New KTM Duke R to get an 890 cc engine and power boost!

Bruno Gomes

March 21, 2019

The 790 Duke (in photo) might get a new 890 cc engine for the Duke R

Those mad Austrians at Mattighofen are getting even crazier, as new information surrounding the arrival of the new Duke R surfaced today. As expected, KTM will roll out, very soon, a new spicier version of the acclaimed 790 Duke fun bike, and the fact that a development prototype was caught testing in Spanish roads in the last few days of 2018, means this bike should’ve already been ready to hit KTM dealerships around the world.

Unfortunately, KTM had other plans, and the new Duke R hasn’t shown its “face” in production guise as we expected. This has to do with KTM making a huge effort on the adventure segment, with the launch of the 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R, and also because, according to the latest information, the Duke R will get a bigger 890 cc twin-cylinder engine to give this naked motorcycle a boost in power!

According to American website Asphalt&Rubber, KTM has been hard at work in Mattighofen to develop a beefed up version of the 799 cc LC8c engine that is currently being used on the 790 Duke. By keeping the same engine block but increasing piston bore and stroke, the Austrian manufacturer will effectively up the displacement to 890 cc, which allows KTM to make an engine that will deliver more power – expected power figure is between 110 to 120 hp – and at the same time the bigger engine makes it easier for KTM to homologate this bike as a Euro5 model.

If in fact KTM is really planning to increase displacement and power for the upcoming 890 Duke R, that means we will soon be able to compare this R version against some very tough rivals like the new Ducati Hypermotard 950 and even the original “hooligan” bike, the Triumph Street Triple 765, all of them making around the same max power.

But the changes on the 890 Duke R aren’t only on the engine, but on the chassis as well. For example, the WP suspensions (front and rear) will become stiffer compared to the standard 790 Duke, courtesy of stiffer springs, while the bike will also be lighter due to the use of special and premium materials. The electronic package should also get an update with different riding modes, especially the Supermoto mode, that allows the rider to explore the Duke R to its limits.

Given that we expected this Duke R to arrive by mid-2019, and if we take into account the delay because of the development of the 890 cc engine, KTM should reveal the new 890 Duke R at the EICMA Milan motorcycle show, probably as a 2020 model.