An underrated middleweight with everyday comfort and serious punch

There is no denying that the adventure bike segment is very popular due to the versatility it offers. In a close second place are ADV-type sport-touring bikes (also known as crossovers). But before these took over, naked bikes were the real versatile kids on the block. You could drive them a long way, take them to the track, and then casually commute around town for your 9-to-5.

Many of today’s nudes still do these things exceptionally well, yet they are overshadowed by their ADV counterparts and remain underrated. Today we will talk about such a bike, which promises everyday comfort for the street, but with a serious punch when you want to let loose. There’s also another interesting market-related reason why it’s undervalued. Let’s jump in.

The KTM 990 Duke R is an underrated middleweight with everyday comfort and serious punch

Price: $13,399

If you want everyday comfort and serious punch, you should check out one of the bikes from the new breed of middleweight nakeds. Of that lot, the new KTM 990 Duke R well justifies its underrated title, while also delivering everyday comfort and serious punch. Why is it underrated, you ask? A big part of the reason is KTM’s recent financial fiasco.

Somewhere between the bankruptcy declaration, dealer closures, and a massive ownership overhaul, all of the new KTM bikes were overlooked by potential buyers. We don’t blame them either. After all, if the company were to go under, they could have a bike from a brand new platform without official support. There was also the problem of no new stock as production in Austria had stopped.

All that is now far behind us. Examples of the 990 have already reached US dealers, and with Bajaj taking the lead, you best believe there will be no shortage of support. So this underrated nude deserves your attention now. The price is also quite steep, undercutting its biggest rival: the Triumph Street Triple RS. It also does a good job of making a case for itself.

The Duke range has always been great for street riding, and the 990 Duke R promises the same. At the same time, this is the most powerful middleweight KTM naked yet, with no shortage of serious punch. In fact, its 76 pound-feet of torque is miles ahead of its direct rivals. Heck, it’s even comparable to liter-class bikes like the Suzuki GSX-S1000 and Honda CB1000 Hornet SP.

The KTM 990 Duke R features a new 947cc parallel-twin engine

KTM’s LC8C platform has grown slowly over the years. It started with the 790, then came the 890, and the 990 is the biggest yet. The updated engine has a displacement of 947 cc and a parallel twin layout with a 270-degree crankshaft. KTM also claims that it is one of the most compact bikes of its kind in the 800-1000cc space. Oh, and unlike its three-cylinder rivals, the 990 has concentrated all its power well below 10,000 rpm. In fact, it redlines at 10,500 rpm – almost 3,500 rpm less than the 765 RS.

Industry leading torque ensures you have some serious punch on tap

The 990 Duke R hits the market producing 126 horsepower and 76 pound-feet. This is a few ponies higher than the non-R model, although both have the same torque. The torque is also the real USP as it outshines its rivals by a serious margin. For reference, the 765 RS produces 59 pound-feet, while the MT-09 SP has 68 pound-feet.

High-quality WP suspension increases the driving dynamics of the 990 Duke R

Just like the engine, the 990 Duke R impresses in terms of underpinnings. You get 48mm Open Cartridge WP forks up top. KTM says these are 34 percent stiffer and offer more planted riding dynamics than the non-R bike. At the rear is the new WP Apex shock absorber with a new linear spring. Both connect to the renewed steel chassis and aluminum subframe.

New wheels keep weight under control

A closer look also reveals new 17-inch wheels. These are the same as the 1390 Super Duke R and save weight over the wheels of the non-R model. These help keep the weight down to just 418 pounds fully fueled. The braking components consist of two 320mm brake discs with Brembo Stylema calipers. There is also a Brembo MCS available.

If you want to ride this every day, you have to pay a little attention to the saddle height of 33 inches. That’s bigger than most of its rivals, but the fully adjustable damper should make life better. However, it also increases ground clearance to over 8 inches, so even the biggest speed breakers won’t be a problem. We can’t say that about the Street Triple or MT.

KTM has all the necessary modern technology

KTM was once one of the most technology-friendly bicycle manufacturers. And it still is. But the real technology has now become optional. The 990 Duke R also suffers from this. In the standard version you get four riding modes, wheelie control, traction control, switchable ABS and a two-way quickshifter. You can switch through this via a gigantic 8.8-inch TFT touchscreen.

But the real juicy bits are optional. The optional track package unlocks five special wheelie control settings, launch control and gives you two more riding modes where you can switch everything off. You have all of these for the first 1500 kilometers, after that you have to pay extra to get them. This puts the 990 on the back foot to its tech-laden rivals like the MT-09, which has most of these things as standard forever.