With the Super Duke, the Austrian manufacturer is slowly but surely carving its own little niche in the ultra-competitive standard sportbike segment. The modern streetfighter look is instrumental to the bike's success, while the aggressive demeanor is worthy of KTM's greatest creations.
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| The modern streetfighter look is instrumental to the bike's success. |
At first glance, this beast looks quite impressive; the extremely elaborated frame and wheel assembly is a warning that it won't be easy to tame. The first few kilometers indeed reveal an ultra-rigid chassis, a super lightweight steering and a steep fork angle. One could easily be overwhelmed and intimidated, thinking that this motorcycle is unforgiving and requires mistake-free riding.
User-friendly? Much to my surprise, though, the new 990 Super Duke is quick to get used to. After barely a few twists and turns, my initial fears had completely vanished. True, the high-performance twin-cylinder generates significant torque steer at low engine speed, but when cruising, it becomes a pure delight. The LC8's powerband is exemplary, with easy-to-exploit mid-range torque catapulting the bike into the next corner.
The 6-speed transmission is equally delightful. Shifting through the gears is smooth and the ratios are perfectly calibrated for this 999-cc powerplant. As a result, and also because of its feather weight, the Super Duke accelerates like the most powerful sportbikes out there. It never is too violent nor too scary; on the contrary, I found it highly effective and easy to handle, even on extremely twisty roads. Once the learning process is completed, this KTM can sustain a faster pace than the vast majority of rivals. Having said that, no beginner should try to ride this fearsome steed.
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| On the road, the high-performance twin-cylinder becomes a pure delight. |
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