It’s nice to see that Team Orange remains to be persevering with to innovate and recreate its ideas by way of using outlandish designs and quick and forward-thinking bikes. Aimed on the high seat within the middleweight bare bike phase, the 2024 990 Duke packs the warmth into its all-new body and its specs. 

While individuals are celebrating its launch and imminent arrival, and whereas even co-workers are trying ahead to seeing the bike and getting their palms on it, I’m a bit fifty-fifty with the motorbike, primarily as a result of I am a 790 Duke owner, I like my bike, and the 990 Duke’s design doesn’t do it for me, at the very least not but. 

“Taking aim at the mid-weight crown” 

KTM’s press launch was separated into a number of sections. Each of which, raises a couple of questions in my head. The 790 Duke was removed from good, and I’m positive KTM had a bunch of the reason why it modified up and moved round a whole lot of issues. 

“Bodywork” 

Back then, the Duke lineup was very distinct going from one mannequin to the following. In phrases of the little-r Dukes (390 and beneath), you’d get a lightweight and agile package deal with a little bit of grunt blended in for its displacement class. Going over to the Super Dukes, you get a particularly thrilling engine that takes names and no prisoners. In the center of each of that, I thought-about the 790 and the 890 Dukes to take the most effective of each worlds from both finish of the spectrum. The svelte profile coupled with the good chassis made it an epic corner-carving machine like its smaller siblings. Meanwhile, the LC8C motor punched above its weight when it comes to torque supply to imitate its larger brothers whereas delivering a good quantity of energy for a twin-cylinder. 

Now, KTM is shifting away from the smaller bikes in its lineup, a transfer that brings the 990 ever nearer to the 1290s and the brand new 1390 Super Dukes, and that may be seen within the bodywork of the bike. No longer is it as slim as earlier than. The transfer in the direction of a stockier cockpit was type of disappointing for me. I cherished the texture of the 790’s tank, at the very least for me and my inseam. Now, there’ll be extra between the legs which is nice provided that the 790’s lack of bulk left some riders feeling a bit uncovered, one thing that I (with my lanky construct) had no hassle wrapping my legs round. 

One factor I’m skeptical about is the truth that KTM eliminated the rear fender for its promo supplies. The bike appears to be like good from the again within the press pictures, however I do know for a proven fact that the rear of this bike will certainly be rather less great with some authorized bits connected. The entrance, in the meantime, is perplexing me in a similar way to Yamaha’s MT-10 facelift. Granted, KTM’s designs are completely different, however after getting used to and loving the 390’s, 790’s, 890’s, and 1290’s designs, I can’t assist however really feel slightly greatly surprised by the brand new face. It’s a hit and miss relying on who you requested, and I hoped that KTM would’ve delivered one thing of an evolution to its mantis-like front-end, however as an alternative, we bought a transformer. 

“Fuel Tank”

So, the tank bought larger, which is nice for vary, however so did the engine, so its gasoline vary could keep the identical. The factor is, the tank appears to be like a lot taller and a lot wider than the 790/890 Dukes, so how a lot did it develop? Well, the added bulk nets an extra half quart of gasoline, or a couple of tenth of a gallon. At 3.8 gallons, it’s nonetheless a win. KTM engines are identified to be fairly gasoline environment friendly however the added bulk, as talked about in my level earlier, doesn’t appear proportional. Perhaps there’s extra beneath the tank fairings. I can see this as an ergonomic enchancment as I’ve had a little bit of hassle resting my chest on the 790’s tank. It’s not a completely comfy expertise in a full tuck if I’m being completely sincere. 

“Suspension and Chassis” 

Big modifications right here for the 990 Duke. KTM nonetheless continued with its trellis body, one thing that the 790 and 890 bought proper. This time round, we’re nonetheless taking a look at the same format as earlier than, with the body and engine working in tandem with one another. The larger change occurred behind the bike with a brand new subframe design and a transfer from an open-lattice to a closed-lattice swingarm. 

Damping duties are dealt with by a 43-millimeter WP APEX open cartridge fork with 140 millimeters of journey with compression plus rebound adjustability, and a gas-assisted rebound and preload-adjustable WP APEX Monotube shock with a lightened linear spring on the again. The new {hardware} places this about on the extent of the 890 Duke R when it comes to suspension package. Other producers these days, even on the decrease finish of the middleweight phase, supply both some or a full stage of adjustability, so I’m digging what KTM has packed into the 990’s body. 

“Frame” 

Architecturally, you possibly can spot a whole lot of similarities from going from the opposite middleweight Dukes. The 2024 990 Duke took a extra exact strategy to border design this time round, and it options reinforcements in key areas that add to the stiffness of the chassis. It’s a refinement over its predecessors and paired with the brand new swingarm pivot level and the upgraded {hardware}, it appears to be like prefer it’ll carry an enchancment of chassis efficiency for the model in its class. 

Further again, the swingarm and subframe have been modified. Simplified and stronger than earlier than, it accommodates an even bigger air consumption that feeds to the 947cc twin. My largest ache level with the 990 is the truth that the exhaust is now not a high-mount. I cherished the setup on the Scalpels, and it left the perimeters very clear, netting it a really smooth look and one thing of an enormous supermoto. I hoped that the spy photographs of the 990 previous to its EICMA look have been early prototypes and that KTM would hold the excessive mount. Alas, it didn’t come to go, however at the very least the muffler appears to be like prefer it has a little bit of peak to it. 

Other stuff that KTM refined embrace a gravity die-cast closed-lattice swingarm that’s lighter than the open-lattice unit in earlier fashions. It’s not as stiff as earlier than which is best in response to KTM, and the opposite bit within the entrance: the Forged Aluminum Triple Clamp, was one thing that was as soon as an aftermarket answer for previous-generation middleweight Dukes. It’s now inventory which is nice. 

“Wheels and Tires” 

KTM fielded a bunch of choices for the worldwide market, relying on the place you purchased your bike from. For the 790 Duke, lots of people have been skeptical about Team Orange’s resolution to go along with Maxxis SuperMaxx STs. While ample and price carrying by way of, there have been higher choices on the market, and KTM determined to go along with Continental and Michelin for its subsequent go along with its pair of 890s. This time round, KTM went with a model that ought to be exceedingly acquainted to a whole lot of seasoned riders. Bridgestone is the supplier for the 990’s footwear with a set of S22s on board as customary. 

“Brakes”

You might say that KTM is saving its Brembo brakes and grasp cylinder combo for the R model of the 990 Duke. The 890 R had a few of the greatest brakes within the enterprise paired with the burden of the bike, and the suspension that it had. However, I really feel that the KTM-branded J.Juan setup will suffice provided that the suspension is extra of an improve in comparison with the non-R middleweight Dukes. It’s nonetheless the identical, however lighter, 300-millimeter floating pair of discs within the entrance with four-piston calipers clamping down, and it’s nonetheless the identical rear brake paired with a 240-millimeter disc on the again. 

“Engine” 

The 790 and 890 editions of the LC8C have been a few of the most compact and highly effective twin-cylinder engines of their respective displacement classes, however the brand new Duke’s 947cc parallel-twin LC8C bulks up ever so barely however nonetheless stays one of many extra compact energy models on the market. With 123 horsepower and 76 pound-feet of torque, it’s a monster of a middleweight (pun supposed). 

“Exhaust” 

In the press pictures, we see an Akrapovic Evo line for the 990 Duke, and it appears to be like nice. The inventory exhaust, nevertheless, may not be as flashy. The system was tuned to fulfill the homologation necessities for emissions and the sensors are improved. Knowing KTM, the air-fuel combination could also be fairly lean to stick to the Euro requirements as nicely. 

I’m not a fan of the place the exhaust sits, primarily as a result of I feel that the 790 and 890 bought it proper. Either manner, it’s a brand new look. 

“Tech” 

KTM claims that the 990 Duke is the “leader in the sub-1000cc segment,” from its LED lights to its full-color five-inch TFT show, three journey modes with an extra two journey modes as additional choices. I’ll say that KTM’s TFT show right here on the 990 Duke jumps three generations of shows, and it’s lastly caught up with the model’s journey and even its present crop of 390s. Bigger and higher now, the 990 now has the identical setup as the brand new journey bikes and the tremendous nakeds within the KTM lineup. We even get USB-C now which is nice if it’s good to plug in throughout a journey. 

Demo mode makes a return, and so does its questionable nature of dangling a chunk of meat in entrance of the rider. I’ll say this, although, if you’re a rider that values efficiency and that giddiness each time the entrance wheel lifts or the short shifter makes the exhaust pop, then this can be a package deal that’s nicely well worth the funding. If something, efficiency mode will “unleash” what the bike can do, and it’s one thing that I might personally get if I have been to personal this motorbike. It’s that mid-way mode between sport and observe, permitting the rider to chop free, however retain a few of the creature comforts that the 990 Duke gives, which incorporates cruise management. I often hold my 790 on observe mode because it offers me essentially the most management over the choices out there within the motorbike’s tech package deal. 

Other signature KTM options make a return like Supermoto ABS which permits for rear wheel skids. Definitely not one thing I activate often on my 790 Duke, but it surely’s nice to see that KTM hasn’t misplaced its zany character on the subject of packing its bikes with tech. 

I’m 50-50 about this bike

As a long-time KTM rider and fan, I’m completely satisfied that the 990 Duke is right here, although there are some bits that I’m not too keen on just like the LED headlight is one thing that I’ve to get used to, the brand new tank is one thing that I’m not too completely satisfied about, and different stuff just like the exhaust placement leaves me slightly upset. 

KTM took a couple of small steps away from the Supermoto-esque ergonomic package deal. It’s a bit extra like the opposite sport nakeds now with a seat that’s canted ahead and forces the rider in the direction of the tank. The seat retains largely the identical peak, but it surely now incorporates a two-degree tilt in comparison with the 890 Duke’s cushion. The handlebar remains to be the identical size because the 790, coming in at 260mm, and the tank is wider than earlier than, and we are able to anticipate a sporty set of footpegs. I feel that a part of the Scalpel’s attraction was that the seat wasn’t completely safe, and the rider needed to deliberately safe himself or herself onto the bike. 

At some level, the 790 and 890 Duke was thought to be a jack of all trades of types. Super exact with an accommodating ergonomics package deal that permits it to be a little bit of a tourer, a little bit of a observe bike, and a enjoyable all-around hooligan machine. Now that the 990 is right here, the smaller Dukes are current, and the 1390 is making its presence identified, we see an enormous shift in KTM’s route. Bigger does appear higher in some instances, however the edgy and slim styling of earlier bikes is one thing that I’ll miss from the model. KTM nonetheless has the 790 within the lineup, and I’m doubly positive it’s nonetheless an awesome bike to journey, however the 990 Duke shall be 

On the opposite hand, I used to be type of upset when the covers got here off the 990 at EICMA and when the spy photographs got here by way of. From the Scalpel to the Sniper, KTM has ditched its knife and introduced an enormous gun to the battle within the middleweight class. For all its technological and engineering developments, I’m all for the 990, however the perplexing half comes with the design route of the model. Everything is getting bulkier and perhaps it’ll develop on me identical to the 790 Duke did finally. KTM can go as huge as they need for his or her Super Duke fashions, however within the case of the middleweight 990 Duke, you must ask whether or not larger shall be higher for it. To lose the 790/890’s identification in a distinct segment it carved out from the beginning does not sit nicely with me, however I’d like to be confirmed unsuitable.