India-Bound 2021 KTM Duke 890 Revealed

KTM has revealed the 2021 Duke 890, the slightly less powerful variant of the 890 family of the manufacturer’s naked bike series.

It looks like Team Orange thought that the Duke R was a little bit too rowdy for some, which left room for a non-R Duke 890.

However, it is not like the 2021 KTM Duke 890 is some quiet, soulless version either, for it still has 115 HP and 92 Nm due to its 889cc parallel-twin motor, more than enough power for a bike weighing 169 kg (dry) to attain serious pace.

In comparison, the 2021 KTM 890 Duke R puts out 121 HP and 99 Nm from the same engine, while weighing 3 kg less.

The 2021 KTM Duke 890 sports a powder coated Chromium-Molybdenum-steel frame that uses the engine as a stressed member, while the subframe is cast aluminium.

Suspension hardware is WP Apex front (43 mm USD forks) and rear (monoshock). So far, very identical to the ‘R’ version of the Duke 890.

However, the Brembo brakes of the 890 R have been replaced with KTM-branded components. The front discs are smaller in size too, now measuring 300 mm rather than 320 mm.

KTM has also slightly revised the steering head angle, and dropped the seat height (now 820 mm), while the Duke 890’s ground clearance of 191 mm is lesser than the 206 mm clearance of the R. It also misses an water/oil heat exchanger.

Design-wise, there is nothing to set the 890s apart really, save for model-specific graphics, pillion seat and more comfortable footpegs on the non-R Duke 890. The TFT cluster has been carried over and so is the electronics package.

Thus, there are rider aids, ride modes (Rain, Street, Sport, Track (optional)), traction control, Supermoto ABS mode, stability control with cornering ABS, among several others. So, one can be a hooligan on the bike without having to meet imminent death.

Set to go on sale abroad in a couple of months, the 2021 KTM Duke 890 will come to India as the Duke 790’s replacement and likely cost around the Rs. 9 lakhs (ex-showroom).