KTM 1290 Super Duke R ‘An unashamedly in-your-face 21st century design with great details’
The last big twin in among the rampaging multis, the striking Austrian came of age last year as a standout supernaked package – and it’s still every bit as glorious
Books and covers. With its tall stance, bulbous fuel tank and the elongating visual trick played by the steel tube frame, KTM’S Super Duke R looks physically big. The Speed Triple looks lighter, the frame-free Streetfighter appears to carry its weight more centrally, and even the fairing-clad Tuono appears more compact. And this all implies bulk and mass.
Such misconceptions vanish within the first few yards as the 1290 is remarkably light on its feet. Its sub-50mph agility is wonderful. And this easing-turning character remains when you up the pace and effort levels, the KTM responding to delicate inputs and dissecting B-roads, inspiring big lean and corner speed on open A-roads. The way it steers is up there with the Aprilia. Similar sporty suspension set-up too, with its corner-eating ability just about balanced by bearable comfort, while the ergonomics are… well, they’re right, whether you’re a beanpole like me, or can select clothes from the Back To School section like Langy. ‘Nice riding position,’ he confirms. ‘I feel in control going hard through corners but it’s comfy too, especially as the large tank and scoopy bits of bodywork offer a bit of shelter.’
I’m sure the KTM would be hilarious on a trackday, as it feels like it’d cheerfully cope with far more than any of us are willing to attempt on the road. And this means effortless county-crossing pace as you’re never even making the chassis breathe hard, let along break a sweat.
It’s certainly got track-ready power, as the 1301cc V-twin is a truly staggering example of internal combustion. With a whopping 103 lb.ft of torque it has the punch to floor anyone and anything, rampaging forward and making huge asks of the rear tyre and rider aids. Turn the electronics off and the Super Duke R happily wheelies off the throttle in third gear. It’s everything you’d expect of a monstrous twin with humongous pistons and a giddy 13.6:1 compression ratio. Actually, no it isn’t. Surely such a unit should be a lumpy, stubborn, snatchy horror at low revs and light load, but the 1290 is amazingly friendly. With flawless fuelling it’s a teddy bear in town, and out in the countryside there’s rarely any need (or desire) to stray beyond 6000rpm. The orangeline (hey, it’s a KTM) is a smidge past 10,000rpm, and so monumental grunt is far more accessible than with the Ducati and its wild 14,500rpm limit. Combine such usability with the free-flowing chassis, and it means the KTM supplies lightning progress for breezy effort.
Equipment wise the 1290 goes aggressive-light-to-aggressivelight with the others. As well as a scratch-resistant TFT colour dash, cornering traction control, ABS, self-cancelling winkers and daytime running lights there’s cruise control and keyless ignition. Pity the twoway quickshifter is an extra you have to pay for, but then at £15,749 the Super Duke R significantly undercuts the Ducati and Aprilia. And you do get a single-swinged sidearm, a sexy and neatly-detailed exhaust, plus cool fork-top adjusters. Who needs semi-active anyway? There’s another plus point for the KTM too, and it takes us back to its appearance. ‘Easily the best looking of the bunch,’ claims Hugo. ‘This is how I want a supernaked to look – an unashamedly in-your-face 21st century design with great details. I love the orange frame, exhaust swoops, funky switchgear and the air duct through the headlight.’
While not always top of pile, the KTM is always there or thereabouts. It’s as happy tooling around in a daydream as cracking on. It doesn’t constantly entice you into hitting mad speed like the Ducati or encourage naughty wheelies and skids like the Triumph – though it happily engages if you fancy. It feels very much of-the-moment, too. As a complete package it takes some beating, which is why last summer it won our supernakeds group test. Only one thing is different this year – and it’s that we’ve remembered to include the oh-so-slightly more compelling Aprilia.