Well I am one week into my Dukeship. This bike has to be the most insane bike I've ever ridden. It makes me ride like a maniac (but you all know that). Admittedly I've only been riding for 18months but I've owned a CB400, SV650s, Daytona 675 and now a 990 SD plus test ridden about another 10-15 types of bikes from CBR1000rr, to the Z1000, 910s Brutale, all the 600’s the 750 and so on (not bragging just setting the scene).

And before I go on just a quick shout out. Everyone on here has been really helpful, especially Troy and Jermo who have been helping me out with the mapping my cat-less bike.

So my mate came over tonight with his Daytona 675 to try a new map with the cable Troy lent me. We uploaded his and the new smoothened Akra for mine and took off to terrorise the burbs. Surging has reduced, popping is gone and it feels about 5hp faster. I took off straight away tearing up and down the hills and around the corners, with him somewhere flailing behind me. We pulled up after 10 minutes and I offered a swap, he accepted. It was my first time on a 675 since mine was stolen 7 weeks ago and everything felt so foreign. So cramped, long clutch, heavy turn in, soft motor! The bike I used to think was the be all end all suddenly felt so bland and wrong on the road. Don't get me wrong out of all the 600's (and I've ridden them all) the 675 IMHO is by far the best and I do want one as a tracky but as a road bike, and his commuter, they suck!

I led at first then ushered him on. He took off and all of a sudden the follower became the hooligan. He started just hammering the throttle, riding the massive torque wave, swerving in and out of the cars (legal speeds of course). I started laughing in my helmet. The more he pushed like me the more I laughed. He looked like he was having a ball! We pulled up at the servo and jumped off. He lifted his helmet to reveal the biggest, stupidest grin I have seen on his face in a long time. We both just stood there and laughed for a minute. Once we composed ourselves he couldn’t stop saying how funny it was, how different and foreign, like a big tractor he says! He loved it, I knew it, he knew it and that’s where it’ll probably end. He’s the type of guy that’ll stick with the Daytona even though I think he knows for the road its an inferior bike. But seeing that look on his face was worth every minute on the Daytona. The funny thing is when we both got our license he wanted the Duke and I wanted the Daytona. Now we own the opposite, go figure!

Don’t get me wrong, we did a massive ride Sunday with a couple of other guys and while I was generally faster (he used to be faster when we were both on the Daytona’s) when we hit Buringbar Range (a huge two lane range full of perfect sweepers in Northern NSW) I yearned for my 675 back as he lent his over and took off with me struggling to keep up. BUT for 99% of street riding the KTM 990 SD is the sickest, most mental crazy ass bike in the world.

I love it and I’m here to stay!!!

I like your story and how the SD infected hooliganism on another.
Lovely

i know what you mean mate, i used to have a 675 before my RC8 and now of course the SD. the SD is by far the most fun with imo the 675 coming in second.
were you on 675.cc?

hahah that thing about letting your friend riding your bike, and when you're both getting off, it's just big smiles everywere

@Gregor - Yeah I had an 08 675 with Aroow pipe and a couple of other cosmetic bits. It was a wicked bike. The sound coming from the arrow still for me is the best (bar the Aprillia V4R). Through my local twisties I used to feel like Casey Stoner, just a lot slower haha. Hopefully, if work is good to me over the next 2-3 years I can get a 675R for the track