KTM Duke 990 Introduction

KTM turns the 890 Duke inside out into the new KTM 990 Duke. The new engine has more displacement and power and hangs in a new frame. In the end it is 58 cubic meters, 2 HP and 4 Nm that make the new Duke a 990. These are the absolute differences in size and performance of the new in-line two-cylinder engine compared to the previous LC8c engine in the 890 Duke R. It sounds insignificant, but it becomes very concrete when you look at the speeds at which the engine reaches the values.

KTM Duke 990 stronger than Duke 890 R

What’s interesting about the first numbers game is that the new KTM 990 Duke is already stronger in its basic form than the current top model, the 890 Duke R. The differences to the current basic Duke, the GP, with 115 hp and 92 Nm are more striking, Because the new engine delivers a maximum of 123 hp from 947 cubic meters and pushes 103 Nm. What’s even more interesting is when the 990 Duke’s engine generates this power. The torque is already at 6,750 rpm, i.e. 1,250 and 1,000 rpm earlier than with the GP and the R.

New LC8c parallel twin engine with 947 cubic meters and 123 hp

The speed of maximum performance develops in the other direction: at 9,500 rpm, the new 123 hp are 500 and 250 revolutions later than before. This longer span corresponds to the definition of elasticity of an engine, and that is welcome in the context of the more hectic KTM in-line twins. The new ratio of bore and stroke underlines this, as KTM increases the stroke from 68.8 to 70.4 millimeters and increases the bore from 90.7 to 92.5 millimeters per cylinder. Consumption: homologated 4.7 liters per 100 kilometers.

New frame and new swingarm

The new engine of the KTM 990 Duke hangs in a new frame. As usual, made of chrome-molybdenum steel, with a screwed-on rear made of cast aluminum, visually clearly visible in the swingarm bearing located inside the frame tubes on the 990, which is still on the outside on the 890. This was probably necessary due to the new swing arm, which KTM designed to be much more flexible. The aluminum swingarm should have 35 percent more flex, and the new frame should compensate for the lost rigidity. As the rigidity increased, the column or honeycomb structure also disappeared to a smooth surface, which saved 1.5 kilos.

New chassis components from WP Suspension

As usual, the shock absorber from WP from the Apex series is hinged directly to the swing arm and can be adjusted in preload and rebound. As expected, a fork from WP, also from the Apex series, with adjustable compression and rebound and 140 millimeters of travel, dampens and springs in the steering head. KTM did not provide any further information about the presentation – including the weight of the new 990 Duke. The tires in 120/70ZR17 at the front and 180/55ZR17 at the rear remain as usual.

Brakes of the GP, performance of the R

With its engine and chassis, the new KTM 990 Duke stands between the two previous 890 Duke models. It has more power than the top model 890 Duke R, but this is kept in check by the GP’s simpler brakes with two 300 discs at the front. This allows conclusions to be drawn about the upcoming model policy in the Duke series.

The electronics of the 990 Duke

The 990 Duke is neither below nor in between when it comes to its electronics. The well-known package with stability program (MSC or cornering ABS) is still on board. There are 3 driving modes to choose from ex works, which can be expanded with a track and performance mode for an additional charge. To test all functions, demo mode unlocks all software extensions for the first 1,500 kilometers.

Facelift with a new KTM face

The pre-production vehicles of the KTM 990 Duke were already barely camouflaged with the new KTM face across all models. The new Super Duke R was the first to be caught in October 2022 with a new front mask in this martial science fiction style. With two round LED lamps arranged one above the other, suspended in a black plastic frame, framed by LED daytime running light segments and seemingly without a cover.

Price of the KTM 990 Duke from 2024

KTM presented the new 990 Duke for 2024. The prices are not yet known, nor whether there will be an R version with an upgraded chassis and more power. In terms of the chassis specifications and the smaller brakes, the 990 Duke shown is closer to the previous GP than to the previous top model R. The 890 Duke models currently cost from 11,990 euros (GP), the R starts at 13,049 euros.

Conclusion

From 2024, the new KTM 990 Duke will replace the previous 890 Duke. The new version of the LC8c twin has 947 cubic meters, and the first (basic) model of the 990 Duke has a maximum of 123 hp and 103 Nm. KTM has not yet provided any information about the weight and price of the 990 Duke.

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