KTM 890 Duke R (2020+) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and service intervals for the KTM 890 Duke R, announced at EICMA 2019 for the 2020 model year. (Originally it was announced for 2021, but KTM brought it forward.)
The KTM 890 Duke R is the sportier (and slightly more expensive) sibling to the KTM 890 Duke, though the 890 Duke R was actually announced first.
The KTM 890 Duke R is part of the 890 series of motorcycles. It’s based on the same 889cc DOHC liquid-cooled parallel twin engine that’s in the 890 Adventure R, but with a different tune, more for power, making a peak of 89 kW (119 hp) at 9250 rpm.
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KTM 890 Duke R Service Intervals
Overall, the service intervals for the KTM 890 Duke R are 15,000 km (9,300 mi) or every year. At every service, you change the oil and filter, and do a host of other checks per the schedule below.
The major service (valve service & new plugs) is every two 30,000 km / 18600 miles.
Since the Duke R has a chain drive, you also need to regularly maintain the chain — keeping it clean and lubricated, and adjusting the tension.
Finally, make sure to regularly refresh fluids, including coolant and brake fluid.
What you need to service your KTM 890 Duke R
Apart from basic motorcycle maintenance tools, here are a few spares, fluids, and consumables that will help you service your KTM 890 Duke R motorcycle.
KTM recommends using Motorex items. Motorex is a Swiss brand.
| Part | KTM 890 Duke R spec |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | The manual specifies Motorex Power Synthetic 4T 10W/50, or another SAE 10W/50 fully synthetic engine oil that meets JASO T903 MA2 spec. |
| Oil filter | Use part number 61338015200 or K&N part KN-650, a popular equivalent. (This oil filter is used in most KTM adventure bikes.) |
| Fork oil | The manual recommends SAE 5 fork oil, preferably Motorex 5W Racing Fork Oil. |
| Brake fluid | The manual requires DOT 4 or DOT 5.1, recommending Castrol DOT 4 or Motorex DOT 5.1 brake fluid. |
| Brake Pads | Front brake pads are Brembo 10A-HH pads, part number 61313030000. Rear brake pads are Toshiba TTH38GF part number 50313090000. You can also opt for EBC HH pads. Front brake pads are FA447HH, rear brake pads are FA213HH. |
| Air filter | Part number for the air filter is 64106015000 and it’s highly effective. |
| Coolant | KTM recommends Motorex Coolant M3.0 or other “high-grade, silicate-free coolant with corrosion inhibitors”. |
| Spark plug | Use an NGK LMAR9AI-10 to change spark plugs. |
| Chain maintenance | Maintain the chain with a Motorex chain cleaner and Motorex chain lube. |
Maintenance Schedule for the KTM 890 Duke R
Below is the maintenance schedule for the KTM 890 Duke, adapted from the manual.
The original maintenance schedule was broken up into “required” and “recommended” maintenance. But this never made sense as much of the recommended stuff was required by other manufacturers. KTM later combined them.
For convenience and to avoid repetition, we’ve separated out a list of checks to be done at every service.
Maintenance Schedule
Notes:
- After the end of the service schedule, keep repeating it in this pattern.
- The maintenance schedule in the manual is broken up into two sections — required maintenance and recommended maintenance (but you should do both).
| miles x 1000 | 0.6 | 9.3 | 18.6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 1 | 15 | 30 | Every |
| Standard annual service checklist (see below) — Perform all items | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Change the engine oil (Motorex Power Synthetic 4T 10W/50) Oil drain plug torque: 20 Nm / 15 lb-ft | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Change the oil filter (HF650) Oil filter cover screw torque: 6 Nm / 4.4 lb-ft | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Clean the oil screens | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Years |
| Check the chain, rear sprocket, engine sprocket, and chain guide. (Motorex chain cleaner and Motorex chain lube) | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Check all hoses (fuel, coolant, bleeder, drainage etc.) and sleeves for cracking, leaks, and incorrect routing | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Check the cables for damage and routing without kinks | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Check/clean the oil nozzle for clutch lubrication | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Check the headlight setting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Change the air filter (64106015000), clean the air filter box. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Clean the dust boots of the fork legs | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Check the swingarm bearing for play | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Check the wheel bearing for play | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Change the spark plugs (NGK LMAR9AI-10) Spark plug torque: 11 Nm / 8 lb-ft | ✓ | |||
| Check the valve clearances | ✓ | |||
| Check the frame | ✓ | |||
| Check the link fork | ✓ | |||
| Change the brake fluid, front and rear. (Castrol DOT 4) | 2 years | |||
| Change the coolant (Motorex Coolant M3.0) | 4 years |
Standard Annual Service Checklist
Below is the standard annual service checklist for the KTM 890 Duke. Do these items at every service.
Items marked [Dealer] need specialist tools.
| KTM 890 Duke — Standard Annual Service |
|---|
| [Dealer] Read out the fault memory using the KTM diagnostics tool. |
| [Dealer] Program the shift shaft sensor. |
| Check that the electrical system is functioning properly. |
| Check the front brake pads. (FA447HH to replace) |
| Check the rear brake pads. (FA213HH to replace) |
| Check the brake discs. |
| Check the brake lines for damage and leakage |
| Check the front brake fluid level. |
| Check the rear brake fluid level. |
| Check the free travel of the clutch lever |
| Check the free travel of the foot brake lever |
| Check the shock absorber and fork for leaks. Perform service as needed and depending on how the vehicle is used. |
| Check the steering head bearing for play. |
| Check the tire condition |
| Check tire pressure |
| Check the chain tension |
| Check the antifreeze and coolant level. (Top up with Motorex Coolant M3.0) |
| Check the cables for damage and routing without kinks |
| Check the fuel pressure and the absorbing elements of the fuel tank bracket. Not required at break-in. |
| Check that the radiator fan is functioning properly. |
| Empty the drainage hoses |
| Grease all moving parts (e.g. side stand, hand lever, chain) and check for smooth operation |
| Check the tightness of the safety-relevant screws and nuts which are easily accessible. |
| Final check: Check the vehicle is roadworthy and take a test ride. |
| [Dealer] Read out the error memory after the test ride using the KTM diagnostics tool. |
| [Dealer] Set the service interval display. |
| [Dealer] Make a service entry in KTMDealer.net |
Chain Maintenance
Regularly clean and lubricate your KTM 890 Duke R’s chain. KTM doesn’t specifically recommend how often you do this, but general consensus is usually around 500 miles / 800 km, or after riding in the rain or dirty conditions. Use Motorex Chain Cleaner or Motul Chain Cleaner.
To check chain condition, measure the distance along 18 chain pins (first one is 1, last one is 18) with the chain taut (pulling on the chain with a 15 kg / 33 lb weight). The distance should not exceed 272 mm / 10.71 inches. If it does, replace the chain as well as the sprockets.
Checking chain slack
To check chain slack on your KTM 890 Duke R, follow these steps.
- Put the motorcycle in neutral and on a flat surface.
- Elevate the rear of the motorcycle.
- Find the chain sliding piece.
- At 2.5 cm / 1 inch from the chain sliding piece, push the chain up towards the chain sliding piece.
- Measure from the flat part of the swingarm directly above the chain to the chain. This is the chain tension
Target chain tension (distance from swingarm when pushed up per the guideline): 2-5mm (0.08-0.2 inches)
If the chain slack is out of spec, you need to adjust the chain tension.
Adjusting chain slack / tension
To adjust the chain slack on the KTM 890 Duke R, follow the steps below. As with measuring chain slack, make sure that the motorcycle is on a level surface on its kickstand, in neutral, with no weight on it (no saddlebags / luggage), and elevate the rear wheel.
- Loosen the rear axle and the adjuster lock nuts on either side of the axle.
- Turn the adjuster nuts to tighten (or loosen) the chain. Keep checking the chain tension to see if it has come within spec.
- Keep an eye on the adjuster alignment reference marks on either side of the axle. Make sure that the adjustment is to the same point.
- When you’re done, tighten the axle to 90 Nm / 66 lb-ft.
- Re-check the chain slack again to make sure it’s still within spec.
- Lower the rear wheel and check chain tension again.
Wheels and Tyres for the KTM 890 Duke R
Below are tyre sizes and recommended pressures for the KTM 890 Duke R. It ships with Michelin Power Cup 2 tyres stock, more sporty tires than the Continental tires on the base model 890 Duke.
These are specifications recommended for specific tyres and assumed weights; adjust them based on your own weight, riding conditions, and so on.
| Wheel | Tyre size | Tyre pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/70 ZR 17 M/C (58W) TL | 33 psi (2.3 bar) |
| Back | 180/55 ZR 17 M/C (73W) TL | Solo: 36 psi (2.5 bar) With passenger/luggage: 38 psi (2.6 bar) |
Common Maintenance Torque Settings
Below are some common maintenance/tightening torque settings you may need when doing everyday service on your KTM 890 Duke R. There’s a huge table of of them in the manual, but many of them are low settings that you’ll know by feel.
Standard Torque Settings
Below are maintenance torques for the KTM 890 Duke R.
| Item | Nm | lb-ft |
|---|---|---|
| Oil drain plugs | 20 | 15 |
| Oil filter cover | 6 | 4.4 |
| Oil screen plug | 20 | 15 |
| Spark plug | 11 | 8 |
| Engine sprocket | 120 | 89 |
| Inner clutch hub | 135 | 100 |
| Front wheel brake disc bolts | 28 | 21 |
| Front wheel spindle | 45 | 33 |
| Rear wheel spindle (Grease thread) | 90 | 66 |
| Top triple clamp | 15 | 11 |
| Steering head screws | 18 | 13 |
| Steering stem screws | 20 | 15 |
| Steering damper screws (on holder or triple) | 8 | 6 |
| Handlebar screws | 45 | 33 |
| Swingarm pivot | 100 | 74 |
| Shock absorber bottom and top | 80 | 59 |
| Subframe | 50 | 37 |
| Side stand bracket | 45 | 33 |
| Side stand | 35 | 26 |
About the KTM 890 Duke R
The KTM 890 Duke R is KTM’s premium middleweight standard sportbike.
It’s definitely a sport bike, but with handlebars, making it a sportbike that’s much more usable every day, like the Yamaha MT-09 SP for example.
Unlike naked sport bikes from many manufacturers, the 890 Duke R is not based on a superbike with fairings of any kind. So whether you’re after a daily scratcher or a track weapon, the 890 Duke R is your only port of call in the class!
The 890 Duke R continues the same spirit of the “middleweight” KTM Duke motorcycles. It’s a lower-weight, lower-power, but still very high-spec alternative to the trailblazing Super Duke R.
In no way should you consider the 890 Duke R to be a “beginner” version of the SDR, other than that it’s not quite as extreme.
The KTM 890 Duke R replaces the KTM 790 Duke (which never got an R version), which was already a game-changer for KTM (two pistons in a Duke, rather than just one!). But the 890 R takes it a step further. In later years, KTM re-released the 790 Duke as a lower-cost alternative to the 890.
The KTM 890 Duke R was announced and released earlier than the standard 890 Duke, perhaps to ease the pain of 790 Duke buyers who had only recently made their commitments.
Here’s what the 890 Duke R gets on top of the 890 Duke (standard, non-R):
| Spec | 890 Duke | 890 Duke R |
|---|---|---|
| Peak power | 86 kW (115 hp) @ 10500 rpm | 89 kW (119 hp) @ 9250 rpm |
| Peak torque | 92 Nm (68 lb-ft) @ 8000 rpm | 99 Nm (79 lb-ft) @ 7750 rpm |
| Suspension | WP Apex suspension front and rear, with only preload adjustability in the rear | WP Apex Pro suspension with full adjustability |
| Front brakes | KTM brake calipers, 300 mm discs | Brembo Stylema calipers, 320mm discs |
| Tyres | Continental ContiRoad | Michelin Power Cup 2 |
| Handling | Lower ground clearance, lean angle, and seat height. More relaxed rider triangle | Higher ground clearance, more lean angle, higher seat, more aggressive rider triangle |
You basically get a lot more bang for your buck in the 890 Duke R. You get a lot more bang, period!
Manual for the KTM 890 Duke R
The above maintenance schedule comes from the user’s manual for the KTM 890 Duke from the 2021 model year.
KTM updated the 890 Duke R’s service schedule in recent years, combining required and recommended work into one table.
You can get the user manual for your Duke R directly from KTM’s website.
