Best Naked Motorcycle of 2024: KTM 1390 Super Duke

The 1290 Super Duke was already a ridiculous motorcycle with the amount of power it had, all wrapped up in a fairing-less package. I thought we had reached peak levels of power, torque, and displacement – especially in naked bikes – and the industry would shift its attention towards electronics to make it all manageable. But then KTM went and threw the playbook out the window with this, the 1390 Super Duke. An even bigger engine was the last thing the big Duke needed, but not only is that what KTM did, Team Orange also incorporated variable valve timing, making it an even more usable street machine across an even wider rev range. Not that people were complaining about a lack of torque from the 1290, but there you go.

Having ridden the 1390 first in the wet in Spain for its First Ride, then again in perfect conditions in Portugal, I’ve had to look at the thesaurus for every synonym of the word “Excessive” I could find. Here are just a few that describe the big Duke perfectly:

• Unrestrained
• Uncurbed
• Unbridled
• Lavish
• Superabundant
• Exorbitant
• Outrageous
• Extreme
• Too much
• Over the top
• Maybe my favorite – “A bit much”

Yes, the Super Duke is filled with top flight electronics that work well to keep the bike in check, but the first three thoughts going through anyone’s minds as they ride the 1390 are all about the engine. It’s hard to describe in words how hard the broad spread of V-Twin torque hits you when you twist the throttle – no matter what gear you’re in. Once you’re finally able to get on top of your senses, it’s impressive how well the SDR does all the other things, too. With top-notch brakes, electronic WP suspension, and a well-sorted chassis, the SDR can take corners nearly as well as it can blast you down a drag strip.

That said, no, the Super Duke R (we’re only getting the EVO version in the US) is not the choice amongst the naked bike field if chasing lap times is what you’re after – Ducati, BMW, and Aprilia have better tools for that job. But it’s definitely the one if all you care about is giggling uncontrollably in your helmet while teetering on the brink of sensibility.

Oh, who are we kidding? There’s nothing sensible about the 1390 Super Duke R EVO – that’s why it’s cool. It’s also why it’s our 2024 Naked Bike of the Year.

Honorable Mention

There’s no shortage of competition when it comes to the Naked bike category, and we considered a lot of bikes – the Yamaha MT-09 SP, KTM’s own 990 Duke, and even the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono, just to name a few. We had a blast riding all of them over the course of the year, and each brings something spicy to the Naked bike table. But ultimately, we feel the Naked bike category encapsulates the baddest of the badasses in the unfaired mountain top, and something as outlandish as the 1390 Super Duke R EVO would be hard to beat by something with a much smaller engine and lesser electronics.