{"id":447546,"date":"2017-08-06T19:53:39","date_gmt":"2017-08-06T09:53:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bikeme.tv\/?p=447546"},"modified":"2017-08-06T19:53:39","modified_gmt":"2017-08-06T09:53:39","slug":"ktms-2017-road-ragers-a-tasting-platter-of-punch-and-purity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/ktms-2017-road-ragers-a-tasting-platter-of-punch-and-purity\/","title":{"rendered":"KTM\u2019s 2017 ROAD RAGERS \u2013 A TASTING PLATTER OF PUNCH AND PURITY"},"content":{"rendered":"

1290 Super Duke R (aka BEAST 2.0), 1290 Super Duke GT, RC 390 & 390 Duke<\/h4>\n
\"\"

The 2017 Super Duke R<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"

The 2017 Super Duke GT<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"

The 2017 RC 390<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"

The 2017 390 Duke<\/p><\/div>\n

It was<\/strong> too much to process.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two days was nowhere near enough time to truly and fully comprehend what was going on here.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But it was more than enough time to get a taste of what the Austrian powerhouse had grown in its orange orchard for 2017.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ten exalted and spectacular minutes on the Super Duke R was actually all the time I needed to then go home and consider writing the review up. That I spent the rest of the day humbly hammering the monster around Sydney Motorsport Park\u2019s aggravating South Circuit was just greed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But I got it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A short, traffic-rich fang out to Wallacia and back to Eastern Creek on the GT only served to whet my appetite for this panniered weapon. The sheer depth and ability of the GT could not be explored on such a brief foray, but they were so temptingly evident, I was making all sorts of plans in my head.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I got this one too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And a quick run through Nasho and back to KTM HQ on the two LAMs beasties, the RC 390 and 390 Duke, did nothing at all to satisfy my curiosity for these hell-capable and smartly improved little bikes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yep. Got them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Good job, KTM. There\u2019s now nothing more I want or need to do than spend more time, do more miles, and let your shamelessly unique motorcycles take me to the Promised Land. Quickly.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is exactly what a motorcycle tasting platter needs to do.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s like being teased by a really good stripper who lets you smell her perfume and maybe run your calloused hand over a thigh too smooth to be real \u2013 and who then leaves the stage never to be seen again.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I went home after two days all furrowed of brow and tetchy. Like a bloke who\u2019s almost<\/em> had a fight, or sex. Or something.<\/strong><\/p>\n

KTM has come out punching harder than ever in 2017.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That much was clear, and had been clear since I tried its adventure range HERE<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The factory is a dominant force in Enduro. It rules Dakar. It triumphs time and again at events like the Finke. It has begun to stamp its authority in MotoGP\u2019s Moto3 and Moto2 classes, and it has a plan to shove its orange-coloured cat among the giant Japanese pigeons in the premiere class.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the real world where I ride, lots of my friends have KTMs. Each and every one of those friends is a hard-core, long-term, faster-than-most motorcyclist. Canning rides his all-conquering Super Adventure quicker than I can ever believe. Daz\u2019s pimped Super Duke is a constant companion over many thousands of kilometres, sometimes filling my mirrors, but most usually hammering ahead like the best cop-bait ever. Tim\u2019s Super Duke is likewise almost impossible to catch, and Dan rode his old 690 to Ivanhoe and back in act of feral self-abuse I have yet to see repeated. Guy has one. Scrambles has one. Al wants one.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hell, I\u2019m a Super Duke 1290R customer if there ever was one.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s just something about them evil-looking sonsabitches.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s something about the whole brand\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"

What hate looks like.<\/p><\/div>\n

Partly it\u2019s the accursed look they all have, which has only been enhanced since some of the models have had that demon-pincer headlight\/face added to them. You are always and forever up to no good on one of them. No way around it, and no doubt about it. Cheers, officer. I\u2019ll just get in the back of the van. No need to beat me anymore. You might also want to go and flog those designers at KISKA who are responsible for much of the KTM look.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Partly it\u2019s how good the bikes are at being\u2026well, bikes. Really good ones mainly, and truly great ones occasionally.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"

Boneyard serious.<\/p><\/div>\n

And partly it\u2019s about a perception, engineered in some way because of KTM\u2019s racing success and certainly deserved, that these are bikes for serious riders \u2013 riders who know what they\u2019re doing and need a bike that knows what it\u2019s doing as well.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Does this make me a little one-eyed? Sure. I\u2019m an admitted fan of the marque.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Does this make me incapable of critiquing the bike or finding fault if there is fault to be found? Not remotely. You can love something and still think its underpants smell funny.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s see what\u2019s on the orange tree this year, shall we?<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

KTM 390 DUKE<\/h4>\n

You\u2019re not yet 17-years-old. You\u2019ve saved your lunch-money for a proper bike since kindergarten. You\u2019d sooner eat your own liver than buy a Japanese bike to go with your new L-plate.<\/em><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t know what you don\u2019t know, but in terms of cool, the 390 Duke is like an ice-block hanging out of a polar bear\u2019s arse. This you do know and this is gonna get the bitches, for sure. You may not be able to take them anywhere on the back, but you could if going to jail didn\u2019t terrify you so much\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

This is what was going through my head as I angled the 390 through the Royal National Park. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever had more fun with something that weights 149kg.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The hill was steep, the surface rough. I did not die.<\/p><\/div>\n

And it is certainly an improvement over last year\u2019s model, which paid for its coolness by quality and comfort issues, and a rear shock that would to surrender like a Frenchman to riders who\u2019d eaten too many pies.<\/p>\n

This year, the little Duke has grown up a lot. The finish is much better, and I am hopeful the annoying little problems the old one threw up have been sorted. Time will tell, but KTM has certainly made an effort to raise the bar.<\/p>\n

The shock no longer screams when man-sized men approach. KTM says it spent a fair amount of time working on the suspension, and whatever spells it cast have certainly worked. What\u2019s not to like about USD 43mm WP front forks? It\u2019s not any more powerful than last year\u2019s, but the new suspension and Bybre (By Brembo) brakes, with the four-piston front now clawing at a 320mm front disc (up from 300mm), give it a new feel in the corners \u2013 especially if you\u2019re pushing on a bit.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Oh look! A Highway patrol car!<\/p><\/div>\n

Fuel capacity is up from 11 litres to 13.4 litres, you get adjustable levers and new handlebars, riding modes, a new bolt-on subframe (economically great if you crash it) and a 690-like lattice swingarm, a new two-piece seat that hates you far less than the old one (the riding position has also been improved and is more aggressive), that mad-evil headlight, and unique to its class, a big TFT full-colour dash with Bluetooth connectivity \u2013 yes, you will be able to pair your phone up to the bike and see calls coming in, etc.<\/p>\n

The engine is hugely willing and kinda smooth and is happiest when you\u2019re holding it between 6000 and 10,000rpm. It feels crazy light, but still sure-footed when you\u2019re trying to string a few corners together. It\u2019s not powerful enough to scare you, but there\u2019s enough there to keep you puffing \u2013 especially if you\u2019re in that age group that doesn\u2019t know what it doesn\u2019t know, as I said. I do know, and I still liked the hell out of it.<\/p>\n

This is certainly a class-leading LAMs bike and a substantial improvement over the last model.<\/p>\n

SPECS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Engine: 373.2cc single-cylinder four-stroke<\/strong><\/p>\n

Power:\u00a032kW at 9,000rpm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Torque:\u00a037Nm at 7,000rpm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Frame:\u00a0Steel trellis<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suspension: Front \u2013 43mm WP USD fork \/ Rear \u2013 WP shock<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brakes:\u00a0Front \u2013 Four-piston radially-mounted Bybre caliper, 320mm disc \/ Rear \u2013 Single-piston floating caliper, 230mm disc<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seat height:\u00a0830mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fuel capacity:\u00a013.4 litres<\/strong><\/p>\n

Weight:\u00a0149kg dry<\/strong><\/p>\n

Colours:\u00a0Orange with orange frame and wheels, and white.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

KTM RC 390<\/h4>\n

As a child, I was always conflicted. Part of me wanted to race motorcycles and part of me wanted to grope girls. I was too young to realise the former would eventually lead to the latter, and certainly far too impatient to put in the hard yards I would need to put in to become a proper motorcycle racer. It was just as well. I was never to attain the uber-skills I would have needed to make a success of motorcycle racing.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re that way inclined, and you\u2019re prepared to wait a bit and sacrifice a lot before you get your claws on them fine and fancy grid girls, then step this way, young man.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Shit beach. No girls. Going home.<\/p><\/div>\n

This is the RC 390. Mechanically, it\u2019s almost the same as the little Duke. It weighs a mere two kg less, carries less petrol (10litres) and sits lower, both in terms of ground clearance and seat height, and it doesn\u2019t have the wonderful TFT dash layout.<\/p>\n

Where it also varies a bit is in the rake and trail \u2013 the Duke\u2019s steering head angle is 65 degrees and its trail is 95mm. The RC runs 66.5 degrees at the steering head and 88mm of trail, so it steers a bit quicker.<\/p>\n

Its ergos are all track, but not so much you can\u2019t bang around town. Remember, this is not a bike aimed at those with arthritis.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also pretty much the same as the outgoing RC model, albeit with a new ride-by-wire throttle which works pretty well, and makes me feel all gooey in the sweetmeats because it\u2019s all about Euro4 emission standards and all the anti-pollution, polar-bear-loving shit that goes with those rules. And those rules need to be complied with, so there it is.<\/p>\n

This race-replica, for that is what it purports to be, was and maybe still is, the fastest sub-400cc supersports in the world \u2013 which is an important class for up-coming racers in Europe.<\/p>\n

On the road and on the track, it\u2019s directly aimed at Yamaha\u2019s quite excellent R3.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Stupid bridge. Full of tourists.<\/p><\/div>\n

So it handles really well, goes with an enthusiasm that belies is capacity \u2013 which is still more than any other bike in its class, and if you think that\u2019s not important to a teenager, then you don\u2019t know teenagers.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m thinking there are few teenagers running around KTM\u2019s R and D building. They would have had some input into the design of the Duke, but it looks like they had the RC\u2019s design brief all to themselves.<\/p>\n

Stylistically, I thought it was a little awkward about the pointy end of the fairing, with the two recessed goggle-eyed headlights , but it\u2019s profile is all MotoGP.<\/p>\n

So I rode the street-oriented little Duke south, had lunch, and then road the more track-oriented RC back north.<\/p>\n

I arrived at KTM HQ conflicted. Like a teenager. Both bikes were loads of fun to lash through bends. I liked the look and feel of the Duke, but I felt better pushing the RC harder, which has everything to do with the riding position.<\/p>\n

\"\"

And then we went underground.<\/p><\/div>\n

Of course, \u2018pushing\u2019 and \u2018harder\u2019 are relative terms. Neither bike is going to terrify you with vicious acceleration. But both bikes will deliver the goods in terms of handling integrity.<\/p>\n

What they will do is teach you throttle control, even more so than say an R6 \u2013 which is the king of Supersport and very much like a two-stroke in its power delivery.<\/p>\n

You can brake deep and late on both of them, and the slipper-clutch feature works very well \u2013 letting you out of jail by opening the clutch a bit if the engine back-torque is too high and preventing back-wheel chatter under death-braking, and also increasing the clutch pressure under acceleration.<\/p>\n

These salty little Austrian singles are all about keeping the revs up, and being smooth in your transitions on the seat as you\u2019re putting the corners together \u2013 remember, they don\u2019t weigh much, so if you\u2019re riding like a ham-fisted hippopotamus, you\u2019re not going to shine.<\/p>\n

SPECS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Engine: 373.2cc single-cylinder four-stroke<\/strong><\/p>\n

Power:\u00a032kW at 9,000rpm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Torque:\u00a037Nm at 7,000rpm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Frame:\u00a0Steel trellis<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suspension: Front \u2013 43mm WP USD fork \/ Rear \u2013 WP shock<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brakes:\u00a0Front \u2013 Four-piston radially-mounted Bybre caliper, 320mm disc \/ Rear \u2013 Single-piston floating caliper, 230mm disc<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seat height:\u00a0830mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fuel capacity:\u00a010 litres<\/strong><\/p>\n

Weight:\u00a0147kg dry<\/strong><\/p>\n

Colours:\u00a0Just the one \u2013 black-white, grey and orange with orange frame and wheels.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE 1290 SUPER DUKE GT<\/h4>\n

I\u2019ll get to KTM\u2019s flagship mental-institution, the Super Duke R, in a sec.<\/p>\n

I just want you to consider KTM\u2019s sports-touring jobbie, the Duke GT, which is wholeheartedly based on the maniac R which lives at the top of the orange food chain.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s a touring bike, OK? So it\u2019s got panniers (they come standard), more wind protection, a bigger 23-litre petrol tank, a few less horses (the R has 177, the GT has 173), and a bit more torque (144Nm rather than the R\u2019s 141Nm).<\/p>\n

\"\"

Rhinos running free. Both of them.<\/p><\/div>\n

It also comes with Pirelli Angel GTs, Brembo M50 brakes, semi-active WP suspension, adjustable handlebars and screen, heated grips, cruise control, LED cornering lights, a big, comfy seat and a longer subframe for pillion happiness, and integrated pannier mounts.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s exactly the kind of bike that will turn your brain into mush, your mouth into sandpaper, and your licence into scissor-bait, while you and your pillion remain comfortable atop all of your hard-luggage-encased gear.<\/p>\n

KTM almost seems to reverse-engineer its big bikes \u2013 they load those amazing 1290 engines with evil Austrian steroids, then set about making sure everything behaves with electronics, while still giving the rider the kind of thrills only a mostly seamless marriage of computer technology and base wickedness can provide.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a great way to build motorcycles, I reckon.<\/p>\n

\"\"

No, the bike is not two different oranges. The snapper was struggling.<\/p><\/div>\n

Does your sports-tourer need an up-changing quickshifter, a tyre-pressure monitoring system, hill-hold control and motor slip regulation (KTM\u2019s ECU will prevent rear-wheel lock-up and drift, by feeding in tiny bits of throttle when you\u2019ve done something silly and allowing the rear wheel to keep turning)?<\/p>\n

Of course it does. It also needs four modes of traction control \u2013 Sport, Street, Rain (reduces the HP down to 100), and the hugely amusing Off.<\/p>\n

There is also lean-angle sensitive stability control, and C-ABS (Combined Anti-lock Braking System) with a Supermoto mode (on a Sports Tourer, heh, heh, heh\u2026) that will allow the highest possible amount of front-wheel slippage and rear-wheel lock-up before high-siding you into orbit \u2013 or turn every damn thing off and talk to God.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Here’s the GT without panniers.<\/p><\/div>\n

But everything is linked to everything, and you can set the GT up very nicely for yourself \u2013 just like the rest of KTM\u2019s premium range of war machines. I did wish the GT carried the same coloured TFT dash found on the Super Duke R and the Super Adventure \u2013 and that will doubtlessly happen in the next iteration.<\/p>\n

Sadly, I wasn\u2019t able to chat to God. Our riding route on the launch was brief and heavily trafficked, so I experienced the GT as a mild-mannered, genial, well-muzzled and entirely obliging motorcycle.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not so much a wolf in sheep\u2019s clothing. It\u2019s more like a wolf with a leather jacket and an electronic home-detention ankle-collar. And it looks like a fighting rhinoceros. There is nothing sheepish about its looks at all. It\u2019s just got great manners \u2013 and the harder you push, the more well-mannered it gets. Because while it is happy to burble along placidly in traffic, when you pick Sports mode and dig your spurs into the rhino, it responds like a backhander to the face; albeit a backhander governed by always having your best interests at heart.<\/p>\n

I actually liked the GT a lot. It was the first GT I had ever ridden, and I really wished I could have spent more time on it. A lot more time. Days and days, miles and miles, actually. It felt agile enough to pleasure me in the corners, comfortable enough to bang out the big miles, and practical enough to carry a lot of gear. But like I said, we only had a brief time on it at the launch.<\/p>\n

I hope to remedy this soon. And I do need to chat with God.<\/p>\n

SPECS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Engine: 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, V 75\u00b0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Displacement: 1301 cm\u00b3<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bore: 108 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stroke: 71 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Power: 127 kW<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lubrication: Forced oil lubrication with three oil pumps<\/strong><\/p>\n

Transmission: 6-speed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cooling: Liquid cooled<\/strong><\/p>\n

Clutch: PASC (TM) slipper clutch, hydraulically actuated<\/strong><\/p>\n

Engine Management System: Keihin EMS with RBW, twin ignition<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fuel consumption: 5.99 l\/100 km<\/strong><\/p>\n

Frame: Chromium-Molybdenum steel trellis frame, powder coated<\/strong><\/p>\n

Front suspension: WP Semi-active suspension USD \u00d8 48 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rear suspension: WP Semi-active suspension monoshock<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suspension travel (front): 125 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suspension travel (rear): 156 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Front brake: 2 x Brembo monoblock four-piston radial fixed calliper, brake discs floating.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rear brake: Brembo twin-piston fixed calliper, brake disc<\/strong><\/p>\n

Front brake disc diameter: 320 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rear brake disc diameter: 240 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

ABS: Bosch 9ME Combined ABS (incl. cornering ABS and supermoto mode, disengageable)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chain: X-Ring 5\/8 x 5\/16″<\/strong><\/p>\n

Steering head angle: 65.1 \u00b0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wheelbase: 1482 \u00b1 15 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ground clearance: 140 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seat height: 835 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tank capacity: approx. 23litres<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dry weight: 205kg<\/strong><\/p>\n

Colours: Two. More orange and less orange<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE 1290 SUPER DUKE R (aka THE BEAST 2.0)<\/h4>\n

I do not believe there is a more evocative production bike on earth. From every angle the Super Duke R visually screams, paws at the ground and snorts \u201cBring it, bastard!\u201d<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s all well and good, but if its abilities didn\u2019t match its looks it would be just another lame-duck design exercise. There\u2019s no point looking like a demon made of hate if you\u2019re a butterfly made of fluff, is there? But in the Super Duke R\u2019s case, its ability not only matches expectations, it exceeds them.<\/p>\n

It is KTM\u2019s King-Beast and it can do it all.<\/p>\n

\"\"

It’s like a chocolate factory. That I ate.<\/p><\/div>\n

KTM even put that Beast tag on the cover of its brochure. Beast 2.0 it has called it.<\/p>\n

So what has changed from last year\u2019s model?<\/p>\n

Well, it\u2019s more powerful, more refined, more electronically enhanced, better suspended, and KTM claims it is the most potent naked bike on earth.<\/p>\n

I cannot argue with that.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Oh, there’s a line I haven’t tried yet…<\/p><\/div>\n

KTM has gone to great lengths to ensure the potency sitting between your legs is not the kind of potency that will send you weeping in terror to your mother\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

The new Super Duke R is, as far as KTM is concerned, all about controlled and controllable aggression.<\/p>\n

To prove this point, it let me spend a day hammering it around the tight and technically challenging South Circuit at Sydney Motorsport Park. I would have dearly liked to lash the Beast over the full GP circuit, but it was not to be.<\/p>\n

And quite frankly, the full circuit may have terrified me too much. The Super Duke R gives no ground to anything in terms of performance and ability.<\/p>\n

\"\"

OK, electronics, do your thing…<\/p><\/div>\n

The South Circuit ensured the speeds stayed relatively sane, and I got to concentrate on how the R handled and responded in a tighter riding environment.<\/p>\n

Behold the numbers of the Beast.<\/p>\n

It weighs 195kg dry, produces 130Kw at 9750rpm and 141Nm at 7000rpm.<\/p>\n

I did several laps in just third gear. Did a few in fourth for shits and giggles, and a few in second, just for the hell of it. It was amazing.<\/p>\n

The R\u2019s combination of refinement and aggression is very bewitching, and hugely rewarding to ride. With every pulse of that astounding engine, the rider knows he\u2019s sitting on something next-level special. Each time you open the throttle, the surge is breath-taking. The harder you crack it, the more you struggle to breathe. Ride it gently and it just does the job. Take it up a few notches and it\u2019s good with that. Take it way past what you thought you could do and it\u2019s perfectly at home doing that too.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Love it, love it, love it.<\/p><\/div>\n

This is an astonishing motorcycle.<\/p>\n

It looked well-mental and went much the same as it looked when it was launched to a salivating world four years ago, and it\u2019s now been improved and, well\u2026 distilled, I guess, even further. It is a major update, for sure.<\/p>\n

It looks even nastier with that KISKA-designed headlight-and-running-light arrangement, and even more devilishly pointy body work.<\/p>\n

The engine now boasts a far wider powerband (thanks to a 10mm-shorter intake tract), titanium valves and new combustion chambers to go with its higher compression ratio of 13.6:1, and it mainlines its gak through vast 56mm throttle bodies. It even gives you 500 more rpm at redline.<\/p>\n

The suspension has been firmed up front and rear and it sits on Metzeler MR7RR supersport hoops. The menu switches are backlit, the TFT dash is like the all-knowing, all-seeing Eye of Sauron, and you sit very much \u201cin\u201d it, hanging onto adjustable handlebars that are 20mmm wider and five mm lower \u2013 so you\u2019re hunched more forward, loading up that front wheel, and feeling even more nasty and aggro than before.<\/p>\n

It revs with an eagerness that has to be experienced to be believed, and responds to your input with an aplomb that validates all the effort KTM has put into developing its Lord-Daddy road-bike.<\/p>\n

I tried some weird stuff with it. My confidence levels were very high and I was feeling salty.<\/p>\n

The South Circuit is that new bit of Sydney Motorsport Park no-one likes all that much, and it takes a bit of getting used to, but you never really get used to it. The wide downhill hairpin left followed by an off-camber uphill right-hand hairpin challenges me every time. And by challenges I mean fucks me.<\/p>\n

I take it wide, it feels shit. I take a tighter line, it feels shit. I try various combos and none of them feel right.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Even a monkey like me can get a wiggle on.<\/p><\/div>\n

I want to take a jackhammer to it and beat the fool who designed it with the resultant lumps of bitumen. It\u2019s a section that has no business pretending it\u2019s a racetrack, but it makes for a superb testing facility for motorcycles like the Super Duke R.<\/p>\n

On the R I tried lines I wouldn\u2019t have dared attempt on other bikes, in gears that would be unthinkable. If you keep the R running over four grand, it\u2019s already making more than 120Nm of torque \u2013 so pick a gear that makes you happy, even if it\u2019s a higher one than you\u2019d normally use, and just enjoy. The acceleration from four grand is stupid. Just stupid.<\/p>\n

So I did that a lot because I like stupid.<\/p>\n

It certainly might have looked messy, but somehow the bike absorbed my amateurish inputs and dealt with them. The clutch action is light, the change is sure and the fuelling so spot-on, you\u2019ll forget the early days when that engine used to hunt like a hound looking for bunnies.<\/p>\n

Like I said, KTM as applied itself to the Super Duke R with all its heart and soul.<\/p>\n

So no matter what dumbness I tried on the Southern Circuit, the R always felt planted and sure, and while the road-racers on the launch had touchy moments on the stock rubber, I have nothing but praise for its grip.<\/p>\n

It would certainly have been nice to give Beast 2.0 its head and see what wonders lived at the pointy end \u2013 but that is clearly a job for some deserted private road under controlled conditions sometime soon.<\/p>\n

At the end of my day on the R, I couldn\u2019t write the review. I struggled to articulate what I had experienced, so I let it sit untouched in my head for a while.<\/p>\n

A few weeks passed and I rode a variety of other bikes, including Yamaha\u2019s sensational MT-10SP, which is a direct competitor for the R. I rode last year\u2019s Tuono RR, declared it to be the bike I would actually buy and die happy, because I thought it was better for my purposes than the old Super Duke R.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Controlled aggression and a fat bloke.<\/p><\/div>\n

I\u2019m not so sure that\u2019s the case anymore. I will certainly lasso the new Tuono RR when I get a chance, just so I can remember, but where Aprilia has sat on its hands this year, KTM has not.<\/p>\n

This is a bike that above all else is easy to ride. Far easier than something with this kind of performance has any right to be.<\/p>\n

It is electronically sophisticated, and while it is not idiot-proof (what is?), it has your back when things get dark and freaky. You can ride it as a placid commuter and rejoice.<\/p>\n

You can tour on it with grace and joy (it\u2019s thirsty, but I don\u2019t care), because it will drone up freeways all day with its cruise control and heated handlebar grips on, and slay any and all corners you want to put in its way.<\/p>\n

You can scratch on it like a bison plagued with fleas. Like, seriously.<\/p>\n

You want to get your mental on? Oh please. The Super Duke R was designed for just that kind of thing. Pro-crazy is in its DNA.<\/p>\n

And when you park it in the fading light, take a few steps and turn to look at it, and you absorb its evil face, its feathered tyres, its stupid orange highlights, its pitchfork-thrust bodywork, and the myriad precision details that make it what it is, there won\u2019t be a doubt in your mind you made the right choice.<\/p>\n

It is the complete motorcycle. With 15,000km service intervals.<\/p>\n

What a time to be alive, huh?<\/p>\n

BUT WAIT\u2026THERE\u2019S MORE\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the 1290 Super Duke Rs available that day had been fitted with a Performance Pack ($799). That got you a superb two-way quickshifter, motor slip regulation (that\u2019s the ingenious thing that prevents the back wheel from locking up by applying minute bits of throttle for you while you\u2019re busy praying to Jesus because you\u2019re in trouble) and Smartphone integration via the KTM MY Ride program.<\/p>\n

Got another $599?<\/p>\n

Then KTM is happy to load your R with launch control, a more aggressive engine map with a Track option, that will also turn your anti-wheelie stuff off.<\/p>\n

Have you bought two of them and wish to race one?<\/p>\n

Certainly, sir. KTM\u2019s PowerParts are for you. Full Akro systems, race seats, carbon everything, adjustable rear-sets, wave discs…yeah, no-one\u2019s fooling around here.<\/p>\n

See for yourself HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SPECS<\/strong>
\n Engine: 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, V 75\u00b0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Displacement: 1301 cm\u00b3<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bore: 108 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stroke: 71 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Power: 130 kW<\/strong><\/p>\n

Starter: Electric starter<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lubrication: Forced oil lubrication with 3 oil pumps<\/strong><\/p>\n

Transmission: 6-speed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cooling: Liquid cooled<\/strong><\/p>\n

Clutch: PASC (TM) slipper clutch, hydraulically actuated<\/strong><\/p>\n

EMS: Keihin EMS with RBW and cruise control, double ignition<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fuel consumption: 5.57 l\/100 km<\/strong><\/p>\n

Frame: Chromium-Molybdenum steel trellis frame, powder coated<\/strong><\/p>\n

Front suspension: WP USD \u00d8 48\u00a0mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rear suspension: WP monoshock<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suspension travel (front): 125 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suspension travel (rear): 156 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Front brake: 2 x Brembo monoblock four-piston radial fixed calliper, brake discs, floating<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rear brake: Brembo twin-piston fixed calliper, brake disc<\/strong><\/p>\n

Front brake disc diameter: 320 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rear brake disc diameter: 240 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

ABS: Two-channel Bosch 9.1 MP ABS (incl. Cornering ABS and Supermoto mode Disengegable)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chain: 525 X-Ring<\/strong><\/p>\n

Steering head angle: 65.1 \u00b0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wheelbase: 1482 \u00b1 15 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ground clearance: 141 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seat height: 835 mm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tank capacity: approx18 litres<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dry weight: 195 kg<\/strong><\/p>\n

Colours: Black and some other colour that\u2019s not black.<\/strong><\/p>\n

FOR MORE DETAILS, PRICES AND OPTIONS ON ALL FOUR MODELS, KTM\u2019S WEBSITE IS HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

My thanks to Irena and Ed at OZMC Leathers<\/a> for the fabulous Italian-made all-kangaroo Gimoto racesuit and gloves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1290 Super Duke R (aka BEAST 2.0), 1290 Super Duke GT, RC 390 & 390 Duke It was too much to process. Two days was nowhere near enough time to truly and fully comprehend what was going on here. But it was more than enough time to get a taste of what the Austrian powerhouse [&hellip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":447579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[306,106,58],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/447546"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=447546"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/447546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":447866,"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/447546\/revisions\/447866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/447579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=447546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=447546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikeme.tv\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=447546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}