With a reputation built by dominating the rough and tumble world of motocross, it’s hardly surprising that KTM’s road bikes are famous for having a more aggressive edge than the competition. There’s nothing to suggest that the latest 890 Duke R won’t continue in that proud tradition…
KTM’s marketing bods are not afraid of hyperbole. When they’re not ‘Ready to Race’ they’re releasing new models like ‘The Beast’ (1290 Super Duke R) and ‘The Scalpel’ (790 Duke) – but when it comes to delivering, the orange Austrians usually manage to deliver.
The 2020 890 Duke R is the ‘Super Scalpel’ and fits into a middleweight naked marketplace currently occupied by the range-topping versions of the Triumph Street Triple and Yamaha MT-09. At £10,399, the KTM is £99 more than the Street Triple RS and £650 more than the MT-09 SP. It’s also just £100 less than Kawasaki’s more powerful Z1000 – putting it in some illustrious company.
The 890 Duke R is a development of the 790 Duke, which remains in the range at a pound shy of £9k.
So what’s new with the KTM 890 Duke R?
Like so many manufacturers, KTM’s approach to the new Euro5 emissions regulations has been to increase engine capacity on many of its models as a solution to cleaning up the engine without sacrificing power output – although in this case the objective has been to take performance up a level.
The headline change is obviously the two-cylinder engine, which has been significantly reworked and increased in size – hence the new ’890’ model designation. Bore has been increased from 88mm to 90.7mm, while stroke is up from 65.7mm to 68.8mm. The result is an increase in capacity from 799cc to 890cc, with power rising from 103bhp to a Street Triple RS matching 121bhp, while torque is up from 87Nm to 97Nm – with peak shove coming slightly lower down the rev range than the 790 upon which it is based.
The 790 Duke has always been considered one of the sportiest models in the middleweight division and the 890 Duke R has been given an even harder edge to it, hence the Super Scalpel moniker. Ergonomics have been revised, while some of that £1400 price increase has gone on better brakes and suspension.
Fully-adjustable 43mm WP Apex forks have split function damping, compression and rebound settings, replacing the already decent units in the 790. The rear shock is also fully adjustable, with hydraulic adjustment allowing the preload to be set on the fly.
Reducing weight, in particular unsprung weight, has been a major part of KTM’s design brief. They claim a dry weight of just 166kg, 3kg less than the 790, and much of that is unsprung weight, which should equate to improved agility on track and on road.
With a 320mm radius, the brake discs are 20mm bigger than those on the 790 Duke. Despite that, the switch to lightweight aluminium carriers means that they are lighter right where it matters.
Those brakes are much beyond what you would expect from a so-called middleweight motorcycle. Brembo’s Stylema monobloc calipers are paired with the Italian company’s NCS master cylinder and, on paper at least, it would appear to justify KTM’s claim of being the sharpest tool in the box. Cornering ABS is also included as part of the package.
Despite reducing overall weight, additional mass has been engineered into the engine to improve the characteristics. The crankshaft has 20% more rotating mass than that on the 790cc motor, which KTM says will make the 890 more stable than the 790 without compromising the agility. Electronics are also more sophisticated, with new throttle bodies and four riding modes said to add to the character of the motor.
Also revised is the gearbox, which promises a quicker shift due to a lighter spring and shorter lever travel, while there’s a larger radiator and higher lift camshafts than on the Duke 790.
Ergonomics and frame geometry have been revised too, with lower handlebars and a higher seat combining to put more weight over the front wheel. Being a KTM, there are naturally splashes of orange – just to make sure there’s no doubt as to what you’re riding. In the case of the 890 Duke R, the Mattighofen paint shop has powdercoated the wheels and the distinctive steel frame in their trademark colour, along with accents on the minimalist black and white bodywork.
The result, say KTM, is a bike that sacrifices some of the day-to-day usability of the 790, but which delivers a more extreme riding experience that’s more agile than the many litre-class supernakeds that are proving so popular these days.
KTM presented their new bike with track focussed Michelin Power Cup tyres but have not yet announced what rubber their new model will roll out of the showrooms on. The Michelins are more of a track day tyre than an everyday choice, but it may be that the 890 Duke R will be specified with something a little more sporty than the Maxxis developed specifically for the standard 790 Duke.
Expect the latest KTM to be in dealerships when they reopen following the Coronavirus outbreak.
