Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1183666
K TM 890 DUKE R RIDE REVIEW P90 were truly impressive in the way they gripped, and I also double- checked how quickly they warmed up from cold, previ- ously a weak point of Michelin street rubber. Not any more. These were always ready to be ridden hard after the first mile of use after stopping for lunch or photos. Plus, the reduced unsprung weight obtained by those lighter tires and espe- cially the Brembo brakes allow the fully-adjustable WP suspen- sion specially developed for the 890 Duke R to deliver optimum compliance in riding as aggres- sively as you like. The new KTM also rode the copious bumps on degraded frost-ravaged tarmac up in the Salzkammer- gut mountains really well. Ride quality overall is excellent for an unashamed sport bike. The 890 Duke R's steering geometry is quite aggressive, with 24.3º of rake and 98mm of trail, delivering a 58.3-inch wheelbase. But it's agile, super-responsive handling is the payoff for that, coupled with total stability on the fast third- or fourth-gear turns—it feels planted to the tarmac, yet the great leverage from the wide, taper-section aluminum handle- bar lets you carve corners and especially switch direction from side to side really easily. The handlebar can be adjusted almost infinitely in search of your preferred riding position. Thanks to the narrow seat where it meets the fuel tank at 5'10," I could also put both feet flat on the ground at rest, in turn adding to the sense of being at one with the bike. KTM's engineers have done it again. They've successfully tackled the hardest task in two- wheeled development, and made the best better still by improving on what was already a market-leading motorcycle. They've produced a Super Scalpel that's a significant step up from the basic model in what is already a stellar platform. No less an authority than Jeremy McWilliams who's been one of the test riders involved with the project from the start and was responsible for the final mapping of the Keihin electronics, concurs. We were racing against each other at the Goodwood Revival a couple of weeks before I flew to Austria to ride the 890 Duke R. "You've got a treat in store," said Jezza as we sat together waiting for the pre-race riders meeting to start. "It's nearly everything you could look for in a real-world road bike—it's light, slim and fast, plus it feels very refined. We put a lot of time into getting the engine characteristics just right, and I'll be surprised if you don't like it, because, in my opinion, it gives the 1290 Super Duke R a serious run for its money as the best bike in the KTM range and a candidate for being the best real-world performance bike money can buy. Have fun!" Know what? He was right and I did! CN S P E C I F I C A T I O N S 2020 KTM 890 DUKE R (PRE-PRODUCTION) ENGINE: ............Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 8-valve, 4-stroke, parallel twin DISPLACEMENT: ...................................... 890cc BORE X STROKE:...................... 90.7 x 68.8mm HORSEPOWER (CLAIMED): ... 89kW @ 9250 rpm TORQUE: ............................99 Nm @ 7750 rpm COMPRESSION RATIO: ..............................13.5:1 TRANSMISSION: ................................... 6-speed FUEL SYSTEM: ............ DKK Dellorto w/46mm throttle body LUBRICATION SYSTEM:....................... Pressure Lubrication w/2 oil pumps PRIMARY DRIVE: ....................................... 39:75 FINAL DRIVE: ...............................................16:41 CLUTCH: ...... Cable operated, w/PASC slipper ENGINE MANAGEMENT: .. Bosch EMS w/RBW TRACTION CONTROL: .............MTC (lean angle sensitive, 3-Mode, Track optional FRAME: ............. Chromium-Molybdenum-steel SUBFRAME: ........................................Aluminum FRONT SUSPENSION: .........WP APEX 43, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION: ... WP APEX Monoshock, fully adjustable FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ........................... 5.5 in. REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: ............................. 5.9 in. FRONT BRAKE: ..... 2x Brembo Stylema 4-piston, radially mounted caliper, 320mm discs, ABS REAR BRAKE: ... Brembo single piston floating caliper, 240mm disc, ABS FRONT WHEEL: .... Cast aluminum, 3.50 x 17-in. REAR WHEEL: .... Cast aluminum, 5.50 x 17-in. RAKE X TRAIL: ........................65.7° x 99.7mm WHEELBASE: .......................................... 58.3 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: .............................. 8.1 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ........................................ 32.8 in. FUEL CAPACITY: .....................................3.7 gal. WEIGHT (DRY, CLAIMED): ....................366 lbs.