To be brutally honest the KTM 790 DUKE wasn’t quite my preference. I appreciated it for the litheness and the economy but I wanted more ‘oomph’. The KTM 1290 SUPERDUKE R ranks as one of the best and most enjoyable bikes I’ve ever gassed, including an unforgettable afternoon around the MotoGP Algarve International Circuit in Portugal, but the acres of output from the motor and the extra weight and bulk was a little excessive for the city commutes and the central motive I needed and wanted the KTM.
The KTM 890 DUKE was more like it, and then suddenly I was puzzled by news that the KTM 990 DUKE was on the way: what would KTM have to gain? Do we really need just another minor modification of the LC8c twin? With a little bit more digging I discovered that the Austrian-made model was over 96% new. What will come through the bars, I wondered.
Riding away from KTM Spain and the ergonomics somehow make me feel that I’m in a smaller and nimbler machine than the KTM 890 DUKE. I was told about the new tubular frame and I later read that KTM have made a 15% increase in stiffness but have saved weight through the diecast aluminum subframe construction and then in other areas like the front braking system. The swingarm is curious in that it is supposed to offer even more flex, so assisting with rear end stability: this explains the noticeable sensation of stability under acceleration from lights, into motorway sliproad exits and when weaving out of traffic to overtake on my blast back into Barcelona. Perhaps the shorter wheelbase contributes to this as well.