By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Hyper Naked vs Naked Bike
MV Agusta Brutale 910 R (MY2006) vs KTM 990 Super Duke (MY2005)
MV Agusta Brutale 910 R vs KTM 990 Super Duke: no fairing, no excuses. Here's how to pick.
Tip the MV Agusta Brutale 910 R into a corner and it's flicking in off the bars like a pure sportbike. The KTM 990 Super Duke wants a steeply cambered turn taken in hot, and its chassis doesn't flinch. It holds dead stable right through to the exit.
So which one do you buy?
The 990 Super Duke has the edge if…
Keeping running costs low
Nose ahead: 990 Super Duke
On running costs, the 990 Super Duke edges it. Not by enough to bank on.
Daily commuting & city riding
Edges it: 990 Super Duke
For the ride to work, the 990 Super Duke noses ahead. The difference is friendlier manners and simpler maintenance. Don't let that alone make the call.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Slight edge: 990 Super Duke
Through a string of corners, the 990 Super Duke feels a little more eager. Credit stronger brakes. The gap is small, so ride both.
What makes each one tick
Brutale 910 R
Up top, the Brutale's inline-four doesn't run out of breath, and it keeps pulling hard right up to redline. Its firm suspension doesn't forgive broken pavement. There's sportbike-level feedback at the brake lever, where the Nissin calipers haul the bike down with tight control. The underseat exhaust wails like a race bike.
990 Super Duke
The Super Duke's steering bites so fast that your first few bends close up before you've picked a line. In steeply cambered corners you can carry way more speed than looks reasonable on the approach. There's no lag between the throttle and the V-twin's hard shove. Every ratio pulls clean. The top gear still hauls at serious speed.
Nils rode the 990 Super Duke in Andalusia and Austria in 2005, and in 2008 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Brutale 910 R has the lower seat: 31.9 in (810 mm) vs 33.7 in (855 mm).
- The Brutale 910 R makes more peak power: 136 hp (100 kW) vs 120 hp (88 kW).
- The 990 Super Duke has the larger engine: 999 cc vs 909 cc.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Not their thing
Both of these get tiring on a long day. A proper tourer will treat you better on big miles.
Traveling with luggage
Both miss here
Loading up for a long trip isn't a strength of either bike. Expect to compromise on what you bring.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Brutale 910 R
What owners say
Strengths
- Ferocious top-end power and intoxicating soundtrack
- Immediate, responsive handling
- High-spec chassis components
Trade-offs
- Firm, unforgiving ride
- Cramped, aggressive ergonomics
- High maintenance costs and short service intervals
- Temperamental low-speed fueling
990 Super Duke
From Nils' own saddle time
Strengths
- Torque you can lean on anywhere
- Fueling is dialed in properly
- Gearbox and clutch are excellent
- Chassis has huge reserves
- Brakes that simply don't fade
Trade-offs
- Footpegs buzz at the top end
- Wind blast turns into a wrestle
- It drinks more than its rivals
- Steering bites faster than expected
Known problems to check before you buy
Brutale 910 R
- Throttle hesitation and lean stumble Hesitation or a stumble when opening the throttle from closed, particularly at low rpm. Can be caused by dirty throttle bodies, degraded injectors, or sensor issues.
990 Super Duke
- Premature Water Pump Seal Failure The water pump seal and shaft are prone to premature wear, allowing coolant to leak externally or contaminate the engine oil circuit, which compromises lubrication and can lead to engine overheating.
What they share
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Front brake
- 320 mm
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Brutale 910 R | 990 Super Duke | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 31.9 in (810 mm) | 33.7 in (855 mm) |
| Brutale 910 R | 990 Super Duke | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 909 cc | 999 cc |
| Engine | Inline-four | 75° V-twin |
| Power | 136 hp (100 kW) | 120 hp (88 kW) |
| Torque | 71 lb-ft (96 Nm) | 73 lb-ft (99 Nm) |
| Top speed | 157 mph (253 km/h) | 151 mph (243 km/h) |
| Brutale 910 R | 990 Super Duke | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 33 mpg (US) / 7.1 L/100 km | 28 mpg (US) / 8.3 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 US gal (19 L) | 4.9 US gal (18.5 L) |
| Brutale 910 R | 990 Super Duke | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 | 180/55-17 |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Brutale 910 R | 990 Super Duke | |
|---|---|---|
| Steering Damper | Standard | Not offered |
| Heated Grips | Not offered | Option |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
