KTM?s line of naked bikes has steadily evolved over the past 25 years. We assembled the latest lineup of Dukes for a side-by-side evaluation. Photos by Kevin Wing.

KTM rose to prominence with its competition-winning two-stroke dirtbikes, but in 1994 the Austrian manufacturer made its first foray into the four-stroke streetbike market with the 620 Duke. The original Duke arrived on the scene just as supermoto replicas were booming in popularity. The tall, powerful machines with wide bars, much like enduro bikes but running on 17-inch road tires, were a blast to ride. Packing 50 horses, the light and lithe 620 Duke was the most powerful thumper on the street at the time, earning it a hooligan reputation.  
KTM has come a long way since then, but the early Duke DNA ? wide bars, a tall stance, and exhilarating power ? carries over to the current lineup. Every model ? 200 Duke, 390 Duke, 890 Duke (an R model is also available), and 1290 Super Duke R (shown left to right below) ? is a naked bike with an upright seating position and a wide, flat seat, and most are versatile enough for urban riding, canyon carving, and even sport-touring. With styling by Kiska, they share bold, angular bodywork and typically favor KTM?s trademark orange on powdercoated frames and bodywork. The split headlight on the three largest Dukes also split the opinion of our test riders. 

What are the four Dukes like, and what sort of buyers will the...