By NastyNils· ·
Motorcycle comparison · Naked Bike
KTM 990 Duke (MY2025) vs Yamaha MT-09 (RN87)
KTM 990 Duke vs Yamaha MT-09: no fairing, no excuses. Here's how to pick.
Roll on the KTM 990 Duke and it's out of first almost before you've settled, its grunt packed low in the box. The Yamaha MT-09's motor doesn't rush your left foot and pulls hard from low revs in a taller gear. Lazy shifts go unpunished; it still hooks up cleanly.
So which one do you buy?
The 990 Duke has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
A touch ahead: 990 Duke
Once the road starts to bend, the 990 Duke noses ahead. Your own skill counts for more than a gap this size.
The MT-09 has the edge if…
Traveling with luggage
Slight edge: MT-09
The MT-09 carries a touring load slightly better. Small edge.
Daily commuting & city riding
By a nose: MT-09
The MT-09 edges it for the daily grind. It's a small gap, not a reason on its own.
Which one's the smarter buy
No clear winner on value
The lower sticker price doesn't settle which one is the better buy. Neither bike is the clear better value for the money.
What makes each one tick
990 Duke
On the 990 Duke you're leaning into the bike instead of perching on it, and the bars keep reporting every move of the front wheel. Corner entry won't forgive a yank on the bar: the front heads somewhere you didn't choose. The twin doesn't wait for the tach to climb.
Nils rode the 990 Duke in Austria in 2025 (NastyNils Testride).
MT-09
The MT-09's front end wants to dive deeper into a corner than you've asked, even at parking-lot pace. The line holds without fuss. Mid-corner, the triple feeds in exactly the drive you ask for, and there's no chasing it. Its peg feelers touch down before the clearance runs out.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The 990 Duke makes more peak torque: 76 lb-ft (103 Nm) vs 69 lb-ft (93 Nm).
- The 990 Duke has the larger engine: 947 cc vs 890 cc.
- The 990 Duke has the larger fuel tank: 3.9 US gal (14.8 L) vs 3.7 US gal (14 L).
Which one for the way you ride
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Neither one fits
Neither one is where you should learn. Get a season on something gentler first.
There's no real gap on running costs. Sit on both and let fit and price decide.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
990 Duke
Strengths
- Grunt from just off idle
- Short first gear, on purpose
- Constant read from the WP suspension
- It wants to wheelie
- Agile, sharp-handling chassis
Trade-offs
- Brake judder on our unit
- It never glides
- Punishes ham-fisted steering
- Full electronics cost extra
MT-09
Strengths
- Triple pulls everywhere
- Turn-in that never argues
- A front end that talks
- Seamless quickshifter and blipper
- Daily ease, full-fat motor
Trade-offs
- Suspension caps at track pace
- Brakes have a clear ceiling
- Seat shape fights your thighs
- Menu logic isn't intuitive
- Limited wind protection
What they cost used
These prices compare a 1-year-old 990 Duke with a 1-year-old MT-09.
- 990 Duke
- about $10,700
- MT-09
- about $9,400
At one year old, the KTM 990 Duke sits around $10,700 while the Yamaha MT-09 lands near $9,400. That puts the MT-09 about $1,300 cheaper. These are US market estimates, not live listings.
What they share
- Seat height
- 32.5 in (825 mm)
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
- Rear tire
- 180/55-17
Where the spec sheets split
| 990 Duke | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Wet weight | 419 lb (190 kg) | 425 lb (193 kg) |
| 990 Duke | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 947 cc | 890 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin | Inline-three |
| Power | 123 hp (90 kW) | 119 hp (88 kW) |
| Peak power at | 9,500 rpm | 10,000 rpm |
| Torque | 76 lb-ft (103 Nm) | 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 6,750 rpm | 7,000 rpm |
| 990 Duke | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | 3.9 US gal (14.8 L) | 3.7 US gal (14 L) |
| 990 Duke | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 300 mm | 298 mm |
| Wheelbase | 58.1 in (1476 mm) | 56.3 in (1430 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| 990 Duke | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Quickshifter | Option | Standard |
| USB Charging Port | Not offered | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
