KTM reveal MotoGP-inspired special edition 890 Duke GP

KTM have unveiled a MotoGP-inspired edition of their 890 Duke, with visual references to the RC16 Grand Prix racer. 

KTM’s new-for-2022 890 Duke GP brings a new flavour to the Austrian brand’s naked roster, with visual inspiration coming from the KTM MotoGP machinery.

Among the aesthetic pointers to the manufacturer’s road racing department are the livery, which echoes that of the Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing team in MotoGP - and, more recently, the Dakar Rally - and features KTM’s ‘Ready to Race’ slogan, as well as the logos of some of KTM’s technical partners, such as WP, Motorex and Pankl Racing Systems. 

So far, that does not sound too dissimilar to the Tech 3 edition of the 890 Duke that KTM released last year. However, while the Tech 3 edition came with an Akropovic exhaust, a belly pan and a track stand, the 2022 890 Duke GP is without those, and the Tech 3 stickers. It is also without the restriction to 100 units and will be sold outside of France, though.

The 890 Duke GP also shares with the KTM edition that the technical details and specifications of the bike do not differ from the regularly-painted 890 Duke. KTM state that the 890 Duke GP will deliver 115 horsepower and 92Nm of torque from its 889cc LC8c parallel twin motor; and will come with a PASC slipper clutch, WP suspension (Apex 43mm open-cartridge upside down forks at the front, gas-assisted shock at the rear), and Continental tyres as standard. 

This MotoGP-inspired version of the 890 Duke comes seven months after KTM announced its RC 8C machine, which also features and 889cc LC8c motor and was the Austrian brand’s first track-focused bike which drew inspiration from its MotoGP project.