Greater is healthier so far as KTM’s new Tremendous Duke goes. Johnny Mac will get caught in with the large twin on observe and provides us his take.
For all its obtainable efficiency and technical options, the Tremendous Duke completely nails the one factor any motorcycle should ship above all else – enjoyable. Within the firm of bikes with extra energy, larger tech options and, in some circumstances, smaller worth tags, the 1290 Tremendous Duke R has been in a position to rise to the highest of the pile each time by pulling off one in every of motorcycling’s hardest tips – to be a riot to journey and every kind of naughty, however in no way intimidating or tough to get together with.
On paper, the 1290’s engine, which is definitely 1301cc, needs to be lumpy and a little bit of a handful because of the 2 large 108mm diameter pistons that thrash round inside it, however the actuality is the entire reverse. The motor delivers big torque numbers in all the best locations whereas being as mechanically clean as a V4.
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The 1390 will get a capability enhance to 1350cc, which, by advantage of the truth that the precise capability of the 1290 is greater than its title and the precise capability of the 1390 is smaller than its title, signifies that it will get a 49cc capability enhance. The results of the bigger capability and variable valve timing is a brand new peak energy determine of 187bhp and new peak torque determine of 107lb-ft; for context, a Ducati Streetfighter V4 makes 90lb-ft and the BMW M1000R produces 83lb-ft of torque. The engine is past epic, it’s a complete masterpiece of engineering, however crucially it’s been developed with the rider in thoughts as an alternative of a spec sheet.
KTM says that the 1390 Tremendous Duke is 60 per cent completely different to the 1290, so when you issue within the new cylinder head, new pistons for the brand new bore dimension, and completely different gear ratios for fifth and sixth gears to make them shorter (they have been very tall on the 1290), an even bigger airbox, larger gas tank, and larger radiator to deal with the additional energy, that’s just about the 60 per cent KTM is referring to. The remainder of the bike is kind of the identical because the 1290.
The analogue suspension on the R is up to date to the newest WP Apex package and the digital suspension on the Evo will get new forks and an entire new set of digital maps and parameters that may be accessed, together with excessive and low velocity damping through the ‘Professional’ display screen, which brings me neatly to my ongoing – and solely actual – bone of competition with the Tremendous Duke…
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In an effort to get all of the rider modes, rider aids, the quickshifter/blipper, adjustable engine braking and traction management unlocked – all of which you get as customary on the KTM’s competitors – it’s worthwhile to hand over one other £1086 when you’re shopping for the Evo or £850 for the R, which takes the value to £18,849 for the R and £20,685 for the Evo. These are huge numbers, and truly cancel out the KTM’s worth benefit over its rivals. With out these options all unlocked, the Tremendous Duke really has a fairly atypical spec within the tech division, and truly a lot of these options actually add to the general constructive expertise of using it, so you’d be mad to not get them ‘unlocked’.
We solely bought to check the Tremendous Duke on observe, so by way of digital rider aids it was one of the best place to mess around with a whole lot of them within the time obtainable. I ended up utilizing the smoother, softer ‘road’ throttle map, including a load of preload to the rear shock to assist the bike grip at full lean (extra on that in a bit). I didn’t contact the engine braking, ABS, or damping settings as a result of I actually appreciated those that got here with the bike in observe mode, and I turned down the traction management to its lowest degree (once more, to assist with an absence of rear grip), and anti-wheelie was off simply coz wheelies are cool.
On observe, it’s immediately acquainted and really easy to get together with. The using place continues to be spacious and for an upright bare bike, you actually really feel related to the entrance tyre in a means that offers the KTM a sportsbike really feel through the turn-in and mid-corner phases of cornering. The brakes are nonetheless the identical Brembo Stylema caliper and MCS grasp cylinder arrange, which is just about one of the best brake arrange that cash can purchase lately for a manufacturing bike. The Michelin entrance tyre deserves a point out at this level for being steady and passing on actually clear suggestions whereas underneath a whole lot of stress, and little question contributing to the Tremendous Duke’s price of flip and stability.
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We didn’t get to journey the 1390 on the street, which, in equity, is its pure habitat, however given the truth that the one weak point we’ve ever famous for the Tremendous Duke was on observe, it’s nice to have had the chance to spin a whole lot of laps on it and are available away happy.
WORDS: John McAvoy / PHOTOS: KTM
