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Apparently there are only 30 Duke R 690s coming to the UK this year.... and I just put a deposit on mine

Just like this one.....

Looks great, that's going to be fun! I like how they put the exhaust underneath to keep the COG low. Looking forward to a full review after you've run her in.

Baby duke. Sweet.

I've ridden the normal one and it was truly orsm fun; that thing looks the nuts. Jealous...very very jealous...

I picked it up late afternoon today and said goodbye to the SM.

OK so far only got 10 miles on the clock so tickling the throttle but it feels so eager to rev and rev. So smooth for a single 690cc lump and mega torque even at low revs - already chewed up the rear tyre from spinning on cold, damp tarmac

Handling seems spot on and brakes are great. Fueling isn't perfect (well it is a KTM after all) but not too bad.

Complaints so far.... the seat could do with being softer and less angled forward and the Akra option..... over £1100 FFS !!!!!

Nice bike Rick, keep us updated please - I'm very interested in a Duke III. I've still got the SD and Duke 1 (which I've had for 12 years now!). Since I only have room for two bikes the dilemma will be which one has to go, love them both

No cutting out problems but lots of surging at a low steady throttle with little engine load (i.e. in slow traffic at 20 - 40 mph). I can't even blame the throttle bodies for being out of sync with there being just the one

A couple of quality issues have come up so far:

1. I noticed when I parked up at lunchtime today (53 miles on the clock) that the lower chain guide was loose. There was no bolt holding it in place. It can't have worked loose in only 53 miles so I must assume there was never one in there

2. The levers are odd lengths. the brake is a 3 finger lever but the clutch is 4 finger. Has anyone else noticed this on Duke IIIs or other 690s?

3. 9 maps to choose from. According to the manual map 1 is soft (have set it to this for run in period), 2 is mental but there is no info about 3 - 9. Is map 3 next to softest or next to maddest, and do the other maps add varying degrees of testosterone in order? I dunno and the book is vague. Why not make 1 softest and 9 maddest so at least logic tells you what the inbetweenies are likely to be like

Other than that it's fun but the seat will need some work to stop me sliding forwards (need to sit back a little so knees tuck in but the seat is angled down at the point where the back of my arse is hence the problem). should be a minor fix though.

So far 9/10

A frend from work has a KTM 09 plate supermoto loads of bolts fell off that when he got it

Glad your enjoying it though, BUT as much fun as an SD?

....and finally.....some pics.....

Now changed the final drive from 16:40 to 15:42. HUGE improvement!!

More power...... hmmmm now there's a novel idea

Nah so far just the Akra and map. TBH the Akra only makes it louder than the stock pipe and makes it a bit more jerky (and fooks up the over-run. It seems to hang on to the revs now....but only sometimes)

I bought an SC project pipe for it a while ago but haven't had a chance to play yet and I can't get Tune ECU to connect to my old TuneBoy cable.

I suppose while it's under warranty I shouldn't mess too much with it really

I had an 08 non R. Akra, k&n and i loved it. I just got offered a good deal and ended up with the SD. But while I had it I loved it. But now I love the SD more. There is a new R I've seen about over here.

Unless I'm mistaken the 690 Duke is the most powerful single on the market, so getting even more power from it may be difficult. And yeah I've heard that exhaust mods do nothing to the Duke, however they work wonders for the SMC. Odd. I think the 690's have a 2nd/3rd gear restriction system on them similar to the SD's. Might want to look into that.

There are a lot of days where I thought maybe I should have gotten the 690 Duke. I LOVE my SD but after everything I've done to it it's just not content to be on the public road anymore. Wide open throttle for a few seconds on even the highway and I'm already WAY over the speed limit. Can't help thinking the 690 would have been the better road bike.

Or maybe I just need to man the @%#$ up and get on a track

Also look into the "Tuning Kit EVO1 Duke". Comes with a bullet-style K&N filter, new cam, and mount. If you can get TuneECU support for the 690 then you're golden to start building from there. Then I'd start hunting for SV650's

you have a great bike, i rode one a while back and enjoyed it even more than the SD... only reason i didnt get one was that they were all sold. Maybe later

not as fas but it was just stupid fun.. however the normal duke 690 feels like a pig and was very uninspiring

That is. As may well be.

But lets face it it's power that counts?

Where it is made, on such a quick revving single is irrelevent on road?

Anyways I trust you will not be in competition with me on the purchase of advertised Duke 3 R

Plus++ I didn't mention that I was getting 60+MPG Flat out

When my R was in for service in the spring the dealer lent me a demo Duke III. VERY different beasty altogether. Power was not too far off the R but the midrange seemed almost dull in comparison. Nothing wrong with the standard Duke III but the R takes the custard cream

That one on PH looks nice. The gel seat is a bit too hard but the stock seat is not a good shape for long trips. Short blasts are fine though (which is what the Duke is for). The Akra really doesn't justify the huge cost unless you want to make a ton of noise.

BTW, I get around 140 miles between fillups regardless how I ride.

well Rick, let me be the first to say...if you decide to sell, gimme a PM mate. You never know