KTM 990 Duke specifications
KTM · Naked
The write-up also says the bike flicks onto its side easily, ground clearance is plentiful and the brakes, carried over from the 890, have huge power and feel.
KTM 990 Duke
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Model year | 2027 |
| Engine | 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, parallel twin |
| Displacement | 947cc |
| Bore x stroke | 92.5x70.4 mm |
| Front suspension | WP APEX 43 |
| Front suspension travel | 140 mm |
| Rear suspension | WP APEX - Monoshock |
| Rear suspension travel | 150 mm |
| Front brake | 2x radially mounted 4 piston caliper, 300 mm disc |
| Rear brake | Single-piston floating caliper, brake disc, 240 mm disc |
| Wheelbase | 1476 mm |
| Trail | 100 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 3.91 gal |
| Ground clearance | 195 mm |
| Power | 123 PS |
| Steering head angle | 65.8 ° |
| Wheels | Cast aluminum wheels |
| Weight without fuel | 179 kg |
| Starting MSRP | $11,999 |
| Class | Naked |
| Fuel system | Bosch EMS with RBW |
| Transmission | 6-speed |
| Final drive | 520 X-Ring |
| Seat height | 825 mm |
| Cooling | Liquid cooled with water/oil heat exchanger |
| Frame | Chromium-Molybdenum-Steel frame using the engine as stressed element, powder coated |
| Silencer | Stainless steel primary and secondary silencer |
| Destination charge | $800 |
| Torque | 103 Nm |
1000PS put it in a comparison test as the lightest bike in the field. One of its test riders calls it the only parallel twin in the class with an incredibly lively character, and adds that the seating position allows longer rides without back discomfort.
What changed from the 890
Motorcycle News lists a new cast aluminum subframe with a bigger airbox, wheels in the style of the Super Duke fitted with Bridgestone S22 tires, and new front brake disc carriers that save a kilo of unsprung weight. The brake package is the 890's. So the stopping hardware is a carry-over and the difference is in the engine and the wheels.
On the numbers the Duke gains 148 cc over the 799cc 790 Duke and 18 PS.
Chassis and geometry
The frame is a chromium-molybdenum steel unit that uses the engine as a stressed member. Suspension is WP Apex, 140 mm (5.51 in) of travel at the 43 mm fork and 150 mm (5.91 in) at the monoshock. Wheelbase is 1,476 mm, trail 100 mm, head angle 65.8 degrees and ground clearance 195 mm.
Braking is by two radially mounted four-piston calipers on 300 mm discs, with a single-piston floating caliper on a 240 mm disc at the back. The traction and wheelie electronics are managed through a Bosch throttle-by-wire system.
The 990 Duke against the 790 Duke
The 990 costs $2,200 more than the 790 ($11,999 against $9,799) and carries about 12 kg more dry weight (179 kg against 167 kg). In return it has 18 PS more power (123 PS against 105 PS), a longer swingarm-side travel figure and a larger tank. The 790 is the cheaper and lighter bike.
The 990 is the one that reviewers compare with the super-nakeds.
990 Duke against the MT-09 and Street Triple 765
The Yamaha MT-09 and Triumph Street Triple 765 are the closest mid-weight nakeds to the KTM.
KTM 990 Duke — specification reference2026 KTM 990 Duke R: equipment and specifications
The 990 Duke R is the sharper version of KTM's 990 Duke, with more power, a taller ride and race-style tires. Cycle News calls it a super middleweight that will ace a backroad as well as bikes three times its price, and KTM asks $13,399 before destination.
Motorcycle News says the R is sharpened up to 128 bhp with chassis upgrades, and that its 840 mm seat is 15 mm higher than the standard 990's because the whole machine is raised for quicker steering and extra ground clearance, leaving the rider perched high with weight over the front to maximize feel and front grip.
The reviewer also says the standard 990 is the base model to the R, with slightly less power and revised ergonomics for a less focused ride, and that owners' reviews of the standard 990 are positive despite the well-documented problems with early 790 and 890 models.
Cycle News calls the 990 at best a super middleweight next to the heavyweight 1390 Super Duke R, light on its feet but efficient in power and speed. It says a claimed 129 horsepower means engine performance on the street is never in question, and that Michelin Power Cup 2CT tires pair with a sharp chassis to give feedback on poor road surfaces.
The article describes the bike as looking nasty, with an orange subframe and a face like the Predator, and a superlatively bratty engine.
- Model-year range
- 2024–2027
- Compared editions
- 3
- Specification entries
- 31
- Entries that differ
- 2
2027 KTM 990 Duke recalls; The 1 NHTSA campaign also cover the 390 DUKE , whose page lists them.
2027 KTM 990 Duke questions
How much power does the KTM 990 Duke make?
KTM lists 123 PS and 103 Nm from the 947cc parallel twin. Motorcycle News describes the result as knocking on the door of super naked territory at road speeds.
Is the KTM 990 Duke comfortable on longer rides?
A 1000PS test rider says the seating position allows longer rides without back discomfort. The 3.91 gal tank sets the practical range at full pace.
What are the KTM 990 Duke brakes?
Two radially mounted four-piston calipers grip 300 mm front discs and a single-piston floating caliper grips a 240 mm rear disc. Motorcycle News says they have huge power and feel.
KTM's 990 Duke is the larger of its two parallel-twin nakeds, and testers place it at the edge of the super-naked class while still calling it manageable. KTM asks $11,999 before destination. It is one step up in size from the 790 Duke.
Motorcycle News says the engine upgrades "put an extra spring in its step without it ever being a handful". So the bike is as easy to ride flat out as it is to cruise to the shops. The same review says the Duke 990 "knocks on the door of super naked territory" for white-knuckle excitement at road speeds, especially with the rider aids turned off.
The write-up also says the bike flicks onto its side easily, ground clearance is plentiful and the brakes, carried over from the 890, have huge power and feel.
The frame is a chromium-molybdenum steel unit that uses the engine as a stressed member. Suspension is WP Apex, 140 mm (5.51 in) of travel at the 43 mm fork and 150 mm (5.91 in) at the monoshock. Wheelbase is 1,476 mm, trail 100 mm, head angle 65.8 degrees and ground clearance 195 mm. The rider sits at 825 mm.
The 3.91 gal tank is 0.34 gal larger than the 790's, which lengthens the gap between fuel stops on a fast road.
The 990 Duke suits a rider who wants a naked bike that is powerful but still manageable on a broken road. The 825 mm seat is reachable for most riders, and 1000PS reports that the position holds up over distance. It is not an adventure or touring bike, and with a 3.91 gal tank it is a short-range machine at full pace.