Once upon a time, there was a Duke who ruled the streets — not with nobility, but with noise, skids, and wheelies. It was feared by the feeble-minded, adored by enthusiasts, and respected by all. For over a decade, there was no real threat to the 390 Duke’s dominion. Many tried, but none succeeded — until whispers began to rise of a new challenger to the throne. A warrior born in the sleepy town of Baramati, forged for battle, and carrying a name that rumbled like thunder: Tuono.
This warrior’s name wasn’t unfamiliar. The Tuono bloodline hailed from the distant land of Noale — steeped in speed, Á air, and stormy intent. Naturally, expectations were sky-high. When the kingdom first caught a glimpse of this rising storm, it became clear: the Tuono had the Duke’s throne in its crosshairs. But the Chakan-born ruler wasn’t about to surrender. The day had finally arrived — their first face-off.
There was silence. Face-offs weren’t new for the 390 Duke, but this time, something was different. This was the first real threat to its reign — and you could see it on the Orange Monarch’s face. The Baramati Renegade, meanwhile, looked utterly unfazed. That extra cylinder, the edge in performance — it wasn’t just hardware. It was confidence. And it showed.
The Duke has always dressed like it was war time — the angry-looking face, the sharp lines and the aggressive stance asserted dominance. The Tuono’s face, though, didn’t show all that aggression. In fact, it was quite the opposite — it looked like it wanted to win over the kingdom’s trust first by not looking intimidating but at the same time also subtly letting them know that it isn’t the one to be messed with. A closer look at The Noale Outlaw gave an impression that it was built to last — the quality of its shiny white and red armour, the chiseled aluminium components — everything looked and felt superior to the Duke’s. But in all these years, The Lightweight Overlord had come a long way, too. And though everything was tougher, better-finished and sophisticated than before, the Tuono had an edge here.
And after the long staredown, the fight began — the fight to rule the streets and the heart of the realm. The KTM’s 399cc single-cylinder has been winning hearts, yes, but it has also struck fear — the front wheel lifted like a warcry and thus began a relentless, almost mortally indifferent chase to be ahead. The Hooligan Heir used its quickshifter to its advantage, making the most of its 45.3 bhp and almost 4 kgm. This wasn’t new for the Duke, it was used to being this primal when needed, but what it didn’t fathom was being in the rear-view mirror of the Crownbreaker. The Aprilia didn’t have the quickshifter, but the 457cc parallel-twin’s 47.6 bhp and 4.43 kgm was making a mockery of the Single-cylinder Sovereign and the 270-degree crank ensured that it grabbed everyone’s attention while the KTM was fighting to catch up.
But the road to the top is never straight, is it? It twists, it coils, it tempts. And so far, it had been the Duke’s turf. The taut 1357 mm wheelbase and the 168-kg kerb weight made it effortless… sometimes too much, even. With its explosive low-to-mid-range grunt, shooting through every corner was almost instinctive, and it put on a show at every turn. It was like a dagger — sharp, quick and made for close combat. There was this twitchy aggression in the way it lunged into corners, but it carved through with surgical aggression. The Tuono, though, had a completely different strategy altogether. It felt like a broadsword — heavier in the hand but far more composed in a measured strike. It flowed through every turn with a calculated grace — it wasn’t as frantic or sharp as the Duke but just as lethal.
And just like seasoned warriors, they knew that the blade is only as good as the grip behind it. This particular Duke had Reise TraceRad rubber that provide constant feedback for deeper leans and sharper exits. And the TVS ProTorq Extremes? Once settled into a rhythm, they inspired confidence with every move. This was way closer than what the Duke had faced so far.
But not all battles are fought on smooth ground, are they? The streets of the realm were scarred — broken patches, bumps, potholes — but that’s what forged true champions. This was once the Duke’s Achilles heel, but now it was armed with the fully-adjustable suspension setup to take up some beating. Noale’s two-wheeled insurgent could have benefitted from its upbringing in Baramati, but clearly it didn’t. The preload-adjustable forks and monoshock clearly were out of their depths here. Heck, with 53-mm suspension travel at the rear, there was no way it could take on our roads. The Duke, with its 150-mm travel was forgiving and fearless over such parts. While it kept charging, the Tuono had to back off a little — this brutal land didn’t just demand finesse, but also grit, something that the Chakan-born ruler had learnt this well in the last decade.
In a kingdom as unforgiving as this, control is as important as speed. After all, bravery without the power of reigning in is just recklessness. And the Duke’s ability to shed speed had been always appreciated. There was no drama, whatsoever… well, unless it wanted some. The Tuono lacked that ferocity, but it made up with consistency and progession. It was like a seasoned warrior who’d seen too many battles to panic. It may not have bared its teeth, but it never blinked either.
The dust settled… the echoes of revs faded…both warriors stood tall. Bruised and breathless, but not broken. Even after over a decade, the Duke still had fire in its belly — it evolved through battles and grew sharper with experience. It was quicker, smarter and more versatile than ever.
And Noale’s rogue? It wasn’t just another challenger but a serious threat and possibly the first from a new breed of fighters — one that was composed, confident and undeniably potent. It didn’t try to be a better Duke by using the same strategies but instead brought its own game plan to win over the kingdom. But did it? Not really.
But for the first time, the Duke will have to share its crown. And that is perhaps a sign of a bigger storm that’s yet to come — KTM has never shared the throne with anyone yet, and the Tuono? Knowing that it came this close to dethroning the Duke, it will now only grow hungrier and relentless. This battle is far from over — it has only begun.
