This year’s Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo Accessori (EICMA) is officially underway, and one of the first big reveals of the show is the all-new KTM 990 Duke.
This is the Austrian motorcycle manufacturer’s newest naked bike, and it’s designed to be the most “performance-focused naked machine possible.” Apart from its aggressive styling, the bike boasts a new and improved powertrain with figures better than even that of the 890 Duke R.
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The 990 still has that familiar Duke silhouette, with numerous lines and sharp-looking fairings. What’s striking here, though, is the headlight design—it has that signature KTM shape, but it has this large opening in the middle. Supposedly, it looks ‘predatory.’ It looks as if the casing was torn off, and yes, it could be a bit polarizing.
But this headlight doesn’t just boast new looks—those daytime running lights also adjust automatically depending on the ambient light. There’s also a follow-me-home light function as standard.
Enough about the lights and the design and whatnot—let’s talk about the powertrain because it’s quite the thing. Powering the 990 Duke is a 947cc parallel-twin engine which is a “dramatically updated version” of the 890 Duke R’s LC8c power unit. And dramatically updated it is, as the 990 Duke is capable of higher peak outputs of 123hp and 103Nm.
That engine plus the stiff trellis frame, the adjustable WP Apex Suspension, and the Bridgestone S22 tires make for what could really be one of KTM’s most impressive bikes to date. The real kicker? This thing weighs just 179kg. Yikes.
Would you like to see this land in the Philippines, folks?
More photos of the all-new KTM 990 Duke 2024:
