Verdict chrono
Two suitcases, an improved fairing and an enhanced screen. That’s how KTM transforms a raging roadster into a sporty traveler. You had to dare, the Austrian manufacturer did it: with these few additions, he marketed a unique machine, a kind of orange oxymoron that combines a brutal character with a taste for long trips. We can discuss the very aggressive look, all plastic designed, but much less the success of this Super Duke 1290 GT.
The concept
Of course, fans of the Austrian brand wondered when KTM, two years ago, marketed the GT version of its super-powerful roadster: isn’t there already, in the range, a beautiful traveler full of horsepower? , this Super Adventure S that cuts cruppers to the BMW 1250 GS? But the Austrian bet can be understood: the orange manufacturer did not need years of work to produce a modified version of its roadster, the 1290 Super Duke, rightly baptized The beast: a 1,300 cc engine for 175 hp and an explosive torque of 14 Nm… Suitcases, a slightly more enveloping fairing, a screen worthy of the name and a thicker saddle, covered with a layer of gel, that’s basically the little that separates the initial version and naked of the traveler GT. A second riddle remains to be solved: do we really need the power of a racing machine, or almost, to stroll at 90 or 130 km/h? Probably not. But the question no longer arises once in the saddle. A motorcycle is a bit like Paris or New York: we like the idea of ??being able to take advantage of its potential, even if we only use a very small part of it, from time to time. And when it comes to carving nice mountain turns, accelerating a short distance on the highway or, why not, putting its wheels down on a circuit, the Super Duke is there, always responding with passion.
life on board
To tell the truth, we sit on the Super Duke GT with a little apprehension, and a lot of preconceptions. Is the beast tamable? Will the road at its handlebars not turn into a sort of ordeal, so much the position is that of a roadster? It only takes a few turns of the wheels to be reassured. We are probably not riding a trail, but the position remains decent, without being too leaning on the wrists unless we want to benefit from the protection of the bubble, which is a little short. The engine is obviously explosive, but docile. It is quite easily controlled, although it only asks to roar. The chassis is to match: rigid and light, the machine is easy to handle. An anti-dive system limits the sinking of the forks and the braking is remarkably efficient. The whole gives a paradoxically reassuring machine, which never deceives its pilot (except, of course, if said pilot abuses). The equipment is up to standard. A (quite) small TFT panel nicely displays the necessary information, and the Super Duke is full of piloting aids: configurable traction control, engine brake level, hill start assistance, impeccable quickshifter for up and down gears, four riding modes, cruise control… KTM has thought of everything, except for a few inconveniences like this right side which looks like a boiler…
The opinion of the Motorcycle Point
We expected an uncontrollable monster, we discovered a machine capable of being civilized, if that is the pilot’s wish. More precisely, the Super Duke knows how to seduce by playing on several facets: furious and sporty, but also flexible and agile, which is no small feat when you know that the Austrian twin-cylinder is therefore composed of two blocks of 650 cm3 each, i.e. two big mono engines… Nevertheless: for those who like to travel, the reasonable choice remains a real traveler. The Super Duke isn’t quite reasonable, and that’s why we like it.
KTM 1290 Super Duke GT
Engine: 1301cc V-Twin
Power: 175 hp at 9750 rpm
Torque: 141 Nm at 7000 rpm
Dry weight: 216 kg
Price: €21,999
WE love
Engine
The cycle part
Braking
We love less
The look (aggressive)
The right side (heating)
Dressing (plastic)
