The company’s mid-size sports alternative, the KTM 990 Duke naked, has been unveiled. It replaces the leaving 890 and is built to be both tough on twisting rural roads and thrilling on the racetrack.
The company’s ballistic 177-bhp 1290 Super Duke R will eventually be reached by the new 990, which serves as the last stepping stone to the previously mentioned Chinese-built 790 Duke twin and the updated, smaller 390 Duke single.
The 990 Duke’s 947cc DOHC parallel twin engine, which complies with Euro5+ regulations and boasts a claimed 121.4 horsepower, has new pistons, a crankshaft, and conrods. It also weighs an amazing 190 kg when its 14.5-liter fuel tank is full.
Prior to the official release, MCN was informed by Stefano Branca, Product Manager at KTM, that “the Super Duke is now our benchmark, not the 890.” We’re getting close to the Super Duke on this bike. The 990 was mostly influenced by the 890, which is only the fundamental platform.
“We want to take a step forward and it’s 100% approaching the Super Duke in terms of the riding experience, look, design, and headlight,” he said.
“The agility of the 890 was among our best-in-class attributes; the bike was fantastic for this. Additionally, we received some feedback from customers regarding stability problems. The primary objective of this bike was to advance steadily while retaining the 890’s maneuverability.
The new bike, which is available in a “electric orange” style that pays homage to the original 2005 990 Super Duke V-twin, features a new closed lattice swinging arm in conjunction with a stiff new powder-coated steel frame to house the twin-cylinder motor as a stressed member.
This is mounted on a set of 17-inch rims covered in grippy Bridgestone S22 tires and is supported by adjustable WP Apex 43 forks that can be adjusted for rebound and preload as well as compression.
In addition, these cast aluminum wheels have two radially mounted four-piston brakes and 300mm discs. When skids are necessary, the two piston, 240mm rotor design at the back, which is both outfitted with Bosch cornering ABS and a Supermoto mode, disconnects the anti-lock system.
Being a KTM, the cutting-edge technology continues with three-stage lean-sensitive traction control as standard and extra Track and Performance options. In addition, there is a TFT dash, a USB-C charging outlet for practical purposes, and typical riding modes like “Rain,” “Street,” and “Sport.”
With the optional Track pack added, this 5-inch new anti-scratch bonded glass display displays your lean angle data along with telemetry metrics and a timer. Together with updated menus and graphics, the new front running lights have an inbuilt light sensor that enables them adapt to the surroundings.
The new headlight setup, which does away with the classic KTM Duke appearance and lacks an outer lens, is certain to cause controversy among enthusiasts.
The purpose of updating the headlight is to give the bike a more mature look. As you can see, the position lights for the low and high beams are located in the center of the new headlamp. It’s so crisp,” Branca went on.
“The overall goal of the design is to make the bike mature and perfectly blend in with the side fairing and other side components,” he continued. “I think there is a noticeable difference at night between riding this bike and the older model.”
Bikes are scheduled to arrive in February 2024; complete specifications and pricing will be announced later. Watch this space for the upcoming review of the KTM 990 Duke.
More about KTM
KTM 990 Super Duke Importer/Distributor KTM North AMERICA, INC. 27635 Diaz Road Temecula, CA 92590 Retail Price model not available in the USA Warranty n/a Maintenance Schedule n/a
Type of Engine: 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, 75°
using liquid cooling
Valve Configuration DOH
101/62.4 mm bore and stroke; 999 cc displacement
11.5:1 Compression Ratio
Electronic fuel injection in the carburetor, throttle body featuring two butterflies per cylinder Stainless steel, feedback catalytic converter, two-into-two exhaust emission control
Gearbox transmission with six speeds; hydraulically actuated, multi-disc wet clutch; final drive X-ring chain measuring 5/8 x 5/16″
Aluminum subframe, powder-coated, tubular chrome-moly space frame chassis
Wheelbase:
1.438 mm; Head angle for steeringTrail 66.5°, Front Suspension 103mm WP-UDS Holder 48mm in diameter with fully adjustable settings
Move 135 mm
Double-Shock Rear Suspension WP
Rebound and high- and low-speed compression settings
Move 160 mm
Tires and Wheels
Pirelli Diablo type
Forward 3.5 x 17″
Back 5.5 x 17.5″
The front tire is 120/70 ZR 17.
Tire on the back, 180/55 ZR 17″