2008–2010 · Supermoto · Buyer's Guide
Big Twin, Zero Compromise
The 990 Supermoto is KTM's LC8 V-twin gone feral on the street. A 75-degree, 999 cc liquid-cooled twin puts out 115 hp and 72 lb-ft, and the bike strips away everything that isn't speed or steering. This is big-twin grunt in a frame built to be flicked, not babied. The torque lands low and stays useful, the upside-down fork and 305 mm front brake are pure sport hardware, and the whole package sits high and narrow. It is a supermoto with a real engine under it, and it never lets you forget that.
On the road it rides like a tool for people who want motorcycling loud and physical. It rewards a skilled hand and punishes a lazy one, holding its sharpness as the miles stack up if you keep the chain and the service intervals honest. Who is it for? Riders who treat a backroad as a personal racetrack and want zero distance between throttle and result. The honest caveats: the 34.1 in seat locks out shorter riders, there is no ABS to save you, and at higher mileage the oil and coolant systems need watching.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 115 hp (85 kW) @ 9,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 72 lb-ft (97 Nm) @ 7,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 999 cc |
| Engine | 75° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 305 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 59.3 in (1505 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 7.5 in (190 mm) |
| Front travel | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
| Rear travel | 7.1 in (180 mm) |
| Seat height | 34.1 in (865 mm) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (19 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Throw a leg over and the first thing you notice is how tall and skinny it feels, with wide bars that put real leverage in your hands and an upright stance that has you looking down at the road. Fire it up and the 75-degree twin fills the air with a deep, mechanical bark you feel through the pegs and the tank. There is a steady V-twin pulse at your hands and feet, present without ever going numb. Tip it into a bend and it drops in with almost no effort, and the lean clearance runs so deep you scrape your own courage long before anything hard touches down. At real road pace the front keeps talking to you the whole time, so you ride it loose and confident.
Oil pressure regulator failure
The oil pressure regulator can fail at higher mileage, requiring engine disassembly to access and replace the part.
Water pump seal failure
Premature failure of the water pump shaft seal leads to coolant leaks, often requiring replacement of the entire pump assembly.
Where this KTM 990 Supermoto pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the 990 Supermoto is actually built for.
Built for exactly your world. Light steering and that bottomless lean clearance turn Angeles Crest into a playground, and the front-end feedback rewards the precision you live for. Just respect that there is no ABS.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
The Hill Country suits it well. Real torque pulls you out of every bend and the 5.0 gal tank gets you the long way to the Twisted Sisters. The tall seat and missing ABS are the price of the grin.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
Tight, technical, repeat. This is where it shines on the Dragon, with honest front feedback and corner carving that let you work on your line instead of fighting the bike. No ABS, so stay sharp.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2005–2007
Big Twin, Supermoto Soul
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this KTM 990 Supermoto. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2007–2010
Boxer Torque With No Apologies
Competitor · 2008–2009
Italian Thunder From The Bottom
Competitor · 2008
Italian V-Twin, Sorted Daily
Competitor · 2009–2014
Triple Soul, Adventure Suit
Same Platform · 2005–2013
Orange Aggression On A Trellis
Similar Character · 2008–2011
The Original Supermoto Riot