No longer is KTM’s supernaked lineup confined to the 1390-series Super Duke models. The new KTM 990 Duke R (called, with no small measure of chutzpah, “The Punisher”) has debuted with a raft of upgrades over the standard 990 naked, making the new R-series bike a possibility for the rider who enjoys a track day once in a while.
The updates start with the parallel twin engine. Not content with the standard-tune 990 version of the LC8c engine, KTM has fiddled with the tune and got the 947 cc motor up to 130 hp at 9,500 rpm, an increase of 7 hp from the base model (depending what market you’re in). Peak torque is unchanged (76 pound-feet at 6,750 rpm). The horsepower hike is due to a higher redline.
As electronics are now as important as horsepower, note that KTM offers Track riding mode as an option on this bike, allowing you great control over traction control sensitivity and throttle touchiness. Rain, Street, Sport and Custom (user-set) riding modes come standard. You also get switchable, leaning-sensitive ABS and TC systems, with three-level TC adjustability. Two-channel Bosch 9.3 MP ABS is standard, with a Supermoto mode so you can slide around your hind end as you attack Shannonville.
The suspension is updated, with new 48 mm WP Apex open-cartridge fork that includes high-speed and low-speed damping tuning. It has 143 mm of travel up front, and the WP Apex shock in back has 140 mm of travel, less than the standard Duke 990 because of a new linkage. But the suspension is supposed to be stiffer and offer better handling thanks to the beefed-up fork in particular. It also changes the rider triangle a bit, heightening the seat while moving the center of gravity up (wet weight is still a claimed 190 kg).
The brakes have been updated to Brembo Stylema calipers (four-piston, radial mount design) up front, mated to 320 mm discs (the base-model 990 has 300 mm discs) and powered by a Bremco MCS pump. The tires are DOT-legal Michelin Power Cup 2 rubber, aimed at performance.
The frame bears a lovely orange powder-coat job, going with the black and white plastics to show it’s an R model, not a base model.
All in all, a very aggressive update to KTM’s 990, although it is disappointing to see Track mode not included with the purchase. You can test-run all the electro features in Demo mode for the first 1,500 km at least. See more details on the new machine at KTM’s website here.
