KTM 990 Duke v 990 Duke R Review | Should I Upgrade?

KTM 990 Duke v 990 Duke R back-to-back

It’s not often that we get the chance to pit outgoing models back-to-back with new metal. While I’d like to think I have a pretty decent memory when it comes to recalling ‘how bikes feel’, it’s never going to be quite as accurate as riding one bike, then throwing a leg over the other for a direct comparison.

Why the KTM 990 Duke got under my skin

The KTM Duke 990 is close to my heart. While I thought the previous mid-sized 790 and 890 Dukes were sharp performers on the road, almost too sharp perhaps, the 990 took a massive leap forward. It was actually while at the 30 Years of Duke event in Spain that I had my first taste of the then-new 990.

I thought it had so much potential as a road bike that I managed to convince KTM Australia to secure a long-termer for me to evaluate on home soil under local conditions. It has just the right blend of usability and fun that left me grinning every time I rode it, and so I simply couldn’t let it go.

I shelled out the required dollaridoos, just as I had done in a similar fashion with the Aprilia Tuareg 660 after reviewing that bike. Another one I simply couldn’t let go.

Now, I did promise to make some Duke Diary vids six months ago, and due to reasons beyond my or KTM’s control, those videos have been too long coming. Let me apologise to those who have been waiting.

Unfortunately, the workshop I had used to make some upgrades, including fitting a new exhaust system, had forgotten to order a third-party piece of hardware, and they didn’t notice until the pipe was partially installed. What was initially going to be a couple of weeks’ delay for a part turned into a month. Then two. Then four…

But that’s all behind us now, and the bike is back in my shed. Thank goodness.

I do want to point out here that none of these delays were from KTM. KTM Australia has in fact been awesome in offering and giving support where I’ve looked for it, and for their part, the KTM hard parts I ordered arrived in excellent time.

KTM 990 Duke R arrives and creates a problem

During that six-month delay, of course, the new 990 Duke R model has been released locally and… once again, I was seriously impressed when I rode it at the Aussie launch at Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek.

And so now I have a new problem. A decision to make. Do I upgrade to the R and continue the Duke Diaries from there? Or do I continue with the old bike and see if it can match the R?

I really needed to ride the 990 Duke R and 990 Duke back-to-back to make the call. Which brings us nicely to the point of today’s article. We’ll cover the changes from old to new and answer the most commonly asked questions.

KTM 990 Duke v 990 Duke R: what changed?

In terms of the differences between the two models, they can be summarised as follows:

Upgraded engine performance. No mechanical changes, but a small tweak to the mapping bumps output from 123 to 129 hp. Throw on the Akrapovic full exhaust and map to either bike, and those outputs respectively increase to 130 on the 990 and 135 on the 990 Duke R.

Upgraded suspension front and rear, now with a 48 mm WP Apex Pro fully adjustable fork, while the shock also gets a spec upgrade as well as a new linkage added to the swingarm. Overall, it’s firmer and more controlled.

A tweak to the ride position, with a slightly more aggressive rider triangle. A flatter and further-forward bar bend, slightly higher and more rearset footpegs, and a slightly taller seat. Noticeable when stepping from one to the other, but not a massive change.

Upgraded tech. New switchgear with a noticeably better layout and button quality, along with that huge new letterbox-format dash screen that includes offline turn-by-turn GPS nav.

Upgraded brakes. From JJuan on the old model to serious-spec Brembo Stylema calipers on the 990 Duke R. I didn’t think the JJuan brakes were lacking, to be honest…

So, a range of meaningful improvements. There’s no doubt the R has the measure of the old bike in every regard from a pure performance perspective. The question for me came down to whether or not the tweaks make the R less pleasant as a day-to-day road bike compared to the old bike.

After a full day directly comparing them on the Great Ocean Road, the answers became clear. And it was one surprising thing that helped me decide if I should upgrade or not.

Does the KTM 990 Duke R feel faster?

Let’s start with power. The KTM 990 didn’t need more power, to be honest. It has oodles of torque; 103 Nm is plenty. I only threw the full system on because I wanted to liberate all of the potential, and enjoy the exquisite song that the Akrapovic Evolution Line brings with it. Boy oh boy, does it sound the business.

And so comparing my 990, which had a full system, with the new 990 Duke R on the standard exhaust was interesting in that the engines felt, and were, very similar. Mind you, putting a full system on the R would push it a step further. So there’s that… Sure, it’s a small win for the new bike, but not enough for me to upgrade in isolation.

WP Apex Pro suspension and real-world comfort

The suspension and riding position were one area that I was probably the most interested in. My concern was whether the slightly more aggressive rider triangle was going to be a bit much for longer road-riding duties. I shouldn’t have worried. The change is noticeable but not too extreme. I’m just under 6 ft in old money, 181 cm, and it’s still more than comfortable.

The bigger relief came when I backed off the compression a couple of clicks, both front and rear on the R, to bring a little more plushness back for our rubbish Victorian pothole-filled roads. Where I had been worried the upgraded suspension might be a bit too firm, those concerns were firmly put to bed.

That adjustment brought back everyday comfort on the road while still retaining terrific cornering prowess. And of course, when you want to take the bike to the track, you can quickly dial up some additional support. Excellent. Another win for the new 990 Duke R.

New dash, switchgear and offline navigation

Tech-wise, I actually liked the old dash size. But I must admit that the larger dash does shrink pretty quickly once you’re on the bike for a bit. It’s nicely tucked down into the front of the bike and doesn’t feel that out of place after you’ve looked at it for 15 minutes. And I am a big fan of the offline maps.

I’m also a big fan of the upgraded switchgear. It just feels right. And the new design has eliminated the potential to accidentally nudge the cruise control ‘resume’ toggle if you’ve got fat winter gloves on, which you can do on the old bike, as I’ve found out. So that’s another win for the new bike.

Brembo Stylema brakes made the difference

The biggest surprise, however, came in the way of the new Brembo Stylemas, with noticeably more bite and power from the front without it feeling overpowered. I wasn’t expecting that, to be honest. While the old bike will still pull up fine, the difference was dramatic on a hard stop, with much less pressure needed at the lever. Which makes it a clean sweep for the new bike.

Now, none of these areas were shortcomings of the old bike. In fact, if you can pick one up at a pretty good price, which you can right now, and throw a slip-on on it to liberate some more exhaust goodness, it will still be an awesome everyday prospect that will deliver smiles like not many others can.

For most riders, the question is less about whether the 990 Duke R is better, because it clearly is, and more about whether the standard 990 Duke is already good enough. On the road, the answer may depend on how much value you place on the Brembo brakes, firmer suspension control, sharper ergonomics and improved dash/switchgear. If those details matter, the R makes a strong case. If not, the standard bike remains a seriously good thing.

KTM 990 Duke R verdict: am I upgrading?

However, the new 990 Duke R is an unequivocal step forward. The engine gain is modest, the ergonomics are a little sportier, the suspension is better controlled and the new dash and switchgear are welcome, but the Brembo Stylemas were probably the thing that decided it for me.

So if you haven’t guessed by now, I will indeed be upgrading. Duke Diaries will continue with a new 990 Duke R shortly.

Don’t stress, though. The standard 990 Duke will be staying in the MCNews.com.au family. A certain photographer loved it just as much as I do, which means we might have to do some track days. What do you say, Rob? That sounds like a good Duke Diary idea right there…

KTM 990 Duke R v 990 Duke image gallery

Images by RbMotoLens

KTM 990 Duke R Specifications

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