We know that electronics serve a clear purpose in racing: to extract the maximum performance out of the product. But when it comes to road-going motorcycles, the purpose is different. Electronics enable far more people to ride motorcycles for far longer in the year (later into fall, and earlier in spring) than they otherwise would. That means more sales, more services, and more income for manufacturers. This incentivizes them to make their products better.These days, though, electronics are slowly becoming a necessary part of the product because marketing demands bigger, better numbers. More power, more performance – and it can only be tamed with computers and sensors. This filter has become more and more prominent over the years, and we are almost at the point where it might take away from the experience that motorcycling is supposed to be. The Problem: Too Much Power BMW MotorradNaked bikes are supposed to be torque monsters that are great in traffic and will do well in other places. Look at flagship naked bikes today, though, and you’ll see that they’re trying to embarrass their fully-faired siblings with the amount of power and wings they’re running. The solution is to look a step lower, where everything is dialed down to less than 11. There are some very good examples of how you can let the electronics help, without putting them in the driver’s seat. Let’s have a quick look at them. The British Invasion Triumph The Old Guard YamahaThe Yamaha MT-09 has been around for a decade now, and you’d think that it would show its age. However, the chassis and engine are comparable to whatever is present in the middleweight segment even today. You could even splurge and get yourself the electronic suspension – you know it will work, because this is a mature platform that has spawned a sportbike and a tourer. The Premium Option DucatiIf you don't mind splurging a little, you can also get yourself one of a few premium middleweight options. There are some very worthy ones, but we are going to pick the Ducati Streetfighter V2. This one has taken a step back in terms of engine tech and has decided to get its performance through light weight. It does have quite a few electronics, but Ducati knows how to tune them so that they don't intrude. If you want extra special treatment, you can get top-class Öhlins suspension on the Streetfighter V2 S, but Ducati stays away from electronic units. The KTM 990 Duke R Is The Street Weapon That Feels Fast Everywhere, Not Just On Track KTM KTM is a company that knows how to use electronics to its benefit. Even its small 390 series of motorcycles sport a six-axis IMU. However, it does know how to make those electronics an assistant and not take the rider’s seat – and you can always turn them off! The 990 Duke R is the kind of product that will allow you to enjoy it with or without electronics, depending on the situation.KTMKTM keeps naming its Dukes, and the 990 Duke R is ‘The Punisher’. We imagine because it goads you into doing naughty things that will end up in punishment! Jokes apart, this Duke sits at the premium end of the middleweight naked segment, but the kind of emotions it can evoke from its performance is more than enough for the real world. Reasonable Pricing Is A Surprise – But There Is A Catch KTM/Philip PlatzerThe models that KTM assembles in Europe are premium motorcycles and have premium pricing. So it’s a surprise to see the 990 Duke R priced at $13,399 – this is less than the Street Triple RS, and only a few hundred dollars more expensive than the MT-09 SP. The Ducati Streetfighter V2 is in a different tier, being a couple of thousand dollars more expensive for the base model. However, KTM’s notorious software lock is present here, and that costs an extra $900. KTM’s Largest Parallel Twin Has Big Oomph KTM/Rudi SchedlKTM's big parallel-twin LC8c engine has grown with each generation, and this latest generation displaces 947cc. The 270-degree crank allows it to form decent torque as well. The figures stand at 126 horsepower and 76 pound-feet of torque. These come at a relatively low RPM for a motorcycle that has a lot of performance — the redline is at 10,500 RPM. The other motorcycles on this list with more than two cylinders need to be revved higher than that for their peak power! It is also worth mentioning that the peak torque figure is significantly higher than its rivals, other than the premium Ducati.You will need big torque to hoon around the way KTM wants you to with this bike. This performance is run through a six-speed gearbox with a PASC anti-hopping slipper clutch and a chain drive to the wheel. This Isn’t The Scalpel, But It Is Razor Sharp KTM/Rudi SchedlThe 990 Duke R shares its steel chrome-moly trellis frame with the lower-spec 990 Duke. It has a bolt-on aluminum subframe and uses the engine as a stressed member. At the front, the WP Apex forks have a 48mm diameter, which is thicker than the regular 990 Duke's, while the rear shock has a progressive linkage. The front fork has adjustments for compression and rebound damping, while the rear shock is fully adjustable. The rear springs on the 990 Duke R are linear, and there is slightly more travel at both ends, at 5.6 inches at the front and 5.5 inches at the rear.KTM The wheels have got upgrades as well. They are the same aluminum wheels from the 1390 Super Duke R and have Michelin Power Cup 2 tires fitted to them; these are very sticky tires. We also get liter-bike brakes, which feature twin 320mm discs paired with Brembo Stylema calipers and a 240mm disc at the rear with a single-piston caliper. The front brakes also get a Brembo ‘MCS’ (multiple click system) radial master cylinder that allows you to change the front brake lever reach and feel. This Is A Compact Motorcycle, Which Helps Performance KTM does not officially quote the length and width of the 990 Duke R, but the wheelbase is 58.3 inches. There is barely any bodywork beyond the seat to speak of, so this is a compact motorcycle. The seat height is normal for the segment at 33.1 inches, although it is a little higher on the 990 Duke R than it is on the 990 Duke. It also has a very impressive 8.3-inch ground clearance. Speaking of clearance, the footpegs are more aggressive on the R and allow for three extra degrees of lean angle. The fuel tank holds 3.9 gallons, which seems enough with KTM's 51 MPG claimed efficiency, but we have no doubt that owners will burn through it much quicker than that. It has a wet weight of 419 pounds, which is very light for the class. Impressive Features List, But With One Unpleasant Surprise KTM We need to get the unpleasantness out of the way first. Yes, the 990 Duke R does have the infamous ‘software lock’ that KTM enforces on its machines. It is set for 1,500 km/932 miles, and you have to pay an extra $900 to access all of the 990 Duke R's features. This is a one-time fee, not a subscription, but it still adds significantly to the total cost of the motorcycle.That said, the 990 Duke R gets one of KTM's extremely horizontal 8.8-inch TFT screens. This is also a capacitive touchscreen and will allow you to view the information in a split-screen mode that gives you navigational information or racetrack information on one half of the screen. What You Get With the Extra Money KTM In standard mode without the optional features, you get access to four ride modes, wheelie control, traction control, and switchable ABS. The Tech Pack is optional and unlocks five wheelie control settings, launch control, two extra ride modes, which are user-customizable and where everything can be turned off, and the two-way quickshifter. Speaking of options, there is a large PowerParts catalog available for the 990 Duke R, which seems a little counterintuitive for a minimalist motorcycle, but we are all for it. Is The Competition Sharper? Triumph MotorcyclesIt would be difficult to answer this one straightforwardly because all the premium middleweight bikes are good at different things. If you want a Street Triple that is very good at the racetrack, Triumph has had the Street Triple RX and Moto2 Edition with additional features that make them track-friendly for a while now. The Yamaha MT-09 SP not only has adjustable electronic suspension, but it also has pretty much everything from the KTM Tech Pack as standard features.Yamaha MotorsportsOf course, we are not going to talk about MV Agusta and Ducati here because they go beyond the budget we are considering here. But if it is exclusivity you want in a premium European middleweight naked, those are also options, albeit expensive ones. With KTM’s financial struggles behind it, it is safe to say that if you want a sharp, "always-on" torque monster, it is difficult to argue against the 990 Duke R.Source: KTM USA