KTM 990 Superduke

**Cr1MiNaL** · 11th December 2009, 11:08

How good are these 990 cc machines?

I'm taking one out for a fang today so stay tuned!

**2wheeldrifter** · 11th December 2009, 11:12

http://images.google.co.nz/imgres?im...n%26safe%3Doff

http://images.google.co.nz/imgres?im...3Doff%26sa%3DG

**Cr1MiNaL** · 11th December 2009, 11:40

Cheers bud, bud I promise you heaps of "action" shots

**Gremlin** · 11th December 2009, 13:17

Depends what you're after really... Look in the reviews thread for my 3-way of the 2008 KTM 990 Superduke, KTM 990 Supermoto and Triumph Speed Triple.

The bike as a whole is a good package, most suited to those that don't want a ballistic missile, but still want to head out on the odd rides and "stay with the boys" as such. Its quite content at 140kph around sweepers etc and for normal road riding (ie, not racing) is excellent. As the norm with KTM, you get the high quality goodies such as WP suspension, Brembo brakes etc.

Don't even think about it as a city commuter, the clutch is incredibly stiff and basically, hard to ride slowly

and a snatchy throttle. Don't expect it to have oodles more low low down torque than torquey inline 4's, but the vtwin rumble once akra's are fitted

Not for me, I went the SM route as you know, and loving the KTM "orange crush"

**Oscar** · 11th December 2009, 13:36

I had a 990SMT out for the weekend a coupla weeks ago and it was a stunner.

**Dazza** · 11th December 2009, 14:47

Originally Posted by Cr1MiNaL

Cheers bud, bud I promise you heaps of "action" shots

I love em, onto my second one now did 50,000k's on my first one & up to 23000 k's on this one, it's all I need in a MC & those IL4's can't get away in the curves, they hate it when the booming V twin blows past

!!

**Cr1MiNaL** · 11th December 2009, 18:39

My review after 3 hours on the 2008 KTM 990 Superduke: "Things I look for when I buy a new motorbike".

With WP suspension, 320 mm dual ventilated floating Brembo disc brakes and a sexy carbon fiber exhaust the KTM 990 Superduke reeks of Torque, Precession and Comfort and to top it off the Super Duke is powered by a 999.9cc 75-degree V-Twin engine. Climb aboard this sexy beast and you first notice a very functional yet uncluttered dash displaying a digital speedometer, temperature gauge, coolant temperature gauge, and digital rev meter - not fancy but very easy to read and adjust with gloves on the go. The upright seating position, comfortable single seat, wide bars, great suspension and superb brakes make the SD a great stunt bike and an ideal commuter and caters to those who like the odd spirited ride too. With the right rider a SD 990 should not be disadvantaged holding it's own with the sports bikes in the tight stuff. It felt like a sports motard if such a thing were to exist. At the end of it all I wasn't sure whether to ride it dragging my knees or to protrude my legs pointing through the corner as you do on a supermotard.

Both felt natural and steady through corners.

It sits quite comfortably at 55 in 3rd gear although any higher and you hear a distinct knocking noise from the gearbox. Wheelies are really only good in first and second. A Jappa feels like it has a lot more torque in every gear, lot more top end and screams angrily all the way out to 14k rpm. Unfortunately however, although the 990 SD has a lot of low down grunt just as you are beginning to enjoy the front wheel pop up under power it slams shut almost in a rude fashion reminding you that you are on a public road and should probably keep your license a bit longer. If feels best at 7k rpm and has a sweet spot at 7000 RPM in second gear, use it in that range and you have a claimed 75 lb- foot torque curve at your disposal! It comes across as an extremely capable machine and in the right hands would be quite the weapon.

All things equal, it would not have a hope in hell on a good track though where sports bikes enter their element.

Did you say compression? Well let me talk about compression a little bit. It suffices to say that there is a lot of it - in every gear. To put it into perspective, shutting off the throttle in second gear and traveling at 90 kmph will slow you down quite rapidly until you reach about 20kmph till it gradually loosens off - I only really used the brakes to trail brake into corners or to step the rear out. Use this with your rear brake entering a corner and you have the rear skipping off the tarmac beautifully drifting into & out of corners, one picture captures this but due to the fact that I ran out of batteries could not take more. Due to the enormous amount of compression the SD 990 inspires smooth and easy (yet aggressive) downshifting as compared to other machines I have ridden. Don't blip the throttle to match the revs of this ginormous torque inspired engine and you will learn to fly and roll quickly unless you are skilled enough.

All in all I would be quite happy to throw $20k odd at a bike like this if I rode around the city a lot. It would make a great touring bike and a lovely second bike to those of you that enjoy riding hard and would like to be comfortable while doing so. Although this bike does not really teach you to 'respect' it, it probably caters to an audience that have 'been there done that' and are more into "riding the pace". If your thinking of one go see Rob at AMPS. They are selling all their KTM's and have plans of no longer stocking them going forward. Thanks AMPS for the lovely test ride. I'll be taking your RC8 R out soon!

PS: Thanks to Winter on the 675 tripple for the ride and the pictures.

**Oscar** · 13th December 2009, 19:24

The SMT is just the nicest all round scooter that I've ridden in a long while.
Light and flick-able, with a up right seating position and a little bit of mind protection.

Buy the optional luggage and tour (the "T" in SMT is for "Traveler") on any sort of road, or go to track days...or anything in between.

It's also the best looking KTM, in my opinion (the silver and black one, in particular).

**Gremlin** · 15th December 2009, 00:33

Originally Posted by Oscar

The SMT is just the nicest all round scooter that I've ridden in a long while.
Light and flick-able, with a up right seating position and a little bit of mind protection.

Not quite Oscar... I reckon the 990SM is the best. Granted, you get a better seat and handguards standard on the SMT, but you can fit those to the SM (which I have done).

You can custom fit givi pannier racks (yeah, did that too) which allows much better luggage. The KTM luggage is over priced, not waterproof and not lockable. The suspension on the SM has more travel, which some have complained about, ie, too much pitching, but it makes the bike more capable on rough gravel roads etc, whereas the SMT is more road focussed.

The front fairing on the SMT looks a little odd... I'm used to nakeds, and having the headlight turn easily at night can be handy for looking at things.

I'm biased anyway

**EJK** · 15th December 2009, 09:16

NOICE! Matt finally got a 675 yo!

Congrats to him yo!

**Oscar** · 15th December 2009, 09:22

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Not quite Oscar... I reckon the 990SM is the best. Granted, you get a better seat and handguards standard on the SMT, but you can fit those to the SM (which I have done).

You can custom fit givi pannier racks (yeah, did that too) which allows much better luggage. The KTM luggage is over priced, not waterproof and not lockable. The suspension on the SM has more travel, which some have complained about, ie, too much pitching, but it makes the bike more capable on rough gravel roads etc, whereas the SMT is more road focussed.

The front fairing on the SMT looks a little odd... I'm used to nakeds, and having the headlight turn easily at night can be handy for looking at things.

I'm biased anyway

Meh - I'm not that fussy, gimme any current 990 variant and I'll be a happy man....

**Muppet** · 15th December 2009, 10:57

Originally Posted by Oscar

The SMT is just the nicest all round scooter that I've ridden in a long while.
Light and flick-able, with a up right seating position and a little bit of mind protection.

Buy the optional luggage and tour (the "T" in SMT is for "Traveler") on any sort of road, or go to track days...or anything in between.

It's also the best looking KTM, in my opinion (the silver and black one, in particular).

I was at Teretonga watching one of these flying around the track keeping up with superbikes during the Burt Munro Challenge. I was very impressed, it had a white tank in case the owner is reading this.

**NZsarge** · 15th December 2009, 11:04

I rode a SD when the current model first hit the showrooms, thought it was a right giggle. You're right though, it'd be a great second bike, could'nt see me dropping the 14 to have a SD as my only bike.

**Dazza** · 15th December 2009, 13:34

Originally Posted by Cr1MiNaL

Wheelies are really only good in first and second. A Jappa feels like it has a lot more torque in every gear, lot more top end and screams angrily all the way out to 14k rpm. Unfortunately however, although the 990 SD has a lot of low down grunt just as you are beginning to enjoy the front wheel pop up under power it slams shut almost in a rude fashion
.

Keep changing up gears ya cruel bastwad, I made the mistake & took the Ducati Streetfight out yesterday, dulp, I knew I shouldn't