2017 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R FIRST RIDE REVIEW
| Engine | đôi mươi.0/20 |
| Suspension/Handling | 13.5/15 |
| Transmission/Clutch | 9.5/10 |
| Brakes | 9.75/10 |
| Instruments/Controls | 5.0/5 |
| Ergonomics/Comfort | 9.75/10 |
| Appearance/Quality | 9.5/10 |
| Desirability | 9.75/10 |
| Value | 8.0/10 |
| Overall Score | 94.75/100 |
As soon as you begin mentally mapping the featureless layout of the Losail International Circuit, it gets dark, the floodlights come on và the track layout changes in a surreal manner. A desert haze drifts through the infield, và in addition lớn remembering if the approaching corner is the slow left one or the fast left one, you’re also now looking through faceshield glares & the occasional glimpse of you passing your own shadow. Steadfast among muốn all these nocturnal distractions is the familiarity of the Super Duke R’s performance, its booming exhaust note, and that deliciously torquey V-Twin.
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The Beast 2.0 is the next-gen super-nasty naked from KTM – an upgraded version of what is arguably the most dominant naked streetfighter this side of an Aprilia Tuono. Messing around too much with a mã sản phẩm already in possession of the class mantle is a way to either ensure continued dominance or khổng lồ self-sabotage by delivering unpopular changes. Thankfully, KTM seems to lớn have chosen the better route of polishing the rough edges of its flagship model, while also gifting the SDR with a variety of useful electronic upgrades, thus avoiding any fall from grace such as what happened with Suzuki’s SV650 to lớn Gladius misfire.
The 2017 Super Duke R is obvious by way of its new headlight, tank shrouds, & (laông xã of) rear bodywork. The headlight is fashionable as well as functional, the split thiết kế allowing for airflow through the center to lớn help cool the LED lights, reflectors và light control units.
Changes lớn the 2017 Mã Sản Phẩm were reported in our November pReviews of the Super Duke R, so having now ridden the bike, let’s focus on the performance & usefulness of these upgrades. And to lớn begin we go right to lớn what we love most about the SDR, its 75° V-Twin LC8 engine.
A compression ratio bump of 0.4 (13.6:1 vs 13.2:1), new pistons and exhaust system reportedly gives the SDR a claimed increase of four more horsepower, while KTM says torque remains the same at 104 lb-ft of torque. Having no 2016 Model with which to lớn make a direct comparison, it’s awful hard to say if this minor increase can be felt, and that’s largely because of how powerful & user-friendly last year’s engine was already known khổng lồ be. What we know for certain is beneficial is the extra 500 rpm the Twin has to spin up lớn. This gain in over-rev allowed a few sections of Losail to be taken in a single gear, whereas the 2016 SDR most likely would have required an brief upshift before arriving at the corner.
The 500-rpm-higher rev ceiling was realised by virtue of new titanium intake valves, working in conjunction with shorter intake tracks và a new intake resonator. An added benefit is an engine that’s willing to lớn spin-up faster while smoothly delivering gobs of torquey, forward thrust. KTM also claims better fuel efficiency for the 2017 engine.
Sticking with performance we move sầu on to what are the performance highlights of the 2017 model: Electronics. Cornering-ABS (C-ABS) was actually introduced on the 2016 model, but deserves mention again. EiC Kevin Duke & I tested this giải pháp công nghệ earlier this year on a specially equipped 1190 Adventure & came away convinced of its safety advantages on the street. Also integrated inlớn last year’s mã sản phẩm were traction control và ABS, but these were tied lớn the selectable ride modes with prephối parameters and no way to lớn adjust for personal preferences other than switching them off. For 2017, the base Mã Sản Phẩm SDR comes with selectable ABS with two modes, Road và Supermokhổng lồ, as well as Off.
The Road setting keeps ABS and C-ABS functional at both wheels, và it works best at street speeds và braking forces. For the traông chồng you’ll want to switch to lớn the Supermoto lớn setting as it turns off ABS at the rear wheel, C-ABS altogether, and allows for much more aggressive front-end braking. The difference between the two settings is night và day. Forgetting lớn kiểm tra which brake setting the bike was in before leaving for session two, I promptly returned lớn the pits thinking something was wrong with the front brake, only lớn learn it was in Road mode & not Supermolớn. Switching khổng lồ Supermoto solved the problem, which was the only issue I experienced with the SDR during the entire traông chồng session.
After an initial outing in Sport mode, I switched to Traông chồng mode with Traông chồng throttle sensitivity, Supermoto lớn brake selection, & kept anti-wheelie engaged most of the time. In Traông chồng mode, TC is adjustable on the fly via the familiar left-handlebar-mounted controls. Trachồng throttle sensitivity seemed smooth as butter, without the abruptness oftentimes associated with aggressive R-b-W throttle settings.
Further personalization is realized with the purchase of the optional Trachồng Package, which includes Track ride mode (in addition lớn Street, Sport, Rain), the option lớn disengage the anti-wheelie function, Launch Control, adjustable traction control, and a choice of Street, Thể Thao or Traông chồng throttle sensitivity. Switching off the anti-wheelie function enables the hooligan in most riders, but even with anti-wheelie working the SDR will loft the front wheel into a shallow wheelie when powering out of corners (see main image).
The SDR’s Bosch traction-control system worked fine on the previous Model Super Duke R, but the added benefit of adjusting the system khổng lồ account for changing traông xã or tire conditions is a function we’ve sầu been fond for years. The SDR system works quietly in the background, keeping things from getting out of hvà (which is easy to bởi vì when cranked into a corner on a xe đạp with this much torque) with the only indication it’s working being the flashing light on the instrument cluster.
Engage Launch Control. Hold the throttle wide open, release clutch carefully, keep the throttle pinned or the system disengages. It takes a while lớn force yourself not lớn roll out of the throttle when the front end starts lifting.
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The other optional package is the Performance Paông chồng that includes the quick-shifter+, the motor-slip regulation (MSR), & smartphone integration known as KTM My Ride. First & foremost is the quick-shifter+ that makes rapid-fire upshifts easy, và auto-blipping downshifts just as easy. It’s a giải pháp công nghệ that once you’ve ridden with it in a traông chồng setting, it’s hard going baông chồng khổng lồ not having it. The Losail experience proved the track-worthiness of the SDR’s quick-shifter+, but how the system functions in a street-legal environment is yet lớn be seen. If, like other quick-shifters, the system proves to be fussy at anything less than full throttle, the system can be shut off for better use of the clutch via the traditional lever.
According to lớn KTM, some of the functions (Quickshifter+, MSR, My Ride) can be purchased individually. Prices for the packages or individual items, however, were not available at press time.
The new full color TFT display is informative sầu, functional & attractive. The information displayed changes when switching khổng lồ the optional Traông chồng mode. During our short street ride I had no problem with legibility even though I was wearing both sunglasses & a tinted faceshield. chú ý the adjustable handlebar settings.
A new electronic feature that comes standard on the base model Super Duke R for 2017 is cruise control. Located on the left handlebar just above sầu the traditional switchgear, the system requires at least third gear be selected khổng lồ be operational & will maintain speeds between 38 & 120 mph. The system went untested during this press launch, but we’ve sampled other KTMs with cruise control, and we expect the SDR’s khổng lồ function as well as those. What remains to lớn be seen is how easily reachable the buttons are or if there’s some other idiosyncrasy giving us reason khổng lồ complain.
New handlebars are 20mm wider, 5mm lower và have sầu been placed 18.5milimet further forward. The more aggressive positioning was welcomed during our trachồng ride but remains to lớn be seen if the new positioning makes longer street ride less comfortable than its predecessor. Note the lachồng of an ignition switch. The new Dukester goes keyless with a remote fob.
Chassis dimensions, curb weight & the estimable Brembo monoblock M50 calipers remain the same as before, but KTM did see fit to lớn change the WPhường shoông chồng và fork. The shoông xã comes with a stiffer preload setting (which is adjustable), while fork spring rates were increased slightly. The new fork also boasts the separation of compression and rebound damping into the left & right fork legs, respectively (this was already an attribute of last year’s fork).
On the traông chồng the new Super Duke R felt very much like the old Super Duke R. By itself, it’s an incredibly formidable snnphutho.vn, but without any geometry changes khổng lồ this new version, we expect the SDR lớn feel slightly less nimble when ridden in the company of some of its more agile competitors. Again, this is no revelation, as in previous shootouts it’s been well documented that the SDR owns the longest wheelbase & most relaxed rake/trail numbers. But for the comtháng street rider occasionally taking his Super Duker khổng lồ a trackday, does it matter? Not at all. My recommendation is to lớn install KTM’s available rearsets, because you may run out of ground clearance on the traông xã with the stock units. And don’t worry too much about decreased legroom as the SDR has room lớn spare.
The new Super Duke R rolls on Metzeler M7 RR rubber. During our Losail trackday, the tires proved up to lớn the task handling the Duke’s immense amount of torque, while providing excellent grip.
A one-day trachồng outing usually isn’t enough to lớn proclaim anything definitive about any snnphutho.vn. Except maybe this one. New features such as cruise control, upgraded suspension and a few more horsepower will certainly help the base mã sản phẩm SDR stay competitive in future shootouts. Outfitted with the optional Performance and Track packages, there’s little doubt of any other naked streetfighter giving the Super Duke R much competition except for it Italian nemesis, the Aprilia Tuono (which also enjoys some upgrades for 2017).
| 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke R | |
| + Highs 500 more revs on an already stellar engine Track/Performance Pack with full electronics adjustability và quick-shifter Cruise control | – Sighs No electronic suspension Performance and Traông chồng packages are optional, not standard MSR is nice, but making it adjustable would be better |
At $17,999 the 2017 SDR’s MSRPhường increases $600 over the năm 2016 mã sản phẩm ($17,399). Add the two optional packages (the combined price we’ve sầu been told will come in under $1k), & you have the most awesomest streetfighter currently available for less than $19k. The only suggestion we have sầu for KTM to lớn improve upon the Super Duke’s current iteration is by including the two optional packages as standard equipment & outfitting the SDR with semi-active electronic suspension for the $18k MSRP.
Riding Gear: Alpinestars GPhường Plus leathers, GP PRO R2 gloves, SMX-Plus boots
| MSRP | $17,999 |
| Engine Type | 1301cc, 75° V-Twin, DOHC, eight-valve |
| Bore and Stroke | 108milimet x 71mm |
| Fuel System | Keihin EFI (R-b-W throttle body toàn thân 56mm) |
| Compression Ratio | 13.6:1 |
| Valve Train | DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder |
| Horsepower | 177 hp 7,000 rpm (claimed) |
| Transmission | 6-speed |
| Final Drive | Chain |
| Front Suspension | WP-USD 48milimet fork |
| Rear Suspension | WP. shochồng absorber |
| Front Brake | Dual Brembo Monoblochồng four piston, radially mounted caliper, brake disc 320mm |
| Rear Brake | Brembo two piston, fixed caliper, brake disc 24mm |
| Front Tire | 120/70 ZR 17 |
| Rear Tire | 190/55 ZR 17 |
| Rake/Trail | 65.1°/4.21 in |
| Wheelbase | 58.3 in |
| Seat Height | 32.9 in |
| Curb Weight | 468.2 lbs (measured 2016 model) |
| Fuel Capacity | 4.7 gallons |
