It’s called 990 Duke R and it’s one of the new products expected from KTM for 2025. As the name suggests, it’s a sportier version of the 990 Duke roadster.
In 2024, the 990 Duke introduced a new look for the headlight mask, as well as an engine with an increased displacement, more powerful compared to that of the 890 Duke, and thoroughly revised (read our presentation).
The 990 Duke R goes further, offering a Motorcycle with a more efficient engine, suspension and brakes, but also sportier ergonomics. With a different color code: more white, less orange, which is still found on the rims and on the mixed steel frame (main frame) and aluminum (rear frame loop).
The in-line twin-cylinder LC8c (“8” for 8 valves, and “c” for compact) dear to KTM has the same displacement as the 990 Duke, 947 cm3. But through the magic of electronics, it delivers 7 more horsepower, and thus reaches 130 horsepower, at a speed of 9500 rpm. Maximum torque is the same as the standard 990 Duke, namely 103 Nm (at 6750 rpm). And the engine can go up to 10500 rpm.
According to KTM, the LC8c version 990 stands out for its lightness: 57 kg. Which actually places it among the machines that weigh the least kilos on the scale, given the displacement and architecture. As for the total weight of the motorcycle, “Ready to Race”, according to the KTM slogan, i.e. in running order, it is “around 190 kg”.
As with the standard 990, KTM has given the 990 Duke R’s engine an electronic throttle and riding modes. There are four of them as standard, the first three having fixed settings for the response to the throttle command, for the maximum power (105 hp for Rain mode) and for the intervention strategies of the other driving assistance systems. , mainly traction control (MTC) and brake control (cornering ABS, which depending on the braking mode can even be disconnected on the rear wheel). Everything is fed by the indications of an inertial measurement unit which takes into account the inclination of the motorcycle.
The fourth mode, called Custom, is customizable in these different settings. And as is often the case with KTM, by adding a little money at the end of the 1500 km allowed by the Demo mode with all the possible electronic functionalities, we have access to three additional modes: Track (we will come back to this) and two Custom modes moreover.
Still compared to the base model of the 990 Duke, the R is higher, and its chassis is sportier. In summary, the ground clearance is increased by 15 mm, and the saddle height is the same (840 mm from the ground). The suspension travels are different.
That of the rear shock absorber is slightly shorter (140 mm), but this is because the aluminum swingarm draws a descending line closer to the vertical than on the 990 Duke. KTM claims that the center of gravity is 15 mm higher (that number again) than that of the 990 Duke.
At the front, we have 143 mm of travel. The inverted telescopic fork is a WP APEX with a leg diameter of 48 mm. It’s clearly beefier than the 43mm of the 990 Duke. We have a greater margin of adjustment for compression and rebound (without tools), at least 30 clicks. You can also adjust the preload (3 clicks).
The rear shock absorber, in the central position, is for the first time (on a KTM naked powered by an LC8c engine) attached to the rest of the motorcycle by a link. Here you can adjust the preload, naturally (KTM is an Austrian brand), but also the relaxation, and even the compression. We even have two types of compression adjustment: high speed (shock absorber action) and low speed. It’s the same as for the fork, there is significantly more room for adjusting the different parameters than on the standard 990 Duke.
On the brake side, at the front, the 4-cylinder radial calipers from a Spanish brand which equip the standard 990 Duke are replaced by Brembo Stylema calipers, the top in terms of sportiness and finesse. KTM has even added a radial front brake master cylinder (a Brembo MCS), on which you can also adjust the proportionality of the system’s response to finger action.
Finally, the brake discs have larger diameters: 320 mm at the front, 240 at the back. If with all this we don’t have a perfect feeling, it’s because there is something rotten in the kingdom of Denmark, as the great Will (Shakespeare) said.
As the footrests – those of the driver, the others are an option – are positioned 33 mm further back, and 10 mm higher, we not only have better ground clearance than that of the base model, but we can also take more angle (plus 3 degrees on each side!). At KTM, small details are important when you want to ride sportily.
Rearward-placed footrests are typical of sporty ergonomics. In exactly the same logic, the handlebars are further forward (2.1 cm), lower (by one mm), and its ends are turned 2 degrees backwards, in comparison with the handlebars of the 990 Duke .
The wheels are exactly the same dimensions as the standard Duke. On the other hand, the tires are a notch above in terms of sport: they are original Michelin Power Cup 2s.
There are new features in the electronic riding assistance on this 990 Duke R. Three braking modes are available to choose from in the settings: Cornering ABS, Sport ABS, Supermoto and Supermoto+. The first takes into account the angle of inclination of the motorcycle and prevents it from suddenly straightening out when emergency braking is done in the middle of a turn.
ABS Sport retains the cornering function, but its interventions are less present and you can brake harder before it comes into play.
In Supermoto and Supermoto+ modes, the cornering function is disabled. The first completely deactivates the ABS on the rear wheel, and you can therefore lock it when braking at will, while the second lets you do it up to a certain point, and does not allow more than 8 degrees of lateral sliding of the rear wheel.
With these different modes, enthusiasts who want to try the typical supermoto riding style, with the sliding of the rear wheel, can do so progressively, without completely removing the protective net that constitutes ABS.
If you keep the complete assistance package after the first 1,500 kilometers of driving, you have access to the Track driving mode (circuit, in French). It allows you to vary the degree of intervention of the traction control directly, while driving, via the handlebar controls, and it also gives access to a wheelie control that can be calibrated over five degrees, to a Launch Control (for successful perfect starts), and adjusting the throttle response. There is even a stopwatch and the ability to transmit data. To better analyze its (necessarily) poor performances after a few laps.
The list of electronic options still includes the quickshifter, bidirectional, and adjustable cruise control.
With this new 990 Duke R, the Austrian brand introduces a new extra-large, color dashboard, using TFT technology, and which for the first time on a KTM also has a touch screen. Connectivity with smartphones appears to be standard on this model. And complete, with the integration of GPS guidance and map display. Always through pairing with a smartphone, but also with a certain degree of autonomy when off-grid. The motorcycle’s connectivity module is capable of storing several destinations in memory.
All the controls are on the controls, as before. Their design has been slightly revised.
KTM still gives the capacity of the fuel tank, 14.8 liters, and the official average consumption, or 4.7 l/100 km. Enough to drive for a good 300 km before having to refuel. This is of course a bit theoretical, but it means that this engine is not the very fuel-hungry type.
KTM does not yet give a Swiss price for this new 990 Duke R. We just know that it will arrive on the markets at the beginning of 2025. No indication yet either on the survival in the range or not of the current 890 Duke R.
To find out more, you can consult the Swiss KTM website, or contact our partners in our Swiss Directory of Motorcycle Pros, Adrénaline Motos in Morges (VD) and KTM Neuchâtel (Facchinetti Motos).
Source: comm. KTM
