Test Riding the KTM 790 Duke
Vložit
- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Here is a video of my test ride of the KTM 790 Duke. I rode this motorcycle for 40 minutes. It's pretty hard, maybe even impossible, to evaluate comprehensively a motorcycle in such a short time. So, what I'm sharing here are just my first impressions.
Specifications in brief:
- Parallel twin engine, 799cc, liquid-cooled
- 105 hp @ 9,000 rpm, 87 nm @ 8,000 rpm
- 6-speed gearbox with up & down quickshifter
- Chromium molybdenum steel tubular frame
- Not adjustable WP 43mm upside down fork
- WP rear shock absorber with adjustable preload
- 4-piston radial calipers with Bosch lean sensitive ABS
- 169 kg (373 lb) dry
- 825 mm (32.5 in) seat height
- 14 l (3.7 US Gal) fuel tank
- 9,690 euros in France, VAT included
- 15,000 km (9,000 mi) or 1-year maintenance interval
The motorcycle of my test ride has some extra features:
- CNC oil plug (34 euros)
- Brake & clutch lever protections (136 euros)
More info, pictures, bonus & exclusive videos on my Facebook Page:
/ mrkiddomoto
Nice review, that bike have some really high-tech features for such a "small" bike.
Cheers! Yes, it offers a very complete electronic package for a competitive price. Apparently KTM has chosen to save money on the suspension and the brakes instead. Those parts are good enough for most of riders, but the ones who want top-of-the-range components have to wait for the 790 Duke "R", which will be introduced next year :)
Nice video of a pretty good looking bike. It sounds like you liked the bike quite a bit. Thanks for the video, Ride Safe And Keep Smiling.
Thank you Jeremy! Indeed I liked it quite a lot... But the "problem" is that I actually liked every bike I test rode 😉 Ride safe too, and all the best to you ✌🏻
Super vidéo comme d’habitude !! Si un jour tu passe dans le 15 eme , rue saint Charles passe le bonjour de ma part à ce quartier !!!! Qui était le mien il y a quelques années !!! Merci pour toutes ces vidéos !
Merci Carlos ! Tes salutations seront transmises si je passe dans le coin :)
...i’ll still take the cb650f. Hopefully it gets that retro look of the 1000r and 300r...........cb650r 🙃
Not the same category... Even if the CB650F is a great bike, the Duke 790 is way more fun to ride. I hope Honda will launch soon a "Hornet 800" to compete with bikes in this 800cc/100hp range 😉
Thanks for this honest and straight forward review of a seemingly great bike. I sounds so different then my Versys even though it is also a parallel twin. Two things i would like to know: is it any good for tall riders like me (1,90m), expecially knee angle and how does it feel at low revs. Do you have to use the clutch often in slow traffic or is it a bit like a diesel enigine which just pulls and pulls. My Versys doesn'like revs below 3000-4000rpm so i have to choose the gearing accordingly.
What is find particularly interesting is the up/down quickshifter. I am trying to rev match all the time when downshifting but is haven't grown to use it yet so for me it would be something quite useful.
Overall a very attractive package. Think i might try it myself ;-)
Thanks again and ride safe ;-)
You're welcome, glad you've enjoyed this review, Ray! 😊 The riding position is pretty relaxed. I can't say if it fits to tall riders as I'm not very tall myself, but the knee angle isn't too extreme. It's more confortable on this point than some other naked bikes I have test ridden (e.g. Ducati Monster 821 or Triumph Street Triple). As for the engine, it's nicely smooth for a twin cylinder, and it can be a good bike for a city use. A test ride would allow you to check by yourself those 2 points. Ride safe too ✌🏻
I want one please!
Santa Claus will receive many letters from bikers this year 😜
Super comme toujours !! Et toi comment vas tu?
Ça va, merci ! Très pris par le travail et la famille ces dernières semaines, mais j'ai trouvé quelques heures ce week-end pour faire le montage de ma prochaine vidéo. Elle sera en ligne demain à 16h ;)
👌👌👌👌👌👌 nice
Cheers :)
💯
Specs are top but price/maintnance
eliability always kept me away from ktm machines. I would rather choose street triple in this price range.
I don't know about the reliability, but KTM has apparently put a lot of effort into making the Duke 790 competitive. In France, its price is halfway between the Street Triple S (which has neither the TFT dash, nor the radial brakes) and the Street Triple R (which has those features). As for the maintenance interval, the KTM needs to be serviced every 15,000 km (valve adjustment every 30,000 km), while the Triumph needs to be serviced every 10,000 km (valve adjustment every 20,000 km). Other main differences: the Triumph offers a sharper handling, more power in high revs, and a better built quality ; the KTM offers a more relaxed riding position and a more torquey engine. They also have different styles, and I personally prefer the design of the Triumph 😉
Tu penses pouvoir nous faire un test de la nouvelle Honda CB1000R NSC ?
Rien de prévu pour l'instant. À vrai dire, j'hésite... D'une certain côté, elle me plait bien et je suis vraiment curieux de l'essayer. D'un autre côté, je ne pense pas avoir encore suffisamment d'expérience pour une moto aussi puissante. Je tiens à d'abord me faire la main sur des motos d'environ 800cm3 ou 100-120 ch avant de passer à plus puissant.
Does France still forces the 100hp limitation policy for motorcycles ?
No, it was removed some years ago, thanks to the European Union which said that this old French regulation didn't respect the European rules :)
would you prefer this bike or the street triple?
Both are great, but I have personally preferred the Street Triple
Isn't it to wide in the city?
Not at all. It's actually amazingly tight, light and nimble... One of the best bikes I have ever ridden for city use and filtering! :)
Stock exhaust? And where are you? And what do you ride?
Yes / Paris / Honda CBF600NA & CB650F
Change the plateholder first mirror Second 😄
No, first the mirrors! They are the ugliest I have ever seen 😉
How does it compare to the CB650f?
Not the same category... The Duke is obviously much faster and lighter. It feels more aggressive, more agile and it features much more electronic aids. The CB650F is more comfortable and its engine is smoother though.
MrKiddo Thanks for the answer! I know that the Duke is way more performance oriented, but the cb650f is the most similar bike out of the ones that I have ridden. KTM performance Vs Honda reliability
The new Kiddo bike ??????
The only "Kiddo bike" will always be my lovely CBF600NA. If I buy a new bike, it will be called "the other bike" 😉 Currently this title is held by the CB650FA, but this one is going to be sold very soon...
KTM Joinville?
Exact ! Le commercial (Lionel) est une crème. J'avais un emploi du temps chargé et il a renoncé à sa pause déj pour que je puisse faire mon essai. Je ne sais pas encore si ma prochaine moto sera une KTM, mais tôt ou tard, je lui en achèterai une 👍🏻
MrKiddo Franchement tout a fait d accord je chercher un stage il avait rien à me proposer mais il a demander autour et tout. Je pense aussi que c'est un bon gars.
Bon j'ai pas eu de stage mais bon 😂
When other 🏍 in 700/750/800cc class have average weight around 200kg, KTM has definitely cut corners in quality materials. Reliability is another question mark! Not worth the money.
Mr Kiddo, please review:
2018 SUZUKI GSX-S750,
which is an all round bike, ticks almost every box.
But I've to mention, CB1100RS is a gem, and if by any chance in future, Honda launches "CB800-RS" similar to CB1100RS, it will beat the heat in the middleweight biking arena world over.
I have no clue about the reliability, but the low weight doesn't necessarily imply that KTM used poor quality materials. The build quality seems pretty good actually. See the Triumph Street Triple 765 as another example: 166 kg dry and an excellent build quality. I will be glad to try the 2018 GSX-S 750 if the opportunity arises. I had a test ride with the 2015 model... Nice bike! :)
MrKiddo, Do Try for 2018 GSX-S750
🏍️ Thank you.
Prashant More I think you have confused yourself mate. Just have a look at the swingarm on the KTM compared to other bikes in the category and you can see that higher end parts reduce weight. Also have a look at the size and weight of the engine to see how again high level engineering reduces weight. KTM philosophy is power to weight ratio. Compact lightweight machines with alot of grunt and an electronics package to die for. Also the 790 currently is manufactured in Austria which other competitor at this price point builds in Europe and offers so much at the same price point?
RealOrbit - Australia, I definitely agree with you on power-to-weight ratio for higher performance gains keeping overall weight lighter. Probably 790 being higher capacity machine, quality could be higher, b'coz same can not be iterated with regard to 250/300/390. In fact, 790 DUKE, GSX-S750, CBR650F are in my bucket list.
What's your opinion on:
"CB400 SUPER FOUR"
(as an all round machine)