KTM 890 Duke R Unveiled: Produces 121bhp & 99Nm

Apart from the Austrian brand offering a new paint scheme, the rest of the motorcycle remains unchanged and continues to use the punchy liquid-cooled 889cc parallel-twin engine.

As no mechanical upgrades have been introduced to the engine, the engine still produces 121bhp and 99Nm of torque. This power and torque is sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed assisted by a slipper clutch.

Though this number may seem a bit dull in 2022, it is good to remember that the KTM 890 Duke R has a dry weight of just 166kg. This means the KTM 890 Duke R has an enormous power-to-weight ratio for 'brain recalibrating levels of performance.

To handle such extreme levels of performance, the engineers at KTM have fitted the 890 Duke R with all the necessary equipments such as adjustable WP Apex suspension - comprises of USD fork that is adjustable for compression and rebound damping and a fully adjustable mono-shock.

This set-up provides good wheel travel to suit everyday riding conditions and a very handy 206mm of ground clearance.

The KTM 890 Duke R also features an adjustable Brembo MCS master cylinder which allows the rider to customise the lever travel and braking feel, cornering traction control with a 6D lean angle sensor, and cornering ABS with supermoto mode and 9-levels slip adjustment for extreme cornering control.

With such performance on offer, the KTM 890 Duke R also comes with serious hardware for braking. The stopping power comes from twin 320mm front discs with 4-piston radially mounted calipers at the front and a 240mm rear disc clamped by a single-piston floating caliper.

Adding to the feature list is the 3 level rider modes - Rain, Street and Ultimate. The Ultimate mode also comes with a few degrees of customisation which allows the rider to adjust throttle response, wheelie control and traction control.

The KTM 890 Duke R uses chromium-molybdenum steel for the frame and cast aluminium for the subframe. The motorcycle also comes with a seat height of 834mm.

As standard, the KTM 890 Duke R comes with Michelin Power Cup 2 tyres and KTM also offers a whole bunch of PowerParts for the motorcycle such as the slip-on Akrapovič exhaust system, different rear-view mirrors, motorcycle stands, and anodised parts for the engine and chassis.

Reportedly, KTM is also working on a track-focused version of this motorcycle that is likely to be named 890 Duke GP and it is expected to be launched before the end of this month.

Thoughts About KTM 890 Duke R

The KTM 890 Duke R is the perfect motorcycle for anyone looking for thrills at any speed and the motorcycle has already carved a reputation to be fun. However, KTM could have offered a slightly bigger fuel tank to the 890 Duke R as the 14-litre fuel capacity seems a bit too small.