BEN KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R
THIS MONTH I HAVE MOSTLY BEEN… “Missing the ol’ girl.”
After a stonking timemile munching last month I’ve been left pining for my black beauty like a teenage lad who’s recently lost his v-plates – and been left desperately wanting more of the night before!
So while I’ve spent the last couple of weeks being given the run around by my two little’ns – and the wife (just don’t tell her I said that) – my poor ol’ Super D has been left tucked away in the garage, feeling a little cheated. When I say the ‘run around’, it’s not just a figure of speech, I actually got owned by my four-year-old on a Pooh Bear (and yes, you did just read that right – there’s a photo here too just for proof), which left me instantly regret making a complete fat twat of myself at dinner by opting for that third plate of food and fourth beer – honestly, all-inclusive holidays should come with a severe health warning, although I secretly reassure myself that I’m not actually greedy, it’s merely that I like to ‘explore’ the culinary delight that’s on offer!
Although I haven’t had as much time as I’d have liked with my much loved steed, it’s not to say that I haven’t had the opportunity to findmore excuses to start tucking my pennies away to actually buy one of these seriously impressive bits of kit. Somehow this Austrian beast keeps on ticking all the right boxes for me and I can’t help but be in awe of just how good it really is – it leaves me grinning like a mule eating briars after each time in the saddle!
Since being home, the weather has largely been wetter than an otter’s pocket whichmeant I had a good crack at delving a little deeper into some of the other tech on offer. Normally, standard protocol for us like-minded folk would be to unleash the full power options, retard TC settings, switch off ABS etc. etc. but sometimes these gizmos, that we largely take for granted in pristine conditions, come into their own when saving yo’ ass as the roads become as mucky as fook.
I was so eager to make amends after our fortnight apart that I mistakenly set off in track mode (while experiencing some of the wettest conditions I’ve ever ridden in) accompanied by a lower traction control setting and themore aggressive track throttle response – all pre-set from my balls-to-the-wall ride before my holibobs. I was soon desperately toggling though the options on the full colour dash (all of which being accessible and programmable on the fly – although you do need to roll the throttle off for the Bosch system to engage your request) to select Rainmode. With the appropriate mode selected and the rear Metzeler now no longer scrabbling for the very last ounce of available grip from the sodden tarmac, the whole input/ output malarkey was just that little bit smoother, making driving off the turn a much less butt-clenching experience.
Upon my return fromholiday, I had a very welcome email land in my inbox, confirming that theAkro Evo system is awaiting fitting at KTMHQ… I think it’s fair to say, I knowwhat my priority is going be in the coming week! Get ready tomake some noise.