Since the 990 Super Duke debuted at the company, the philosophy has never changed: a fun, aggressive and powerful bike.
The big technical and stylistic step came in 2020 with the advent of the third generation Super Duke and, since then, it’s been a constant improvement. In 2021 came the Super Duke RR: the most powerful Hyper-Naked ever produced by KTM to date… 2022 brought with it the KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R EVO, taking the Super Duke’s characteristic performance to another level with WP semi-active suspension.
Raising the bar is never easy, but the Austrian manufacturer surprises once again with a new Hyper-Naked model: the SUPER DUKE 1390 R. More displacement, more power, more torque and a completely new design made in Kiska.
The new KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R has a completely revamped design that emphasizes the bike’s compactness and “muscle”. Even more aggressive and daring than ever. A surprising, almost alien evolution, thanks to the new set of LED lights, the new tank lines and the addition of winglets. Plus exclusive color schemes to celebrate 30 years of the Duke, inspired by the 990 SUPER DUKE.
The KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R and KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R EVO feature a new, almost alien LED headlight design. The position and daytime running lights are now along the edges of the headlight and are self-adjusting in intensity, depending on the ambient light conditions, thanks to a light sensor integrated into the instrument panel.
The dipped beam lights are located in the central part of the headlight and switch on automatically when it gets dark. The daytime running lights also reduce their intensity and function as position lights in darker ambient light conditions. The new LED light has led to a weight reduction of 700 g compared to the LED light on the previous 1390 SUPER DUKE.
Due to the new design of the intake duct and airbox, it was possible to enlarge the fuel tank by 1.5 liters, bringing the total volume to 17.5 liters. In this way, the new SUPER DUKE gains several kilometers of range, which should exceed 300 km.
The new tank spoilers not only improve the overall look of the KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R, but also feature functional fins to increase downforce and contain – as much as possible – its exuberant character.
The KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R and KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R EVO are based on the frame developed in 2020 for the KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R, but with some important updates that take it to the next level.
KTM set itself the goal with the 1390 SUPER DUKE R of improving high-speed stability and low-speed agility without sacrificing riding comfort. With this ambition in mind, a 48 mm WP APEX Open Cartridge fork was installed. The new fork allows for compression, extension and preload adjustment.
The WP APEX shock absorber has also been upgraded. Separate gas and oil reservoirs adapt to the piggyback style, which offers total adjustability. For 2024, the electronic adjustment (DCC) of the shock absorber has also been improved to provide a better overall balance, finding – on paper – the right compromise between comfort and suspension performance.
The KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE R EVO is equipped with the latest generation of WP’s semi-active technology (SAT). Equipped with electronically controlled solenoid valves for variable damping, the new suspension offers a wide range of settings: from maximum comfort to rigidity and circuit support at the touch of a button. The SCU (Suspension Control Unit) adapts the damping in real time according to the driving style and the surface on which you are driving, analyzing the wealth of information provided by the sensors and the IMU.
All suspension settings can be changed directly from the instrument panel by selecting five different damping modes via the TFT display: AUTO, COMFORT, RAIN, STREET and SPORT. Two more modes are available if you opt for the SUSPENSION PRO package, which unlocks TRACK and PRO modes.
SUSPENSION PRO offers three automatic preload settings: LOW, STANDARD and HIGH. In this case, the suspension is able to automatically calculate and adapt the preload according to the rider’s weight and recreate 3 different geometries, AUTO-STANDARD, AUTO-LOW and AUTO-HIGH. SUSPENSION PRO also allows for Anti-Dive adjustment, which keeps the front end rigid and stable even in the event of sudden braking.
For 2024, the aim was to take a big step forward in terms of power, while keeping weight to an absolute minimum, in order to pursue the much-coveted 1:1 power-to-weight ratio and maintain the character for which the KTM SUPER DUKE is known.
To this end, the bore has been increased from 108 mm to 110 mm, bringing the displacement to 1350 cc. In addition, the new camshaft allows for two separate valve lifts, depending on the engine speed. These improvements allow for an increase in maximum power and torque across the entire power range. The result? A power output of 190 hp at 10,000 rpm and 145 Nm of torque at 8,000 rpm, in compliance with EURO 5+ homologation.
The 1390 SUPER DUKE’s gearbox has been updated by shortening the fifth and sixth gears to further improve responsiveness.