Motorcycle description sheet KTMSuperduke 1390 R EVO 2025 Nerves on claws

This 1390 upgrade of the Superduke R is heavy, beastly and over-activated. KTM has pumped up the engine to give it even more horsepower. 190 horsepower in a twin-cylinder hyper-roadster is simply insane. All the more so since the face of this bike is even more ramshackle than that of previous generations.

As with theex-1290, the Superduke is available in an EVO version. Three letters usually reserved for upgrades to existing machines, but not for Katoche, which uses them to specify the installation of semi-active suspensions. WP supplies a complete 3rd-generation package, recognizable by the little blue rings above the spinnaker joints.

The big 48 mm SAT APEX inverted fork and its monoshock buddy of the same technology are reinforced by electronically controlled magnetic valves. Informed by a whole range of sensors and parameters, the SCU adapts the damping level in real time according to road profile and riding style. Five Modes determine how the suspension will react: Auto / Comfort / Rain / Street / Sport.

This 3rd generation is more precise, more reactive, but also more constant. Technological evolution has enabled us to shave 750 grams off the fork. Settings can be fine-tuned from the dashboard, including front and rear compression and rebound damping. With double play for the shock absorber, the latter can control both slow and fast compression.

With its electronics, Katoche wanted to go even further in terms of steering aids. By choosing the optional Pro Suspension package, the rider has access to two additional modes, Track and Pro. These include three automatic preload settings (to react to the load on board) and Anti-Dive mode, a system that maintains the bike's attitude under hard braking. What's more, the Superduke R EVO also features a MotoGP-style "Factory Start" system: the rear of the bike is lowered by pushing the rear preload to optimize traction and hot take-offs.

eVO provides the electronic overlay needed to satisfy even the most demanding rider in terms of feel and efficiency. The 1390 phase adds not only 10 more horses to the beast, but also a reworked intake, a larger fuel tank (17.5 liters), winglets on the radiator rims, self-draining brake and clutch master cylinders, a reworked instrument panel, Michelin Power GP tires, a slightly revised frame, and reworked gear ratios 5 and 6.

A whole host of elements have been skipped from the 1290 to the 1390, to the delight of future users (tamers?). The single-arm, Stylema brake calipers, three riding modes (+ 2 optional), traction and wheeling controls (with optional amplitude precision) and the wildness of the concept. Price and weight are up. We expected one but not the other; the Superduke R EVO comes in at 201 kg. That said, when you've got 190 horsepower and 14.8 mkg in the pot, it's not the weight but the asphalt that's going to take its toll.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos