KTM 890 Duke R
More power, more torque and more Dukeness than any parallel twin before it, reckon the Austrians. And they’re not kidding…
‘Trying to resist the 890’s willingness to dick about is all but futile’
Still ride your motorcycle like an over-enthused teen on a stolen field bike? Describe your reasons for riding with words like wheelies and skids? Stop reading, scurry to you nearest KTM dealer and slap down a deposit on a fruity new 890 Duke R. It’s quite possibly the most mischievous, cheeky and silliness-encouraging high-performance motorcycle yet devised.
Starting as a supermoto back in the ’90s, the Duke line-up has always contained light, perky, agile bikes with a focus on fun, but from the 690 model onward with practicality too. The move from single to parallel twin for the 790 brought greater performance and popularity (it was the UK’S 8th best-selling big bike last year), and the 890 R is another stride on. The ‘R’ surely stands for Riotous rather than Race. With a claimed 119bhp the KTM has the same power output as the original Honda CBR900RR Fireblade superbike, but kicks out 12% more torque and weighs a significant 20kg less. Add a dominating riding position, a staggering lack of girth, wide-barred nimbleness and top-quality running gear, and it’s a recipe for all manner of wide-grin shenanigans. Trying to resist the 890’s willingness to dick about is all but futile. The way it responds to the merest nudge, bounds hard out of corners and constantly tries to ping the front wheel skyward is hilarious and enticing. I manage about four miles before pulling over, turning off the traction control and smirking as the 119bhp motor rotates the bike around the wheel spindle with every twist of gas… even in third gear. The way the 890 teases you into such tomfoolery is not just because of the parallel twin’s eagerness to rev and instant zip, or its agile chassis and the sense of control. There’s an energy to the KTM, something about its way of going about things that feels unique. ‘The R has a special edge of performance all to itself,’ reckons ex-bike staffer and guest tester, Simon Hargreaves. ‘It’s small, tight and responsive, blattering up to speed with more snap and aggression than the Ducati, and with suspension that remains in control without booting the rider into orbit.’ Made by WP, which is a subsidiary of KTM, the suspension is the finest here. Sure, the Yamaha and Triumph have the blingy gold parts of the default posh suspension outfit, but the oily plushness of the R’s damping stands out (especially as Triumph appear to have sprung the Street Triple to cope with an elephant). The feel, supple action and control from the KTM’S forks under heavy braking are glorious. In fact the entire front end is top-notch; steering is delicate and super-accurate, and the Brembos have the effect that ramming a stick through the front wheel of your mate’s Raleigh Grifter used to. With über-gloopy Michelin tyres the level of cornering caper possibilities is remarkable. Maybe the stiffer and even more focused Triumph would win in a timed lap of Oulton Park, but the sweet-handling KTM is lighter, easier and far more fun on late-summer British roads.
Just as exciting is that all this fruitiness isn’t at the expense of usability. As easy to ride slowly as the non-r, the 890 isn’t far off the manageable Ducati and welcoming Yamaha in day-to-day friendliness. Controls are light, fuelling is spotless, low speed balance is immaculate and the dash is clear. There’s the steering lock to do feet-up U-turns in the cupboard under your stairs too. And if it had a pillion seat and flyscreen you might go as far as to say it’s practical (assuming you have the willpower in town to resist ten-pump wheelies).
All this said, the KTM isn’t quite as pleasing during less enthusiastic use as the Monster and MT-09. Its seat is the first to cause wriggling and this bike’s mirrors enjoy unscrewing themselves (judging by the chewed nuts we’re not the first people to have to tighten them). And though the suspension is superb it’s setup for dealing with high-speed escapades, the trade-off for which is a lumpier ride than the Monster and MT-09 when sauntering. There’s also something less satisfying about the bits of the 890 that you touch, like the handlebar grips and switchgear. ‘My big problem is there’s no sense of deep, deep build quality, or of the materials bling you get with the Ducati and Triumph,’ muses Simon. ‘The Triumph looks largely composed of exotic alloys, the KTM of plastic. This is no comment on reliability, but it’s the impression you get eyeing them up.’