Plug and play
Dan explores KTM’s expensive electronic add-ons and discovers the root cause of ongoing clutch issues
The KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo sits at the premium end of the supernaked class. At £17,899 it’s £1399 more than Yamaha’s MT-10 SP and over £5300 more than a base spec BMW S1000R. It’s a beautifully finished indulgence, which stands with aggressive hunched shoulders and streaks of glossy orange that glimmer in the sunlight. Taut, composed, and incredibly quick, it’s true capability cannot be recognised until you dig further into your pocket.
Our test bike has been equipped with the Tech Pack, which costs (at the time of writing) £1059.18 and includes and up/down quickshifter, Suspension Pro, a Track Pack including launch control, antiwheelie, track riding modes and more advanced throttle and traction adjustments, plus Motor
Slip Regulation (MSR) to stop the rear wheel locking up during intense downshifts. The excellent heated grips then set you back a further £180.36.
All of this brings the price up to £19,138.54 – just a few hundred quid less than the 207bhp BMW M1000R naked, which arrives for 2023 at £19,480.
What’s worth having?
For starters, a bike that starts at almost 18 grand should come with a quickshifter/blipper and heated grips as standard. These aren’t new technologies and it feels salty that you’re charged extra for them.
That said, they are both worth the investment, providing fussfree gear changes at any revs and keeping your hands warmer than almost any other official fitment grips I have sampled.
Outside of that, the Suspension Pro shines through as a must have if you can afford it. Available separately for £252.79, it unlocks the anti-dive front forks and an ‘Auto’ setting for both sets of springs. As you might expect, the anti-dive feature reduces the transfer of energy under braking and keeps the front end composed without sacrificing comfort.
The Auto setting also changes the damping according to your inputs on the go – getting harder or softer depending on how you’re riding.
I’ve used both on a daily basis and would recommend the investment. Elsewhere, the track-focused elements were useful during a day out at Snetterton last summer – especially the anti-wheelie and advanced modes – but they go largely unnoticed on the road. I have never used the launch control and can’t think of a scenario when I would ever really want to (other than to show off, of course).
Clutch ache
The hydraulic clutch has been a bit of a pain during my time with the bike. Twice the biting point at the lever has come back to the handlebar grip – pulling you forwards slowly in traffic and leaving you unable to select neutral at a standstill. Previously re-bled to remove air from the system, it was investigated more thoroughly when the problem surfaced again a few thousand miles later. KTM found a slight score on a seal which has been replaced under warranty and the system has been fine since.
LIKES
● Suspension adjustment
DISLIKES
● Quickshifter is an extra