HOOLIGAN BIKE WITH A GENTLEMAN’S ENGINE
For some reason, KTM remains an underrated manufacturer among some motorcyclists in this country. I find it baffling because the Austrian outfit produces some of the best machinery on the market, including one of my all- time favourite bikes – the awesome 1290 Super Duke R.
This 790 Duke employs the firm’s first parallel twin. And the DOHC eight- valve 799cc LC8C motor is an absolute beauty. That ‘ c’ stands for compact – and it certainly is – it’s a marvel how the engineers have managed to squeeze so much capacity into such a small space. Yet it still produces a highly impressive 64ftlb of torque and power of 105bhp.
It sounds marvellous, too – a low, deep gurgle, with a delightful crackle and pop as you come off the throttle.
Some may describe this as a “hooligan naked”, and, while it’s certainly highly spirited, the engine is extremely refined.
There’s loads of torque in the mid- range and plenty of power at the top end, and it responds best with the revs kept high.
The gearbox is beautifully smooth, aided by the quickshifter and autoblipper.
There are five ride modes – Sport, Street, Rain, Track and Supermoto.
The latter turns off the ABS on the rear wheel, allowing any hooligans to lock it up at the back.
There’s lean- sensitive ABS, traction control and engine braking control, launch control, as well as a slip regulator which prevents accidental locking of the rear wheel.
There’s a rather nifty colour TFT dash which adjusts to the ambient light, and LED lighting all round.
On board, the ride position feels perfect – upswept, adjustable bars, slightly rear- set pegs and a seat height of 825mm, which, combined with a narrow tank, suits shorter riders and won’t restrict taller ones.
That compact engine allows for an equally compact chassis which means the bike is a joy to chuck into and out of the corners despite ‘ only’ having non- adjustable WP forks and a slightly stiff rear shock.
Braking is via J Juan four- pot calipers and 300mm twin discs up front and a 240mm rear. It’s not a big- name brand, but they do a perfectly respectable job of hauling up what is a pretty lightweight machine.
KTM says the 790 Duke has undergone more than half a million miles of testing – and it shows.
This naked middleweight punches well above its weight and proves that,