KTM Super Duke 990

Taut & Terrific Twin

NOT SO MUCH

OVERVIEW
KTM is walking a well-trodden path for European manufacturers, by making the most o every powerplant. In this case the second-generation 990 V-twin has been thrown into a street fighter style bike, which isn't all that far removed from its supermotard version .

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Pricing is without question at the premium end of this sector, though that doesn't necessarily make it the most expensive.

KTM hasn't stinted when it comes to running gear - it's all good quality stuff - and the performance helps to justify the price.

DRIVETRAIN
The engine is without doubt KTM's secret weapon in this class. We don't have factory claims on the output, but know it produces somewhere around 110 horses on a dynojet dyno, which puts it around 20-plus ahead of many of the big Euro twins.

Those figures are reflected in the performance, which is very lively. Power is good through the range, though the midrange and top end are the strong points.

We found the combination of light flywheel, narrow take-up point on the clutch and sensitive low-end throttle response could make the machine a little jerky to handle at low speed, requiring some modification of your technique to get the best out of it. Also, we found it could 'hunt' in certain situations, such as at 50km/h in third gear. However these are very minor grizzles for what is a performance motorcycle.

In most situations, and when it really counts, the machine responds well to the throttle and is a seriously quick bit of kit. Wheelie hounds will love it.

The gearbox caused no complaints - nice and crisp.

CHASSIS
Overall the chassis proved well up to the job of coping with the performance. The seemingly obligatory radial-mount four-spot Brembos grace the front end, and do their usual good job of hauling he plot up with plenty of feel.

That's matched to very good quality suspension with ample adjustment, tied to what feels like an admirable frame.

Steering is about medium speed for this class and the whole plot feels very reassuring when tipped into a turn.

PACKAGING
Overall finish is about average for the class. The styling is fairly radical and drew quite a bit of admiration - it certainly grew on us over time.

It's one of those bikes that comes well equipped out of the box and really is in no need of further modification.

We liked the bark from the twin mufflers, while the stock tyres were a good match-up to the chassis.

COMPETITORS
One potential competitor is Ducati's Hypermotard (though strictly speaking a supermotard rather than a street fighter style), which is not quite as powerful, is smoother ride and gives away nothing in the handling. Another is Triumph's Speed Triple, which is probably a little more powerful and comes in a little cheaper at $17k. Looking up the price range, you can get a Brutale for an extra $1500. In between there are quite a few possibilities from several manufacturers.

ON THE ROAD
It goes hard, steers well, and stops. That's enough to make it a very strong performance package. Also, the engine has loads of character, while the quirky styling means it will always stand out a little from the crowd. It adds up to a package that is well worth a look.