2016 KTM 690 DUKE
FIRST RIDE
P78
a few geometry changes aimed
at inducing a touch more steer-
ing stability, and this is the first
Duke to come with a full house
of electronics including multiple
rider modes, traction control and
ABS. There's even a super spe-
cial Duke 690 R, which means
absolutely nothing to the U.S.
because we are one of the few
markets in the world that won't
be getting it. Sad face.
The chance to sample both
the 690 and 690 R came in the
switchback riding paradise that
is the Canary Islands, an Atlantic
island hideaway halfway between
Senegal in Africa and Portugal in
Europe, famed for bloated Ger-
man tourists wearing far too little
clothes and eating far too much
food. Only some areas of island
life are pleasing to the eye.
If you were to put the old Duke
side-by-side with the new one,
you'd be forgiven for thinking
they're exactly the same. And
aesthetically they are, but the
first sign of change comes be-
fore you even fire the new bike
"WHERE THE OLD 2012 BIKE
USED TO HUNT AND FART ON
PARTIAL THROTTLE IN ANY OF
THE FIRST THREE GEARS, THE
NEW DUKE WILL HAPPILY RIDE
ALONG WITHOUT YOU FEELING
LIKE YOU'RE ON A BUCKING
BRONCO."
