Long Termer: 3 months on a KTM 790 Duke

Trackdays, tyres and smiles with the Austrian middleweight – Ross has a busy third month of his long term review of the KTM 790 Duke.

Catch up on with Ross’ first impression and thoughts after 2 months.

Rider: Ross Mowbray, 6ft 1in
Cost new: £7999
Spec: 95bhp/87Nm
Engine: 799cc, LC8c parallel twin
Kerb weight: 174kg
Tank: 14 litres
Seat: 825mm (32.4in)
Miles this month: 723
Miles on clock: 2123
Average mpg: 42.4mpg (18.2km/l)
Current tyres: Maxxis Supermaxx ST

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I’ve been busy this month, with a holiday and a hectic testing schedule curtailing any serious opportunities to do anything much with the 790 Duke. I’ve still managed to rack up plenty of miles, but they’ve been largely unremarkable – slogging it out on the motorway and travelling to meetings (although with a welcome blast at either end along some of Lincolnshire’s finest Tarmac).

That said, while I was away the KTM did get a proper run out in the hands of Classic Bike Guide editor Matt Hull. With his old BMW playing silly buggers, and a day of track action booked up at Cadwell Park, he was in need of something sporty to spin laps on. I knew the Duke would be just the ticket.

“Bike back in unit, half a tank, sizzled tyres. An interesting machine.”

That means he liked it. The notoriously crotchety, extremely experienced road tester doesn’t dish out praise easily – and although ‘interesting’ maybe doesn’t sound like much of a compliment, I know him well enough to know he was impressed. Although I’ve not yet had the chance to get out on track myself, the sharp-handling, punchy motor and ‘just-right’ riding position that make it so good on the road would be perfect for showing up a few more ‘focused’ bikes. But first I’ll need some fresh tyres.

Or maybe I won’t. A quick inspection after returning from sunning myself in the French Alps showed that there’s still plenty of life left in them. I’ve been very, very impressed with the OE Maxxis Supermaxx ST rubber. They’re not what I’d usually go for… particularly when there’s so much choice from the bigger names in the game. But I’d definitely think again now. They’ve been on the market since 2016 and have more than proved themselves in that time, offering masses of grip (particularly at the front) under serious pressure, for a fraction of the price of some of the ‘more established’ competition. They’ve been brilliant in the wet, too. I’ve had some properly soggy journeys in the last month and they’ve proved predictable, reliable and quite capable of cutting through the deluge.

The ropey weather has confirmed one thing, though. That the KTM is a magnet for muck. Even a short bimble will see the bike absolutely covered in crud from the road, with grit and grime seemingly covering every inch of the bike. That’s nakeds for you, I suppose.

Thankfully, it’s easy to clean. Everything’s exposed and easy to get to, and although I’m not the most fastidious of fettlers, I’ve had no issues getting back its showroom sheen with little effort.

I’m not exactly sure how much longer I’m going to be able to keep hold of the keys for the 790 Duke. I’m meant to be passing it on to Chad once he’s had enough of hooning about on the GasGas, but for now, with the sun once again shining and a (relatively) uncluttered calendar, I’m going to be out for a blast at every opportunity. That’s what this bike’s best at, after all.