KTM released images of a mad looking new concept street bike in September 2003. That is the same mad looking Superduke as you can see on our pictures. The road from concept to reality is very short at the KTM factory in Mattighofen close to the Austrian alps. KTM has also managed to make orange the in-house colour in the same way as a Kawasaki ZX-R's are lime green. Almost any KTM appeals to the youthful playfulness in biking. The 990 Superduke and the Adventure models are the most grown up models. Still they are just as fun to ride as you would expect looking at one. Ride a chrome infested cruiser or pompous sports tourer and you feel slightly more responsible on the road. None of that when riding the big Duke. KTM has been in the Supermoto game since the very beginning so all they needed was a big bore V-twin and a beefed up race-proven chassis. The wings on the sides of the petrol tank reminds us of KTM's offroad/SM heritage. Just a shame that the fuel range reminds us of those 9 litre petrol tanks on the dirt bikes too.
I picked up the Duke of orange a cold December day and were prevented from exploring that playfulness until a couple of days into the test. All due to slippery tarmac and almost wintry roads here in the Peak district dales and on the best B-roads in England. The first miles were on motorways so there was plenty of time to explore the power band. As you can see there is no proper fairing and the engine is powerful enough to exceed the 140mph mark. If you are used to riding fast on a streetfighter or have a neck like a bull you will not mind the wind too much. It's pretty self explanatory that there are more comfortable vehicles out there. The 75 degree V-twin feels revvy and powerful at the same time as you have got good torque that all combines to great drive from 4.000 rpm. 990 Superduke is far from unique in being a powerful naked and it is not particularly more enjoyable than Ducati S4R, Aprilia Tuono, Cagiva Raptor 1000 or Triumph Speed Triple. However it is just as fun with low dry weight and top suspension. As a matter of fact the WP fork/shock combination will not leave you dreaming about Ohlins. It's the first time I test a sporty road bike with WP suspension and they really do impress. The feel is great and the 990 is not as wheelie prone as some of the other bikes mentioned during acceleration. And let me tell you it's not because it can't. Credit goes to the chassis and suspension. The front fork features 48mm WP USD fork legs and a WP mono shock at the rear. The frame is a Chro-Mo trellis as on all KTM's with aluminium swingarm. It's a sporty set up and the Superduke feels both light and short which is great for both the twisties and town. The seat height is fairly lofty for this type of motorcycle and it seems to be a compromise to achieve optimal handling. The engine is placed more upright than Ducati's V90 and Aprilia's V60 which places it "taller" in the frame with more weight higher as well. At no point did I get the tipping over feeling and the rear end worked great. Placement of the rear shock is often a problem on big V-twins as the rear cylinder and exhaust creates loads of heat close to the shock. KTM has got this one sorted. The four pot Brembo's are neither radially mounted nor gold coloured, but still they are really good. The last time I can remember being so satisfied with the stopping power was on Ducati 749S. So if you are waiting for the Superduke to get the same radial brakes as the 950 Supermoto you've got some fashion issues. Despite the grotty weather during the test there were never any forced grip problems and the Pirelli Diablo's work very well on this type of motorcycle. There are two things I want to pick on and that is (as you were lucky enough to witness on our Idiot's guide) that the side stand is not in a idiot proof enough angle and the petrol tank is ridiculously small (15l). The reserve light goes on after a mere 70 miles if the riding is inspired. The sensor is completely useless and it even stays on for a few miles after filling up the tank. Get used to looking at that warning light as it's on for most of the time when you ride before and after filling. Of the 15 litres that goes in the tank you can only use 14 litres unless you are able to wheelie for 1 litres worth of petrol until you find a garage. This is due to the funky shape of the petrol tank and the one litre stays at the bottom of each side without ever reaching the fuel pump. Welcome to the Multistrada club. When I returned the KTM I photographed that very fuel sensor so that you can see how stupid it really is. Other than the sensor I was the laughing-stock over at KTM's Brackley offices. Well deserved as well since everyone had seen that videowhere the Superduke falls to its side whilst I was filming. To quote a fellow journalist in a British magazine "Brilliant, well done, remember if you are going to fuck up, fuck up in front of a camera!" And that's just what I did. To give you a short conclusion; great sporty chassis which is a really strong side with the competitors in mind. The engine is powerful, but not more powerful than other liquid cooled streetfighters. Buy it for its different looks, fun and playfulness. The Superduke is a brilliant first from KTM, but please sort out that petrol situation. Tor Sagen More video of the 990
