KTM’s first Duke hit the streets in 1994. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t comfortable, and it vibrated like a jackhammer. But it was a ton of fun to ride — especially if your idea of “fun to ride” was beating on the poor thing like a two-wheeled sadist. Modelled after the then-popular Supermotard race bikes, it was the original hooligan bike. Supermotard (known now as Supermoto) incorporated elements of road racing, motocross, and dirt-track racing, all on one circuit. The race bikes were essentially motocross bikes, transformed with 17-inch wheels for better handling on asphalt, a bigger front brake, and some minor suspension mods.
Back in the day, KTM made lots of dirt bikes — some of them street-legal — but it had no dedicated street bikes. Then, someone at the Austrian factory tried putting some 17-inch wheels on the 620 E/XC enduro. However, it wasn’t enough to just swap out the wheels; it still looked like a converted dirt bike. That’s when KTM designer Gerald Kiska drew up some bodywork that included a funky, dual-headlight bikini fairing — and the two-wheeled Terminator was born.
Ah, yes, “Terminator” was an early project name for the new KTM street bike, which eventually became the Duke, paying homage to famed motorcycle road racer Geoff “The Duke” Duke. The KTM Duke line has since expanded with more models, and more engine variations in larger and smaller displacements.
KTM held a 30th anniversary shindig for the Duke in Almeria, Spain, where we rode the new 990 Duke. The 990 replaces the 890 Duke, and is built on an entirely new platform. According to KTM, 96% of the 990’s components are new. It does, however, share some parts with its brawnier sibling, the new 1390 Super Duke R EVO (like the wheels, for example).
Its new steel-tube frame is 15% more rigid than before, and it is paired to a removable diecast aluminum subframe. A new swing arm now pivots outside of the frame tubes as opposed to inside, and the distinctive external ribbing of the previous unit is now on the inside, making it appear more conventional. The goal of the 990’s revised chassis was to retain the Duke’s scalpel-like handling, while improving stability — previous models were a bit twitchy at speed, especially if a rider lacked finesse.
The Duke’s LC8 parallel-twin has grown to 947 cc from 889. It has new connecting rods, crankshaft, cam timing, and exhaust, and is now Euro-5 compliant. It claims 123 horsepower and 76 lb-ft of torque, up from the 890’s 121 hp and 73 lb-ft. That big torque allows you to plod around town slowly and smoothly, while firing up the adrenaline when the revs pick up.
It pulls smoothly from as low as 2,000 rpm, and will haul the bike forcefully all the way to its 10,000-prm red-line — but without the brute, scary force of the 1390, which is a handful for even the most experienced riders. Its broad power band made shifting gears along the serpentine roads northwest of Almeria almost redundant.
KTM subsidiary WP provides the suspension, with adjustable compression and rebound damping up front; and adjustable rebound damping and spring pre-load in the rear. The suspension is firm, which works fine on smooth Spanish pavement, but it might be a bit harsh on our weathered Canadian roads.
There’s a full suite of electronics, including adjustable, lean-sensing traction control; wheelie control; lean-sensing ABS with a supermoto mode that turns off intervention at the rear wheel so you can slide into corners like a MotoGP star; and rear-wheel slip control for controlled throttle slides when leaving that same corner.
Rain, Street, and Sport modes are standard; Performance and Track are optional. Standard modes have preset TC, ABS, and throttle mapping parameters; optional modes allow you to adjust throttle response, traction control, wheelie control, ABS, slide control, and engine braking. The optional ride modes, as well as a quick-shifter (clutch-less up- and downshifts), launch control, and cruise control are free to use for the first 1,500 kilometres, after which you have to pay to unlock them. Yes, it’s a pain to have the software on the bike and not be able to use it after the demo period has lapsed, but they are, after all, options.
A five-inch TFT colour screen has a mix of large digits and tiny script at the bottom that’s not so easy to read. With just a bit of practice, KTM’s ride-mode interface proves easy to navigate, and the new switch gear is easy to use with gloves on. There is a USB port included on the left side of the instrument panel. Seat height is a tallish 825 mm (32.5 inches), and the seat has been raised at the front for a more level perch. The passenger seat has been raised by 20 mm (0.75 inch) to allow a better forward view from the rear.
The upright riding position and wide handlebar combine with strong bottom-end power to urge you to turn up the wick. This bike really rewards a quick pace, with excellent feedback and confidence-inspiring stability — the latter an improvement over its predecessor. The 990 Duke handles precisely, though it takes a bit more effort to flick through tight esses than the 890.
The bike’s electronics proved crucial in the morning; as we climbed into the mountains, the temperature dropped to below freezing. Grip was marginal at best, and downright slick at worst — if I wasn’t prompted to switch to Rain mode after seeing frost- and snow-covered roadside vegetation, I probably would have found myself sliding down the road on my backside after I hit a patch of ice. The bike immediately slid sideways over the ice, but the TC intervened and brought the rear tire back in line just before hitting solid pavement again. Had I hit the pavement while still sideways, I might have been catapulted into the air.
The pace picked up once we headed down from the mountains and temperatures rose. Switching to Performance mode required a delicate right hand, though throttle response was not abrupt or choppy. My test bike was equipped with the optional quick-shifter, and it works well up and down the gearbox with only a slight increase in shifter effort without the clutch. About the only thing that’s perhaps not as precise as before is the front brake, which offers ample stopping power but has slightly soft and imprecise lever feel.
Okay, it’s time to address the elephant in the room: That headlight nacelle. Once in a while, a design comes across as so polarizing, you either love it or you hate it. The Duke 990’s new face, which it shares with the 1390, is just such a design. People see different things in its shape: some see a Transformers-like visage; others, like me, see a Predator-like claw-face. Do I like it? Well, let’s say that while I enjoyed the Predator movies, I found the fictional alien’s face somewhat disconcerting. The good news is that the new LED headlight provides a broader beam than before.
While I’m not appalled by the Duke’s new look, I’m not sure it’s a look that will ever grow on me — but I can’t see it from the rider’s perch anyway. And that’s where the new 990 Duke really shines. It can putt around town comfortably, and can attack back roads with fervour through a well-balanced chassis and engine combination that won’t, like the bigger, angrier 1390, overwhelm its rider.
The 2024 KTM 990 Duke retails for $14,499, and colours include traditional KTM orange with orange wheels; and a more subdued matte black with orange highlights and black wheels. It comes with a two-year warranty.
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