KTM 990 Duke (2024) - Technical Review

Price: £12,999 | Power: 121.4bhp | Weight: 190kg | Overall BikeSocial Rating: TBA

Back in January we scooped KTM’s new ‘990’ parallel twin engine – a substantially redesigned version of the ‘LC8c’ design used in the 790 and 890 Duke models – and now it’s been officially launched powering a completely new 990 Duke for 2024.

Pushing the parallel-twin Duke inexorably towards the litre mark, the new engine measures in at 947cc (up from 889cc for the ‘890’) and will form the basis of a whole new line of 990 models in the years to come.

Review – In Detail

2024 KTM 990 Duke Price

At £12,999 the all-new 990 Duke is a substantial step up compared to its 890 Duke predecessors which started at £10,699 for the Duke GP or £11,599 for the Duke R but with the reintroduction of the cheaper 790 Duke to the range there’s no shortage of options and the new model bridges the chasm between the parallel twin offerings and the £16,999 1290 Super Duke R – itself expected to be supplanted by an uprated 1390 model in the near future.

KTM’s offering two colours on the new 990 Duke for 2024: Black Metallic or the company’s signature Electronic Orange.

2024 KTM 990 Duke Engine & Performance

The engine still carries the LC8c name – that stands for Liquid-Cooled, 8-valve, Compact – and shares the same parallel twin layout as its predecessor, but it’s substantially updated in the 990 Duke.

Visually the differences are subtle – the oil sight glass is moved to the clutch cover, and there’s an extra band of bracing on the cylinder block compared to the previous LC8c – but on closer inspection virtually every component is new, both inside and out.

Within, there’s a new crankshaft to provide the 70.4mm stroke, up from 68.8mm, and the pistons are bigger to fill the 92.5mm bores, increased from 90.7mm, resulting in an overall capacity increase of 58cc over the 890 model.

The compression ratio is unchanged at a high 13.5:1, and the power increase is modest – KTM claims 121.4bhp (123PS, 90.5kW) compared to 114bhp (115.5PS, 85kW) for the 890 Duke R. The peak power comes at 9,500rpm, with max torque of 76lb-ft (103Nm) at 6,750rpm.

The engine breathes through a full stainless-steel exhaust and meets the latest Euro5+ emissions standards thanks to new exhaust oxygen sensors that monitor the gasses and constantly adapt the fuel injection to suit.

There are three riding modes and the option to add two more, and like several other current KTM models there’s a range of optional electronics that can be activated purely by unlocking software that’s already built-in. Initially, buyers can use a ‘demo mode’ for 1500km that unlocks these features, including the Quickshifter+ and Track mode, but you have to pay if you want to keep using them after that point.

2024 KTM 990 Duke Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight & Brakes)

The 990 Duke’s frame is an all-new steel tube design, claimed to be 8% stiffer laterally and have 5% more torsional rigidity than its predecessor, while the new swingarm is a whopping 35% less rigid than before to help improve traction, as well as being 1.5kg lighter than the previous design, thanks to being diecast under gravity instead of under high pressure.

Unlike earlier models, the frame rails now run outside the swingarm pivot point, increasing its rigidity in that area, and the pivot bolt itself is now forged to add more strength.

The dimensions are changed, too, with a 24.2-degree head angle instead of 24.3 degrees and 1476mm wheelbase, down from 1481mm. As before, the seat subframe is cast alloy and the suspension inevitably comes from WP, with 43mm Apex forks offering 140mm of travel and  featuring split function tech, so compression is adjusted on one leg, rebound on the other. At the back there’s a WP Apex monoshock adjustable for preload and rebound.

The brakes are dual 300mm discs gripped by KTM-branded four-pot radial calipers and paired with a 240mm rear disc and two-piston caliper. KTM’s cornering ‘Supermoto’ ABS is standard, and new front disc carriers save 500g per side to reduce unsprung and rotating mass.

All-in, with a full tank of fuel, the 990 Duke comes in at 190kg. Without fuel, the weight is 179kg.

2024 KTM 990 Duke Comfort & Economy

A reasonably low 825mm seat height suggest the Duke should fit most riders – it’s only 5mm higher than the 890 Duke – and the new model’s seat is at less of an angle to stop you from sliding forwards towards the tank. The pillion seat is more noticeably raised than before, sitting 20mm higher than the 890 Duke’s, to increase the passenger legroom.

The 760mm wide bars promise to give plenty of control and can be adjusted to four possible positions. There are two mounting positions for the bar risers on the top yoke, and the risers can also be reversed to shift the bars back and forth.

KTM claims an impressive 60.1mpg economy, which means the 14.8-litre fuel tank should give a maximum range of around 195 miles.

2024 KTM 990 Duke Equipment

The 990 Duke, like so many rivals, gets a 5-inch TFT colour dash that accesses all its main functions. It’s an optically-bonded design to give a clear display and includes a USB-C charging port.

The standard model gets three riding modes – Rain, Street and Sport – and the optional ‘Performance’ and ‘Track’ modes can be added instantly by unlocking software. Rain mode restricts power to 105hp, softens throttle response and maximises the traction control settings. Street setting gives full power, uses the mid setting for throttle response and traction control, and allows a limited amount of front wheel lift. Sport mode gives sharper throttle response, less traction control and allows maximum wheelie potential.

The optional Performance setting allows customisation of the traction control and throttle response and lets you choose to switch off the anti-wheelie. It also adds a launch control function and cruise control. Track mode, also a software option, has the same settings but adds more information on the dash including lap times and disables the cruise control.

The new-look headlight is LED, flanked by DRLs that automatically adjust their intensity depending on the ambient light level.

2024 KTM 990 Duke Rivals

With nearly a litre of capacity and over 120hp on tap the 990 Duke is into quite a serious performance class. Buyers are likely to compare it with machines like Yamaha’s newly-uprated MT-09 and MT-09 SP, as well as Triumph’s Street Triple RS and perhaps even Kawasaki’s Z900.

Triumph Street Triple 765 RS | Price: £11,295

Power/Torque: 128.2bhp/59lb-ft | Weight: 188kg

Yamaha MT-09 SP | Price: £TBA

Power/Torque: 117.3bhp/68.6lb-ft | Weight: 193kg

Kawasaki Z900 SE | Price: £11,229

Power/Torque: 123.6bhp/72.7lb-ft | Weight: 212kg

2024 KTM 990 Duke Verdict

We’ll be riding it in the early part of 2024, so we’ll let you know about it then.

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2024 KTM 990 Duke - Technical Specification

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