Another great review Mark, thanks... Actually, I'm a lucky owner of 2006 KTM 990 Superduke for 5 years now & never going to sell it, just in love with this beast, even if I had other bikes since... Ride Safe. V
@@markpulling12 You won't be disappointed , just make sure the bike had full service maintenance history... Very reliable if well maintained, fuel consumption is around 7/8 Liters/100km, weak point is waterpump seal but there's an upgrade KTM full kit for around 70€ (warantee 40000km) & some had clutch slave cylinder leak (not mine)... The electronics must be kept clean from road dirt as the starter relay & battery are in the spoiler below engine.... The rest, pure joy & tons of fun, very powerful & unbeatable in the twisties.
@@marcoaurelio6941 You're welcome, if you are planning purchasing a 990SD, just make sure the bike has service/maintenance full history even if done by owner like spare parts invoices, etc. as workshop manual are available and all maintenance can be done easily if you have a little interest in mechanics. V
I used to own a 2007 Honda CBR600 and remember being absolutely blitzed by a SuperDuke 990 in the twisties. I was trying my heart out and he looked like he was out for an easy cruise. A few months later I sold the CBR and bought a 690 Duke. It was the best handling bike I’ve owned and the only reason I sold it 10 years later was because I’m now 63 and wanted to slow down. Thanks for the review Mark.
That slowing down is only a little bit or more, I am 64 and just bough a Triumph Trident 660 as the tenth bike in my garage. I still love to ride fast but take more care now on the slow roads, something I always did but a bit more, you know. We still go on bike weekends and longer drives, so I am enjoying and love bikes. 🏍
@@Jay_Speed , wish I could afford 10 bikes. Lucky for some. I now have a BMW R1250R, which I love riding but I’m now a (little) bit slower in the twisties. Still, one bike is better than none.
I had a 950 Adventure for two years in the mid-00s. Great bike. 2:22 my dash was just like this. Only 7,500 miles! I honestly think bikes were better from the mid-90s to mid-00s. Old-school dash? It was all modern at the time with the digital speedo. 180-plus kilos dry. This is one of the 2000's great bikes. Very enjoyable review.
@@kylewyrembek2176 thanks Kyle....was looking at the super Moto touring on the web yesterday ...what an awesome combination of Moto/touring :) Cheers mark
@@markpulling12 If you don't mind the lack of fuel gauge/cruise control/gizmos it's a superb touring machine, while still being incredibly fast and engaging to ride. A more fun, lighter, better handling NT1100 at half the price. I'm in love with mine. Cheers!
@@kylewyrembek2176 I own a 2011 SMT. I love this machine. Light, fast, nimble, fantastic engine. I'm actually considering getting another one or an SMR as they're getting hard to find with low miles.
Riding the clutch a lot I noticed, don't blame you in those low gears, I rode one for the first time yesterday and that torque you get through the gearing is explosive. Taking it out again Wednesday to do a little video on it 😎
I had the 2007 second generation 990, best bike i've ever owned, great balance of handling and power, mid range punch was addictive, did just shy of 28000 miles on it in three and a half years, wish I still had it, the shock and forks were better than the stuff on my current 790 Duke!
I just found about this bike and it seems like hidden gem. How many generations were there of 990 duke and were there any particular year models with issues?
No real issues, some people didn’t like the abrupt throttle response at low speed, I never found it a problem. The radial brembos needed care, they were overboard for a road bike, four pads, one per piston in each calliper , could bind or drag a bit if not kept meticulously clean.
Lot of bike for the money why would you spend 15K on a bike when this is available at 4,750 and it would be cheaper to insure than a new one great value great review cheers Mark always interesting : )
Thanks .. I was very impressed with this .. this bike passed me by when it first came out all those years ago It's alot of bike for the money ...if you don't have too much to spend this could be just the ticket . It has mountains of performance ,:) Cheers mark
What a hot bike! Was checking those out but there wasn’t many to choose from in my area and none in good shape. So I settled for one of its brand new brothers. That was a good video. Love some of these older bikes.
@@markpulling12 Definitely would like a chance to ride one, and the new mt09, new 1290, new street triple and a-bunch-of-other-bikes-you-get-to-ride-you-lucky-dog😅
I also have 2005 and I adore it !!!!! every time I beat a modern bike which is easy hahah, it brings a smile to my face 😻 if you have an email i can send you a photos of my beauty!!!
Great video, I had a 950 smr with the akro's on, it was the most fun ever , sold it got a 1290 superduke r , not as much fun by a long way , buyer's remorse, should of kept the 950 950 very analogue, the new bike are just to digital Now looking for a 990 smr think the 1290 will have to go 🤔 Think KTM'S of that era was better
The 2005-6 bikes only had a 15litre tank the 2nd gen 2007 onwards had a 18-5 litre tank .which can be fitted to the early bikes .. fantastic bikes had mine 7 years now
Great vid again, you said good for the commute ,,,,,not really it would never get me to work,,far to much fun to stay on it ,,,,,lol, keep up your good works
Love your reviews. Just great stuff. I just bought a used 2008 990SM and I am very happy. Ride save. All the best. Cheers from switzerland. Tomaso de Grosso
Crazy to think that in a couple months KTM's middleweight naked could become as big as its flagship naked from not too long ago. Referring to the rumored 990 duke.
I was the actual guy that bought that actual bike. It was my second 990 superduke. Loved it to bit's. But I've just traded it in against a 2021 Duke 890r with all the tech packs unlocked and Austin Racing Exhaust. Gonna miss the 990 but I can't wait for the 890r. I've had 2 x 1290 Superdukes aswell 👍🏿
@@markpulling12 yes mark it was well worth the money. Power commander and air box conversion along with the akropovic exhaust helped a treat. Was a proper grunty machine.
Might be a dumb question, but in regards to the sound the bike makes, is that all exhaust or does the engine also have something to do with it? That sound was amazing and was curious if it was something I could replicate, or if that would be specific to that bike. Fantastic review as always Mark!
Hi Harrison ...a bit of sound does come from an engine and airbox,but yes it is mainly out the exhaust,big v twins like this have an awesome booming note very different from inline 4 and this bike has aftermarket end cans with no baffles in ,plus no modern catalytic converter etc so it's a straight though exhaust sound ,hence the thundering noise !!. Cheers mark
@@markpulling12 appreciate the answer Mark! In a discussion around electric bikes I had realized that sound is a decent safety feature to have. Will look more into this. Thank you for the comment!
Hi Mark! I love your videos for their great quality. I'm a motorcycle lover from China and I'm keen on motorcycle tour. Recently I got a sport camera to record my riding experience but I don't know how to make good videos like yours. Big noise from the wind covered the sound of my bike and myself. It's amazing how loud and clear your voice and the sound of the bike are when you're riding on high speed. Could you please make a video introducing your recording solution? Really appreciate that if I'm possible to learn from you. Best wishes
Hi I use a GoPro hero 7 and a purple panda mic with two wind shrouds,tucked into my cheek pad ,it is a bit of trial and error plus every bikes wind noise is different Cheers mark
just checked..... its still for sale..... looks a stonking bike, but 7 owners !!!.... i love my 790 duke, had it re mapped and all low speed jerkiness has been eliminated, but could be seriously tempted by this
A lot of people jump off inline 4s and aren’t ready for the lumpy raw feel of the v twin, and then keep hitting the rev limiter instead of using the torque, they then slag them off and sell them on, their loss.
I had a KTM950sm for 2 years and px it for a new KTM790 Duke proberly 1 of my worst decisions ! i have just this week px the 790 in for a 990 Duke it should be getting delivered the end of the week, i have missed that big V twin motor and as you say the sound is like no other so carnt wait to start spanking the 990 when it gets here.
Hi, a lot of g g ees for the money , where have all the spare time spanner monkeys gone , who could keep it running for a life time , with the engine on the kitchen table, crank cases in mothers oven , and back in the bike for monday and off to work . Those were the days my sun / shine in the winter . Great review Mark .
Did you notice the SAS had been removed, plus as you say it has a power commander. I've never ridden one but I've read the fuelling was poor without work.
Yes that was one of the first things I noticed when I looked over it ....this bike ran like a dream at low revs ... totally sorted fueling ...I've also read that they are lumpy and really benefit from a bit of fueling work Cheers mark
Funny! I have the 690 Duke and I find myself wondering if this could be better! But I doubt it. If you go for the 690, do some stuff (if it's not already done) with it. Unleash the horses! Decat with a Leovince midpipe (or another brand) a good endcan (I use Mivv) and the most important two things: A stage 2 DNA airfilter and PC5. Mine is now below 150kgs fully fuled and 78bhp on the tyre. Runs 24km/l and I've done 35 000km since I bought it july -21. It doesn't get much better! One thing to look out for is the fueltank. They've had some issues with warping around the flanges for the petrolpump and fuelcap. Easy to maintain. Cheap to run. Hell, I've just talked me into keeping it! 😅
I love my SD. I use it for work and its like riding a missile to and from work everyday. Huge grins absolute unforgiving beast but im ok with it. 40yrs riding experience. It reminds me of the old yamaha TT500 but were they stop pulling this thing HAULS ASS!!!
Great review, Mark. The 990 SD seems like a hidden gem. Considering one as a potential 2nd bike alongside my 390 Duke. It's a 2011 with around 16k kms (10k miles). Fingers crossed. Curious though as to how the brake feel is like, given that it's a non-ABS bike?
Hi Marty the brakes are brilliant on these even though non abs Yes Ive considered one myself they are like you said hidden gems ..that engine is stunning Cheers mark
update: got the bike over a month ago, still runs like a newer bike and it's an absolute blast to ride! Months before getting the bike i watched this review almost everyday, to psych me up. so thanks for somehow being a factor in my decision to get the 990 :) Cheers and take care Mark!
