Motorcycle specifications KTMDuke 890 GP 2023 A simple look at the race

The 890 Duke has adopted the name "GP" for its standard version. It's not there to prepare the slider, but to remind us of KTM's commitment to Grand Prix racing. The colors are inspired by MotoGP's RC16 theme .

Doesn't that remind you of something? Yes, the 2021 Tech3 edition Duke. It seems that Katoche was so pleased with the performance of its French satellite, that it honored him on this mid-market roadster. With the addition of a seat cover.

For the Duke, the terms "ride", "go out", "go for a ride" and "go for a walk" don't exist. Whatever the displacement, 125 - 390 - 1290, KTM roadsters have fever right up to the frame. The headlights reflect expressions such as wheeling, nervousness and calibrated menace. That's why the 890 Duke has come to sink its fangs into a category where its predecessor had already begun to bite. The cm3 and watts have dictated their laws, with an even more interesting potential for the "Scalpel".

This affectionate nickname has accompanied the Duke since its introduction in 790, a displacement that was clearly insufficient for its time. She only kept it for 3 years.
After enviously eyeing its 890 R sibling, it adopted the same engine profile, but with 90 cm3 more than before. More cubic capacity is also more practical for passing Euro5. An increased compression ratio, a little more stroke and bore for the Matighoffen twin, larger-diameter valves, larger and lighter forged connecting rods and pistons, a 20% heavier cylinder and more aggressive ACTs optimize the LC8c block. The result is a gain of 10 horsepower for a serious 115 hp at 9,000 rpm, not to mention a gain of 0.6 mkg. The red zone benefits from this, rising to 10,500 rpm. The secondary transmission retains its (lightened) anti-dribble clutch, but loses the Up&Down shifter, which has been transferred to the options list.

as the bike doesn't gain a single kilo in the process, we can expect a quicker, more alert Duke, ready to take on the 890 MT-09, 937 Monster and Z 900. Fetch the Street Triple RS? It will leave the job to its R counterpart, to which it returns 6 horsepower and a pinch of torque. This will avoid family quarrels

But there could be a few for the family photo. Don't look for the slightest difference in design between the 7 and the 8 - it's all the same, copy and paste. Decoration is the only thing that distinguishes one from the other. Frame, swingarm, headlight, tank, saddles, handlebars, mirrors - everything is taken from the 790. So the 890 has only changed mechanically?
No, because the Duke takes the opportunity to overhaul its suspension, an area where the first version came in for some criticism. WP remains the supplier of choice for the 43mm inverted APEX fork, which benefits from new springs to better hold the bike under braking. The shock absorber, also White Power APEX, gains a new spring for greater progressiveness.
Unfortunately, adjustment options remain too limited, with only preload for the rear unit. Here too, the 890 Duke invites you to meet the R if you wish to fine-tune the chassis.

This improvement was necessary, given the grievances levelled at the 790. The increased power also meant that the suspension had to be revised accordingly. Katoche also thought of improving the brakes, albeit sparingly. New brake pads slide into the 4-piston radial calipers. Then wait for the effort on 300 mm discs to calm this lightweight roadster of 169 kilos. This contraction, however vigorous, will be coached by a multi-faceted ABS. It's reactive to the machine's inclination, so as to avoid slippage when braking at an angle. It's also playful: in Supermoto mode, it acts only on the front wheel, allowing the rear to slide along nicely. For those who know their stuff.

Electronics in the brakes, and just about everywhere. Few bikes escape this trend; none at Katoche. It starts with all the LED lighting and daytime running lights, the 4.3" color TFT instrument panel, traction control, anti-wheeling, a 6-axis inertial unit for more sensitive and effective assistance, and concludes with the 3 riding modes (Sport - Street - Rain). Just in case, you can revive the debate with the optional Track mode, engine slip regulation (MSR), Up&Down shifter and the KTM MY RIDE app to control music and smartphone calls.
Let's see what these Modes have in store for us:

- Street: the Duke delivers all its power, with crisp throttle response and traction control set at an intermediate level.
- Rain: less engine power, more progressive throttle response and traction control.
- Sport: all the power of the 890, with a more direct and responsive acceleration than in Street mode, with traction control set to the minimum and electronics that allow a little rear-wheel spin and wheeling to maintain maximum traction.
Track: allows the rider to set acceleration response (3 levels), Traction Control intervention (9 levels), activate or deactivate anti-wheeling, and stop-start assist.

With such a clear-cut design, in the most elementary tradition of the Kiska genre, we're always a little surprised when the bike talks to us about ergonomics and comfort. Take the seat, for example: it's been lowered by 5 mm. Not much, but it can make a difference for some. The handlebars are more equivocal, with 4 possible positions for the fork crown and 3 for pivoting. Brake and clutch levers are also adjustable, thanks to a small knob.

Long gone are the days when the mid-displacement Duke was known as the 620, with its supermotard profile and its 609 cm3 single pushed to a fearsome level of power. Very exclusive, it presented itself as a formidable machine in its own right, but ill-suited to seduce the majority of mid-size wolves.
The 790 arrived to offer a machine more capable of conquering the segment. With the 890 Duke, KTM offers a corrected and doped-up version, while taking care not to cannibalize the more Racing version. As the competition has also upped the ante in terms of both engine size and performance, the confrontations will be all the more interesting.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos