EICMA 2019: Brand-new KTM 890 Duke R revealed
KTM's middleweight naked, the 790 Duke, has been due for a more hardcore R model, and the result is the 2020 890 Duke R, revealed at EICMA 2019. The 890 Duke R, like the 790, is powered by a 4-stroke, parallel twin, but with 890cc of displacement. More importantly, the 890 Duke R also gains fully-adjustable WP suspension and better brakes, trading the 790's more street-friendly ergonomics for a racier rider's position, which means it'll be perfect for the street rider looking for just a bit more aggression.
Onto the details of the upgrades, apart from the bump in displacement, the 890 Duke R's motor has higher compression (13.5:1) and is now Euro5-compliant. The 890 Duke R puts out 121PS@9,250rpm and 99Nm@7,750rpm â" a sizable bump over the 790's 105PS/87Nm figures. At the front, the 890 gets top-spec WP Apex forks, with compression and rebound adjustability, while the rear WP Apex unit is adjustable for rebound and preload. Changes to rake, trail, wheelbase and seat height should all add up to more agile handling. Dry weight is said to be 166kg, a drop of 3kg compared to the 790 Duke.
Braking hardware is improved as well, with radially-mounted Brembo Stylema four-pot calipers, and the important addition of cornering ABS and cornering traction control. The 790 Duke and 890 Duke R will likely continue to be sold alongside each other, and we expect to see the more hardcore 890 Duke R in India at some point, to rival the likes of the 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS which will see its India launch in January 2020.
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