00:00Welcome to Austria. Welcome to the Cycle World YouTube channel. In this video
00:04we're gonna talk about the new KTM 790 Duke. We're gonna talk about what's new
00:09with the 790 Duke, where this bike fits in the class, and why you might choose
00:13this one over a different middleweight naked bike. First, let's talk about what's
00:17new. As you can see, a whole new look. All new styling. Starting with the front, this
00:22now uses the headlight design from the 990 Duke and 1390 Duke. Going back, you
00:26have new bodywork. The idea was to make something slimmer, especially in the
00:29midsection, but also to make the bodywork more seamless. The fuel tank has been
00:34redesigned as well. It's a little bit flatter on top and narrower at the seat
00:37and tank junction. You also have a new seat that's the same width at the front
00:41section, but it's wider at the rear. You also have now Pirelli Diablo Rosso 4
00:47tires. What hasn't changed is the 799 cc parallel twin, the LC8C engine. This is
00:54an engine that we've always loved at Cycle World. It's one of the best in class,
00:58super punchy, tons of top-end power. It's just an absolute hoot. It's got a good
01:03bottom end too, and you have a new electronics package that gives you
01:07access to multiple ride modes. You have street ride mode, sport ride mode, rain,
01:13you have multiple levels of traction control, multiple levels of ABS, and if
01:17you buy the Tech Pack, which will be a $900 add-on, you'll get all the features that
01:22this bike offers. Cruise control, bi-directional quick shifter, anti-wheeling
01:27control, and a more comprehensive electronics package, especially if you
01:31opt for the $900 Tech Pack. The 790 engine has always been fun. This model
01:35puts out 105 horsepower, the ones in the state. The European models will put out
01:3995 horsepower due to A2 licensing, and this bike now has a four-year
01:45manufacturer's warranty on the engine. So for anyone concerned about camshaft issues
01:50or anything like that, that has been addressed, and with a four-year warranty,
01:54that should give you confidence in your purchase if you do decide to go the 790
01:58route. The chassis remains the same. You still have a steel trellis frame and
02:01aluminum swing arm, but the one-piece aluminum subframe is all new. You now
02:06have upgraded suspension components. Still, WP components, 43 millimeter apex open
02:12cartridge fork, but you now have adjustments front and back. You have five
02:15clicks of rebound and compression adjustment on the fork, and you have preload and
02:19rebound adjustment on the rear. So all together with the electronics package and
02:24the adjustable suspension, this is a motorcycle that's highly adjustable,
02:28especially for its MSRP of $9,800, $9,799. This is a bike that enters a very
02:35competitive middleweight class. You have great offerings from all four
02:39manufacturers in Japan, and over here in Europe. Aprilia 20660 Factory, that's a
02:45bike we reviewed this year. We really like that bike. The Triumph Street Triple has
02:48always been a great platform. Those bikes though cost a little bit more. Those are
02:52going to be above $11,000, where this one comes in below $10,000. So it really
02:57competes against the Japanese offerings. Yamaha MT-07, Honda Hornet 750, Suzuki GSX-8S,
03:05and even Kawasaki's Long In The Tooth Z650. KTM recognizes that there is a lot of
03:10competition in the middleweight segment, and updating the 790 Duke is a move that
03:15hopes to put them back on top, and that's some 800cc engine displacement. Why might
03:20you choose this bike over something like an MT-07, a Hornet 750, or a Suzuki GSX-8S?
03:26First and foremost, performance. KTM has always been about performance. They push
03:30that envelope of performance in all their motorcycles. This one is no different.
03:35Tons of performance, the chassis, engine, suspension. This is a motorcycle that really
03:40works well when you're pushing the limit. Because it's adjustable, both electronic adjustments
03:45and suspension adjustments, it's also a motorcycle that can be pretty tame. For riders that are
03:50stepping up from the lightweight category, you can get on this motorcycle. It's compact,
03:55it's light, super agile, and you'll feel right at home. Dial back the power, and it's not going to be
04:02too intimidating. But for the experienced riders, this motorcycle is super entertaining. We got to spend
04:07time ripping up a beautiful mountain pass, and this motorcycle delivers the thrills. On the back roads,
04:14you get to use up all of the engine. You pop the front wheel back into a corner. But because
04:19the engine
04:20is not so powerful and so intimidating like a 1390, you can use up all the throttle, bump through the
04:27gears, without feeling like you're going to get in trouble with the law or get out of shape on a
04:31public
04:32road. Later in the day, we got to take this bike to a closed course, a little track session,
04:36and some training sessions. And that's where we got to unleash the full performance of this motorcycle.
04:41And that's where it stands out. This is a motorcycle that is not out of its element on the
04:45racetrack or pushing a sporty pace in the canyons. The chassis is super agile. It just flicks from one
04:51side of the tire to the other. The engine is super fun, charismatic, but also very smooth. We had some
04:56sections of longer stints on straight roads. Get this thing into sixth gear, hit cruise control, and this
05:01is a buttery smooth parallel twin. There really is not anything the fault with this motorcycle. You
05:06now have better brakes than before. This will be the first motorcycle to enter the US with WP braking
05:12system. We got to test out the braking system. You have multiple levels of ABS. Supermoto ABS
05:18disables ABS at the rear wheel, and it's less intrusive on the front wheel. So no stoppies are absolutely
05:23possible. And cutting skids into a corner is recommended by me. This is a motorcycle for riders that want a
05:30charismatic experience. It's not just to get you from point A to point B, but it certainly will do
05:34that. This is a motorcycle that makes you excited to put on the helmet. You start it up, it's got
05:39a
05:39great exhaust note, great induction noise from this air box that's under the seat. It's a motorcycle that
05:45tickles you in all the right ways. It's not just transportation. This is a way to really have fun on
05:51two wheels. It's a motorcycle that offers electronic adjustment, suspension adjustment, tons of performance,
05:57and it's also very refined and super smooth. So if you're looking for a new middleweight naked,
06:03you have to consider the new KTM 790 Duke. 2027 model year. It won't arrive to the US until later
06:10this year, about fall time. So you can expect to see these in dealers later this year. So that's a
06:15wrap
06:15on our first ride on the new 2027 KTM 790 Duke. Of course, if you enjoyed the video, hit the
06:21like button,
06:21subscribe, comment below, let me know what you think about this bike and the middleweight segment.
06:26There's so many good bikes, middleweight nakeds, super sports. I don't know how you guys choose,
06:31but I do know that this one should be at the top of your shopping list, especially for some $10
06:35,000
06:36motorcycles. Well, thanks for watching. Of course, check out the link in the description where you'll
06:40get my full written article, go a little bit more in depth about the features and the updates of the
06:452027 KTM 790 Duke. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you in the next video.
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