2023 EICMA: New KTM 990 Duke Unleashed

KTM has unveiled the 990 Duke at the EICMA 2023 motorcycle show in Italy. It will compete with other litre-class naked motorcycles and will be positioned above the KTM 890 DUKE GP in its portfolio. In 2017, KTM entered the middleweight naked bike segment with the 790 Duke, also known as the Scalpel, which was introduced in India a couple of years back. However, in 2022, KTM introduced the 890 Duke and 890 Duke R. Now, at EICMA 2023 the 2024 KTM 990 Duke, the Sniper, has been showcased to join this lineup.

The 990 Duke has the new LC8c engine that is Euro 5+ (BS6) compliant. It is a 947 cc parallel-twin liquid cooled motor delivering maximum power of 121 bhp at 9,500 rpm and a peak torque output of 103 Nm at 6,750 rpm. It is paired with a 6-speed gearbox and an optional quickshifter.

The KTM 990 Duke features a new steel tube frame. Similar to the new 390 Duke, it gets a cast aluminium subframe. Additionally, the swingarm is a new design, and the triple clamp is constructed from forged aluminium.

The 990 Duke comes with 17-inch wheels, which have been borrowed from the 1290 Super Duke R with slight modifications to fit the double-sided swingarm. These wheels come fitted with Bridgestone 522 tyres as the standard option.

The 990 Duke has a 43 mm WP Apex open cartridge USD fork, offering 140 mm of travel. These come with compression and rebound adjustment, which can be fine-tuned through clickers located on top. At the rear, you'll find a WP Apex monoshock with a 5-click setting for rebound adjustment and manual preload adjustment.

In terms of features, the 990 Duke is equipped with LED headlight, a USB Type C charger, and a 5-inch colour TFT screen. It offers five riding modes - Rain, Street, Sport, and optional Performance and Track modes. These features enhance the overall experience for riders and cater to various riding conditions and preferences. The KTM 990 Duke will be available in two colour options, Electronic Orange and Black Metallic.

The 990 Duke will be produced at KTM's main plant in Mattighofen, Austria. Given that the KTM 790 Duke was a hard sell in India we doubt the Austrian brand has any plans to ride in its litre-class naked bike in the Indian market anytime soon.