Ktm Duke Ii

KTM DUKE II

Quick Ride

Post-apocalyptic predator

With KTM’s new Openclass V-Twin waiting in the wings, is there still a market for the singlecylinder Duke II?

Absolutely, because there’s no better bike for coping with the pot-holed rigors of urban decay.

As was the case with the original Duke, the current model bridges the gap between dirt and street. It’s light, narrow, has a broad motocross-style handlebar and 6 inches of suspension travel, yet it cruises comfortably at 75 mph-right up to the point when you buck it rear tire first into a corner, supcrmotard-style.

Other than a new digital ignition and larger airbox, the liquidcooled, sohe, four-valve powerplant is pretty much unchanged. The 625cc Single fires with the push of the handlebarmounted button, or a prod of the left-side kickstarter. There’s 49 horsepower and 42 foot-pounds of torque at the rear wheel, and the engine responds well to lowrpm, around-town lugging. You can also rev its nuts off, shift and drift. Whatever you decide, the

five-speed, widc-ratio transmission with its newly rebalanced cogs lets you shuffle through gear changes with slick precision.

Stunning looks entertain the eyes everywhere they roam.

There’s a lot of attention to detail in this compact package, from the nifty gauge cluster, which includes an analog tachometer, to the trick eccentric chain adjusters. The inverted 43mm WP fork and 17-inch BBS wheels hold their own under style-council scrutiny,

too. Night missions are illuminated by stacked ellipsoidal headlights. These pierce the darkness with such strength, one might think they’re illegal. Not so, although they purportedly

take full advantage of highway safety regulations.

Braking is similarly impressive. Up front, a single Brembo four-piston caliper puts the squeeze on a Boating 320mm rotor, while a single-piston/220mm combo stands at the ready out back. With a tallish seat height of nearly 35 inches, the Duke II is not within reach of everyone. But even the vertically challenged will feel comfortable with its 357pound dry weight. Likewise, the wide handlebar makes for accurate steering inputs and ups confidence in new riders and wily veterans alike. Color choices are Chile Red, Lime or Titan, all of which guarantee double-takes from passersby.

Bottom line, then? The Duke II is a two-wheeled urban-assault unit for the New World

Order. Opcn-classers capable of punting the posted speed limit into the next millennium provide their own form of fun, but anyone who values his driver’s license will appreciate the $8198 KTM, particularly at more moderate velocities on ultra-tight, ultra-twisty roads. Whether it’s a favorite stretch of asphalt, a rock-strewn fireroad or a dirty old warehouse parking lot, the Duke’s potential is limited only by one’s ability.

Predator or prey, the line is drawn.

Mark Cernicky