2018 long term fleet – Laura’s KTM 690 Duke

GINGERS don’t suit orange, fact.

So imagine my chagrin when editor Alan announced that he’d secured me a KTM 690 Duke long termer, in a shade of orange brighter than my hair. What a stitch up!

No amount of whining could persuade Al that I’d be better suited to something a little more toned down, and so I just had to accept that orange really is the new black.

Not that I actually cared. The 690 Duke is a wicked bike and well suited to my daily commute through London thanks to its high riding position, narrow body, good fuel economy, low weight, agility – I could go on…  Plus, that shocking orange will hopefully help the Capital’s cagers to notice me in their rear view mirrors (I doubt it).

I collected the Duke this afternoon, after returning Suzuki’s SV650X to the company’s Milton Keynes HQ. A 30-minute taxi ride between the two was long enough for lethargy to set in and I arrived at KTM GB far less excited than I should have been.

New long termer time. Bring on the summer! pic.twitter.com/Qa0tE2BUhW

— Laura Thomson (@lauramayrafiki) 10 April 2018

It took one look at the Duke to wake me up. The most recent facelift really has worked wonders – it looks boisterous and aggressive – and those orange rims are plain awesome. Mine is the standard model, but I’ve already mentally spec’d a whole load of PowerParts, which will only make it meaner.

On the list is an Akra exhaust, K&N air filter, KTM’s ‘track pack’, a fly screen, luggage kit plus many other goodies.

But before my extensive shopping list can be fitted, I’ve got to run it in. A 60-mile ride home took the Duke to just 70-miles, and I have another 530 to go before its first service. But given how fun it was on this cold, grey Tuesday afternoon, that won’t take long at all.

Check back in a week or two to read my first impressions...