KTM 1290 Super Duke R 2014 Bike is Here!
by Prateek Jose on October 14, 2013 1 Comment
KTM has revealed official pictures and spec sheet for its next release – the 1290 Super Duke R 2014 motorcycle model. This very muscular bike has been eagerly awaited since the company announced it was testing a prototype concept at the EICMA show last year in Milan. Now that we are in on the details, it was well worth the wait, as this bike packs in a robust set of features.
It started off at 125, then 200, 390,690 and the 990. And now the beast at the top of that pyramid, the 1290, deserves its spot up there. The bike is all muscle packed into a much tighter, very orange body.
It sports a two tone trellis frame, snazzy yet minimalistic looking tank extensions, and a headlight that does well to top off the “mean-machine” feel of the bike. The swingarm is single sided which means that you get a clear view of the rear wheel. The 48mm fork holds an easy adjustment clicker and there is a remote-reservoir shock in the rear.
What keeps this bad boy moving is a reworked 1301cc, four-stroke V twin engine, descended from the RC 8 Superbike. With a peak power of 180 bhp at 8870 rpm and torque of 14.68 kgm, it easy to see the superbike roots from which this bike was derived. The 108 mm bore and stroke of 71 mm have received a bump up of 3mm and 2mm respectively from the RC 8 Superbike.
The 180 bhp is controlled by ride-by-wire throttle and the bike’s website has this to say about it: “The 1290 Super Duke R intelligently translates rider’s commands at the throttle twist grip into electronic opening of the throttle valve. And always in the way that makes best sense. This means, for example, that the engine accelerates more smoothly.
And hence that the rear wheel only rotates as much as is just about still healthy. Incidentally, the rider notices none of this assistance. Only that everything always makes optimum forward progress.”
Coming to the electronics system. As expected, multiple drive modes, traction adjustment and ABS systems are featured in this bike. There is, however, no mention of the Moto Stability Control (MSC) feature which KTM developed in conjunction with Bosch and was present in the 1190 Adventure.
There are three drive modes- “Rain”, which gives added traction and curtails the power of the bike, “Street”, as the name suggests, is for everyday riding conditions and then there’s “Sport”, which pushes the bike to really unleash all the power in it’s muscular body. It is clear that such a brute of a bike requires solid braking systems. Tasked with this responsibility are the Brembo disc brakes.
The production version of the bike does show certain modifications from the prototype. The more notable ones include the license plate holder which juts out of the back and the oddly shaped exhaust which completely covers the swingarm. The bike will be released first in Europe and will take a while before it finally hits Indian showrooms.
More news and features on the bike are available on the website .
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