2
nd
"If you're going to pick one bike just
to make you laugh your ass off, it's
this one." That's what Nathon had to
say about his short stint on the 990.
He's not wrong.
The KTM's inner hooligan was a
hit with each of the four riders on
test. It's a bruiser of a naked bike,
with stiff WP suspension and a hard
seat mixed with an engine that just
wants to pull wheelies and flick the
middle finger wherever possible.
In creating the 990, KTM effective
-
ly made more of a mini-Super Duke
than a bigger mid-displacement
Duke. It has the most torque of the
test, starting from the moment you
crack the throttle, and with most of
its performance centered around the
middle of the rev range, it makes for
an awesome street engine.
The KTM didn't have as smooth
a response from a closed throttle as
the Triumph, but it had more usable,
real-world performance, which gave
it an edge in slow- to medium-speed
riding, particularly when encounter
-
ing the occasional light traffic on our
ride.
Polarizing looks
were offset by
performance and
attitude everyone
loved. The KTM
was oh-so-close
to the win.
K T M
9 9 0 D U K E
VOLUME ISSUE JUNE , P111
