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KTM 1290 Super Duke “The Beast”
The KTM 1290 provides only a ballpark estimate of the actual engine displacement. The powerplant is another iteration of KTM’s 75-degree V-Twin engine, this time enlarged to a 1301cc displacement. Whereas the engines on the RC8 R and the 1190 Adventure have a bore of 105mm and a stroke of 69 mm, the Super Duke R is bored out to 108 mm while the stroke is a bit longer at 71 mm. The result, KTM claims, is an output of 177 hp at 8870 rpm. Torque, meanwhile, is claimed to peak at 106 ft-lb., with an ample 74 ft-lb. available at just 2500 rpm. According to KTM, the 1290 Super Duke R can go from 0 to 200 kph (124 mph) in just 7.2 seconds. The fuel tank holds 4.75 gallons while KTM claims a dry weight of 417 pounds. Helping control the power delivery is a ride-by-wire throttle system and a traction control system. The R-b-W system offers selectable ride modes that control power output as well as traction control and combined-ABS. Rain mode offers smooth but limited power with early traction control intervention. Street mode provides a sportier ride for everyday use. Sport mode offers full power and less traction control intervention. An all-new Supermoto mode which only engages ABS for the front wheel, allowing the rear to slide. Traction control and ABS can also be deactivated.
For 2014, KTM is launching the third model of the Super Duke line, which they
have been selling since 2005 (note: KTM mentions it’s the fourth edition because
of the small upgrade in 2011).
Above that the engine truly is a beast: turn the traction control off and it’s
simply impossible to keep the front wheel down in the first 3 gears. In fourth,
fifth, or sixth, a tiny crest in the road will result into a power-wheelie. KTM
definitely didn’t lie when they christened this bike as ‘The Beast’: the 1290
Super Duke R is faster, stronger, wilder than you can imagine. Electronics
The Bosch Traction Control on the other hand is fantastic. The rough asphalt of
the Spanish mountain passes didn’t phase the 180 hp / 106 lbs•ft bike at all as
the system worked overtime on the broken surface. At first this felt a bit
awkWard, but soon you gain full-confidence in the electronics.
Chassis
Details
Review Austrian manufacturer KTM has been making some impressive strides the past few years. Its off-road catalog has been carving out an ever-larger share of that market, and the orange-liveried motorcycles are now viewed as equals (and in some cases superior) to the more established brands. And its 250cc single-cylinder powerplant has forced Honda to work overtime in order stem the onslaught of KTM-engined dominance in the Moto3 class in MotoGP. But its on-road lineup hasn’t been exactly sleeping either. After coming away impressed with the nimble and feedback-rich handling of its RC8 R supersport machine last year, we were anxious to see what KTM would come up with after hearing it was developing a naked streetfighter-style machine that would lay waste to anything in its path. And the initial reviews certainly didn’t disappoint. We had Roland Brown cover the specifics of the new KTM 1290 Super Duke R in his first ride story in our March issue (“The Beast”), and needless to say, we were chomping at the bit to get our hands on one after reading his brief experience with the bike. So when KTM North America called and said it was stopping by with our test unit, the Sport Rider staff was already fighting to see who would get the key first.
Duty and the Beast Overall ergos are some of the best we’ve encountered on a naked bike, with a nicely padded saddle that isn’t too narrow or slanted leading up top to a tapered aluminum handlebar that is set at an optimum height for sport riding; just high and wide enough for comfort and control without turning you into an aerodynamic barn door. Down below, there’s plenty of legroom for 6-footers, yet ground clearance is abundant with no major hard parts dragging when aggression levels start going up. We had no real issues with longer stints on the new Super Duke, which is a good thing considering it sips fuel to the tune of a 40-mpg average, consistently allowing us about 180 miles per tankful.
Speaking of mileage, the KTM’s secondary LCD info panel to the left of the analog tach/ primary LCD panel provides a plethora of selectable data, one of which is miles left on remaining fuel (even though the primary display has a fuel gauge). We thought this was a nice idea until we noticed that the mileage counter jumps in increments of 10—not a good feeling to suddenly go from 20 miles remaining to just 10 while searching for a gas station. Naturally, like most big-bore V-twins, the Super Duke R is geared very tall, and the engine is loafing along at 4,000 rpm at an indicated 80 mph in sixth gear (though the speedometer is very optimistic at those speeds). Interestingly, the vibration from its 75-degree V-twin with counterbalancer is much more subdued than prior Super Duke generations, despite the R’s significantly larger displacement. This keeps the view from the adequately sized and positioned mirrors from getting fuzzed out, which allows you to better identify what’s behind you—another good thing considering your driver’s license will be at constant risk on this bike. Simply put, it doesn’t matter how tall the stock gearing is on the Super Duke. The KTM has so much torque from literally just off idle that it will lift the front wheel and carry it from a dead stop simply by sliding out the clutch with a moderate amount of throttle. Even thinking about full throttle in the first three gears results in law-enforcement-frowning wheelstands without any provocation (provided you have the traction control turned off…more on that in a minute). Those of you out there attending Hooligans Anonymous classes would do well to steer clear of the Super Duke R at all costs. Don’t assume the KTM is all low-end and midrange with nothing on top, though. Nor is it some slow-revving tractor engine. The Super Duke R’s V-twin powerplant zips through its rpm range in the same voracious manner in which it inhales lengths of pavement, pulling with a ferocity that continues unabated until just before the rev limiter kicks in at 10,000 rpm. Paying attention to the tach or the adjustable shift light on the dash is paramount to avoid upsetting the acceleration party.
With such monstrous power and acceleration, you’d think the KTM would be an abrupt handful coming off closed throttle, but the Austrian engineers have done a superb job of taking the edge off the Super Duke R’s jump to light speed without overly neutering the initial launch. There are three ride modes available—Rain, Street, and Sport—yet even the Sport mode’s throttle response is smooth while offering up more power at smaller throttle settings than Street mode, which requires a tad more throttle twist for the same power until around one-third throttle, where both modes then offer identical performance. Rain mode smooths out throttle response even more while capping peak power to 100 hp, but it works well in the wet. The KTM’s MTC traction control system utilizes lean angle sensors to help determine the proper amount of wheel slippage while accelerating, with each riding mode offering progressively less tire spin; Sport mode lets you hang the rear end out a bit, while Street keeps the rear tire more or less in line, and Rain mode intervenes immediately to prevent any rear slip whatsoever. Because the system works the throttle plates instead of ignition or fuel, intervention is very transparent, and most power slides are smooth and controlled. The MTC also keeps wheelies in check (especially in both Street and Rain mode), but it isn’t as obtrusive in Sport mode as some other traction control systems we’ve tried. If you try to snap a wheelie, then it will intervene aggressively to get the front end down; but if you simply accelerate hard, the MTC allows the front tire to get a few inches off the ground and holds it there. Combined with the generous amount of rear tire slip allowed in Sport mode, acceleration is maximized compared to what would normally be possible with an average rider with the MTC turned off (which is easily accomplished with the engine on and the bike at a stop; the system defaults back to MTC on every time you start it, so the engine must be running). Even with all that power on tap, the Super Duke R’s chrome-moly tubular space-frame with aluminum single-sided swingarm is more than up to the task of harnessing it. Overall handling is agile despite the KTM’s 58.4-inch wheelbase—the wide handlebar surely helps here—with none of the twitchiness we’ve experienced with some other high-power naked bikes (though the steering damper obviously plays a role). Chassis feel at all lean angles is excellent, aided by the Euro-spec Dunlop SportSmart2 tires (no relation to the US-spec Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart II or Q3) that provide good grip with decent bump absorption and wear characteristics. We even took the Super Duke R out to the racetrack during last issue’s Honda CBR-SP test, and it handled that environment with ease, with the suspension and brakes proving more than capable in that setting.
The WP suspension front and rear perform admirably whether on the street or track, handling everything in stride no matter the pace. We liked the high- and low-speed compression damping adjustability of the rear shock, which helps make up for the lack of a progressive suspension linkage and provided good compliance along with soaking up the big hits at higher speeds. While we appreciated the tool-less rebound and compressiondamping knobs on the 48mm inverted fork, we were a little disappointed at the lack of spring preload adjustment. Bleeding off the speed generated by the engine and chassis is ably handled by radialmount Brembo M50 four-piston calipers biting on 320mm discs with the latest Bosch 9M+ two-channel ABS. The antilock system threshold is determined by which riding mode you are using; Rain mode prevents any lockup whatsoever, while Street allows some limited slip before it activates, and Sport permits limited slip with a little more delay before it cuts the party for maximum stopping power. We found the Sport mode to work the best for most street and canyon situations with good feel and power up to the point of intervention, though we obtained best results on the track with the ABS turned off (which is easily accomplished via the four-button pad on the left handlebar). As would be expected with a motorcycle of this performance and intentions, not only can the ABS be shut off completely, but it can also be set to “Supermoto” mode. This allows the ABS to be functional in Sport mode for the front brakes, but the rear brake is free to do what it wants—meaning backing it into corners with the rear end hung out to your heart’s content. The Number of the Beast Test Notes+ Awesome V-twin engine Suggested Suspension SettingsFRONT: Rebound damping—9 clicks out from full
stiff; compression damping—9 clicks out from full stiff Source Sport Rider
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