Middleweight naked motorcycles represent a balance of performance and practicality—the 2020 KTM 890 Duke R and 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS are prime examples. We put them to the test on the track and street.

It’s hard to recall the exact moment when it happened, but somewhere between burning knee pucks through Chuckwalla Valley Raceway’s 70 mph bowl turn, with ­Senior Editor Adam Waheed flanking me, and exiting Turn 16 in a crossed-up wheelie, disbelief set in that these are the same motorcycles on the same tires we’d used to cover hundreds of miles on the street riding from the Cycle World office to the racetrack the day before. Long hours in relative comfort, countless black lines painted on winding back roads, endless entertainment, and an average of 37 mpg between the two are a testament to the Triumph Street Triple RS’s and KTM 890 Duke R’s balance of performance, fun, and practicality.

Outright performance and practicality are cool, but, like you, we’re mostly here for the good times. And we get a lot of that, thanks to the broad aim of both these bikes. Their design philosophies hearken back to the fabled Universal Japanese Motorcycle, except they come equipped with advanced rider-aid electronics, relentless engine performance, top-shelf components from ­excellent suppliers, and some of the most impressive production tire technology ever offered.

But what’s particularly interesting here is that these two machines conquer similar goals in very different ways...

Read the full test here: https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/2020-ktm-890-duke-r-vs-2020-triumph-street-triple-rs-comparison/

Read more from Cycle World: https://www.cycleworld.com/
Buy Cycle World Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/cycleworld