Just spotted at RAD Moto the KTM1290 Superduke

[Catchy]

Thats the one Toors, less than a meter of straight pipe between the cylinders and that excuse for a "silencer" ! This thing make on hell of a sound!

[Cremaster]

What is the hype around this bike?

Is it it's looks? Is it it's performance?

Considering that this sort of performance have been around in the Jap bike market for sooooo long, it cannot be performance?

Is it the less informed D/S biker learning of high performance bikes in a round about way?

Very weird thinking! A lot of my mates, myself included, have migrated from superbikes to naked bikes.  The obvious reason, those naked are not as painfully focused as superbikes.  They have a natural seating position, they look cool, they do not compromise so much in power delivery as opposed to most jap naked but give you a nice kick early in the slope.

[BryanOC6]

What is the hype around this bike?

Is it it's looks? Is it it's performance?

Considering that this sort of performance have been around in the Jap bike market for sooooo long, it cannot be performance?

Is it the less informed D/S biker learning of high performance bikes in a round about way?

Very weird thinking! A lot of my mates, myself included, have migrated from superbikes to naked bikes.  The obvious reason, those naked are not as painfully focused as superbikes.  They have a natural seating position, they look cool, they do not compromise so much in power delivery as opposed to most jap naked but give you a nice kick early in the slope.

Next step is we will see you all on the 1190, 

[JustBendIt]

Last year I test rode this bike soon after it was launched and posted my thoughts here http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/index.php?topic=146154.100

In the last few weeks my gat has started "jukking" for a new toy - the few cars and bikes that I have have been with me for a while now - I was getting bored ...

So I started thinking what's next ? and remembered this bike the 1290 Superduke

I went back to KTM Cape Town and I'm sure I rode the exact same bike I test rode last year - their 2014 demo bike has just under 14 000 km on it now and its still perfect in every respect - not a mark or scratch anywhere

Last year I rode it into town and up and down signal hill. This time I took it through the stop start heavy traffic in Paarden Eiland and then out on the N1. I wanted to see what it would be like in traffic and then flat out on the freeway.

The bike was in STREET mode (full power) with traction control and linked ABS on - these aids will not allow you to wheelie or skid the bike.

I bumbled through the traffic and the bike was fine - I found the toe part of the gear lever too short which made me miss it a few times and the fuel injection is super sensitive and still snatchy - but very good for a 180 bhp bike in 2nd and 3rd gear at 20 kph.

On the N1 I accelerated hard and the bike whizzed past 200 kph in a heartbeat - fark me but this thing has big power and builds up speed quickly. Wind buffeting gets exponentially worse over 160 kph but you gotta expect that on a naked bike - it does not detract from the fun unless you are trying to set a new top end record.

I did about 5 km on the N1 before I took the next offramp and turned around. I stopped and selected SPORT mode
and turned traction control off   before rejoining the freeway with a lekker 3rd gear wheelie - this bike will lift its head with ease - a little dab on the clutch and a blip on the throttle and up she comes. It has a lean angle sensor - when you get the front wheel about 2 feet off the ground this bright orange light flashes on the dash - and it felt like some electronic aid cut the power to the back wheel so that the front wheel would come back to earth. I don't know if you can turn this off but I found it irritating.

I pulled off the N1 and made my way into Montague Gardens and headed back in the thickest traffic I could find - my reason for this was that if I bought this bike I would need to ride it everywhere and use it frequently to get around quickly.

I returned the bike to KTM Cape Town in one piece and must thank them again for the second test ride on this bike a year later.

My thoughts and opinions

PROS:

Huge power

Lightweight

Top shelf components - brakes, switches, build quality, etc

Stunning and very different design - grotesquely ugly yet strikingly beautiful at the same time

CONS: (purely my opinion and in comparison to my KTM 950SM)

Snatchy fuel injection (when compared to the silky smooth carbs on my 950SM)

Short painful gear lever

Too many gadgets / gizmos / modes / menus / submenus for me - some love this, I don't - switching between modes and flipping through all the info is very easy and quick but I don't like this in a car nevermind on a bike - for me less is always more - my 950SM has a key and a speedo - that's it - nothing else

Not enough ground clearance - I like to hop over pavements and ride down stairs etc if I see heavy traffic ahead, especially at traffic lights - my SM can jump a pavement easy - the 1290 is too low - you will klap the exhausts and smack the motor if you do this - not kief

I was hoping the bike to be more of a more powerful motard than my SM but I came to the conclusion and realisation that it is powerful naked superbike. You sit in the bike not on top of it - if you crouch down you can ride it insanely fast.

My verdict - a year later

It is an amazing piece of kit - if you like fast naked bikes then nothing will beat this thing for a thrill
BUT
It is not for me - my 950SM has half the power of this bike BUT gives me more than twice the pleasure when riding it. The 950 will battle to klap 200 kph but between 0 - 160 it never fails to put a smile on my dial - I will never say I love a machine but my feelings for this bike are strong. My 950 feels like my SE on motard wheels because that is what it is - the 1290 SD is a completely different animal - more trick, more power, more everything - totally different.

PS - I think the price of a new 1290 Superduke is now very close to R200K - KTM Cape Town has this 2014 demo with 14 000 km on it for sale for R155 000 (an absolute bargain)

[2StrokeDan]

What is the hype around this bike?

Is it it's looks? Is it it's performance?

Considering that this sort of performance have been around in the Jap bike market for sooooo long, it cannot be performance?

Is it the less informed D/S biker learning of high performance bikes in a round about way?

Very weird thinking! A lot of my mates, myself included, have migrated from superbikes to naked bikes.  The obvious reason, those naked are not as painfully focused as superbikes.  They have a natural seating position, they look cool, they do not compromise so much in power delivery as opposed to most jap naked but give you a nice kick early in the slope.

So we have come full circle back to the bikes we use to ride before the superbike became such a focussed tool. Naked bikes.
You are right, the riding position is more "natural" though. And this is what will also stuff up it's top end potential though, and make it uncomfortable at even relatively
low cruising speeds.

[2StrokeDan]

A 2014 model with 14000km on it, for R155000.

Now this is a lot of money for a 2nd hand motorcycle. What do you get?

Stunning acceleration, but no better than a host of bikes out there.
No wind protection, and for a bike of this performance potential, this is no small matter. This point also relegate you back into smaller bike performance spheres.
Cool factor was great, after the pre-launch hype, but that is now mostly gone with the model being around for some time.

A friend of mine is still 3seconds a lap faster around Killarney on his 1190, over his 1290SD.

[JustBendIt]

A 2014 model with 14000km on it, for R155000.

Now this is a lot of money for a 2nd hand motorcycle. What do you get?

You get a 23% discount over the cost of new - exactly that same bike as 2015 model

With the R45 000 saving you can buy a FUBAR KLR and get DocKLR to zoop it up for you 

2 bikes for the price of 1

[2StrokeDan]

A 2014 model with 14000km on it, for R155000.

Now this is a lot of money for a 2nd hand motorcycle. What do you get?

You get a 23% discount over the cost of new - exactly that same bike as 2015 model

With the R45 000 saving you can buy a FUBAR KLR and get DocKLR to zoop it up for you 

2 bikes for the price of 1

No, you'll only have the KTM and a mile-long thread on wilddogs, HULLO!

[hff]

I bought one last year and recently started using it as a daily. It is quite easy to live with- the electronics  saved me a few times on a wet road. You can completely disable all the traction and wheelie goodies. Its quite nimble and doesnt get too hot. Only mod I have is the full akra system, which sounds great but think it changes the torque characteristic negatively for some reason.

To me the real irritating thing is that it doesn't have that useful cubbyhole for keys access cards etc that the 990 has.

But torque and third gear wheelies abound...

I do find it is much more satisfying to short shift and ride the torque wave than to wring it out (even though the latter quickly adds up to silly speeds).

[2StrokeDan]

I bought one last year and recently started using it as a daily. It is quite easy to live with- the electronics  saved me a few times on a wet road. You can completely disable all the traction and wheelie goodies. Its quite nimble and doesnt get too hot. Only mod I have is the full akra system, which sounds great but think it changes the torque characteristic negatively for some reason.

To me the real irritating thing is that it doesn't have that useful cubbyhole for keys access cards etc that the 990 has.

But torque and third gear wheelies abound...

I do find it is much more satisfying to short shift and ride the torque wave than to wring it out (even though the latter quickly adds up to silly speeds).

Such a big V-twin lends itself superbly to short-shifting, which adds to the ease of riding such bikes. Perhaps the Accro designers thought that seeing that this engine has so much torque, they'll sacrifice some of it for a top-end power enhancing system? You should actually try and ride a std 1290, then your one to compare.