2019 K TM 790 DUKE
FIRST TEST
P64
member of the frame, which in
KTM tradition is made from tubu-
lar steel, with a diecast aluminum
rear subframe and an "inside-out"
swingarm operating the non-ad-
justable (except for spring pre-
load) direct-action cantilever WP
shock giving 5.9 inches of travel,
matched up front by a 43mm
upside-down WP fork that's equally
devoid of adjustment, but gives 5.5
inches of travel.
The LC8c is tuned as much for
midrange torque as top-end power,
peaking with 86Nm at a relatively
high 8000 rpm for a parallel-twin,
but there's a broad spread through-
out the rev range, with more than
80Nm available at 6000 rpm.
There's chain drive to the cams
offset to the right of the cylinders,
while the six-speed gearbox allows
clutchless quickshifting both up
and down the well-chosen ratios,
and is matched to a PASC/Power
Assisted Slipper oil-bath clutch
which is cable-operated for ease of
maintenance, and to save weight.
The entire very compact engine
weighs just 110 pounds without
KTM's first-ever parallel-
twin is the new LC8c—for
"compact"—which replaces
the 75° V-twin format used
on all the company's multi-
cylinder models to date.
The LC8c is tuned as much for
midrange torque as top-end power.
Not into orange?
The 790 Duke will
also be available in
fail-safe black.
