What’s the magic quantity? When the primary Duke debuted 30 years in the past, it was 602cc, which was packed right into a single-cylinder engine that made 58 hp. As of late (within the U.S. market), Dukes vary in displacement from 249cc within the Duke 250 to 1,350cc within the 1390 Tremendous Duke R Evo. In between, KTM presents the 390 Duke (399cc), 790 Duke (799cc), and 990 Duke (947cc). For this KTM 990 Duke evaluation, we take one of many latest Dukes on a check trip within the mountains of southern Spain.
Associated: 2024 KTM 390 Duke Evaluation | First Experience
With its displacement approaching a liter, the brand new 990 Duke resides within the so-called “tremendous middleweight” class. It replaces the 890 Duke R, however there’s extra to it than only a 58cc bump in engine measurement. In line with KTM reps on the international launch in Spain, the 990 Duke is 96% new and “extra like a smaller Tremendous Duke.”
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Powering the 990 Duke is KTM’s liquid-cooled LC8c parallel-Twin with DOHC and 4 valves per cylinder – the identical engine platform discovered throughout the 790/890/990 Journey and Duke strains. Solely the 990 Duke has the 947cc model that makes a claimed 123 hp at 9,500 rpm and 76 lb-ft of torque at 6,750 rpm (up from 121 hp and 73 lb-ft on the 890 Duke R). The consumption combination is fed via a 46mm throttle physique and compressed at a ratio of 13.5:1, the Bosch engine administration system makes use of throttle-by-wire, and the 6-speed transmission is mated to a PASC slip/help moist clutch. Spent gasses exit via a brand new stainless-steel exhaust that’s Euro 5+ compliant.
Wrapped across the 990 Duke’s engine is a brand new body, subframe, and swingarm. The chromoly metal body, which makes use of the engine as a burdened member, is stiffer for added stability and wider on the again to go exterior quite than contained in the swingarm. To compensate for the stiffer body, the diecast aluminum subframe permits extra flex, and it now homes the airbox. The swingarm, which is constructed utilizing gravity diecast aluminum and makes use of a closed-lattice quite than the earlier open-lattice design, is 3.3 lb lighter than the 890 Duke R’s. Curb weight with the three.8-gallon tank gasoline is a svelte 395 lb.
Gear Up | KTM 990 Duke Evaluation
Just like the 890 Duke R, the 990 Duke is provided with adjustable WP Apex suspension, nevertheless it has a brand new 43mm inverted open-cartridge fork with 5.5 inches of journey and a single gas-assisted rear shock that’s mounted on to the highest of the swingarm and has 5.9 inches of journey. Handy fork-top adjusters provide five-click adjustability for compression (left leg) and rebound (proper leg). The shock additionally has a five-position adjuster for rebound that requires a flat-blade screwdriver, and preload is adjustable utilizing a spanner (each instruments are in a package underneath the seat; compression can’t be adjusted).
The 990 Duke rolls on 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels shod with Bridgestone Battlax S22 tires (the newest S23s weren’t but obtainable for homologation). The entrance wheel is identical because the 1390 Tremendous Duke R Evo’s, however the rear is barely completely different as a result of the 990 has a two-sided swingarm and the 1390 has a single-sided swingarm. Slowing issues down are the identical 4-piston radial entrance calipers with 300mm discs and 2-piston rear calipers with a 240mm disc as on the 890 Duke R, however a lighter connection between the entrance rotors and the wheel saves roughly 2.2 lb of unsprung weight. Cornering ABS with a rear-off Supermoto mode is commonplace.
By way of know-how, the 990 Duke has a brand new 5-inch colour TFT show with a scratch- and glare-resistant bonded-glass display, redesigned menus, and elective KTMconnect for smartphone pairing to permit entry to navigation, audio, and telephone calls. All lighting is LED and there’s a USB-C charging port. Rider electronics embody three commonplace trip modes (Sport, Road, and Rain) and two elective trip modes (Efficiency and Observe) that regulate throttle response, lean-sensitive traction management, and wheelie management. Observe mode permits a10-level rear-wheel slip adjuster that may be adjusted on the fly, launch management, a lap timer, and telemetry capabilities. Cruise management, Motor Slip Regulation, and an up/down quickshifter are elective.
The 990 Duke has additionally been restyled, with a extra muscular, hunched-forward stance just like the 1390 Tremendous Duke R Evo. Each share a singular headlight design with stacked high and low beams within the heart which can be framed by a pair of DRLs formed like curved talons. In comparison with the 890 Duke R, the 990 Duke’s seat is angled up extra within the entrance to stop the rider sliding ahead, is flatter, has new foam, and sits at 32.4 inches, down from 32.8 on the 890. The pillion seat was moved up by 0.8 inch to provide the passenger a greater view and extra legroom.
My check trip on the 990 Duke was a romp in mountains above Almería, Spain, on a chilly, clear February morning that was a part of the “30 Years of Duke” press launch that included the 390 Duke and 1390 Tremendous Duke R Evo. After we did a comparability check of KTM’s full Duke lineup in 2021, the 890 Duke was a workers favourite, “a standout machine that encourages you to check its dealing with and your nerve, and it persistently rewards the rider with confidence-inspiring really feel and agility or a mild prod the place lesser machines fall brief.” We described it as “a mustang, wild at coronary heart, straining on the bit, and embodies the essence of the Duke sequence: rapid energy and razor-sharp cornering stripped right down to the barest of necessities.”
Is the 990 Duke even higher? Sure and no. It’s an thrilling machine that gives an exciting rush of energy and has a lightweight and balanced really feel, a responsive chassis, and a very good electronics bundle. The Duke’s regular evolution from the 790 to the 890 to the 990 is apparent, however the 990 feels prefer it simply turned 40, instantly thrust into center age. As a seven-tenths scale Tremendous Duke (a minimum of when it comes to engine displacement; the 990’s 123 hp is 65% as a lot because the 1390’s 190 hp), it calls for extra respect and has misplaced a little bit of its free-spiritedness.
That’s not essentially a foul factor. It’s only a shift in focus, and with the 790 Duke again in KTM’s lineup, it is sensible.
Our launch base camp was the Circuito de Almería, positioned in an arid area close to the southern Spanish coast the place many Spaghetti Westerns had been filmed. From the observe, we rode north into the mountains, climbing quickly on a street with so many hairpins it felt like driving the Alps minus the tour buses. On such a decent, technical street, the 990 Duke felt like overkill. The 390 Duke we rode the day past would have made extra sense, or maybe KTM’s 690 SMC R supermoto.
After we did our picture passes on a 1st-gear hairpin the place I struggled to search out my groove, we continued climbing to the highest of the mountain. Down the opposite facet, the curves opened up and the 990 Duke felt extra in its component.
On a brief trip on public roads, a few of which had been moist or calmly glazed with ice, I didn’t check out the Efficiency or Observe modes, or the brand new launch management. The Road and Sport modes supplied loads of pleasure, and the extra I rode the 990 Duke, the extra I fell underneath its spell. Permit me to reiterate two key specs: 123 hp and 395 lb. That energy is delivered in a direct however very manageable technique to the rear wheel, which is hooked up to a light-weight motorbike with a retuned chassis that ensures steering inputs hit the bullseye. Admirable qualities, but additionally ones that encourage a excessive charge of pace.
I’ve examined sufficient KTMs to turn out to be accustomed to its menus and admire the intuitive illustrated motorbike graphics that present how completely different settings have an effect on automobile dynamics. The brand new switchgear on the 990 Duke is straightforward to make use of, however there are too many steps concerned in altering modes and settings on the fly. A easy “mode” button that may enable a rider to rapidly toggle between trip modes would simplify the method.
So 990 could be the magic quantity. Almost 20 years in the past, the KTM 990 Tremendous Duke was the primary big-bore streetbike made by a small Austrian firm identified for its dirtbikes. Since then, KTM has turn out to be Europe’s largest motorbike producer, the Tremendous Duke has gotten super-er, and the 990 Duke honors that legacy.
2024 KTM 990 Duke Specs
- Base Value: $12,500
- Web site: KTM.com
- Guarantee: 2 yrs., 24,000 miles
- Engine Sort: Liquid-cooled, transverse parallel-Twin, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
- Displacement: 947cc
- Bore x Stroke: 92.5 x 70.4mm
- Horsepower: 123 hp @ 9,500 rpm (manufacturing facility declare)
- Torque: 76 lb-ft @ 6,750 rpm (manufacturing facility declare)
- Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/help moist clutch
- Last Drive: Chain
- Wheelbase: 58.1 in.
- Rake/Path: 24.2 levels/3.9 in.
- Seat Top: 32.5 in.
- Moist Weight: 395 lb (manufacturing facility declare)
- Gasoline Capability: 3.9 gal.
- Gasoline Consumption: 50 mpg (manufacturing facility declare)
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