KTM made an unusual decision with its 2023 lineup. For 2023 the company brought back the Duke 790 after a two-year absence. However, the company is leaving the old 790’s replacement, the 890 Duke, in the lineup. That begs the question, is one Duke better than the other?
KTM launched the original Duke 790 in 2018 to great fanfare. The steel-tubed middleweight naked bike came with the brand’s first parallel-twin engine that made an alarming 105 horsepower. Magazine testers and owners loved the Duke 790 because it could be a track weapon on Sunday, and a fast commuter on Monday.
Then, KTM killed it. It retired the 790 and replaced it with the Duke 890. Again, testers who threw a leg over the new bike loved it.…