K TM 890 DUKE R
RIDE REVIEW
P86
gains can be made. For this reason, I'm
convinced that the 1290 Super Duke is
not at risk because of the 890 R, so we
won't be selling against ourselves. It has
60 bhp more, the styling is completely
different, it's much more aggressive, it's
much more in your face, and as good as
the Super Duke is, they're different beasts—one
is a 180-horsepower monster, and the other is a
120-horsepower Super Scalpel. We call it the Evil
Twin! This is a very serious, very compact, very
evil little motorcycle, and I think it's such a different
kind of animal, that I don't see the customer be the
same as the Super Duke, because for a KTM it's
a very accessible motorcycle. Okay, it's incredibly
sporty and extremely agile, but it's also easy to get
along with and very well balanced. So compared to
a 790 Duke, it's a different animal."
Evil is as evil does, and the key to the 890
Duke R's significant dose of extra per-
formance isn't just the various engine
mods KTM has concocted to stay ahead
of its rivals, but its lighter weight which
besides improving acceleration, also
makes the bike so much fun to ride hard
on in twisty stretches of road. The KTM
switches direction almost on autopilot. Its han-
dling is so precise and intuitive it seems you need
only think about making a turn, and the 890 Duke
R has gone and done it for you. The overall ride
height has been increased by 15mm. This improves
the anti-squat behavior because the swingarm is
more in line with the drive chain. The bike doesn't
squat down as much as before at the rear under
hard acceleration. It also means the riding position
has been subtly altered, so you're now sitting 0.6
inches higher at 33.8 inches, and thanks to the
new flatter handlebar, you're leaning further forward
A chrome-moly
tubular steel trellis
frame is complete
with fully adjustable
43mm WP forks and
cantilever shock,
with a 0.6-inch taller
ride height.
