Think of adrenaline-pumping naked motorcycles, and the Super Duke moniker springs to mind. KTM kickstarted it in 2005 with the iconic 990 Super Duke and dialed things to eleven by whipping up the 1290 in 2014. Since then, the hyper naked has offered an unmatched blend of aggressive yet usable power, swift riding dynamics, and an angry aesthetic.
However, the landscape has evolved. BMW and Ducati, in particular, have unveiled over 200 HP streetfighters–machines inspired by full-fledged superbikes–which leaves our Duke feeling a bit bleh. So it’s safe to say the naked needs to level up once again, and that’s exactly what’s on the horizon. Here’s everything you need to know about the next-gen Super Duke.
2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke - Angry Becomes Angrier
Ever since its debut in ‘14, the 1290 Super Duke has had an aggressive aesthetic. Even though it might not be mass-appealing, there’s no denying adjectives like angry, edgy, and striking fit the bill well. Yet, KTM is set to make the design angrier for the next generation.
The multiple spy shots of the upcoming Duke reveal an evolved design. Gone is the split-headlamp, and in comes vertically stacked LED projectors, flanked by beefy boomerang-shaped LED DRLs. Also new are the surrounding body panels that comprise angular tank shrouds, more butch than the outgoing model. Oh, and these seamlessly integrate with the new radiator shrouds.
A similar treatment follows outback. You no longer get the curvy tail lamp, and its duties are taken over by three-in-one LED indicators. They serve duty as the brake light, hazard lamps, and turn signals to create a sleeker tushy. This seems to be the new norm for KTMs since the soon-to-arrive RC 990 and 990 Duke both feature similar integrated tail lights. We also expect new colorways, possibly with blue-orange and black-orange combinations.
2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke - Bigger, Better Powerhouse
Just like the 990 leveled up to become the 1290, it seems the latter will grow up to transform into the 1390. The confirmation comes straight from KTM, which, although mistakenly, has listed its ‘1390 Super Duke’ engine on several dealership portals. Details like displacement, output, and other changes remain unknown, but a little homework gives us a good idea.
For instance, the current 1290 Super Duke employs a 1,301cc, twin-cylinder powerhouse. This suggests the new model could have a 100cc bump to displace a whopping 1,401 cubic centimeters (the highest in the class). What’s the need, you ask? Well, two reasons. First, emission norms are getting tighter by the day, and a bump in engine capacity is one of the easiest ways to tackle this (same way the 890 Duke replaced the ‘790’).
Second, and more importantly, a bigger engine will help the bikemaker extract more juice to match up against rivals like the 210-HP M 1000 R and the 208-HP Streetfighter V4. The existing Super Duke produces 177 horsepower at the moment–a gigantic near-30 horsepower deficit against these two.
That said, the spy shots only reveal a new water pump and aluminum casings, while the exhaust, headers, and cylinder heads look identical to the current model. This suggests the new mill won’t be too different from the outgoing one. So don’t daydream about a 200-HP Duke just yet. 185-190 ponies is a more realistic/achievable expectation.
Anyway, once out in the wild, the new ‘1390’ mill will then spawn an elaborate assortment of motorcycles. The existing 1290 models - 1290 Super Duke GT, Super Adventure, Super Duke RR/Evo - will all switch to the new engine in the future. Similarly, the Brabus 1300R (a tie-up between KTM and Brabus) is also expected to evolve into the 1400R. That’d be pretty sick, don’t you think?
2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke - Evolved Electronics
Another place where the Super Duke will feature an update is in the electronics department. After all, its rivals all possess more sophisticated rider aids, drawn from MotoGP and WSBK projects. The Streetfighter V4, for instance, has revised power modes and a ‘wet’ mode for 2023, along with dedicated engine brake control and slide control. Whereas, the Duke boasts just three ride modes and slide control is only an option. So it clearly needs an update here. Bonus points if KTM takes inspiration from its race-winning MotoGP beast, the RC 16.
2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke - Launch Timeline
The first spy shots of the new Super Duke came to light in the early months of 2022. Since then, KTM has only tested the motorcycle more vigorously, without any comment on its official release. But now that the engine has been listed, we’re pretty sure the Super Duke is just around the corner. Plus, Team Orange will make a comeback at the EICMA in 2023 (after a few years of hiatus), a more than ideal venue for the Duke’s debut. You can expect the Super Duke in KTM America dealerships by early 2024 but at a bumped price tag of around $22,000.