KTM has decided to bless these United States with its much-celebrated 890 Duke for 2021. Sure, last year it gave us the 890 Duke R (read and/or watch our reviews in the 2020 KTM 890 Duke R Review MC Commute and 2020 KTM 890 Duke R First Ride Review), but that came with tons of hot setup parts that not everyone was into. If you just wanted the kinda dumb, as opposed to full-stupid, middleweight Duke, it was the 790 or nothin’. Not in 2021. No, in 2021 the midsize Duke gets a 100cc bump to 890, and all the power and torque that accompanies sweet, sweet displacement.
Although it isn’t KTM’s biggest or baddest naked, the 890 Duke has a wild side that would make most of us blush.KTM
The bump to 889cc increased horsepower by 10, which doesn’t sound like a raging stable till you recall that the bike weighs less than an Air Jordan.
The 890 Duke also carries the 890 Duke R’s 6D lean angle sensor, which can be had with Track mode, cornering ABS, and brakes that KTM says are better than last year’s without elaborating. The 890 gets WP Apex suspension, a 43mm nonadjustable USD fork up front and a preload-adjustable gas shock out back.
The 890 Duke gets the 6D lean angle sensor from last year’s 890 Duke R, as well as cornering ABS and optional Track mode.KTM
Styling is true to the Duke brand, with angular, orange plastics set off with a headlight that looks like it walked right off the set of The Mandalorian.
For this 372 pounds of glory (dry weight), KTM wants $10,999, or just $300 more than the price of the outgoing 790. If you were patient enough to wait a year for the Austrians to smile on us, consider this your just reward.
The 890 Duke’s 43mm WP fork and WP shock have both been revised, though they still don’t offer much adjustability.
It’s a naked bike with a proper handlebar, but make no mistake—this thing is anything but relaxed.
The 2021 KTM 890 Duke starts at $10,999—just $300 more than the 790.
Color options are gray-on-gray with orange wheels, or orange-on-gray with orange wheels.
To keep the extra ponies in check, KTM switched this year to Continental ContiRoad tires.
KTM says the minimalist aesthetic was curated over many, many man-hours of analyzing every part to make sure nothing extraneous was left.
