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The latest 400s in town and they couldn't be more different!

- Kartik Ware

Now, 70 kph is not an eye-watering velocity for a 400cc single. However, it turns out that there are different ways of staying at that speed. It can be done in second gear, enveloped in a storm of sensations. Or it can be in fourth gear, with more dignity than the previous approach. That's basically the difference between the KTM 390 Duke and the Triumph Speed 400. They're 400cc singles built for Austrian and British brands by Bajaj, both are designed with platform sharing in mind, but they are as different as the proverbial writing stick and the dairy product.

Heck, they even feature components such as the chain sprocket assembly and brakes on opposite sides, eager to underscore their divergence, lest people claim they're built from the same parts. They're not, of course. The Duke has Mattighofen's trademark trellis frame wrapped around the new LC4c engine, along with a beautiful rear subframe that's just begging to be painted in a brighter colour. The Speed has Hinckley's modern-retro lines formed around that equally new TR Series engine that shows off historic shapes topped off by lovely machined cooling fins. However, even though the Duke's finish has improved by miles, the Speed still feels more premium next to the KTM.

However, the compact Duke chooses purpose in both form and function, while the Speed is far more easygoing and approachable. I believe both of these motorcycles are consummate urban machines that are up for sporadic forays onto highways, which is down to their one-hour seats more than anything else. And both could establish permanent residences in the twisties, too. However, if two riders went down a canyon road on these two bikes and met at the bottom to compare notes, each would doubt if the other had ridden on the same road. Again, that's how contrasting these motorcycles turned out to be.