NEW AND RIDDEN: KTM SUPER DUKER
Still insane, but a more manageable kind of insane.
KTM have never been shy about the aggressivity of the 1290 Super Duke R. 1301cc and 100 lb.ft of almost instant V-twin torque plus a sporty chassis and suspension created a motorcycle that spends much of its life fighting inputs. And then KTM announced 2020’s ‘R’ version – a leaner, meaner and more menacing prospect. Right then…
Out went 6kg of excess thanks to a new chassis and in came a refined motor, fuelling and electronic systems. The result: a more pleasurable bike to ride. Yes it’s still totally bonkers, but you can now enjoy the thrill of riding it rather than being intimidated.
Retaining KTM’S tubular steel trellis design, the third generation Duke R has an all-new frame that uses the engine as a stressed member so increasing rigidity. This new chassis also sees the engine repositioned, to improve the bike’s centre of gravity, and there’s a new swingarm that has suspension linkages rather than the old bike’s direct shock mount. Which is a key factor in transforming the Duke’s ride quality.
By adding linkages KTM have made the shock’s action more progressive with a longer stroke. Where before the sheer grunt of the Duke would cause the shock to squat, which resulted in an unstable ride as the front got light, this new set-up introduces a much-needed element of compliance, so improving the bike’s overall stability. And the refinements don’t stop there.
Still boasting the same peak power and torque figures as previous incarnations, KTM have added ‘shower’ injectors to a larger capacity airbox that is now pressurised by way of a central air scoop that channels fresh air through the LED lights’ housing. Big V-twins love to breathe and while this extra volume has seen the fuel tank drop in capacity by two litres, it has made the motor’s torque curve smoother and spread over a wider rev range, once again making the bike easier to ride. You still get a fair old smack of torque right in the face, but it means you can open the throttle with greater confidence because of the less aggressive delivery. If you want to take it easy the Duke is happy to oblige, just don’t get lulled into a false sense of security, treating the KTM with caution is still highly recommended.
To help matters along there’s a full electronics package that now has a six-axis IMU (but still no quickshifter/autoblipper, that’s a £349.28 accessory), new switchgear and a TFT dash with revised menus. There are the to-be-expected power modes and you have the option of tweaking some parameters, such as throttle response and traction control levels. There is also the option to turn off the anti-wheelie, but this results in the first three gears becoming very exciting, very quickly.
Testing the Super Duke R on both the road and track the new chassis certainly makes this leaner and meaner version feel tighter and more eager to turn, but to be honest this is a relatively small improvement on what was already a fairly sporty super naked. What has made the biggest difference to the Duke’s ride is the fact that it now feels like a complete package of a motorcycle where the components are working together, rather than fighting their own individual battles for supremacy.
Thankfully that motor is still staggeringly brutal when you give it a big handful but, with the revised chassis, electronics and WP suspension, when you want to let it stretch its legs you can do so without it tying its chassis in knots. And should you want to take it easy that’s no drama as the throttle response is beautiful and there’s even cruise control if you want to best big miles.
So is the Super Duke still worthy of it its ‘Beast’ nickname, and reputation? Yes, but now only when you want it to be rather than all the time.
‘So is the Super Duke still worthy of its “Beast” nickname, and reputation? Yes, but now only when you want it to be’