KTM has taken the wraps of the all-new 2024 KTM 990 Duke middleweight naked. The 990 Duke is the brand’s new mid-range naked sports bike that succeeds the immensely popular 890 Duke R. The 990 Duke boasts of having a blisteringly potent engine, sharper styling, an all-new chassis, and new WP suspension, along with updated ergonomics and technology as well.
The KTM 790 Duke, which was introduced in 2017, was nicknamed the ‘Scalpel’ and has been widely regarded as one of the finest middleweight nakeds with precise handling and superb performance. The 790 Duke was followed by the 890 Duke R, and the 890 Duke. The 2024 KTM 990 Duke drops the “Scalpel” moniker, and has been renamed the “Sniper”.
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The 990 Duke is the successor to the immensely popular 890 Duke
Powering the 990 Duke is an updated version of the LC8c motor. This Euro5+ compliant 974cc DOHC liquid-cooled, parallel twin motor produces 121.4 bhp at 9,5000 rpm and 103 Nm of peak torque at 6,750 rpm. Moreover, KTM has reworked the internals of the motor. It now benefits from new pistons, a redesigned crankshaft, and conrods compared to the outgoing 890 and comes paired with a 6-speed gearbox aided by a quickshifter. The top end of the engine features more aggressive camshaft profiles and longer airflow.
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This ‘electric orange’ livery pays hommage to 30 years of the Duke
The 990 Duke features an all-new trellis frame, which includes a revised closed-lattice swingarm and is suspended by compression and rebound adjustable WP Apex 43 forks and a rebound and preload adjustable single shock, with a pair of 17-inch rims shrouded in Bridgestone S22 tyres. Braking duties are handled by 300mm discs and dual radially mounted four-piston calipers at the front and a 240mm single-disc unit at the rear. Both are equipped with Bosch cornering ABS and a Supermoto mode – disconnecting the anti-lock function at the rear when skids are required.
Drifting the KTM 990 Duke can be an easy task owing to the Supermoto mode on the ABS
The new KTM 990 Duke gets a comprehensive technology suite explicitly designed to enhance its on-track and on-road performance. Multiple rider aids and assists powered by an inertial measurement unit provide lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, while Track Mode unlocks the bike’s full potential. Of course, like the other Dukes in KTM’s range, a large, full-colour TFT display offers riders a bird’s eye view of all the pertinent ride data, as well as access to multiple adjustments and settings on the fly.
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KTM has changed the design of the headlight housing to make it look more aggressive
Aesthetically, KTM has redesigned the 990 Duke to look more aggressive and menacing. They’ve done this by redesigning the headlight unit, and the DRLs are located along the edges of the headlight. One interesting feature is that these headlights are auto-adjustable thanks to an ambient light sensor. The actual headlight turns on automatically when it gets dark. Another talking point of the 990 Duke is its colour scheme; this ‘electric orange’ design pays tribute to the original 2005 990 Super Duke V-twin and celebrates 30 years of the Duke.
