KTM Super Duke GT
KTM brought a host of upgrades to its latest Super Duke GT. Is it worth trading in your old bike for? An expert owner gives the answer
Is the latest Duke worth trading in a sorted example of the previous model for? We ask an expert owner
KTM is a sporting brand, with a rich history of off-road competition and, more recently, success — not to mention huge ambition — in Grand Prix racing. Little wonder that its slogan is ‘Ready To Race’. But don’t let that fool you; the austrian firm can do civilized and accomplished too.
The super Duke GT was launched back in 2016 to, as KTM put it, ‘extend that racing sensation for longer’. in other words, sportsbike performance and capability but with the bonus of all-day comfort and real distance potential. The original bike borrowed its ballistic 173bhp 1301cc V-twin lump from the super Duke R and super adventure, albeit retuned to maximise low-to-midrange grunt.
Unsurprisingly the SDGT’S combination of full-fat performance and real-world ergonomics won it many fans, but this fast mile-eater wasn’t without issues. This year’s updated model addresses many of the niggles owners have complained about — the most obvious being the seat; the original was roundly criticized for its incompatibility with the rest of the bike’s well thought-out ergonomics.
While the 2019 machine is made to the same recipe as the original, updates abound — lighter titanium valves and new resonator chambers give the already well-endowed motor more rpm and a smidge more power. The semi-active WP suspension has been tweaked, as has the styling; front bodywork, LED headlamps and instruments are all new.
But is this facelift enough to convince RIDE reader steve Born to chop-in his first-gen SDGT – a bike he loves and has modified to match at least some of the 2019’s improved spec?
Got it covered?
While steve is not backwards in coming forwards to explain just how much he rates his super Duke GT, there is a problem with it that’s weighing on his mind. and it doesn’t concern the bike’s mechanics, electronics or ride. it’s the warranty, or soon-to-be lack of. KTM only offers a two-year manufacturer’s warranty to UK customers and steve’s bike is coming towards the end of that cover.
“That wouldn’t be a problem if KTM offered extended cover, or at least the opportunity to buy extra, but it doesn’t,” explains Steve. “And what’s more perplexing is the fact that it offers that extension in Europe. So do I keep mine and risk it or chop it in for the new SDGT?”
A good question but one that will only be answered by sampling the new machine.
All about control
It’s a bright, crisp early autumn day — perfect for comparing these two apex sports tourers. Steve’s immediately curious to sample how the new bike’s uprated suspension reacts to the even fruitier motor, having noticed a tendency with his bike’s traction control to sometimes lag behind what the motor is feeding the rear tyre. With that in mind, we head out in to the Cambridgeshire countryside in search of bends through which Steve immediately looks at home on the new bike.
“On mine, the TC can get itself tied in knots when I wind it on out of a corner. I can feel the rear tyre squirming under load. It’s never escalated into anything concerning, but that lack of positive grip between full lean and upright bugs me. The new bike’s much more positive. It feels like that appears to have been ironed out.”
The engine and mapping tweaks, albeit subtle, are noticeable. Having jumped off the new bike onto Steve’s 2017 model, I can feel it has a tad less urgency compared with the 2019 bike’s corner-exit grunt; not a huge difference but detectable.
“Rather than the new bike feeling more powerful, it instead come across as smoother and more refined,” says Steve, grinning from ear to ear. There’s an additional ‘Track’ mode on the 19 bike too, for full-noise riding, where there are nine traction control settings to choose from.
Neither bike lacks grunt or wants for extra performance; KTM’S 1301cc mill is a V-twin that just keeps giving. Acceleration is effortless and the stomp for overtaking is simply astonishing. Yet thanks to the electronics, neither bike feels a handful. Just bloody fast, although it terms of finesse the 2019 model has the edge. Despite Steve’s GT wearing a Ktm-badged Akrapovic pipe, he thinks the new exhaust; “has a real bark to it.”
Slick shift
On the go there’s little need to concern the gearbox on either bike, such is the wind-on grunt to hand but when we do, there’s another upgrade to compare. Steve’s bike features a quickshifter for upchanges, which are slickly dispensed. The new model’s goes both ways.
“I could get used to that,” says Steve of the new gearbox. “It’s not a big change but it’s a nice thing to have.”
Having taken a wrong turn on our ride from Cambridgeshire into eastern
Northamptonshire, the route changes from fast B-roads to barely metalled single-track lanes connecting the many villages and hamlets. Steve seizes the opportunity to test the new bike’s ‘comfort’ setting.
“On my bike this option is almost unusable when the roads are bad. The suspension damping is too soft and slow to recover after each bump, so the bike starts to wallow. But on the new bike, there’s none of that; it’s more composed and able to cope with poor road surfaces. KTM is offering owners of older GTS a free software upgrade to the 2019 bike’s damping maps [see upgrade box]. Riding this one has convinced me to get that done.”
Dashing ahead
It’s impossible to get on the new bike without coming face-to-face with one of the most obvious changes – the instruments. Gone is the analogue tacho and dual digital displays of the original. In their place is a 6.5in full-colour screen.
“It’s like looking at an ipad,” says Steve. “I like the central speedo and tacho, but do you really need to know what the tyre pressures are and battery health while you’re riding? It’d be good if you had the option to customize the display and remove what you don’t need.”
Steve’s ‘ipad’ description isn’t far off. The new clocks link up through wi-fi via your phone (the app is £7.99), and the dash will show incoming calls, music choice – if that’s your thing, plus sat-nav directions (again accessed through the app). Both Steve and I wondered if this sizable back-lit screen would be distracting at night but, having tried it, I can confirm it isn’t. And at night the new illuminated switchgear comes into its own — a nice touch.
“They’ve moved the cruise-control dial from the right to the left switchgear too,” indicates Steve. “It feels more intuitive.”
Back on faster, smoother A and B-roads, both bikes really come into their own. I’m on Steve’s GT and having a ball. The
upright riding stance gives an excellent balance of visibility, manoeuvrability and comfort; so much so, I wonder why anyone would bother riding a pure sportsbike on the road when a sports-tourer like the SDGT makes so much more sense 99% of the time. Steve’s rotated his bike’s ’bars back a notch, giving them a lower, sportier feel – a position I prefer.
We stop for fuel and Steve is beaming from ear to ear as he removes his lid. “I could see you were really enjoying that. Can you see why I like it so much?” I can, completely. In terms of riding experience, functionality and sheer fun factor, both bikes are undeniably brilliant. But, as we discuss before heading back to the RIDE office, KTM has an issue. Finish.
“The paint is already starting to wear on that swingarm and there are scratches on the tank,” says Steve of the 2019 machine. “The stickers aren’t even lacquered either. If you don’t stay on top of these, they can look very tatty very quickly. And that’s a real shame for premium bikes like this. They’ve got all the trick stuff – WP suspension, Brembo brakes, Marchesini wheels. KTM doesn’t skimp when it comes to components but the care put into the parts it makes isn’t on the same level.”