Launch: 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R

While engineers and designers face a mammoth task in bringing any new model to production, personally I’d hate to be the bloke charged with marketing the finished product. It’s the age-old conundrum: do you hype the thing to the max hoping to god the bike hits the mark when bums finally hit seats, or do you take the softly-softly approach, knowing a good product will take an unsuspecting market by storm?

In its new 1290 Super Duke R, KTM has pulled off that very rare coup – it’s sent expectations through the stratosphere with a clever ‘teaser’ marketing campaign and it’s delivered a model that thoroughly justifies that build-up – exceeds it, even.

From the moment I laid eyes on the prototype unveiled at Italy’s EICMA expo in 2012, I was in love. And over two spectacular days in southern Spain, both over Andalusia’s incredible mountain roads and the sublime, flowing Ascari circuit, that teenage crush swiftly transformed into a fully blown obsession. But before we dim the lights and cast undies asunder, let’s see exactly what we’re dealing with…

With 105,000 bikes produced last year, KTM surpassed BMW to become Europe’s highest-volume manufacturer and, according to Kuttruf, it’s on track to hit 113,000 this year. “Since the GFC European motorcycle sales have slumped by 50 per cent,” he says, “But through releasing the right models we’ve actually increased our sales three-fold.”

The 1290 Super Duke R is the latest in a flood of new models to hit the market in the last few years and it’s a milestone in every sense, coming just as KTM is on the verge of achieving a 50/50 balance of road and off-road products.

While KTM’s Duke lineage goes all the way back to the ’90s, the 1290 Super Duke R is the fourth generation of the modern Super Duke family, which was initially released in 2005. Significant updates appeared in 2007 and 2011 but the latest bad boy is a very different animal – or ‘beast’, to use KTM’s preferred tag. As such, it represents the final and mightiest model in KTM’s new-look naked bike range, also comprising the 125 Duke, 200 Duke, 390 Duke, 690 Duke, and 690 Duke R. In a break from tradition, KTM says the 1290 Super Duke R won’t be backed up by a ‘standard’ 1290 Super Duke – it’s the works, or nothing. Only time will tell if that is indeed the case.

According to KTM, the 1290 produces more torque at just 3000rpm than the peak torque produced by the 990 – and that bike was no slouch. All this in a bike said to weigh a waif-like 189kg (all fluids, no fuel). By way of comparison the 1290’s natural competitor, Aprilia’s Tuono V4R APRC, produces a claimed 167hp (123kW) and 110Nm in a package said to weigh 183kg (dry).

The engine is essentially an all-new unit and the cylinder heads feature dual spark plugs – said to deliver far smoother fuelling and greater output than the single-plug-head RC8 R powerplant. The pistons borrow Formula 1 technology and despite being larger than those in the RC8 R they’re 47 grams (per piston) lighter. A multitude of components have been honed for greater durability, spacing the bike’s service intervals out to 15,000km. KTM says the engine weighs 62kg, making it one of the lightest ‘big twins’ available.

TRICKY ’TRONICS
A Keihin engine management system and a ride-by-wire throttle have been mated with a choice of three ride modes – ‘Rain’, ‘Street’ and ‘Sport’. ‘Rain’ cuts the maximum power output to 100hp (73.6kW) and offers the softest throttle response, while ‘Street’ delivers full power with sharper throttle response and ‘Sport’ full power with sharper response again.

The bike also gets Bosch MTC (Motorcycle Traction Control) and anti-lock braking– the former is either ‘on’ or ‘off’ but when ‘on’ it offers different levels of intervention depending on the selected ride mode, while the latter has ‘on’, ‘off’ or ‘Supermoto’ modes, that last one allowing a rider to lock the rear wheel and ‘back it in’ while retaining anti-lock braking on the front. A comprehensive on-board trip computer rounds out one very impressive electronics package.

The grunt is fed to the back wheel via a hydraulically actuated Magura clutch. It’s a slipper clutch, reducing rear-wheel chatter on aggressive downshifts and affording a light touch at the lever, while the power is relayed via a six-speed gearbox. The cast alloy rims are also new and at the press launch they were wrapped with Dunlop’s new SportSmart 2 tyres – a hypersports hoop designed for big-output, high-performance machines.

The engine is wrapped in a lightweight (9.2kg) laser-cut, robot-welded chromoly steel trellis frame with steel subframe which in turn is suspended by WP gear front and rear (no surprises there – WP is a KTM subsidiary). The fork has no preload adjustment but it is adjustable for rebound and compression damping, with each function split between each fork leg (right for rebound, left for compression). The WP monoshock is manually adjustable for preload, compression, rebound and ride height, while aiding stability is a WP steering damper.

Slowing the show are top-spec Brembo four-piston, radial-mount, monobloc calipers gripping twin 320mm discs, with a twin-piston Brembo with 240mm disc at the rear – all backed up by the aforementioned three-mode anti-lock braking.

That leaves the syringe-sharp styling, courtesy of KTM’s long-serving (but external) design house, Kiska. Unmistakeably KTM, the 1290 Super Duke R’s striking lines are complemented by full LED lighting, the headlight automatically activated in low-light conditions and backed up by LED indicators and daytime running lights.

START ME UP
KTM describes the 1290 Super Duke R as a ‘beast’ but if that’s the case, it’s a beast with highly polished table manners. I throw a leg over the brute at Estepona on the Mediterranean coast, bound for the barren, moonscape mountains that immediately rise up from the sea. The seat is 835mm high but the bike’s mid-section is narrow, allowing me to get both feet down flat to the ground with ease. I’m 188cm (6ft 2in) tall but the 1290 should accommodate a broad spectrum of rider heights.

The bike looks angry at a standstill and that’s backed up by a throaty bark from the stock exhaust. Clutch in, shifter down, a flurry of revs and I’m off – half expecting this animal on wheels to tear me limb from limb. Except, it doesn’t – at least, not yet. At road-legal speeds in built-up areas it’s more pussy cat than puma – light, super manageable and very easy to ride. The light clutch is beautiful to use, the gearbox is smooth and responsive, there’s a sweet balance to the whole plot, and the fuelling is incredibly good.

The last time I rode a Super Duke R – maybe four or so years ago – I remember the fuelling being incredibly snatchy. That’s not so bad on the track but a pain on the road. This one’s thoroughly sorted, the dual ignition said to play a key role.

Heading away from the never-ending hotels and golf courses that fringe the Spanish coast, I switch from ‘Street’ mode to ‘Sport’ and give the thing its head. The throttle response is sharper but not massively so; the bigger change – which you won’t notice unless you go looking for it – is the greater amount of rear-wheel slip afforded by the MTC (traction control). I won’t go into great detail here other than to say it’s one sophisticated system, measuring lean angle, yaw, roll, lateral and longitudinal acceleration and squat – all measured in milliseconds to keep the rider grinning like a loon, instead of highsiding into oblivion.

Some of the roads in these parts are incredibly tight, with switchback after switchback and surfaces varying from racetrack smooth to bumpy, loose and potholed. One example of the latter was also polished and very slippery; on numerous occasions in ‘Street’ mode I noticed the yellow MTC warning light on the dash winking away, signalling I’d just missed an ‘interesting’ moment. In ‘Sport’ mode the rear broke away suddenly three times, only to be caught by the MTC once again. On each of those occasions I feel it really saved me from an unpleasant incident. It’s a seamless system – like an invisible hand ever ready to catch you if you fall. Sure, it’s not idiot proof – no potent, high-powered motorcycle is – but together with the ABS I was incredibly relaxed aboard the 1290, and I enjoyed the ride more because of it. Incidentally, Bosch’s new MSC (Motorcycle Stability Control) feature wasn’t included on the 1290 like it has been on the 2014 1190 Adventure because it’s only been developed to work with linked brakes (and the brakes on the 1290 work independently of one another).

WARP SPEED
But that’s all clinical, techo stuff. What’s it like to ride? It’s a bloody weapon! Tugging on the throttle I revel in the 1290’s surge of acceleration – a surge that’s on tap from any point in the rev range. This engine is a ripper, with the power to push to firing-squad speeds in the time it takes to aim a rifle, and the torque to slingshot it away from corner apexes with tyre-torturing abandon. However, and like the bike in general, the engine is also very refined – the V-twin vibes are there but they never annoy, and when they increase with the revs they only add to the exhilaration.

At 100km in sixth gear I notice it’s pulling a lazy 3000rpm, but winding it on from here still brings instant urge. The mid-range dishes out some heavyweight punch but it blends into a stonking top end, too. The red shift light starts blinking madly from 9000rpm and a split second later the revlimiter is calling time at 10,000rpm. It’s not a particularly harsh cut-in, either.

While it’s nice to have that broad flexibility, really there’s little need to roam beyond that 4000rpm to 7500rpm band, which offers the best combination of power and torque. On a flowing mountain road I quickly settle into a sweet rhythm, rarely bothering the gearbox or even using the excellent brakes, preferring to let the ample engine braking do the work.

Stability is also superb at any speed. Powering away from one corner I strike a closely spaced series of potholes, but the 1290 doesn’t even shake its head. The WP steering damper has played its card, the bike continuing to barrel its way forward without a care.

The suspension and chassis are also well up to the task, taking the 1290’s considerable output in their stride. I retain the stock settings front and rear because the ride is flawless as it is – it would take a decent racer to truly start pushing near the bike’s limits, and even then the wide range of adjustment, including ride height adjustor, offers plenty of tailor-made control. All those adjustors are manual but very easy to access.

TRACK ATTACK
The following morning a few sessions at the nearby Ascari race circuit allow me to explore the 1290’s abilities a little further, in particular its brakes. This Brembo package is top shelf, and before a couple of the 5.5km track’s tighter corners I marvel at the front stoppers’ level of feel and sheer power. Fork compression under hard brakes is nicely controlled and the amount of braking pressure that can be applied with the bike cranked over is also impressive – there’s nowhere near as much of a tendency for the bike to sit up as I expected. Speaking of lean angle, there’s heaps of cornering clearance – it’s a true sportsbike in that respect.

My last session at Ascari was conducted on a race-kitted 1290 with Akrapovic exhaust, race mapping, and slicks. I only did a few laps but it underlined just how nuts this bike can be if you want to spend some extra dosh. With more power, less weight and a banshee’s scream of an exhaust note, it’s a quasi-religious experience. Top speed? Plenty – I was too busy riding to keep an eye on the speedo, but this thing will do well over 200km/h. KTM’s Powerparts catalogue is also bursting with bling to tart the bike up, and even soft luggage if you want to go touring.

On that note, the headlight and instrument cluster deflect a fair bit of the wind’s blast and the seat, though initially feeling a bit firm, is really very compliant. The ride position is fairly upright (although there’s a bit of a bend in the knees for taller folk) so touring is well within its scope, though it’s range could well be a limiting factor. As it is, over the two days my test bike’s trip computer recorded an average fuel economy of 7.2lt/100km – with an 18lt tank that equates to a safe working range of around 230km. That’s with some pretty hard use, however – expect more at a relaxed touring pace.

Other issues? Only that the mirrors blur pretty badly and that it occasionally took me a couple of goes to hook down the sidestand. They’re hardly deal breakers, especially considering the overall quality of this package.

The trip computer is a gem and the four-button set-up and menu system on the left-hand handlebar makes the info all very easy to access and tailor to your liking. Ride modes can be changed on the fly while the MTC and ABS can only be altered at walking pace or a standstill.

THE BOTTOM LINE
In the 1290 Super Duke R, Team Orange has really smacked one out of the park. However, the ‘beast’ tag is a little misleading because it says nothing of this bike’s refinement and precision – it’s more of a black-belt martial artist than a backstreet brawler. Relaxed or bristling with rage, it’ll match your mood at any given moment. The quality of finish is excellent, the electronics are first rate, and the ride experience is simply unforgettable.

KTM Australia has said the 1290 Super Duke R will be hitting Aussie dealerships in March, 2014 at $23,500 (plus on-roads). That’s bound to give Aprilia’s $20,990 (plus on-roads) Tuono V4R APRC a good run for its money. It’ll take a direct comparison test to sort the pecking order, but the Tuono’s reign is well and truly under threat.

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Hydraulic, slipper

OTHER STUFF
Price: $23,500 (plus on-roads)
Colour: Black or orange
Test bike supplied by: KTM Sportmotorcycle AG, www.ktm.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres