Motorcycle specifications KTM1290 SUPER DUKE R 2014 Fools on the beasts

KTM has gone further than anyone could have imagined, or feared. We've seen a few streetfighters with big potatoes. But to dare to build a machine that's far beyond reasonable, with power that spills out in all directions, wall-crushing torque, a weight worthy of a sports bike, and a fighting spirit that knows no bounds, only a Doctor Gang high on kerosene protoxide would have taken up the challenge. The superlative of madness now has a name: 1290 Super Duke R.

Dry muscle, prominent fangs, adrenalin as the only line of inspiration, the 1290 SuperDuke is nothing but a pack of nerves stretched from one end of the style to the other. It's pure aggression, and it's chic too, with a powerful single-sided rear suspension - KTM's first. A real beast, ready to bite you without even approaching you. And when you find out what's in store for the boiler trapped here, you'll need a large dose of courage and madness to dare turn the handle at full throttle.

Take the engine from the sporty RC8-R, add a hundred or so cm3 to bring the deal to 1301 cm3, spit out 180 hp and you've got a one-way ticket to fury. Torque is no longer a punch factory; on this Super Duke, it's a huge slap dispenser. There's almost 15 mkg to cope with - crazy stuff! To be more precise, torque peaks at 14.7 mkg, far more than that of a Ducati 1199. At 2500 rpm, 10 mkg are already available. It's as if you had the maximum torque of a CB 1000 R... after just a few mm of right-hand grip rotation. Cold sweats and maximum torque guaranteed. Katoche claims a time of just 7.2 seconds from 0 to 200 km/h. That's the same time as a Bugatti Veyron and 2 seconds better than a Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. Fortunately, the magic of electronics helps curb the Austrian twin-cylinder's (too?) many watts.
At this point, we're no longer talking about electronic assistance, but rather a straitjacket, more or less open at the back. Thanks to the ride-by-wire handle, the most monstrous Duke - and streetfighter on the market - offers you several riding programs. Does it float, or are you not very optimistic? The "Rain" program calms down the power, allows you to ride more smoothly and the traction control is very preventive. Nice weather? Switch to "Street" mode, have fun, it's as sporty as you like, with the control ratio to match. In the mood for a big 8? All you have to do is switch to "Sport" to unleash the wild beast and play with the Supermotard-style ABS, a Bosch 9ME program that lets you slide from the rear and drift in abundance. Then there's the final version: freedom. ABS and Traction Control can be deactivated - enough to leave you alone in an African reserve with a hungry panther for company.

There's a cage, but not to imprison the beast; to tame it effectively. Like all KTMs, the machine is fitted with an innovative trellis frame with chromium-molybdenum steel tubes. A huge 48 mm WP fork, Brembo M50 radial monobloc brake calipers (same as on the Ducati 1199 Panigale and MV-Agusta F4 1000) and an ergonomically designed riding position.
KTM seems to be making a habit of installing ultra-complete instrument panels. On the 1290 SuperDuke, 2 digital windows and a large rev counter provide a ton of information. Too bad the instrument cluster is the same as on the 1190 Adventure; we could have done with a more original, belligerent design.
I don't want to alarm the public, but... This cannonball weighs just 189 kilos dry. We've never seen a roadster with a power-to-weight ratio of almost 1. It's a promise of big thrills and big sensations. The icing on the cake: KTM has announced a service interval of 15,000 km.
The price will certainly be a deterrent, but certainly not a problem for enthusiasts who want to try this crazy stuff. The trouble is, you'd better have a good technical background to train the 1290Superduke R if you're going to attempt a ride without safeguards. Completely oblivious and totally exciting, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R has only one desire: to make a mess of everything!

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