By NastyNils· ·
Motorcycle comparison · Naked Bike
Ducati Streetfighter V2 (MY2025) vs KTM 890 Duke R (MY2020)
Ducati Streetfighter V2 vs KTM 890 Duke R: no fairing, no excuses. Here's how to pick.
You'll feel the Ducati Streetfighter V2's front brake bite hard and still talk back through the lever. On the KTM 890 Duke R, you're still squeezing the lever with plenty left over, lap after lap. Its chassis stays dead stable as speed bleeds off.
So which one do you buy?
The Streetfighter V2 has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Inches ahead: Streetfighter V2
In the twisties, the Streetfighter V2 asks a bit less of you to go quickly. Most of that is stronger brakes. Call it a modest edge.
What makes each one tick
Streetfighter V2
There's a supermoto's appetite in the way the Streetfighter V2 attacks a bend, and its wide bars flip it into the next one without a pause. The suspension isn't braced for a racetrack, because it's tuned to give on real roads. The throttle draws a smooth climb out of the V-twin toward the redline. The V-twin hauls from low revs.
890 Duke R
A racetrack's where the 890 Duke R makes its case, with light turn-in and a neutral balance through the middle of a bend. On a circuit without long straights, the wind blast on the naked stays manageable enough that you arrive at every braking marker with something in reserve. The seating position isn't built for superbike-level deceleration. You've got to clamp the tank with your knees and shift your weight back, and that takes practice. The uneven firing order gives this parallel twin a V-twin pulse instead of a drone. Corner exits don't shake its line.
Nils rode the 890 Duke R in Austria and Hungary in 2020, and in 2021 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The 890 Duke R makes more peak torque: 73 lb-ft (99 Nm) vs 69 lb-ft (93 Nm).
- The Streetfighter V2 has the larger fuel tank: 4.0 US gal (15 L) vs 3.7 US gal (14 L).
- Quickshifter: standard on the Streetfighter V2, option on the 890 Duke R.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Not their thing
Big miles aren't where either one shines. You'll be watching for the next rest stop.
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Look elsewhere
A first bike should forgive mistakes, and these two don't do that well enough. Come back to them later.
Look at commuting and running costs and you'll find two bikes doing the same job equally well. Fit is what breaks the tie.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Streetfighter V2
What owners say
Strengths
- Energetic, road-friendly engine
- Lightweight and ultra-agile chassis
- Powerful, communicative Brembo braking
- Upright, comfortable ergonomics
Trade-offs
- Significantly less peak power than predecessor
890 Duke R
Strengths
- Turn-in reads your mind
- Superbike brakes, featherweight bike
- Midrange that shoves
- Electronics that enable
- Genuinely competitive on track
Trade-offs
- Built for sport, not comfort
- Bars buzz at highway pace
- Top end runs dry early
- Quickshifter stiffened under load
- Excessive heat radiation in slow traffic
Known problems to check before you buy
Streetfighter V2
- ABS fuse reversal safety recall Recall 25V838000 On units produced between March 31 and June 12, 2025, the supplier may have reversed the 10A and 25A ABS fuses. This can cause the 10A fuse to blow during prolonged ABS activation, disabling the ABS pump and risking wheel lock. A warning message and light appear if the fuse blows.
890 Duke R
- OEM front brake disc warping / pulsing Front brake rotors (Galfer OEM discs) warping, causing pulsing/juddering when braking. Some owners report discs warped from factory. Replaced under warranty in many cases. Some owners switch to aftermarket discs (e.g., MetalGear) with better results. The issue concerns the Galfer discs, not the Brembo Stylema calipers themselves.
- Valve cover gasket oil weep Slow oil seepage occurs from the valve cover gasket, particularly at the half-moon sections. The weeping is most evident during high operating temperatures or after spirited riding.
- Countershaft sprocket seal oil seep Oil leaks from behind the front sprocket cover on the left side, originating from the countershaft seal. Symptoms range from minor seeping to dripping that can reach the drive chain and rear tire.
- Thermostat housing / coolant system seep Coolant seeps or leaks from the plastic thermostat housing or the hose connections at the cylinder head water fitting, typically caused by narrow original hose clamps, a fragile plastic housing, or improperly sealed cooling hoses.
What they share
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front brake
- 320 mm
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Streetfighter V2 | 890 Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 33.0 in (838 mm) | 32.8 in (834 mm) |
| Streetfighter V2 | 890 Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 890 cc | 889 cc |
| Engine | 90° V-twin | Parallel twin |
| Power | 120 hp (88 kW) | 121 hp (89 kW) |
| Peak power at | 10,750 rpm | 9,250 rpm |
| Torque | 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) | 73 lb-ft (99 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 8,250 rpm | 7,750 rpm |
| Streetfighter V2 | 890 Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 44 mpg (US) / 5.3 L/100 km | 50 mpg (US) / 4.74 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 4.0 US gal (15 L) | 3.7 US gal (14 L) |
| Streetfighter V2 | 890 Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 | 180/55-17 |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Streetfighter V2 | 890 Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Quickshifter | Standard | Option |
| USB Charging Port | Not offered | Option |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
