famous title. This engine is rumoured to be Euro5+ compliant and will power both KTM and Husqvarna motorcycles.

It will be interesting to see how the new 690 Duke manages to fair against the Ducati. It’s highly likely that Ducati has already started working on improving the Mono and continue to hold the world’s most powerful single-engine title.