KTM Duke 990 2025 — Specifications

Two thousand euros knocked off the price by just the second year on the market — that speaks volumes about the initial positioning of the KTM Duke 990. Launched in 2024 with a price tag too steep for the segment, the 2025 version of the KTM Duke 990 corrects course and now lists at €12,949. A price that finally puts it back in the running against the Triumph Street Triple RS or the Yamaha MT-09 SP. Because on paper, this Austrian machine has no shortage of arguments to win over the demanding rider — the kind who wants character without being saddled with a 200-kilo behemoth.

Beneath the chromoly steel trellis frame lies an LC8c parallel twin displacing 947 cc, with a 285° crank angle. The numbers speak for themselves: 123 hp at 9,500 rpm and, more importantly, 103 Nm of torque from just 6,750 rpm. How much horsepower does the KTM Duke 990 have compared to the old 890? Eight more than the standard version, and torque significantly improved thanks to the extra 58 cc. Compared to the late KTM Duke 990 R of old — the one that wore the Super Duke badge with its 999 cc V-twin — the gain in raw power remains modest. But the modern vertical twin compensates with a much broader powerband and low-rpm flexibility that the old mill simply couldn't deliver. With a 13.5:1 compression ratio and a 92.5 mm bore, this engine breathes modernity. The top speed of the KTM Duke 990 peaks at 220 km/h, placing the machine squarely in the segment average.

The chassis has been the subject of meticulous work. KTM increased the frame's lateral rigidity by 8% and torsional rigidity by 5%, while making the swingarm 35% more compliant. The latter, high-pressure cast, shaves 1.5 kg off the scales. The result: 179 kg dry, a featherweight figure that lets you play tightrope walker in the city just as easily as through a string of tight corners. The WP Apex suspension, featuring a 43 mm inverted fork with 140 mm of travel and a rear shock with 150 mm, offers simplified adjustments in 5-position increments. No more headaches over half-clicks: you turn, you ride, you fine-tune. The J.Juan braking system with its twin 300 mm discs clamped by radial-mount four-piston calipers inspires confidence. The tire fitment — 120/70-17 up front and 180/55-17 at the rear — remains standard for the class, but effective.

The electronics are both a strong point and a source of contention. The 5-inch TFT display provides access to five riding modes: Street, Sport, Rain, Performance, and Track. Except the last two become paid features after a 1,500 km free trial. The quickshifter gets the same treatment. The commercial strategy aims to be transparent, but getting a taste of Track mode with its ten levels of traction control and launch control only to have it taken away leaves a bitter aftertaste. That's the main criticism leveled at the 2025 KTM Duke 990: it dangles the feast before handing you the bill. The five-level anti-wheelie system, for its part, comes standard. On the lighting front, the LED signature with daytime running lights and the Coming Home function that keeps the lights on after the ignition is switched off add a welcome practical touch.

What is the price of the KTM Duke 990 in France? At €12,949, it clearly targets the rider who has moved beyond the A2 license stage and is looking for a snappy, lightweight roadster capable of biting into track days on weekends while remaining civilized during the week. Those eyeing a KTM Duke 990 R will have to be patient or turn to the used market to track down the first 2024 units. In its category, this 990 represents a shrewd compromise between the brutality of a Super Duke 1390 and the accessibility of an 890. It's not perfect, but it has the merit of offering a power-to-weight ratio that few competitors can match at this price point.