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/1525556
QUICKSPIN I 2024 KTM 990 Duke P126 The Duke's 123 horsepower isn't anywhere near as intimidat- ing as the 180-plus horsepower of the 1390, but when paired to electronics that are now so good at what they do, the Duke be- comes that friend you've known for years and can somewhat let your guard down around. You can't do that on a Super Duke. The 990's chassis is signifi - cantly stiffer than the 890's, of- fering better track performance and handling at high speeds. The new tubular steel frame is 15 percent stiffer, with additional lateral and torsional stiffness, though the swingarm is less rigid to maintain road feel. The 990's dimensions are slightly smaller and racier than the 890, with a small adjustment in rake (24.2° for the 990 vs. 24.0° for the 890) and a minuscule change in wheelbase (58.1 inches for the 990 vs. 58 inches for the 890), but the tank and shrouds make for a wider stance and enhance control under braking. This latter fact I'm especially thankful for heading into the hard-braking zone of turn five, the 180° down and then up - hill hairpin made famous for Marquez and Bagnaia smashing into each other earlier this year. The new ergonomics hold the rider in place better than on the 890, reducing fatigue as you don't have to grip the tank as hard as you do on an 890. The 990's suspension has been heavily revised, with fully adjustable WP Apex forks and shock. Although the ride can be stiff in standard settings, this is intentional, as the 990 Duke is designed as a focused streetfighter, ideal for fast rides through canyons. This didn't stop me needing two turns of preload to stop the rear sinking on corner exits and firing me to the outside of the track, something I'd quickly take out if I was heading into town later that night on Portimao's backroads. The only component carried over from the 890 is the J.Juan four-piston brake calipers, though the brake discs are light - er, giving you a little extra agility, but I couldn't tell the difference. Although turn-in speed is im- pressive, what quickly becomes annoying is the lack of ground clearance from the footpegs. It doesn't take long for the hero knobs to go flying from the alloy units, and soon my boots begin touching down despite me do - ing my best to ride on my toes. This is easily fixed by throw- ing on a set of rear footpegs, but on the flip side, I don't remem- ber having any such issues on the road test we carried out in Spain—quite the contrary, as the 990 was a comfortable proposi- tion for a day's mountain riding. The track might not be the place you'd expect to find the KTM 990 Duke (unless you're Chris Fillmore with a rather hotted-up version racing in MotoAmerica Super Hooligans), but it proves to be quite the capable riding partner if that's where you want to go. Versatility has always been a Duke strong point, and KTM may have just hit the perfect com - bination of road manners and track prowess with the new 990. Rennie Scaysbrook