In KTM’s ongoing quest to build more powerful motorcycles and design weirder headlights, the Austrian powerhouse has just yanked the covers off the new KTM 1390 Super Duke R and 1390 Super Duke R Evo. The news comes almost without warning?unless of course you read the tea leaves, and recognized the release of the new KTM 990 Duke at EICMA as a precursor to a redesign of KTM’s flagship naked streetfighter.
The new KTM 1390 Super Duke R celebrates the Duke series’ upcoming 30th birthday with more power, better suspension, and a smorgasbord of subtle refinements. It looks angrier and wilder than ever too, adopting many of the aesthetic tweaks seen on the 990 Duke. KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo goes a step further, with electronically controlled semi-active suspension.
The Super Duke’s new 1390 designation indicates a capacity bump for its already punchy V-twin engine. KTM increased its bore from 108 mm to 110 mm, pushing the displacement to 1,350 cc. That makes it good for 10 more horses and 5 Nm more torque than before, bringing its output to 190 hp at 10,000 rpm and 145 Nm at 8,000 rpm.
The updated mill also sports a variable valve lift system via a shifting cam that behaves according to where in the rev range you are. According to KTM, it’s there to ensure optimal power and torque throughout the whole range, with variable fuel mapping to meet Europe’s ever-tightening emissions standards. The Super Duke also features a redesigned airbox an...