KTM 890 Duke R (2023) Review

Orange Bully

I am going to be honest here and say that I have had very little exposure to naked motorcycles. I have long preferred full-fairing sport bikes, adventure machines, and lately GT touring machines. Admittedly my personal feelings toward streetfighter-style bikes have kept me away from them, why on earth would you ride a bike capable of superbike speeds and handling, strip all the jewelry off, and literally make riding it anywhere but the suburbs unbearable?  There must be a market for these types of bikes as machines like the Yamaha MT09 and GSX S1000 keep selling. Having recently spent some time onboard the KTM South Africa Superduke I was beginning to see the appeal.

Related: KTM 1290 Super Duke GT (2023) Review

I then got my hands on the baby brother 890 Duke and to say that the scales fell from my eyes is an understatement. I won't lie I still prefer GT bikes but I now understand the addictive nature of these machines a bit better.

 

Styling

It's safe to say that there is nothing remotely sanitary about the Duke, it's all sharp lines and edges that look keen enough to cut. The Duke manages to look like it's doing 120km/h when it's standing dead still. KTM's marketing language calling this a scalpel aside, the Duke does emanate a touch and feel of aggressiveness that lets everyone know this machine means business. Of course, it just wouldn't be a KTM without liberal splashes of orange and black with signature graphics but it's the application of the gunmetal blue that catches the attention.

Although it looks slim and compact the 890 is very comfortable with a relaxed rider position which is a mix between Supermoto and GT, allowing maximum control over the bars and pegs

 

Tech and Features

KTM has installed its latest control tech on the 890. The TFT screen sits in a near-perfect position to give the rider feedback and changes colour depending on the prevailing lighting allowing the rider to easily see the screen at all times. The screen is also the interface the rider uses along with bar controls to utilise the active ride modes. Rain, Street, Sport, and Track. Riders can also deactivate rear wheel ABS(SuperMoto ABS) or adjust 9 levels of MTC (Traction Control) and throttle control when Track mode is engaged.

 

Engine and Drivetrain

The Duke 890 derives its performance from the 893cc parallel twin engine. The Duke 890 R produces 89kw and 99Nm and sends it through an efficient 6-speed transmission via chain drive to the 180/17 rear wheel. WP Apex suspension is fitted, front and rear and although sprung on the stiffer side, does lead to some very effective and pin-point accurate handling. Bringing the Duke to a swift stop are two 320mm discs with twin Stylema Brembo calipers up front and 240mm discs and single-piston Brembo in the rear.

 

Let's ride

Every excursion on the Duke had me reveling in the torquey acceleration and with its light and agile build you can easily flick it back and forth much like you would with an Enduro machine on trail. One would expect though that a machine this light and with near 100Nm on call, it would be unwieldy but it simply wasn't. The Duke is superbly stable and takes direction and input with aplomb. This bike begs to be ridden hard, the 890 encourages you to lean on the brakes and suspension, with the result being that you end up pushing the bike harder just to feel it respond to your inputs. The 890 feels at its best when rider and bike work at 50/50 and by that I mean putting the bike in Sport, setting up a few parameters, and then riding it hard, with the systems just barely working in the background keeping you safe but allowing you to sqwid to your heart's content.

Now we did do an extended ride down to the Vaal, two up, and the Duke behaved well returning 4.2l 100km on our 350km roundtrip, but the Duke is most happy with a single body spanking it in and around town through traffic. There really is nothing to complain about outside of the immense heat generated by the engine after a long ride making it almost unbearable to sit on the bike and the fact that its difficult to get a booted foot onto the kickstand with ease. 

 

Pros and Cons

• Excellent control technology
• Brilliant engine
• Clever suspension
• Comfortable
• Engaging ride

 

• Engine generates a lot of heat
• Difficult to deploy kickstand

 

Model and Price

KTM 890 Duke R (2023)  R 227 999

* Price correct at time of publication and subject to change without notice

 

Verdict

The 890 Duke R is a feast for the senses. With the sights, sounds and feels, the Duke allows you to ride sedately if you so choose but has the special ability to deliver a more engaging ride the harder you push it. The feedback from the 890 is nothing short of phenomenal, letting you know exactly what you are going to get for what you give. It is very predictable and reliable in that sense although the result of this is very warm legs. If a light, agile, powerful, and predictable bike is all you ever wanted then look no further than the 890 Duke R.