Road test of KTMSuperduke 1290 R 2017 Squeezed orange with (fast)anime

Our tester's opinion on the Superduke 1290 R from 2017

Test conditions: 2500 kilometers through the Hautes-Alpes, Vercors, Chartreuse, Ardèche and Germany.

behind this sharp roadster mask lies the sporty new face of the KTM range. Since its release in 2014 and the demise of the KTM RC8, the Superduke 1290 R has kept an eye on the clock and wasted no time on the road.

a mantis-religious look, venomous plastic, more spectacular than aesthetic, it intimidates with its raucous sound and beastly 180 hp V-twin... "The beast", as it is aptly named by its creators, goes out in all its glory, scantily clad and with a billhook in its hand, the same one used to carve out its features. Her partial nudity and Amazonian finery keep her under 200 kilos. Precisely 195 kilos dry. She's "Ready to Race" now more than ever, and all the DDE has to do is equip the French road network with painted vibrators...

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big-bore engine

let's be honest, its 180 horsepower are a tad disproportionate on small country roads. But unlike a BMW S1000r, whose in-line 4-cylinder engine assaults you once you've been sucked into its red zone, the 1290's engine feels like a giant 180-ton hand, pushing you benevolently in the back. Mid-range revs are bursting with torque, ready to explode like a glycerine-swollen sponge. Unlike the BM's, the detonation is immediate and leaves you no time to apprehend it.

big but sweet

containing this explosion on the road is quite grueling. Fortunately, the seat and driving position are comfortable. If you sit upright, on a relatively soft seat that's wide enough to prevent chronic buttock pain, you'll be able to cover 1,000 kilometers without suffering too much. Only the trapezius muscles, which are very much in demand when crucified to the wide, straight handlebars, will suffer under the violence of the Austrian engine. That said, for a V-twin, the engine remains accommodating. If it tends to knock and cough a little at low revs, a simple burst of throttle at around 3500/4000 rpm is enough to clear its sinuses, without scraping its cylinders too much. The Austrian engineers are to be congratulated for their work on the cylinder head of the latest model.

gentle but sharp

compact in size, lively, thanks in particular to its low-inertia 1300 cm3 engine, the Superduke is fun. Excessive, yes, but fun. Despite its impressive cavalry, it goes where it's told without needing the authority of a general staff to channel its assaults. Beware, however, of insurrections and loss of grip, sometimes unavoidable without attention to such power. Fortunately, the electronics are sharp and their action is truly convincing and significant. To temper the beast, you can count on a Bosch sport ABS with angle sensor. The latter features a "supermotard" mode, along with traction control, anti-wheeling and various riding modes.

manufacturers of choice

the large 48mm-diameter WP fork is easy to adjust and, along with the WP shock absorber, contributes to the rigidity of the chassis. Braking is handled by Brembo, and we're treated to top-of-the-line M50 calipers. The kind of gear that equips the Ducati Panigale 1299S.

Video exploration and commentary of the dashboard and its functions

it'll leave no one unscathed, and its sheer size is its appeal. Impossible to disparage, the Superduke 1290 R is unquestionably the most demonstrative and desirable roadster on the market. All that remains is to ask our editor-in-chief to grant us a track test...

Remima