SUPER-FAST SPORTS-TOURERS RATED
Kawasaki’s H2 SX SE+ and KTM’s Super Duke GT are the ultimate fast tourers – but can they cope with the daily grind, too?
Sports-tourer is a wishywashy term. It conjures images of bikes lacking definition and purpose, of previous-generation sportsbikes eased into retirement. There’s no wishy and definitely no washy with today’s sports-tourers, though. With continent-swallowing comfort and the latest technology, they’re the leading edge of design. Sports-tourers sell well for Kawasaki. The ZZR1400 and Z1000SX have battled to be their best-selling UK model for years. In 2018 they added the H2 SX, developed from the H2 superbike but with a bespoke supercharged
998cc inline-four engine in an allnew frame. The H2 SX is plusher, faster and has a sportier riding position than the Z1000SX, while being sharper, more high-tech and easier on wrists than the ZZR. It’s staggering, especially in betterequipped SX SE form.
And now Kawasaki have gone a step further with the H2 SX SE★. It’s surely the highest-spec Japanese bike ever, with (deep breath) modes, lean-sensitive traction, cornering ABS, semi-active suspension, bespoke supercharger, two-way quickshifter, cruise, launch control, phone connectivity, cornering lights, Brembo ‘Stylema’ brakes, larger screen, heated grips, scratchabsorbing paint. And, if that’s not enough, this Performance Tourer version has panniers on the inbuilt mounts and an Akrapovic exhaust. That’s £23,345 on the road. No, that isn’t a typo – it really is a Kawasaki that costs over twenty-three grand. Without a superbike in their range to smother in luxuries, KTM’s updated 1290 Super Duke GT is derived from the 1301cc naked Super Duke, complete with every conceivable electronic widget but softened for more sensible activities with a fairing, screen and other practical niceties. Except this is KTM, of course, and so it’s not softened at all. The Austrian company describes the 1301cc, 173bhp GT as a ‘deranged combination’ of performance, comfort and equipment. ‘Deranged’ isn’t the word that comes to mind after the first hour on the MCN250, though. ‘Refined’ is. Controls are light, response is smooth and clean, and the lofty, upright riding position makes slipping past traffic a doddle. There’s a slight tendency for the steering to feel like it’s dropping-in on lower-speed corners, though the tyre monitoring on the slick, infoladen dash reveals the pressures seem quite low. Onto better riding roads past Silverstone and, with heat from more spirited use, the steering sweetens as the pressures rise. And more throttle brings the motor to life – the 173bhp twin gathers revs and chomps through gears like an oversize ’crosser. Third-gear power wheelies? Oh yes…
The KTM’s WP suspension is semi-active, tweaking the damping to suit riding conditions, with three modes: Comfort, Street and Sport. In
Street it’s not overly firm or unduly mushy, though is a little jiggly. In Sport you feel the bike take on a new tautness, but it just makes the bumps feel bigger. Comfort is nice, mind you, increasing ride quality dashing up the M40. The half fairing and comparatively small screen (20% smaller than the previous 1290, but more efficient) do a decent job and cruising at 85mph requires about 2% throttle with this much firepower. Into Stratford, its stance and broad handlebar are useful for dodging the many tourists, too. “That thing feels nuclear,” says fellow tester Bruce Dunn as he gives me the Kawasaki key at a coffee stop. He’s right. What. An. Engine. It’s not the amount of power (although a claimed 197bhp is clearly lots), but the way it’s delivered. Mid-range urgency on the mere scent of fuel is remarkable. It doesn’t accelerate; it just grabs the horizon and dumps it miles behind. Trying to exploit the chirping, whistling four in the confines of
‘Both operate at a level so much higher than other traffic’
the A439 and B4632 is like using a sledgehammer to push in a drawing pin. You need self-restraint to avoid rushing up madly on traffic and tearing idiotically through villages. Higher pace than is wise comes easily as the Showa semi-active suspension is wonderfully supple, and with greater mass the H2 floats and smooths where the KTM gets fidgety. It’s clearly weighty though (256kg wet, to the KTM’s 209kg dry), and in tight towns feels large and a little top-heavy. But then we burst onto the A44, up Fish Hill and down the rolling A424. The H2’s surging drive and plush chassis give fluid, effortless, whooshing progress, and with its high-quality
switches, classy dash and premium finishes the SE★ feels luxurious. Dense traffic slows our pace back up towards Buckingham. These long miles highlight the H2’s tighter, tucked-up riding position; it’s not a bike for bimbling. Grabbing the KTM back from Bruce it feels tall, spacious and light, slipping easily through congestion. However, after the sumptuous Kwak I’m now aware of grumbles through the controls at anything less than 4000rpm, or 80mph in sixth. The quickshifter isn’t as slick, switches feel a bit cheap, and the ride isn’t as fine as the sumptuous H2. Not big issues earlier, but after hours of riding they are. Both bikes operate at a level so much higher than other traffic that even using 20% of what they’re capable of makes you look unhinged. In this era of dashcams a wheelieprone V-twin or supercharged four bring paranoia – so the visibility and traffic-free stretches of the B660 after Bedford are a joy. Open expanses are what these hypersport-tourers are made for, and the sensations from delving into their excesses of torque, revs and handling are amazing.
Ten years ago, sports-tourers were a tad nowt-nor-summat. As our 250-mile day ends both the Kawasaki H2 SX SE★ and KTM 1290 Super Duke GT have proven fast, exciting and engaging, yet also comfortable, practical and (almost) sensible. The modern sports-tourer is a compelling, engaging and truly desirable bike in its own right.