KTM Duke 690. Review on KTM Duke 690

Development, while the advent of the Moto3 class in Grand Prix roadracing in 2012 ushered in even more advancements. KTM was one of the first to take on the challenge of creating a modern four-stroke single streetbike, the Austrian dirtbike manufacturer introducing the Duke 620 way back in 1994. Twenty-two years and four different design iterations later comes the 2016 KTM 690 Duke.

The previous 690 Duke was the most powerful production single to date, but the new model is even stronger. Two key design elements have enabled KTM to reach an even higher level of power and smoothness: the introduction of KTM’s Ride Mode technology along with a revamping of more than 50 percent of the LC4 motor’s mechanical components.

The 2016 KTM 690 Duke comes in two colors: the classic KTM orange or white. There’s an array of Power Up Parts plus the Track Pack, which offers the same traction control, Supermoto ABS, and Motor Slip Regulator(MSR) that comes on the Duke R sold in Europe.

ENGINE

The brilliant LC4 showcases twenty-four carats of fun. From the trademark 690 cm³ thumper, the engineers have now extracted a whopping 73 hp(54 kW) and 74 Nm of torque, making light work of the equally lightweight 690 Duke. How it happened? They completely reworked the cylinder head, inserted a new, ultra light and extremely strong piston and connection rod, rerouted the air intake through a resonator chamber and provided the new crankshaft with new sleeve bearings. As a result, the powerband now is a thousand rpm wider, which means an even more uniform power delivery, especially in the mid to high rev range. Twin ignition featuring plug-selective mapping, rock solid but featherweight internals and optimized intake and exhaust systems cultivate this massive mono to be as strong as it is smooth, assisted by an advanced ride-by-wire system with three riding modes, which guarantees great refinement as well as low fuel consumption and emission figures. You’re green, while they’re green with envy.