KTM has shaken the naked motorcycle segment without warning. The company has revealed its latest orange beast, the 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R.
The new KTM 1390 Super Duke R features an LED headlight unit that dominates, with new tank spoilers and added winglets making it known that it is not to be messed with. A further reduced subframe cover eliminates the brake light making for an even sharper, pure look and riding experience. With a lower overall profile and more emphasis placed on the compact chassis, the KTM 1390 Super Duke R looks more muscular and aggressive than ever before. In short, KTM upped the attitude, by lowering the altitude.
A redesigned air intake and airbox see a revised fuel tank with an overall tank capacity of 17.5 liters, which is an increase of 1.5 liters over the predecessor. This not only takes the riding range up to around 300 km but also performs an important ergonomic function. In the hunt for grams, every panel has been calculated for optimum thickness and minimized where possible, with new tank spoilers and added winglets increasing downforce.
However, it is the lightweight, and ‘smart’ headlight design that makes the biggest visual impact. Weighing in at nearly 700 g less than the previous unit, and boasting an alien-like design, it adds an all-new aggressive glare to the KTM 1390 Super Duke R. Position and daytime running lights are located on the profile of the headlight, which auto-adjusts in intensity according to ambient light conditions thanks to a light sensor integrated into the dashboard.
Powering the best is a 1,350 cc engine that produces 190 HP at 10,000 rpm, and 145 Nm of torque at 8,000 rpm, ripping into the tarmac with pure ferocity – with a new, more aggressive look to match. Impressive figures aside, however, it is its effectiveness at getting power to the ground that makes it even more potent.
Getting that power to the ground comes courtesy of new, lightweight MICHELIN Power GP tires with dual-compound technology, as well as a new WP APEX shock absorber which is fully adjustable, allowing for separate high and low speed adjustments, rebound and toolless pre-load adjustment. Improved DCC settings provide better pressure balance resulting in less compromise between suspension comfort and performance, while new 48 mm WP APEX Open Cartridge fork with split function provide optimized settings.
