The KTM DUKE family has three large capacity flagships: the 790, 990 and 1390 SUPER DUKE R and the 2027 KTM 790 DUKE has been reshaped with the rider experience at the fore. Here’s what you need to know.
By Adam Wheeler
Nearly ten years ago, KTM made a deep slice into the midweight naked bike motorcycle market. The KTM 790 DUKE was dubbed ‘The Scalpel’ thanks to its distinctive agile handling and unbeatable power-to-weight stats. Carrying the parallel twin LC8c engine, the model was a torquey and stylized successor to the single cylinder KTM 690 DUKE and subsequently spawned the 890 and 990 versions.
The KTM 790 DUKE was also an emblem of the company’s thriving street portfolio. The motorcycle won acclaim for its performance and its character as well as the unmistakable styling. Fresh colors and aesthetics were the extent of the bike’s evolution over time, but KTM plunged for a key update for 2027 and during a phase when the firm had to carefully revise every project and investment. “I’d say the team had been working very hard on the KTM 790 DUKE, making it a real cross-functional effort,” KTM Product Marketing Manager Street, Philipp Maximilian Bücker, says with a wry smile.
In a short period, the R&D team achieved their objective: the KTM 790 DUKE was not only given a new lease of life but has become more essential.
KTM fashioned the KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R and the KTM 990 DUKE at the top of the naked bike range while preserving the KTM 125, 200, 250 and 390 DUKEs (in certain territories) to suit a wide riding demographic. The 790 is located at the heart of the roster and carries significance. “It’s an important product; one of the most significant, outside of the smaller cylinder street line-up,” Bücker reveals. “The midweight naked bike segment is highly competitive. You have so much choice out there - and coming up - and a consumer can get lost. The adventure segment has been pretty dominant in Europe, and for media coverage, but in Germany, naked bikes account for seven of the top ten models in terms of registrations."
The technical department resisted the temptation to simply sculpt the 790 into the mold of the KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R and the KTM 990 DUKE. “It was important that the KTM 790 DUKE fit into the collection but at the same time kept its identity. We didn’t want a ‘copy-paste’,” Bücker says. “There are similarities to the others…but it is also different and has been since its launch.”
The KTM 790 DUKE therefore has had its own work detail. “Transferring some knowledge between bikes is always a part of development but there was a lot of testing involved because we have a new braking system and there was a lot of work with the brake team in Spain.”
The technical team was clear on how-and-where the changes had to come to sharpen the Scalpel. The EURO 5+ LC8c cracks out 87Nm of torque and 105 PS at 9500 rpm and the motor has undergone rigorous tests to ensure fresh reliability. The CroMo tubular frame was already light and brought the ideal amount of stiffness and flex (together with the diecast open lattice swingarm). The ergonomics were more of a target. Bücker: “The KTM 790 DUKE is such a proven platform and we learned a lot from it. We kept the same horsepower, the same chassis – more-or-less – even the same seat height as well as the same wheelbase, so you might think it is just cosmetic updates for 2027 but as soon as you sit on the bike you see and feel that it is much more than that.”
“It was time for us to refine this bike but because the engine and the handling already worked so good as part of the overall package, we decided to touch the points that a rider really feels: the rider triangle, the suspension, the brakes and the tires.”
Bücker then explains that this meant the classic ‘rider triangle’. “The combination of the seat, the footpegs and the handlebar. You have a more front-wheel orientated position that gives you more confidence and better feedback on the front wheel. It puts the rider in command. At the same time the new seat means it is very easy to position yourself; whether hanging-off or riding upright and easy. The footpegs are a little further back and up but we don’t feel we have compromised in comfort.”
The altered ergonomics give a flatter seat angle and thinner tank form so although the 825 mm seat height is still the same it is actually easier for shorter riders to touch the ground. The bike is more apt for a greater variety of rider sizes. To make the 2027 KTM 790 DUKE more sporty but also still comfy while keeping the personality of the bike and, somehow, increasing its appeal was a delicate craft. “It’s not easy if you have a great basis,” Bücker comments. “It’s something you can only do by concentrating on the rider itself. You don’t want to veer too far from the base otherwise you will lose something. We wanted more universality, so different rider heights while not losing the agility or the sportiness. You need to think carefully.”
Bücker says that riders should not be deterred by the edgy or sporty emphasis of the 2027 edition. “We improved the comfort because the seat has increased foam. It has a sweet spot of that extra comfort without being too soft. We also reshaped the pillion footpegs. It’s not like a Supersport bike where you are sitting on your arms.”
Adding to the improved handling is adjustable WP APEX forks and shock. Other novelties for 2027 include the WP brakes (developed in-house as Bücker revealed), revised LED headlight (the most obvious link with the KTM 990 DUKE and KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R) and a swap of rubber ‘boots’. “We changed to Pirelli after some feedback, mainly in wet conditions, and the brakes also: this is something you’ll feel in the first meters,” Bücker claims.
The KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R is a force of engineering, and the KTM 990 DUKE (and R) is a temptation but Bücker is quite unequivocal on why curious visitors to any KTM authorized dealer should zero in on the 2027 KTM 790 DUKE. “It’s a ‘bridge’. It is super-approachable for a beginner; you’ll feel immediately comfortable and it’s very easy to ride. But, on the other hand, you can still ride it super-sporty and it can be a challenge for an advanced rider. It can be pushed. This blend is something the KTM 790 DUKE does amazingly.”
The motorcycle might be the definitive expression of a naked bike. The KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R has EVO and TRACK versions for longer treks or competitive urges, and the KTM 990 DUKE is a boost of horsepower compared to its smaller brother but the mix of nimbleness with driving torque means the KTM 790 DUKE is the fit for the majority of roads and uses.
It shouldn’t only demand attention among the DUKE family but against its rivals. “It has the highest torque in the class,” Bücker outlines. “The bike has quite a punch. It’s excitement. Everything apart from boring. You can really squeeze the bike on the roads; something that you can also do with the KTM 990 DUKE or KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R but to a lesser extent…and at risk of losing your license! You need to make the choice deliberately: the KTM 790 DUKE is a powerful, light bike for tighter corners, mountain passes, or navigating weekday urban traffic. For motorways and open roads, maybe the KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R is your weapon.”
KTM held a comprehensive media launch for the KTM 790 DUKE because conveying how the bike behaves through the contact points is the biggest currency. When pushed to describe what new riders or customers will discover with the 2027 incarnation, Philipp easily found the words: “You’ll have a smile under your helmet.”