WHEN LESS ISN’T MORE
New base spec KTM 890 Duke is cheaper than the R-version, so what’s it missing?
Few road-going motorcycles make you feel as invincible at full lean as the KTM 890 Duke R. Light, perky and equipped with sticky Michelin Power Cup 2 tyres and beautifully set-up WP suspension, it handles and rides more like a factory superbike than a humble middleweight naked.
It’s undeniably impressive, but costing £10,649 it’s not cheap.
So new for 2021, there’s a more affordable non-R £9649 base model that’s less racetrack refugee and more of sensible road bike… well, for a KTM, anyway.
It might seem a bit strange to launch the main course after we’ve already had the full-fat desert with sprinkles and sparklers, so what do you get for the money?
The 889cc parallel twin is the same as the R’s, but power is down from 119bhp@9250rpm to 113bhp@9000rpm thanks to new mapping. An A2 licence version is also available. Maximum torque is also down from 73lb.ft@7750rpm to 68lb.ft@8000rpm. On paper that doesn’t sound much of a drop, and the standard Duke is still quick when you wind it up, but acceleration is noticeably flatter, making it less playful than the R. On top of that it’s also 4kg heavier (now 169kg, dry), which further clips its wings.
The latest 890 is the one to go for those who don’t want to corner like GP hero Jeremy McWilliams – and passengers can now come along for the ride, too, thanks to a new pillion seat and pegs. But if you crave a dash of supermoto-like craziness from your KTM it’s going to feel lacking and even the satin black paintjob of our test bike looks sombre compared to the retina-busting orange on the R.
‘If you want to take a pillion this is the 890 you should go for’
Steadier on its feet
The way the R model’s top-spec suspension and tyres work is worth the ticket price alone, but the same can’t be said of the base model’s cheaper set-up. It still has WP Apex units but they’re not set to such wonderful perfection. The 890 Duke is still nicely balanced, reassuring and although the steering geometry is slightly slower to keep things more stable it’s still agile and accurate, but its non-adjustable fork sand pre load adjustable rear shock don’t offer the same sublime plushness and control. It’s the same story with the tyres. The 890 Duke is fitted with the latest Continental ContiRoad sports touring rubber, which work well enough, but compared to the R’s sportier Michelins they don’t have the grip for you to chuck the KTM confidently on its side or charge into corners at speed. Put simply, the R’s on-road sparkle has been removed with the base model.
More of an everyday naked
It is more comfortable, spacious and usable though. KTM have dropped the seat height from 834mm to a friendlier 820mm and the pegs are lower for more legroom. Ground clearance is less as a result, but you’ll need to be going some to scrape the pegs on the road. It still has a commanding, upright, over-the-front riding position and is very naked with little in the way of wind protection. Build quality and finish are impressive and it’s well equipped with a colour TFT, riding modes and aids, but you’ll have to pay £678.65 extra for our test bike’s Tech Pack – and that takes it the wrong side of the 10-grand barrier. It includes an up/down quickshifter, engine braking control and launch control, adjustable throttle maps and the ability to adjust traction control in nine stages. It also lets you turn off the wheelie control, although it resets every time you kill the engine.
MCN’s online owners’ reviews show the previousmodel 790 Duke has had its fair share of reliability problems, so only time will tell if they’ve been addressed with the 890. It’s easy to justify the cost of the 890 Duke R, just for the way it excites and devours corners, but it isn’t such good value in base trim, especially as it’s more expensive than the £9002 MT-09 and £9100 Triumph Street Triple R. So if you really fancy the idea of an
890 Duke you need to bite the bullet and spend the extra for the all-singing R-version and that extra grand will be the best you’ve ever spent.