2024 KTM Super Duke 1390 Review | Motorcycle Test

2024 KTM Super Duke 1390 Review

Motorcycle Review by Wayne Vickers

The third and final part of the 30 years of Duke celebration, that started with us on the little 390 Duke, followed by the new 990 Duke, before culminating in us getting a quick taste of the new 1390 Super Duke R at the Almeria Circuit.

Finally, in the afternoon, we got to throw the leg over the mighty 1390 Super Duke. The Beast mk4. While not as big an update compared to the other two models, it’s still a serious update – the bike is 60 per cent new.

Leading with an obviously larger engine capacity than the old 1290. The engine updates here were aimed at Euro5 compliance, but somehow, they’ve managed to bump up performance as well.

Did the old bike need more hump? Probably not. But it’s got it now! 190 hp might be the headline stat, but KTM were more interested in pointing out that it still has a class-leading torque figure of 145 Nm. That’s planet-turning amounts of torque.

The other big change in the engine is the addition of KTM’s first cam shift technology, which kicks things up another notch at 6,000 rpm (yo!). It’s a smooth step up and not unsettling, but it is certainly noticeable.

Sitting on the 1390 Super Duke R, it’s immediately noticeable just how much larger and firmer the bike is over the 990. This thing means business. And I’m not too proud to say that my first session on it, on a new track, was taken fairly conservatively.

Almeria is a technical circuit with lots of blind corners and tricky lines, including multiple off-camber entries. And I had brand new tyres to scrub in as well. The front half of the circuit is mostly easing on and off the throttle, throwing the bike from one side to the other.

Then, down the back, there is quite a tight little chicane before you finally bring it round onto the back straight, and it feels like another animal comes to life when you fully open those taps and get a proper feel of that new engine.

The 1390 is simply outrageous.

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Expletives were uttered. Many times. It is an absolute animal acceleration-wise, especially when you get into that meaty mid-range. I mean, it should be no surprise, the bike is almost 1.4 litres, for god’s sake, but it’s so civilised down low with that cam shift.

How strong is it? Well, the front was coming up in third. And fourth, if you were really on it. That wheelie control is probably there for a reason… We were seeing 260 plus down the back straight which is plenty on a naked bike.

Oh, and if those figures aren’t enough? There’s an Akro full system available that bumps things up an extra 10 hp and 5 Nm to what seems like a nice round 200 hp and 150 Nm. Absolutely mega. Track use only, of course… ahem.

Handling-wise, the bike is a noticeably heavier, firmer thing than the 990, but no slouch at all and drops eagerly on its side. It feels quite tall, too, while the bars-seat-peg ratio feels sporty without being race-bike aggressive. Ergos are a standout, actually. Just as they were in the old bike, it’s genuinely comfortable to punt around.

Unfortunately, we only managed a session and a couple of laps before light rain started falling.

More expletives, but for different reasons. Just as I was starting to get comfortable and push on. Even in that short time, there’s no mistaking it’s the most potent and capable bike in the Duke line-up ever.

It’s barking mad if you’re in that mood, and with the new cam shift, it’s even easier to ride than the old model. And I love it. Maybe because it’s so mad. The 1290 was probably my benchmark for big naked street bike animals, and this thing is just… even more mental.

Tech abounds. It gets all the track tech the 990 does (both via the optional Tech Pack) and then some. Being the hero model, there are actually two variations available. The 1390 R and the 1390 Evo. The Evo sports super trick WP Gen 3 semi-active suspension at both ends and runs a bunch more tech in terms of suspension pre-sets and custom setting maps.

I didn’t get a chance to start playing with those suspension maps in earnest before the rain put a literal dampener on things, but the three track pre-sets are set for standard, firmer and softer settings to help you find your preferred setup. Jeremy suggested that ‘Track 1’ settings (standard) seemed to be the go-to for Almeria, and I have no reason to argue otherwise.

The switchgear and dash controls step up a notch in complexity over the 990, especially with the Evo running the semi-active suspension. There’s no getting away from the fact that there’s an incredible amount of adjustments that can be made which adds complexity. But that’s probably the type of person who’d be looking to buy the ultimate Duke anyway. You could happily spend many hours fine-tuning the beast until it was just perfect for you.

And that’s exactly what the 1390 Super Duke R is. They’ve taken a bike we loved already and given it more of everything. It didn’t need it – and logically, it’s probably way more than what a lot of riders need. Bikes like this aren’t about what you need, are they?

The really impressive part is that for a bike that can be so barking mad, it’s surprisingly easy to ride if you can reign in the desire to go full send everywhere. I do wonder how long I’d keep my license if I bought one…?

Frankly, we should think ourselves lucky that we’re still able to get bikes like this despite ever-tightening emission laws making it harder and harder for manufacturers to get the tick.

All three bikes will hit their mark. At eight and a half grand for the 390, $20K for the 990 and from $32K for the 1390 Super Duke, they’re all compelling prospects. It’s hard to imagine what the next ten years of Duke evolution will bring, but they certainly have not been resting on their laurels – the new trio of bikes are pretty awesome.

Get your butt on one for a test ride when they’re available, which should be around the end of Feb for the 1390 SDR, March sometime for the 390 Duke and May for the 990 Duke.

I hope I can get another chance to throw the leg over one and fully explore the bike’s potential when they land here down under. Maybe get the bike on a track over here in some dry weather… for more than a handful of laps to let my feeble brain come up to speed.

I’ll sign off by thanking the KTM crew for putting on an amazing couple of days and being so accessible and passionate; And a little bit nuts in a way that only KTM is. It certainly makes the 80 hours of travel time there and back well worth it.

2024 KTM Super Duke 1390 Specifications

2024 KTM Super Duke 1390 Gallery

For more info or to find your local KTM dealer head to the KTM Australia website (link).